Alisha Lehmann wins best of the season award at Leicester and sparks debate about voting

Swiss striker Alisha Lehmann was named Leicester City’s best player of the season in an awards ceremony that divided opinions in English women’s football. The announcement came after the end of the club’s official calendar, based on a vote open to fans. The controversy gained strength due to the athlete’s short period on the team and her statistical performance on the field. Lehmann arrived at the club in January 2026 and participated in less than half of the team’s official commitments.

The result sparked immediate discussions on social media about the weight of digital popularity in official sports awards. Alisha Lehmann is currently the football player with the most followers in the world, accumulating tens of millions of fans on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Críticos of the results indicate that the athlete’s massive engagement outside the four lines would have distorted the technical choice, surpassing her teammates with greater minutes and tactical regularity.

Our End of Season award winners 🏆

Alisha Lehmann has won Fans' Player of the Season and Goal of the Season while Shannon O'Brien has claimed Players' Player of the Season 🥇

🔗 https://t.co/RYKcBM0ovE pic.twitter.com/LniqmziEps

— LCFC Women (@LCFC_Women) May 6, 2026

Desempenho statistics of Lehmann on Leicester prompts questions

The cold analysis of Alisha Lehmann’s numbers in the 2025/2026 season supports most of the complaints from British fans and analysts. Desde his signing, the Swiss was present on the field for just 415 minutes, which is equivalent to just over four full matches. In total, she played nine official games wearing the Foxes shirt, alternating between the starting lineup and the bench during the adaptation process.

Nesse period, the attacker found the net in just one opportunity. The lone goal was scored in a head-to-head against Aston Villa, his former team in Women’s Super League. Apesar’s low offensive productivity in terms of volume, this single move was considered of high technical quality by the fans. The precise finish not only helped the team on the occasion, but was also chosen, at the same ceremony, as the most beautiful goal of the season for Leicester.

The contrast between statistical relevance and the honor received is the central point of divergence. In professional women’s football, it is rare for athletes who have participated in less than ten games to receive the best of the year trophy, especially in competitive leagues like the English one. The Leicester board maintained the popular voting format, which is traditional at the club to bring the public closer to the players, but the impact of the Swiss’s global “fan base” was unforeseen.

Digital Popularidade and the impact on women’s football awards

Alisha Lehmann’s influence transcends the field in an unprecedented way for the sport. With a digital presence that surpasses that of many renowned men’s football players, the Swiss’s every post reaches an instant global audience. Esse phenomenon creates a new dynamic for clubs seeking commercial visibility and engagement.

• Jogadora has over 16 million followers on Instagram alone.
• Engajamento average per post exceeds the 500 thousand interactions mark.
• Atleta has sponsorship contracts with global cosmetics and fashion brands.
• Player Presença has increased the sale of Leicester custom shirts.
• Popular Votação allowed participation from fans residing outside of Inglaterra.
• Vídeos’s Swiss training and backstage sessions are the most watched at the club.

Essa’s strength on social media was pointed out by internet users as the main driver of the award. Muitos defenders of other players in the squad argue that the award should be restricted to fan members or based on technical performance criteria. On the other hand, there are those who argue that the athlete’s charisma and image help to raise the level of interest in the Leicester women’s team as a whole.

Recent Trajetória and Alisha Lehmann’s return to English football

The award at Leicester marks a moment of recovery for Lehmann’s career after an unstable period on the continental Europa. Antes signed with the English club at the beginning of 2026, the striker had discreet spells at Itália. Ela defended the colors of Juventus and, later, Como, but was unable to establish itself as the absolute title holder in either of the two projects.

The return to Inglaterra was seen as an attempt to rediscover the football that previously highlighted her in West Ham and Aston Villa itself. Women’s Super League is considered by many to be the strongest league in the world, and adapting quickly to the intense pace of play is always a challenge. Lehmann accepted Leicester’s proposal aiming for greater competitiveness and visibility for its international objectives.

The striker has expressed in recent interviews her desire to remain at a high level to join the Suíça squad in the next major international competition. With Copa from Mundo Feminina of 2027 confirmed for Brasil, the competition for places in the national team has become fierce. Para Lehmann, guaranteeing minutes on the field at Inglaterra is essential to convince the technical committee of your country that it can contribute technically, in addition to its media strength.

Reação from the player to criticism about her life off the field

Não is the first time Alisha Lehmann has faced public scrutiny over how he divides his time between football and content production. In recent outbursts, the athlete criticized the perception that her digital career harms her professional performance. Ela highlighted that he follows a rigorous training routine and that success on social media is a consequence of his image, not a substitute for work in the field.

The player frequently points out sexism in some of the criticism she receives. Segundo she, many don’t believe that a woman can be vain, active on the internet and, at the same time, a dedicated professional athlete. Leicester, through its official channels, celebrated the Swiss player’s achievement and highlighted the positive impact she has brought to the locker room and the fans since her arrival in January.

Apesar away from controversy, the trophy remains with the striker. The case serves as a warning to leagues and clubs about the functioning of open voting systems in the era of digital influencers. Enquanto the debate remains hot among local fans, Alisha Lehmann focuses on preparing for the next pre-season, where he will have the challenge of proving, with more minutes and goals, that the award received can also be justified within the four lines.