Lionesses hero Beth Mead has been crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022 at BBC's Media City UK in Salford.
The Arsenal forward, 27, played an instrumental role in helping the Lionesses win the 2022 European Championship on home soil in the summer, scoring six goals and registering five assists. The Lionesses scooped England's first-ever major women's football trophy after beating Germany 2-1 in the final at Wembley.
Mead, who is a much-loved character, has become the first women's footballer to have won the award. She beat England cricketer Ben Stokes and former curler Eve Muirhead to the prize.
READ MORE: Lionesses scoop historic award at Sports Personality of the Year awards
On winning the award, Mead said: "I'm speechless, for once! I'm incredibly honoured to win this award. I wouldn't have done it without the girls.
"The team have backed me. Yes, I've won this accolade, I've scored a few goals but I wouldn't have done it without them.
"This is for women's sport and women's sport heading in the right direction. Let's keep pushing, girls, let's keep doing the right thing."
Mead, who is currently sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, scored the opening goal of the Euros back in July, helping the Lionesses defeat Austria 1-0 at Old Trafford. She then netted a hat-trick in the following group game, helping Sarina Wiegman's side hammer Norway 8-0 at Brighton Amex Stadium.
She added further goals to her tally against Northern Ireland and in the 4-0 semi-final win over Sweden. She won both the Golden Boot and the Player of the Tournament award.
Mead's triumph completed a historic night for the Lionesses at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards. The Lionesses won the Team of the Year award and boss Wiegman scooped the Coach of the Year gong.
The Team of the Year award meant that the likes of Manchester United stars Mary Earps, Ella Toone and Alessia Russo, plus Manchester City's Alex Greenwood and Chloe Kelly, who scored the winner against Germany, were also recognised for their roles in the Lionesses' success during the summer.
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