Malawi’s goal machine Temwa Chawinga has conquered another football mountain, becoming the first African woman to finish in the top 10 of the Women’s Ballon d’Or.
The Kansas City Current striker finished 10th in the 2026 rankings, delivering a historic moment for Malawi and African football.
Spain’s Alexia Putellas claimed the prestigious award, but Chawinga had her own reason to celebrate after rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in women’s football.
The Scorchers vice-captain has built her reputation on one deadly weapon: goals. From China to the United States, defenders have struggled to stop her scoring touch.
Her rise began at Wuhan Jianghan University, where she won four consecutive Chinese Women’s Super League titles between 2020 and 2023. She also finished as the league’s top scorer in 2022 and 2023.
Chawinga carried that hunger for goals to Kansas City Current, helping the club win the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and the 2025 NWSL Shield.
Her individual trophy cabinet is equally impressive. She scooped consecutive NWSL Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot awards in 2024 and 2025, adding to her 2023 World’s Best Top Goal Scorer award from the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.
Chawinga’s influence has also extended beyond club football, playing a key role in Malawi’s historic run at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where the Scorchers finished runners-up and secured qualification for their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance in 2027.
She also featured prominently in Malawi’s Olympic qualification campaign, helping the Scorchers demolish Zimbabwe 7-0 after an earlier 2-0 victory to advance to the next round.
These achievements underline her importance not only as a prolific club striker but also as one of the driving forces behind Malawi’s rise in women’s football.
Chawinga’s historic top-10 finish places her alongside Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay, Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen, Spain’s Patri Guijarro and Clàudia Pina, Denmark’s Pernille Harder, Poland’s Ewa Pajor, England’s Alessia Russo, Jamaica’s Khadija Shaw and eventual winner Putellas.
