England lionesses - SPOTY shortlist candidates based on Individual awards

The captain Leah Williamson didn't win any awards either but i give her a better chance of making the list than Chloe, after all she is the back to back winning captain. There is a small chance if the panel cannot decide who to go with coz of all the awards shared out in different directions, they might just say lets go with the captain.

I'm also not dismissing two lionesses going up, one being the winner of the BBC own award which is guaranteed to be either Hannah or Alessia and another of the said names.

I was fully in the mindset they wouldn't dare put two up coz it would undermine the rugby lasses but lets face it, they have one superstar who pretty much gets all the credit, even when someone else has a better match. I witnessed this when watching the games, another player had a great game and guess who got player of the match. Bit naughty really !

With the lionesses you have four superstars, well 3 and the woman who hops and don't win any awards...anyway they are all getting loads of attention and continue to do so since the final. Its gonna be a seriously difficult job for the panel to single just one out to be shortlisted.

Odds on its two imo

Who created the winning moment? The VT is about moments. Who is the best known to the average SPOTY viewer? Chloe.

Who created the winning moment? lol ummmm let me think, that was Hannah Hampton saving two pens to then give Chloe the chance to produce the winning moment.

England Manager Sarina today said on itv football, 'that there was one moment that i thought, thats it that we were out and that was when we missed the pens against sweden. That was actually the only moment we were totally out of control. Well not totally coz we had Hannah Hamton in goal, but then Hannah Hampton stopped the ball and they missed it. In those moments, so that was the only moment i thought hmmmm we might go home tomorrow, bit its never done until its done and i know that too'

Sarina wasn't saying thank god Chloe scored the pen and we won, she was saying without Hannah Hampton we was going home. Its not all about Chloe Henry and today the manager said as much.

Who is the best known to the average SPOTY viewer? All i know is since the final, Hannah has probably become more well known at a faster rate than any of the team. She is very relatable in all her interviews and is willing to do plenty, often being quite funny in them.

btw i am extremely confident Hannah beats Russo in that BBC vote, by a comfortable margin. Chelsea's overall following on social media dwarfs that of Arsenal's. Plus Russo has to split her core vote with Caldentey.

I think Hannah is a cert for the shortlist, Chloe has it all to do

Yeah Hannah should make the shortlist if they're being reasonable about it but Chloe is much better known and we've already had a goalie win it. I don't think a bit of a split vote would harm Chloe either.

Yeah and we already had a striker win with Beth Mead

It's the same argument I had on the main thread. The winning penalty is style over substance. That's likely enough for the public, but will those shortlisting be as easily seduced.

They should, at least in theory, pay more attention to the substance rather than the romance. But Brownlee got in, so not always!

I think you will find at 24 years old, Hannah is the new golden girl for the Lionesses, 100 times better as a role model and an inspiration to every young kid to never give up on there dreams. Even when doctors tell you its never gonna happen.

Oct 24, 2025 -- 12:23AM, Cider wrote:

They should, at least in theory, pay more attention to the substance rather than the romance. But Brownlee got in, so not always!

Yeah but SPOTY is a TV program, they want mass viewers in December and to come back next December too. And you could argue scoring 2 winning penalties and setting up goals is both romance and substance.

Thing is if they really, really wanted Chloe, why didn't the BBC shortlist her ?? That was the done deal

Yes Chloe had the winning moment but Hannah is the complete package

Role model
inspirational
took over from Earps under pressure
lost her grandad
saved the team from going home countless times, i can think of 5 off the top of my head
1st ever Ballon female winner
awarded and recognised by the royal family who the BBC love

Chloe's VT doesn't even come close........

Yeah but SPOTY is a TV program, they want mass viewers in December and to come back next December too. And you could argue scoring 2 winning penalties and setting up goals is both romance and substance.


You're obviously not seeing the backlash from many many people saying, how can Chloe be fav over Rory. Chloe winning damages the brand imo, she simply does not to deserve to beat Rory, Lando, Littler winning world title and probably becoming number 1...what all coz she put away a pen. gimme a break Henry

If Hannah was fav with her CV you wouldn't be seeing nowhere near as much backlash as Chloe is getting, coz Hannah actually deserves to win beat the field.

