Colombia’s Ana Guzmán Nominated for 2024 Golden Girl Award
Colombian defender Ana Guzmán, a rising star at Bayern Munich, has been named one of the ten finalists for the prestigious 2024 Golden Girl Award. The award honors the best young female soccer player under 21 in Europe. The winner will be announced in December.
A Rising Star in European Soccer
Ana Guzmán, a 19-year-old Colombian defender currently playing for Bayern Munich, has emerged as one of the most promising young players in European soccer. This week, she was named one of the ten finalists for the 2024 Golden Girl Award, a prestigious accolade recognizing the best female player under 21 in Europe. The nomination is a testament to Guzmán’s outstanding performance on the field, where her defensive skills and tactical intelligence have shone brightly.
Guzmán’s journey to the top of European soccer has been remarkable. After making a name for herself in Colombian soccer, she joined Bayern Munich, one of Europe’s most respected clubs, where she quickly made an impact with her solid defensive abilities. Her nomination for the Golden Girl Award highlights her talent and reflects Colombian players’ growing influence in the global soccer scene.
This recognition is exceptional for Guzmán, who follows in the footsteps of her compatriot Linda Caicedo, who won the award in 2023 while playing for Real Madrid. Guzmán is poised to potentially bring the prize back to Colombia for the second consecutive year, further cementing the country’s reputation as a breeding ground for soccer talent.
A Diverse Group of Young Talent
Ana Guzmán is one of just a few defenders to make the final list of 10 nominees for the 2024 Golden Girl Award, an honor organized by the Italian newspaper Tuttosport. The finalists represent a diverse mix of young talent from Europe’s top leagues, with players from clubs such as Barcelona, Chelsea, and Juventus cutting.
Other standout nominees include Barcelona’s Spanish international Vicky López, Italian midfielder Giulia Dragoni, currently on loan at Roma, and Swiss sensation Sydney Schertenleib, also from Barcelona. The list also features players from England, the United States, France, and the Netherlands, showcasing the global reach and diversity of talent in European women’s soccer.
The list also includes Slovenia’s Zara Kramzar (Como), Italy’s Eva Schatzer (Juventus), American Lily Yohannes (Ajax), French player Amelie Joseph (Metz), English star Freya Godfrey (Arsenal), and Dutch midfielder Wieke Kaptein (Chelsea). These finalists represent the next generation of soccer superstars, each excelling in their respective leagues and bringing unique skills to the game.
For Ana Guzmán, being nominated alongside such talented players is a significant achievement. As one of the few defenders in the mix, her inclusion highlights the importance of strong defensive play in modern soccer, where players are expected to contribute in defense, transition the ball forward, and build attacks.
A Legacy of Excellence
The Golden Girl award has become one of the most coveted honors in women’s soccer. It recognizes young players who have demonstrated extraordinary talent, dedication and promise in their careers. First established in 2003 by Tuttosport, the award has previously celebrated stars like Rafael van der Vaart, but its focus has expanded to honor the brightest young talents in women’s soccer.
For Ana Guzmán, the Golden Girl nomination reflects her hard work and steady rise in the competitive world of European soccer. While her offensive counterparts may often receive more attention, Guzmán’s excellence as a defender speaks to her ability to shut down opponents, anticipate plays, and provide her team with the security needed at the back.
The award is particularly significant for young players like Guzmán, as it highlights their current achievements and points to their potential to become leaders in women’s soccer for years to come. Winning the Golden Girl award has often been a launching pad for future success, and Guzmán’s nomination puts her on track for a bright career.
Linda Caicedo, another Colombian player, won the award last year, which added extra excitement for Guzmán. It raises the possibility of back-to-back wins for Colombia, which is rapidly becoming a powerhouse in women’s soccer.
How Technology Shapes the 2024 Golden Girl Race
One of the unique aspects of the 2024 Golden Girl award is the use of cutting-edge technology to help determine the finalists. This year, the selection process included the “Golden Boy Index,” an algorithm designed to rank players based on a variety of performance metrics, including minutes played, individual contributions, team success, and international appearances.
This technological tool was developed in partnership with Football Benchmark, the data and analytics partner for the award. The goal of the Golden Boy Index is to provide a more objective and data-driven approach to evaluating players, drawing inspiration from the ranking systems used in tennis (ATP rankings) and stock markets (index-based rankings).
By incorporating this algorithm into the selection process, the Golden Girl award aims to ensure that the best-performing players are recognized, regardless of their position on the field. For a player like Ana Guzmán, whose defensive contributions may not always be reflected in traditional stats like goals and assists, this data-driven approach offers a fairer way to assess her overall impact on the game.
The algorithm takes into account not only domestic league performances but also European competitions and international matches, giving a comprehensive view of each player’s achievements. For young players like Guzmán, this kind of recognition helps to highlight their versatility and importance in their teams, further boosting their profiles on the international stage.
As the award ceremony approaches on December 4, all eyes will be on the finalists, and the combination of subjective expert opinion and objective data will ultimately decide who takes home the prestigious Golden Girl trophy.
Ana Guzmán’s nomination for the 2024 Golden Girl award is a testament to her growing influence in European soccer and her potential to become one of the sport’s standout defenders. Competing against some of the brightest young talents in women’s soccer, Guzmán has already proven that she belongs among the elite. With the help of advanced technology and data analysis, the award’s selection process offers a fair and thorough evaluation of each finalist’s contributions to the game. As fans eagerly await the announcement of the winner in December, Guzmán’s journey is just beginning, and her future in soccer looks incredibly bright.
