2024 Merit Awards - Player Activism Award: Linda Sällström

Each year, FIFPRO pays tribute to players giving back to their communities with the Merit Awards. Winners of Player Activism, Player Impact and Player Voice awards revealed at FIFPRO General Assembly in Indonesia.

Ga-Ae Kang (Sejong Sports Toto WFC/Korea Republic), Andre Onana (Manchester United/Cameroon), and Linda Sallstrom (Vittsjo GIK/Finland) are the winners of the 2024 FIFPRO Merit Awards.

Player Activism Award: Linda Sallstrom – for bringing about political or social change
Player Impact Award: Andre Onana – for creating impact in the lives of others
Player Voice Award: Ga-Ae Kang – for highlighting an issue and influencing change

Player Activism: Linda Sallstrom

Linda Sallstrom is Finland’s all-time top scorer and is also on track to become her country’s most-capped player. Sallstrom has been vocal about human rights issues, such as equality, racism and democracy, and in March confronted fans in Gothenburg, Sweden who harassed her team-mates with misogynistic slurs.

Sallstrom said: "I am very humbled and grateful for this award. It feels a little bit weird because I have only done the least I can do: use my voice. There are people doing a lot more every day than I do, and they don't get the recognition that they should. I want to stand in solidarity with them and all others who are trying to make a little change for the better."

READ MORE: 
2024 Merit Awards: Kang, Onana and Sallstrom recognised for inspirational off-pitch endeavours
Linda Sallstrom: "There's still so much wrong within football – if nobody says anything, it’s never going to change"