(Reuters) – England striker Beth Mead was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Wednesday after helping her team win the 2022 European Championship.
The 27-year-old Mead won the Golden Boot as leading scorer at Euro 2022 and was named player of the tournament.
“Sorry, I’m speechless for once! Obviously, I’m incredibly honoured to win this award. I’ll keep saying it, it’s a cliché but I wouldn’t have done it without them girls over there, the team that backed me,” the Arsenal forward said.
“Most of all this is for women’s sport and for women’s sport heading in the right direction. Let’s keep pushing girls and let’s keep doing the right thing,” Mead added.
The Lionesses also took home awards for Team of the Year and Coach of the Year, Sarina Wiegman who led England’s women to their first major title.
“Without this incredible team of players and human beings we could never have performed as we did … It has been fantastic to work with this team,” the Dutchwoman said.
Lionel Messi was named World Sport Star of the Year after captaining Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City, editing by Ed Osmond)
