Beth Mead shortlisted for Sports Personality of the Year 2022 - her career so far and how to vote for the Lioness

Beth Mead is one of six sports people shortlisted for the BBC’s iconic Sports Personality of the Year 2022 award. Mead has been at the forefront of the sporting world this year after helping the Lionesses lift their first trophy at a major women’s tournament.

Mead was a key component in the team that secured a 2-1 victory after extra time against the eight-time champions Germany in the Women’s European Championship final at Wembley.

Mead spoke on the final which hosted a record 87,192 crowd saying: "It was a proud moment for me and a surreal moment, walking out of that tunnel and going to play football in front of a home crowd. The day in general, the noise in general, the atmosphere was honestly something I’ll never feel or experience again."

During the tournament, Mead scored six goals and contributed five assists after. The forward scored a hat trick against Norway, as well as scoring against Austria, Northern Ireland and Sweden.

PeopleWorld takes a look at Whitby born forward’s career so far. Mead kicked off her career at the age of 10, spending her youth career with Middlesbrough before leaving to play for Sunderland in 2011. During her time at Sunderland she led the club to promotion and a WSL 2 title win. She is regarded as one of the greatest players ever to play for Sunderland, having scored 77 goals in 78 games.

Mead won the WSL Golden Boot and the WSL Player of the Year award in 2015, which made her the youngest WSL Golden Boot winner at the age of 20.

Beth moved to Arsenal in 2017 and converted to a winger. She now holds numerous playmaking records in the WSL, including all-time most assists, most assists in a season, most chances created in a season, and most chances created from open play in a season. She was the WSL top assist provider for 2018–19 and 2021–22; second in 2020–21.

Mead isn’t just breaking records in women’s football, in 2022  broke Jimmy Greaves’ 61-year-old record of the most goals scored in a season by an England player of either gender. She holds the title for all-time most assists and all-time second-most goal contributions in the WSL.

The Arsenal forward was voted BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2022 and was runner-up in the Women’s Ballon d’Or, the prize awarded to the world’s best footballer of the year.

How to vote for Beth Mead in Sports Personality of the Year

Voting will be open during the show on BBC One on Wednesday December, 21.