FOOTBALL-Jamaican Shaw named 2022 Women’s Player-of-the-Year.

MIAMI, CMC, Concacaf announced on Friday that Jamaica Reggae Girlz forward Khadija Shaw was its 2022 Women’s Player-of-the-Year.

Shaw is the first Caribbean women’s footballer to win the award. Concacaf said in a media release was selected based on a football-first voting system that included the participation of coaches and players from its member associations, as well as the media and fans.

Concacaf also named Bayern Munich and Canada defender Alphonso Davies the 2022 Men’s Player-of-the-Year for the second year running.

Shaw, 26, played a massive role in helping the Reggae Girlz qualify for their second straight FIFA Women’s World Cup, four years after assisting them to become the first Caribbean nation eligible for the global showpiece.

The Manchester City FC striker scored three goals in the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship in Monterrey, including the match-winning item in a 1-0 opening win against hosts Mexico and a brace in a 4-0 victory against Haiti that sealed World Cup qualification for the Jamaicans.

Shaw was named to the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship Best XI for her efforts in the qualification tournament.
At club level with Manchester City in England, Shaw was equally prolific, scoring 15 goals in 19 Women’s Super League matches, seven goals in eight domestic cup contests (Women’s FA Cup and FA Women’s League Cup), and two plans in two UEFA Women’s Champions League during the calendar year.

Her three goals in the knockout stage of the 2021-22 FA Women’s League Cup helped Manchester City claim the title.

Davies is the first player to win this men’s award in successive years and became only the second two-time winner with Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas (2014, 2017).

After playing a pivotal role in Canada’s qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2022, Davies entered the Canada Soccer record books when he scored the first ever Canada goal at a men’s World Cup when he struck a first-half header against Croatia in Qatar.

The left-back delivered another strong year at the club level, too, with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, appearing in 18 league matches, plus two domestic cup matches in helping Bayern win the 2021-22 Bundesliga and the 2022 German Super Cup during the calendar year.

In European competition, he played in seven UEFA Champions League matches, the latter five coming in the 2022-23 edition group stage.