UNFP Trophies: PSG striker Tabitha Chawinga best player of the season

She wins again and it’s anything but a surprise! Two weeks after being voted best player in the French championship during the D1 Arkema Trophies ceremony organized at the Pavillon Dauphine, PSG striker Tabitha Chawinga scored a nice double this Monday, winning the same distinction at the occasion of the UNFP Trophies which take place at the Pavillon d’Armenonville in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. For several years, the women’s team has had the particularity of having two different ceremonies to reward the personalities who have stood out during the season.

Two days after qualifying for the championship final which will pit Lyon against PSG this Friday, May 17, at Groupama Stadium, Tabitha Chawinga was honored a second time for the fantastic season she is having with the capital club. Powerful, fast and extremely skillful in front of goal, the former Inter Milan player is having an excellent first year with the Rouge et Bleu. She is, in fact, the top scorer in the championship with 18 goals and she is also co-best passer with 10 assists delivered.

Her contribution to Paris is all the more considerable as she had the difficult task of succeeding Kadidiatou Diani, elected best player in D1 in 2023 before joining Olympique Lyonnais. By associating him with Marie-Antoinette Katoto at the forefront of the attack, Jocelyn Prêcheur, the Parisian coach, has found a new, very complementary pair. “It’s a trophy that doesn’t just concern me, but the whole team,” she immediately clarified on the stage, the trophy in hand.

“I would like to stay here”

For this trophy, Tabitha Chawinga is ahead of her PSG partners Grace Geyoro and Sakina Karchaoui, but also the Lyonnaises Ada Hegerberg and Lindsey Horan who were among the finalists. The big objective of PSG, now, will be to keep her while her loan ends on December 31, 2024. The striker does not hide that she would like to stay longer.

“I would like to stay in Paris, it’s my home. The managers are talking with my agent. At the end of the season, I think I will stay at PSG,” she confided two weeks earlier. Negotiations had been long and difficult with the Chinese club from Wuhan to bring her over. In Paris, we hope that the player’s wishes will be listened to and will facilitate discussions so that everyone can reach new common ground. “I think it will be decided on Friday. I would like to stay here,” the player said this Monday evening.

Two PFC players honored

The UNFP trophies also rewarded two other Parisians… this time from Paris FC. Nigerian Chiamaka Nnadozie was voted best goalkeeper while striker Louna Ribadeira was named best hope of the championship.

This rewards the good season of the other Parisian club, third in the regular season, and which was only knocked out on penalties by PSG in the semi-final of the playoffs.