Vivianne Miedema says Ballon d'Or does not 'appreciate' female footballers
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Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema says the Ballon d'Or does not treat women's football fairly.
Seven prizes were awarded at the 2022 global football awards but only one - the Ballon d'Or Feminin - is dedicated to women's football.
Miedema called for the ceremony to introduce the same categories for both male and female players.
"I didn't feel appreciated as a woman footballer there," she told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.
"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."
Six of the categories at the 2022 Ballon d'Or ceremony honoured male players, including the main eponymous trophy won by Karim Benzema.
There was also the Kopa Trophy for best young male player, the Yashin Trophy for best male goalkeeper and Gerd Muller Trophy for top men's goal scorer.
The Club of the Year Trophy is decided across both men's and women's teams, while the inaugural Socrates Award, a humanitarian prize, went to Sadio Mane for his charity work.
Miedema on Mead 'guest' gaffe
Arsenal and England star Beth Mead was described as Miedema's 'guest' at the Ballon d'Or ceremony
Only the Ballon d'Or Feminin is solely dedicated to women's football. In 2022 it was won by Alexia Putellas, with Arsenal and England forward Beth Mead finishing second.
Miedema and Mead are in a relationship and attended the ceremony together, but a picture caption from the red carpet only described Miedema as being with a nameless "guest".
The Dutch international said that while she and Mead could laugh at the gaffe, it also illustrated how women's football is still disrespected in some areas.
She said: "Waking up the next morning and that picture pops up, that states the issue we had the night before.
"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 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."
Players should not be 'ashamed' to rest
Miedema has urged players not to be "ashamed" to take a break following her return from a leave of absence.
Arsenal gave Miedema time off to "rest and recharge" and she also missed two Netherlands friendlies in November.
The 26-year-old is the Women's Super League's all-time top scorer with 74 and tops her country's chart with 95.
"We're always expected to go, go, go," she said.
"A lot of players probably don't feel the freedom to say 'OK, I do need a break'. I've been in a fortunate position to ask for it, to feel confident enough to ask for it, which looking back I should have done way earlier.
"If it's not possible to deliver what you need to do at that moment, please take a break or please work with someone on it. Speak about it and don't feel ashamed. Just take your time and it will come back at one point."
The striker, who has scored seven times for Arsenal this season, helped her country win Euro 2017.
However, she suffered with Covid during this year's defence of the title in England, with the host nation winning the trophy.
"I ended up being sick in my bed for 10 days," she explained. "I just felt really burned out. I didn't feel like I could reach my level.
"Sometimes, if it becomes too much the best thing you can do is reset. I'm obviously happy that I've had the chance to do so through Arsenal, through the national team as well."
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