Miedema wants Ballon d'Or to be more inclusive
Arsenal forward Vivianne Miedema did not feel "appreciated as a woman footballer" at this year's Ballon d'Or awards.
The prestigious awards, organised by France Football magazine, celebrate the best footballers in the world.
Of the seven trophies handed out at the 2022 ceremony, just one was dedicated to women's football – the Ballon d'Or Feminin, which was awarded to Alexia Putellas.
Netherlands international Miedema did not feel comfortable at this year's ceremony and has called on organisers to introduce the same categories for male and female players.
"I didn't feel appreciated as a woman footballer there," she said.
"If they want to have women involved, they have to do it in a different way.
"They had five or six different awards for the men's game while the women only have one. If they want to make it equal, they have to give the same awards to men's and women's football."
Arsenal forward Beth Mead was second to Putellas in the award for best female player in the world.
Miedema is in a relationship with her Gunners team-mate and they attended the ceremony together, yet a caption on a picture of the pair stated that Miedema was with a nameless "guest".
While Miedema says they can now laugh at the faux pas, it also highlighted the difference between men's and women's football.
"Waking up the next morning and that picture pops up, that states the issue we had the night before," she added.
"We've got the number two from that year, who should arguably have been number one, turning up to the event as 'my guest'.
"That would obviously never happen if [Lionel] Messi and Neymar had been walking next to each other.
"We obviously joke about it, but that shows there are so many improvements to be made, it needs to be organised so much better."
