The Madrid CFF striker finished at the top of the women’s list in the GOAL 50 contest, while Inter Miami star Lionel Messi collected the men’s award following last year’s FIFA World Cup triumph.
The online news publication GOAL ranked the best 50 football players in the world for the last 12 months, based on a public opinion poll by its readers.
Lionel Messi finished ahead of Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Kevin de Bruyne in the men’s category.
On the other hand, Kundananji managed to see off competition from Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala, Linda Caicedo, Tabitha Chawinga, and Lauren James to bag the accolade.
Since the beginning of last season, Kundananji has scored 46 goals for club and country. Hence, it was only a matter of time before the Madrid CFF forward landed a global award.
Reacting to her GOAL 50 Award triumph in an interview with Diamond TV on Tuesday, Kundananji said, “Winning it [the Award] as the first African is a big achievement. Five years ago, nobody believed in me. But here I am now. I have been fighting to be on top, and that’s where I am now.”
“My time is coming”- Kundananji
She was controversially omitted from the top 3 nominees for the 2023 CAF Women’s Player of the Year, despite outscoring all of her competitors.
She also missed out on the Diamond TV Female Sports Personality of the Year Award which her teammate Barbra Banda won.
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The Madrid CFF forward further alluded, “I know I didn’t win any awards in Zambia or Africa, but at least I have won something from out there. My time is coming to win the awards in Zambia and Africa as well. I just need to believe and also support my peers as they collect those awards.”
