‘Ridiculous’ to criticise Barbra Banda for BBC award, Emma Hayes insists
USA manager ‘disappointed’ to hear of online abuseJK Rowling critical of award as women’s footballer of year
Emma Hayes has criticised the “ridiculous” treatment of Barbra Banda, after the Orlando Pride and Zambia forward was named the BBC women’s footballer of the year.
The head coach of the US women’s national team was responding to a question about the wave of online abuse Banda has faced since her award win. The 24-year-old scored four goals at the Olympics this summer and 13 for Orlando in the 2024 season to be named the NWSL’s most valuable player (MVP).
