Jamaica’s now familiar, if exalted place in the sporting stratosphere might well explain the relatively muted reaction from fans to recent news that Miss Khadija “Bunny” Shaw has won the British Barclays Women’s Super League Golden Boot Award for a second-straight year.

While men’s football garners way more attention — and rewards — than the female version, women’s football has been steadily on the rise and, with it, the fortunes of a Jamaican from humble beginnings who is being widely touted as one of the best woman players in the game.

The Jamaican international also set a Women’s Super League record this season for most hat-tricks scored of all time, and carries the title of Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Women’s Footballer of the Year and Women’s Super League Player of the Year last season.

From knocking around a football with the boys at De La Vega City, Spanish Town, St Catherine, to all-time top scorer for lofty Manchester City, England, Miss Shaw is as modest about her sporting achievements as her Jamaican compatriots seem to be.

“I hope I can serve as an example that it’s not where you come from or your circumstances in life; it’s where you want to be that will matter the most,” she told the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) in 2020, after becoming the first national female footballer to be vested a Commander of the Order of Distinction (CD).

The Golden Boot Award is no easy prize. But Miss Shaw is no ordinary player. She tied for the accolade this season with England and Arsenal striker Miss Alessia Russo, scoring 12 goals in 14 appearances, averaging 0.85 goals per match. This is despite being sidelined with multiple injuries for nearly half of the season and playing seven games less than Miss Russo.

Miss Shaw was in the news earlier this year for being subjected to “racist and misogynistic” abuse on social media, her club was quoted as admitting to the Associated Press in February. “Bunny has decided not to share the messages publicly so as not to give the oxygen of publicity to the vile individuals who sent them,” Manchester City said, showing the true mettle of the Jamaican.

Another touching example of her mental toughness is the fact that she faced the tragedy of losing four of her brothers, three of whom were victims of gun violence, and the fourth a casualty of a road fatality.

Commenting to the JIS, she philosophised: “Life happens, and I just had to face it straight up and keep going. It’s just like a band, if something happens to one band member you don’t stop…you keep the music going; and that’s what I’ve tried. Yes, it has been difficult a lot of times, but the music continues.”

Miss Shaw has done Jamaica proud, having played at the Under-15, Under-17, and Under-20 levels before transitioning to the senior level where she is currently captain of the Reggae Girlz.

At age 26, she has earned the unprecedented distinction of being the country’s all-time leading goalscorer across genders, and leading the national team to its historic participation in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019, and again in 2023, where they were remembered for drawing with Brazil and France to reach the round of 16.

Is it a case of “a prophet is not without honour save in [her] own country”?