But Army life isn't fair - that little spin Chloe does while putting the ball on the spot and raising her left leg - seriously this is pure theatre. Even her swearing creates a wild child image and she has apologised for it anyway.

Chloe winning is also disrespectful to all the others in the team who deserve it more given there own achievements acquired over the whole season, not someone who had 4 good games between 2024/2025.

I'll keep backing Hannah thanks Henry, the way the awards will be spread out...i wouldn't be shocked if any of the 5 ive mentioned gets a nom.

Chloe may well win but she certainly doesn't deserve it and hopefully the panel will see it that way as well....she is simply terrible value.

The BBC winner will be announced on the 25th November, then we will have the coronation splashed all over every BBC social media site. With interviews for the following week with cheeky faced Hannah, then the panel meets up to decide the shortlist. Now there is one person that will still be on everyone's lips in that meeting.

Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson were the two Lions highlighted by the SJA Sports Awards as Sportswoman of the Year, SPOTY has also been a winner of that since 2017 with the Mo Farah year. Realistically the panel deciding the noms aren't going to snub the favourite.

Yeah but SPOTY is a TV program, they want mass viewers in December and to come back next December too. And you could argue scoring 2 winning penalties and setting up goals is both romance and substance.


SPOTY has long since given up worrying about viewing figures! It cares more about the politics and the right on stuff, sport is secondary.

In a nutshell, my position hasn't changed, it is plausible Kelly isn't listed. It is also plausible that more than one of the Women's Euro football winners is listed. I feel like the market has it right that she will most likely be shortlisted and win the OR, but I'm not dogmatic about it and have all angles covered.

Realistically the panel deciding the noms aren't going to snub the favourite.

Well they did in 2020 !!

Army who was the fav in 2020 when they announced the shortlist? You said "The BBC winner will be announced on the 25th November". What's that?

I was being a bit of devil's advocate, all Lionesses shouldn't be overlooked. Anyway just a reminder:

All in July:

BBC Player of the Match (Final)  - Chloe 1st, Russo 2nd, Hannah 3rd.

YouGov "Which Lionesses have been the favs of those watching Women's Euro 2025?" - Chloe 1st, Agyemang 2nd, Bronze 3rd, Hannah 4th.

Lionesses "England Fan Vote" Hannah 1st. I don't know any details about that except it's fan based unlike SPOTY.

"Hannah Hampton" 419,000 Google hits.
"Chloe Kelly" 1,510,000 Google hits.
I have had much bigger figures, different browser but still Google search engine, but Chloe always miles ahead.

"SPOTY has long since given up worrying about viewing figures! It cares more about the politics and the right on stuff, sport is secondary."

Yes but big viewing figures are essential to push the "politics and right on stuff". Fortunately women are IN atm, I'm all for that, and the Lionesses are IN.

Chloe Kelly assisted in the final and scored the Pen, and if she missed that pen the lionesses would of been the laughing stock of the world. No one really likes a show off and that's all that pen style is, she got away with it...but then shows off again swearing down the camera and again outside the royal residence. Not only that she then totally disrespects her former club by celebrating a goal, ranting and touching her badge. Then another badge touch when bringing down a former City compatriot, its not banter as many are saying...its just a pure lack of class and self control.
Chloe is more disliked than the rest of the England squad, not team, SQUAD..put together.

The so called hero of the final couldn't even win a public vote weeks after they lifted the trophy, Lucy Bronze won that vote. Had that vote been held after the Ballon results and not before, Hannah would of easily won that vote as well.

Who scored the equalising goal in the final - Alessia Russo
Who saved two pens in the final taken by the worlds two best players - Hannah Hampton
Who was the official player of the match in the final given by UEFA - Hannah Hampton
Who played the whole tournament with a fractured leg including the final - Lucy Bronze
Who was the winning captain who lifted the trophy back to back - Leah Williamson

Yet some think being randomly chosen to take the final winning penalty takes complete presidence over every other achievement, Chloe has not won a football related award all season, given by a football governing body. She's not even guaranteed to win the SJA imo, its gonna take some going for a player to score more points than a winning back to back captain who stays out of the limelight and avoids controversy. Leah is the captain coz she acts like one !!
I also believe there will be a lot of journalists that are seriously annoyed Russo, Hannah and Bronze were totally blanked out for the award as all achieved more than Chloe on an individual bases. As said Chloe is seriously marmite, there is a real chance of a big anti-vote and Leah scooping the lionesses share of the vote.
There is a serious false narrative that Chloe is the best thing since sliced bread !!

