The wait for an Arsenal player (male or female) to win a Ballon d’Or continues after Beth Mead finished in second place for this year’s star-studded jamboree behind Barcelona and Spain’s Alexia Putellas.

The Arsenal forward caps off a stellar year in which she was both top scorer and player of the tournament in the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 win this summer.

Mead scored nine goals and delivered 11 assists as Arsenal finished second in the Women’s Super League in 2021/22 and is more than ever a fan’s favourite at Meadow Park and now the Emirates Stadium.

The reception she received as she walked around the pitch after coming off against Tottenham in front of a record breaking crowd recently spoke volumes about what a few months it has been for the Whitby-born forward.

Arsenal flew Mead out to Paris with Vivienne Miedema and Kopa Trophy nominee Bukayo Saka, an excellent touch by the club. 

Unfortunately, Miedema failed to make the top five, with Saka finishing eighth in the award for the best young player.

Many fans of not only Arsenal but the Women’s Super League in general may feel that either one of Mead or Sam Kerr could have picked up the award ahead of Putellas, who missed the entire European Championships due to injury.

Many points can also be made about the competitive nature of the WSL compared to the Spanish top flight, but that’s a debate for another day.

Arsenal Women face the toughest test of their 2022-23 season so far on Wednesday night as the Gunners travel to European champions Lyon to open their Champions League group stage.