Jamie Carragher delighted as Women’s Football Awards ‘continues to flourish’ | Football
Jamie Carragher and Toni Duggan have hailed the continued growth of the Women’s Football Awards ahead of the fourth edition in London tonight.
Launched in 2022 in partnership with Metro, it has quickly become a major and influential awards event for women’s football across Britain and Europe
And the flagship event will once again celebrate the game’s brightest stars, trailblazers and game-changers – both on and off the pitch – in a star-studded event featuring many of the biggest names in the sport.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher will return to co-host the night for a fourth successive year, and is delighted to see how rapidly the awards have grown.
‘This night has just continued to flourished, hasn’t it,’ he told Metro ahead this year’s awards.
‘Over the last decade or so, women’s football feels like it’s getting bigger and bigger each year, and it’s been great to play my part with this night.
‘Once I got involved with it, I enjoyed it, and kept doing it. And as with the women’s game, each year the awards are growing and getting bigger and better.’
The rapid growth of the WSL in recent years means players from six different countries have been shortlisted for the two main awards.
And Carragher believes that ‘internation flavour’ will only help the league become the standout product in women’s domestic football.
‘It’s similar to the men’s Premier League – you want the best of everything,’ he added. ‘You want the best players in the world, the best managers but also a pathway for young English players and obviously young English girls as well.
‘So it’s always about striking that right balance between the two. I don’t think you can probably ever get that perfect with lots of people’s eyes because we’re all probably want slightly different things.
‘But I think you do have to have that international favour in a league. We’ve seen the strength of the Premier League and that definitely only helps the WSL.’
Headlining the shortlist for the standout individual honour is Bunny Shaw, who has enjoyed another prolific season in front of goal for Manchester City.
The Jamaica international won Player of the Year back in 2024, and former Lionesses star Duggan, an ambassador for the Women’s Football Awards, would not be surprised to see the 29-year-old claim it again tonight.
‘She’s been absolutely incredible,’ Duggan told Metro. ‘I love Bunny as a player. I met with her recently for an interview, and even off the pitch, I think her enthusiasm and her ability to want to achieve more is so impressive.
‘She’s had so much success as well due to the players around her, and I think she would say that herself. Her and Viv (Miedema) staying fit has helped Man City so much, and when you add in the likes of Lauren Hemp supplying her to get those goals.
‘I think City as a whole have had a fantastic season but Bunny is just unstoppable when she gets them oportunities If she wins, it wouldn’t be a surprise to me. She’d definitely have my vote.’
Thursday’s event will also look to celebrate the important figures and organisations that work behind the scenes to help drive the sport forward, which reprsents a vital part of the awards for Duggan.
‘I think that’s what makes me the most proud with these awards,’ she added. ‘I came through in a generation where we actually had a lot of success compared to those who came before us when the game wasn’t professional, when there weren’t the opportunities that I have.
‘So it’s kind of to thank those people, to recognise those people, to also recognise the people behind the scenes that people aren’t too familiar with.
‘Because there’s people putting in so much effort behind the scenes in women’s football, whether it be brands, whether it be partnerships, kit men, people in the canteen.
‘There are so many trailblazers that need to deserve to be recognised. So the Women’s Football Awards brings that opportunity to recognise these people, and not just the footballers on the pitch.’
SHEIN Women’s Football Awards shortlist
Player of the Year
Lauren Hemp (Manchester City)
Bunny Shaw (Manchester City)
Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City)
Jess Park (Manchester United)
Ella Toone (Manchester United)
Kiko Seike (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)
Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa)
Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)
Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Vivianne Miedema (Manchester City)
Young Player of the Year
Tōko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur)
Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City)
Michelle Agyemang (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses)
Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea)
Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United)
Grace Clinton (Manchester City)
Aoba Fujino (Manchester City)
Nelly Las (Leicester City)
Ruby Mace (Everton)
Lenna Gunning-Williams (Tottenham Hotspur)
International Player of the Year
Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich)
Caroline Weir (Real Madrid)
Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Romée Leuchter (Paris Saint-Germain)
Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich)
Ewa Pajor (Barcelona)
Claudia Pina (Barcelona)
Melchie Dumornay (Lyon)
Tessa Wullaert (Inter Milan)
Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
Victoria Lopez (Barcelona)
Club of the Year
Manchester City
Wrexham
London City Lionesses
Manchester United
Chelsea
Glasgow City
Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal
Charlton Athletic
Hearts
Brighton & Hove Albion
Media Figure of the Year
Kelly Cates
Karen Carney MBE
Lianne Sanderson
Laura Woods
Reshmin Chowdhury
Alex Scott MBE
Mina Ibrahim
Suzanne Wrack
Katie Whyatt
Faye Carruthers
Mollie and Rosie Kmita
Best Marketing Campaign
Sports Direct & Fresh Base Productions – Legacy Starts Here
AXA – Keep On Kicking
Lidl – Never Stop Growing
Adidas & Intersport – Make Football Their Game
Chelsea & Here We Flo – We Don’t Bleed Blue. We Bleed. Period.