H, I'm not taking a view here on whether the politics is right or not. My views are probably quite well known anyway!

Simply that there is absolutely no doubt that the bbc is prioritising their version of politics right across its output. It is the definition of self harm, but they don't care. Of course they want high viewing figures as well, but it's secondary to the propaganda. And the propaganda turns more people away than it attracts.

What counts in this SPOTY market is that I feel like their preferred winner will be a women's euro player, and will take the steps needed to deliver it. Though Rory is from the Catholic side of NI I believe, so it's not absolutely certain that they won't want him to win.

If I were god I would instruct the BBC to immediately take ads, I would stop the disgraceful turning up on peoples doorsteps and harrasing them, ususally by BBC hired debt collection companies (when no debt has even been established) and then I would auction off the BBC section by section. Huge cash gain for HMG.
I'm most dreadfully sorry, I always avoid getting into politics, it's mostly panto anyway, I just couldn't hold that back however much I tried.

* abolish the license fits in there oc.

Part of the problem is that politics has wormed its way into virtually every part of our daily lives! Long gone are the days where you could watch a game of football or golf and escape politics, get a water bill, more politics. There's no escape. So in this example, inevitably betting on SPOTY has a big chunk of analysing the politics as well as sporting prowess/achievement.

Where betting is concerned anyway, I try to maximise a profit and bet on what the outcome will be. Whether I feel the outcome, and how they establish it is right or wrong, doesn't really matter. It is important that I try to understand well, how that happens.

Army who was the fav in 2020 when they announced the shortlist? You said "The BBC winner will be announced on the 25th November". What's that?


It was a cricketer i think, can't recall his name. I'll think of it and post

The BBC award announced on the 25th November is the Woman's football player of the year

swearing down the camera and again outside the royal residence.

Think sadly you've nailed the main winning criteria - both Earps and Keely had famous moments of public swearing before they won it!

BBC Player of the Match (Final)  - Chloe 1st, Russo 2nd, Hannah 3rd.


So why weeks later she couldn't beat Bronze in a public vote ?? Also Hannah was the official player of the match

Chloe got a lot of praise on the night for scoring the pen, others like Russo, Bronze and Hannah have all passed her winning awards. Its upto the panel to judge these achievements on there merits.

I repeat Chloe has not won a single individual award, do you realise how many SPOTY winners have managed to win without no personnel honours.

stu

how many individual awards did both win for the panel to consider ??

Fair issue army, I was just making a little joke about the swearing criteria, which seems to run well for the females in this competition. Maybe something to do with modern style thinking women swearing makes them 'strong' or something like that....

It's certainly not a negative for her being seen swearing.

lol no worries stu, maybe not but her lack of class and being the most disliked out of the entire squad could be. I recall the other swearers didn't have either of these negatives

I haven't played this year seriously, so can't really comment deeply about her personality or chances. But at a guess I'd personally say her odds about right at just over evens currently, so not really a strong bet either way for me.

I think Chloe's main issue here is, her winning seriously undermines massive achievements like Rory winning a grand slam that only 5 other golfers have achieved in history. Luke Littler being the youngest ever world Champion and most likely the fastest world number one in history.

That just isn't right, and many golf fans are well within there right to point this out. Chloe has no individual football awards, she had 4 good games in a whole season.

Out of the 5 ladies who could be shortlisted, her CV is by far the worst....any of the other 4 are far more deserving and none of them would be seen as undermining the field.

If the panel want to go around kicking professional sports people for achieving the best in there said sports over a woman kicking a winning pen, then all is lost. I could understand it, if UEFA had awarded her player of the match, she had a decent game by her standards coming on early and assisting the goal. That would of boosted the credibility of it all....but they didn't, they gave it to goalie that saved the pens.

