There can only be one winner in our Footballer of the Year award. It absolutely has to be Beth Mead.
No other player on the shortlist of nine had the sort of year that she did. Mead was England’s best player, England’s top scorer and voted Player of the Tournament at the Euros last summer. She played the starring role when England won their first major tournament since 1966. And they did it at Wembley.
If the men had done it, this would not even be a debate. Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane or whoever would be a national hero, would be winning every player of the year gong and would be heading for a knighthood. She deserves just as much praise for her part in a tournament which lit up the whole summer.
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The Lionesses were just sensational. It was a brilliant ride. It was one of the best and most enjoyable things I’ve covered during my (far too) long career. She scored six goals, made five assists and was absolutely outstanding. Some of those games, those atmospheres gripped the nation and the final at Wembley was just amazing.
It was an "I was there" moment. So let’s not just forget about it five or six months later as if it never happened. Mead is brilliantly talented, technically gifted and a real modern forward. The fact she has subsequently suffered a serious knee injury almost makes it more compelling to give her awards. Anything to inspire her recovery. She deserves it.
If we were being asked to choose our winner after England won the World Cup in Qatar, do you really think we wouldn’t be choosing the hero of the tournament? Or the scorer of the winner in the final? Of course we would.
So, let’s take the women’s game a bit more seriously and start putting the Lionesses and the players on a level footing.
It would be utterly ridiculous to choose a Premier League player who has done it for a few weeks. Erling Haaland? Do me a favour.
Maybe at the end of the season when he scores the goals to win Manchester City the title. Or Bukayo Saka for his part in Arsenal's title triumph.
I’d even accept Kevin De Bruyne. He was amazing again as City won the title. But Bruno Guimaraes or James Maddison? Mohamed Salah after his mixed season?
Pick a winner for their achievements. And no one deserves it more than Beth Mead.
