Tabitha Chawinga, the Malawian international striker, has made history by becoming the first African player to win the Italian Serie A Women’s Golden Boot Award for the 2022-23 season. The Golden Boot is traditionally awarded to the highest goal scorer in a football season or tournament, and Chawinga secured this honor by scoring an impressive 23 goals during the season.
Playing for Inter Milan, the 27-year-old Chawinga finished the campaign eight goals ahead of Cristiana Gireli from Juventus.
Inter finished the Serie A Women season in third place behind AS Roma and Juventus, and if Chawinga’s run of form continues in the 2023/24 season, you can bet on Bettors.co.mw for Inter to finish either first or second.
“My goal was to help the team to finish in the top two places on the Serie A table and as a forward that meant scoring many goals and winning matches,” she said.
“So yes my goal was to win at a personal level and team level. I am very glad to achieve it.”
After making a memorable debut for Inter Milan with a goal in their 4-1 victory over Parma on August 28, 2022, Chawinga continued to impress throughout the season. She reached a remarkable milestone by scoring her 23rd goal of the season in a match against Roma, despite Inter Milan facing a 2-1 defeat, on May 20, 2023. Her exceptional goal-scoring prowess has also been recognized in other leagues, as she previously won the Golden Boot in Sweden and China.
Despite being on loan from Chinese side Wuhan Jianghan University FC, Chawinga has proven to be a remarkable performer for Inter. Notably, she and Real Madrid’s Caroline Weir are the only players in the top five European leagues to have scored a minimum of 15 goals without converting any penalties, as highlighted by the Serie A website.
As Malawi prepares for the upcoming Council of Southern African Football COSAFA Women’s Championship in South Africa, they will undoubtedly hope to have Chawinga’s availability and impressive goal-scoring abilities on their side.
Eyes on the African Top Prize
Despite being nominated for the Africa Women’s Player of the Year award on four previous occasions, Chawinga has yet to secure the prestigious accolade, despite her remarkable successes. However, she remains undeterred by the setback and maintains hope for her future prospects.
Chawinga recognizes that her talent is a gift and believes in constantly nurturing and improving it. She remains focused, dedicated, and committed to continuous learning and development in football. While the desire to win the African Women’s Player of the Year award burns within her, she understands that patience and perseverance are key to achieving her goal.
In light of her recent accomplishment as the Italian Serie A Women’s Golden Boot winner, Chawinga shares inspiring messages with young African girls. She encourages them to challenge the status quo, look beyond their current circumstances, and believe in the possibilities that lie ahead. Chawinga emphasizes the importance of maintaining a tranquil state of mind, body, and soul to maximize productivity, engaging in exercises and activities that foster such tranquility.
She dedicates her achievements to less privileged girls in Malawi and across Africa, using her success as a source of inspiration for them. Chawinga wants every less privileged girl to believe in the possibilities that await them, reminding them that they can overcome poverty, challenges, and problems they may face.
