Beth Mead of Yorkshire finishes runner-up in Ballon d'Or vote for World Footballer of the Year

Yorkshire’s Beth Mead has finished runner-up to Barcelona and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas in the vote to find the best women’s footballer on the planet.
By Nick Westby
Published 17th Oct 2022, 21:27 BST
Updated 17th Oct 2022, 21:32 BST

England forward Mead finished second to Putellas who wins the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second successive year.

Putellas suffered a knee injury ahead of the start of Euro 2022, where Arsenal striker Mead went on to be top scorer and was named player of the tournament as the Lionesses soared to victory on home soil when they beat Germany in the final at Wembley.

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The 27-year-old Mead was born near Whitby and began her footballing journey with local team California Girls before joining Middlesbrough’s centre of excellence.

LOBeth Mead of England is awarded with the Top Goalscorer and Player of the Tournament awards after the final whistle of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final match between England and Germany at Wembley Stadium on July 31, 2022. (Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)LOBeth Mead of England is awarded with the Top Goalscorer and Player of the Tournament awards after the final whistle of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final match between England and Germany at Wembley Stadium on July 31, 2022. (Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LOBeth Mead of England is awarded with the Top Goalscorer and Player of the Tournament awards after the final whistle of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final match between England and Germany at Wembley Stadium on July 31, 2022. (Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

She joined Sunderland in 2011 and moved to Arsenal in 2017, winning the first of 47 England caps the following year.

Chelsea and England defender Millie Bright, who is from Sheffield, finished 15th in the voting.

Mead’s second place finish completes a remarkable accomplishment for coastal North Yorkshire, which earlier this year saw Scarborough-born Zoe Aldcroft named World Rugby’s women’s 15s player of the year.

It means that part of the White Rose county is home to the best women’s rugby union player in the world and the second best women’s footballer, following Mead’s achievement.

Related topics:North YorkshireSpainBarcelona