The penalty shootout has always been considered the only real chance a goalie gets to shine brightly and place herself on the big stage and become the hero of the hour. That's exactly what Hannah did, only for a hop in the air to run off and take all the glory lol

I still think the panel will make the right choice and give it, too the person who has had the biggest journey of all the players

Voting for the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year 2025 award is now open.

Fans worldwide can vote from the five-player shortlist of Aitana Bonmati, Hannah Hampton, Mariona Caldentey, Alessia Russo and Patri Guijarro.

This will be the 11th year of the award, having been first presented in 2015.

Voting closes at 09:00 GMT on Friday, 31 October and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, 25 November on BBC World Service and the BBC Sport website and app.

The five contenders for the accolade were chosen by a panel of experts, including coaches, players, administrators and journalists.

Cast your vote, and read more on the five contenders.
.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn7el7zx2xzo


This is basically what the SPOTY panel will consist of, so why didn't Chloe get picked ??

The panel that pick SPOTY will have gained more knowledge when its there turn, That Bronze won England player of the year and either Hannah or Alessia has won world player of the year.
So does not that put Chloe even further back in peoples minds, i'm not sure Chloe winning the SJA will give her that much credit, when three of the biggest stars were left off the list for some bizarre reason.

Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson were the two Lions highlighted by the SJA Sports Awards as Sportswoman of the Year

The SJA is nearly always bang on at highlighting SPOTY winners but that heavily depends on awards leading upto the SJA itself, this is probably the 1st time in ages or ever. Where a one off event where Chloe wins the SJA and has nothing to go with it. Its fundamentally why the SJA predicts so many winners coz said person has already cleaned up all the important awards along the way.

I get the feeling a lot of punters, even more so on here feels its the favs entitlement to be automatically put on the list. I did think it might have been used as a popularity criteria for the panel. 'Oh the public are backing said person, we must put them on' but of course that is not the case, nearly all favs go on the list coz they are world champions, gold medallists and have scooped most awards prior to the SJA.

This is a one of situation, so that favs entitlement attitude doesn't hold water in this scenario imo

I refer you to my original post, look at the awards Beth Mead and Mary Earps won before the SJA. Football is a team sport and the panel have a very tough decision picking the right person in this case.

Liverpool won the league and captain Henderson was picked, don't be surprised if the decision become so difficult for the panel that Leah becomes the default choice.

I actually think Hannah wins the BBC award. Chloe wins the SJA and both will go on the list, not that i agree with that but that is my gut feeling.

I've now said everything on this matter, catch you laters

I think Russo wins the BBC award. It's BBC world and therefore a global vote. Russo is the more high profile of the two. They won't even know who Hannah is in Mombasa

Can't see international voters making any difference to the overall percentages fig tbh

Chelsea posted a decent article on there main website, as well as the women's website. So did arsenal but article not as good.

Chelsea's headline was 'Vote for Hannah Hampton to win BBC Women's footballer of the year 2025'

Arsenal's headline was 'Mariona and Russo up for BBC women's FOTY'

Chelsea followers across all 4 main social media platforms is 148.2 million
Arsenal followers across all 4 main social media platforms is 110.5 million

On the womens platforms
Chelsea 12 million
Arsenal 9.4 million

I've got plenty of other indicators i really can't be bothered posting up but it all points to Hannah winning the award very comfortably.

Well i'll give you one, i've seen plenty of Arsenal fans who have voted for Mariona...not really helpful to Russo having to split her vote, considering she has far less followers in her pool !!

We'll see. Shame there's not a market

I suspect there's a decent international vote. Especially across Africa, given 2 African players have won it.

Also in Northern Europe and Scandinavia. Basically where ever lots of the population speak English. ie not Spain

So between the 2 English players. I just feel Russo is more high profile and has been around for much longer. So is likely to get the stronger support outside of the England and Lioness fans

I can only imagine your banging Russo's drum coz you have her a bigger green, so do i and imagine everyone with a brain has.
Hannah's story is worthy of a VT, no other England player really is apart from Bronze imo

lol she was my biggest green going into the final and is still up there. I don't think she has much chance of getting a nomination though.  The spoty panel will focus on the Euros and she did ok but not great.

I just think she's more likely of the 2 to win this vote.