PepsiMAX & Hope&Glory – Thirsty for More
Unilever – Hellmann’s Russo Burger
The FA & Disrupt – Made For This Game
WSL Football & Anomaly – Watch This
Nike & Wieden+Kennedy London – IIOME
Heineken – Cheers to the Superstitious Fans
Best Grassroots Initiative
Liverpool FA – She Inspires
GoCardless – Grassroots Football Partnership
Tottenham Hotspur Foundation – Girls & Women Programme
Flutter UK & Ireland – Cash4Clubs
McDonald’s – Fun Football
Steven Gerrard Academy – Girls Football Programme
Electric Ireland – Game Changers NI
Starling Bank – Kick On With Starling
Octopus Energy – Kits For Kids
Manchester City – City in the Community
SP Energy Networks – Wrexham Partnership
Brand of the Year
Lucozade Sport
Adidas
EA Sports
British Gas
Skoda UK
Rexona
Barclays
Adobe
Three UK
VISA
Nike
Best Social Media
Juventus
The FA – Lionesses
Chelsea
Newcastle United
Aston Villa
Tottenham Hotspur
Bristol City
Manchester United
Rangers
Manchester City
Adobe – Women’s FA Cup
Global Impact Award
PlayStation
VisitMalta
VISA
Adidas
Iberdrola
PepsiCo
Booking.com
Amazon
Google Pixel
Kynisca
Nike
Best Fan Engagement
Disney+
EA Sports
Chelsea
London City Lionesses
Birmingham City
Panini
Glasgow City
Havas Play
Charlton Athletic
TikTok
YouTube
Legal Team of the Year
Linklaters
RPC
Thackray Williams
Evelyn Partners
Lawrence Stephens Limited
Penningtons Manches Cooper
Tottenham Hotspur Legal Team
Capital Law
Mills & Reeve
Paul Robinson Solicitors
Bird & Bird
Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Admiral
Lidl
Adobe
Unilever
Domestic & General
Xero
Apple
RSK
Bute Energy
The Premier League
Deloitte
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award
Arsenal
EE
Pixel FC Academy
The FA
West Ham United
Mastercard
Utility
Brighton & Hove Albion
VISA
Three UK
Liverpool
Community Impact Award
Sunderland
Carpenters Group
Bristol City
Crane Worldwide Logistics
Her Game Too
Xero
London City Lionesses
interested
Brighton & Hove Albion
E.ON
Goals4Girls
Football Business of the Year
ORRECO
Mercury13
We Are Athlete
CAA SPORTS
Gravity Media
LiveScore Group
Foudys
EA Sports
Kynsica
Sport five
Twenty3
Football Agency of the Year
Wasserman
CAA SPORTS
CMG SPORTS
Gen Z Football
Ignite Talent
Tongue Tied Management
P.L.G
A&V Sports Group
Gestifute
Livida Sports
Quantum Sport
Football Business Trailblazer
Kay Cossington
Aki Mandhar
Maggie Murphy
Sarah Batters
Zoe Johnson
Jemma White
Sola Participant
Charlotte O’Neill
Laura Downey
Laura Montgomery
Liz Ellen
Best Breakthrough Business
E.l.f Beauty
Modibodi
Mercedes-Benz UK
Airbnb
British Gas
Guinness
AFTA Studios
P.L.G
Revolut
Skechers
Crocs EU
Women’s Football Champion
Rose Read
Nadine Kessler
Nikki Doucet
Jemma White
Michele Kang
Ebru Köksal
Debbie Hewitt MBE
Joelle Murray
Rachel Pavlou
Simone Pound MBE
Vic Akers OBE
Game Changer Award
Rachel Yankey OBE
Gillian Coultard MBE
Eartha Pond
Shelley Kerr MBE
Kelly Smith MBE
Nikita Parris
Ellen White MBE
Gilly Flaherty
Fran Kirby
This is U cut
Jess Fishlock MBE
Off The Pitch Award
Stephen Lansdown CBE
Michael Williamson
Matt Johnson
Bethan Woolley
Tammy Parlour MBE
Good Plans
Rachel Pavlou
Liz Ellen
Lola Ogunbote
Helen Hardy
Jo Osborne
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