Arsenal women’s star Vivianne Miedema claims she ‘didn’t feel appreciated’ at the Ballon d’Or

Vivianne Miedema has criticized the Ballon d’Or for not treating women’s football fairly and focusing more on the men’s game.

Seven awards were handed out at the 2022 Ballon d’Or ceremony, but only one of them, the Women’s Ballon d’Or, is an award dedicated to women’s football.

The other six gongs are all awards dedicated to the men’s game, and the Arsenal star says it is time to make the ceremony a more equal event.

Vivianne Miedema says there is a lack of appreciation for women’s football from the Ballon d’Or

Miedema attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony with her teammate and partner Beth Mead

“I didn’t feel appreciated as a female footballer there,” she told the BBC’s Behind the Goals podcast.

‘If they want to involve women, they have to do it in a different way.

‘They had five or six different prizes for the men’s game, while the women only have one. If they want it to be the same, they have to give the same prizes to men’s and women’s football.’

In addition to the main Ballon d’Or award, which this year went to Karim Benzema, there is also the Kopa Trophy for the best young male player, the Yashin trophy for the best male goalkeeper and the Gerd Muller award for the best male goalkeeper. goal scorer.

Spanish star Alexia Putellas won the 2022 Women’s Ballon d’Or, but she was the only female winner

While the club of the year is distributed in both the male and female game. The Socrates Prize, a more humanitarian award, was also added this year and was won by Senegalese star Sadio Mane.

However, none of these have been replicated solely for women’s football. Leaving only Alexia Putellas as the only female winner at the 2022 ceremony.

The Barcelona star clinched the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the second successive season, beating English star Beth Mead, who finished second.

The two Arsenal stars are currently in a relationship and have posted pictures together online.

Mead is currently in a relationship with Miedema, and they attended the award ceremony together, however a caption the next day described the couple as Miedema and ‘guests’.

The Dutch striker says she and Mead laughed off the mistake, but it’s another example of how women’s football can still be disrespected.

Miedema added: ‘Waking up the next morning and there’s that image, which indicates the problem we had the night before.

‘We have the number two of that year, who arguably should have been number one, appearing at the event as ‘my guest’. Obviously, that would never happen if Messi and Neymar had been walking side by side.

Miedema is the top scorer in the WSL and the top scorer in the history of the Netherlands.

“Obviously we joke about it, but it shows that there are a lot of improvements to be made, he needs to get organized a lot better.”

The 26-year-old recently returned to Arsenal following a requested period of time off, where she also missed two international friendlies with the Netherlands.

She says players shouldn’t be afraid to ask for time to recharge their batteries if they think it would benefit their game.

The Arsenal striker took a break in November and said more players should rest

“We’re always expected to go, go, go,” he said.

“A lot of players probably don’t feel free to say ‘OK, I need a break.’ I’ve been in a lucky position to ask for it, to feel confident enough to ask for it, which, looking back, I should have done much sooner.

‘If it’s not possible to deliver what you need to do at the moment, take a break or work with someone on it. Talk about it and don’t feel embarrassed. Take your time and you will be back at a given time.

Miedema is the WSL’s all-time record scorer with 74 goals and has netted seven times in 14 games so far this season.