Jamaica's Khadija Shaw claims Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year Award

By Sports Desk May 06, 2023
Jamaica's Khadija Shaw claims Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year Award Concacaf

Jamaica and Manchester City Forward Khadija “Bunny” Shaw has been named the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year.

Shaw, the first Caribbean player to win Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year honors, reacted to the news on her Instagram page.

“Happy and grateful to be awarded Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year,” she wrote.

“Thanks to everyone associated with Concacaf as well as my teammates and staff,” she added.

The 26-year-old enjoyed another outstanding year in 2022.

Four years after helping Jamaica become the first ever Caribbean nation to qualify for a FIFA Women’s World Cup, Shaw played a huge role in helping Jamaica qualify for their second straight Women’s World Cup.

Shaw led the Reggae Girlz to a Third-Place finish at the 2022 Concacaf W Championship in Monterrey, Mexico, which punched their ticket to Australia/New Zealand 2023.

In the 2022 CWC, Shaw scored three goals, including the game-winner in Jamaica’s opening 1-0 win versus Mexico and a brace in their 4-0 victory against Haiti, which sealed Jamaica’s Women’s World Cup qualification. For her efforts, Shaw was named to the 2022 CWC Best XI.

Shaw was just as lethal in CWC Qualifying, amassing nine goals to help Jamaica top their group to then qualify for the CWC. Shaw had braces versus Bermuda (4-0), Grenada (6-1) and the Dominican Republic (5-1), plus a hat trick versus Cayman Islands (9-0).

At club level with Manchester City in England, Shaw was equally prolific.

During the calendar year 2022, she scored 15 goals in 19 Women’s Super League games, seven goals in eight domestic cup games (Women’s FA Cup and FA Women’s League Cup) and two goals in two UEFA Women’s Champions League games.

Shaw’s three goals in the knockout stage helped Manchester City claim the 2021-22 FA Women’s League Cup.

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    “This award is a beautiful feather in her cap and a massive advertisement for Jamaica’s football,” Ricketts said.

     

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    Prior to Shaw sustaining a broken foot during her last Women’s Super League match against West Ham, the Reggae Girls captain scored 21 goals, which were complemented by three assists in 18 games this season.

    Shaw is the third Jamaican-born individual to have won the award after John Barnes (1987-88, 1989-90) and Raheem Sterling in 2019.

    However, she is the first national representative to receive the honour, as both Barnes and Sterling were England internationals when they earned the recognition.

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