The Australian women's team have sold more official jerseys ahead of the FIFA WWC 2023 than the men's team managed during the FIFA Men's World Cup last year. And they haven't even played a game yet. Nike is a major sponsor of the CommBank Matildas. It also sponsors Kerr individually in a deal worth as much as $1 million. "I think she is one of the biggest athletes in the world already," said the Nike Pacific boss, Ashley Reade about the Australian superstar Sam Kerr.
Ashley Reade said the marketing potential for the women's team is now greater than the men's. A big part of that is due to the star power of Sam Kerr, the Australian skipper and Chelsea striker. According to him, She is arguably one of the biggest athletes in the world.
Nike gifted boots to Kerr when she was 16. She signed on with Nike as a contracted athlete three years later. Now at the age of 29, Kerr is the global face of Nike's Mercurial boots, alongside male star players Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe.
FIFA WWC 2023: "It's incredible, we haven't even got to the first game yet:" Ashley Reade is very happy with the progression of Women's football
"I think she is one of the biggest athletes in the world already," Mr Reade said. "She would be right up there, without question, as one of the most marketable athletes in the world."
Kerr also has a deal with EA Sports as the first woman to grace the cover of its premier sports video game. The Chelsea deal is reportedly worth more than $600,000 a season.
"The Matildas jerseys are made of recycled polyester with a marbled pattern. It draws on the golden wattle for their home strip. Nike sells them for $115 in adult sizes and $100 for children. Kids tops are far outselling adult kits," Mr Reade said. "The demand for jerseys has been unprecedented," he said. "It's incredible, we haven't even got to the first game yet."
Esha Oza currently holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is, with four centuries in the format. Explore the list of players with such century records!
Scoring a century in any form of cricket is a moment of glory, but in the fast-paced format of T20s, it gets more exciting to watch. Numerous cricketers have consistently proved themselves in this format by delivering spectacular tons.
The list goes deep as we have such power-hitters from around the globe!
Join us as we explore the list of players with most centuries in WT20Is and celebrate their glorious innings.
1. Esha Oza (4 centuries) | UAE
Esha Oza in action against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup 2024. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The current captain of UAE, Esha Oza, holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is with 4 centuries in her T20 career so far. This Indian-born cricketer made her debut in T20Is in 2018 and reached this milestone extremely fast.
She is also the fastest player from UAE to reach 1000 runs in T20Is. Her fourth century in T20Is came against Qatar in the Asia Cup qualifier, where she led her team to a brilliant victory.
Chamari Athapaththu celebrating her 113 off 66 balls against Australia in 2019. Image | ESPNcricinfo
Chamari Athapaththu, the current captain of Sri Lanka national team, holds the 2nd position in this list with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is one of the finest cricketers from Sri Lanka and led them to win the 2024 Asia Cup.
Chamari scored her first hundred in T20Is in 2019 against Australia. She scored the other following centuries in 2024 against Scotland and Malaysia.
Fatuma Kibasu celebrating her century in 2019. Image | Facebook
The former captain of Tanzania, Fatuma Kibasu, holds the 3rd position with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is the only Tanzanian woman to score a century at international level so far, and holds the highest individual score for her country in WT20Is.
Fatuma made her T20 debut in 2019 and played magnificently ever since!
Best 10 Women's Footballers in the World Right Now
Who are the best 10 women's footballers in the world right now making an impact globally? Find out who makes their way to the list with Aitana Bonmati topping the chart.
Football knows no gender, and the talented women are proving that with their breathtaking gameplay. The world of women's football is setting new standards which has made it difficult to pick the best ones.
Based on the current landscape of the sport, check out the best 10 women's footballers in the world right now.
10. Lauren James
Lauren James celebrating her goal in a match against Aston Villa in 2022. Image | Pinterest
National Team: England
Club: Chelsea
Position: Forward
Goals: 65
Lauren James is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Chelsea in the WSL. She has won the PFAWomen's Young Player of the Year award in 2022-23 for her exceptional skills at a young age.
She previously played for Arsenal and Manchester United and switched to Chelsea in 2021. She has scored a total of 58 goals in 155 appearances across all clubs.
Lauren plays a major role in the England women's team, having 7 international goals in 27 appearances for England.
Klara Bühl adding a goal to their victory of 6-0 against Morocco in FIFA World Cup 2023. Image | Pinterest
National Team: Germany
Club: Bayern Munich
Position: Forward
Goals: 92
Klara Bühl is a professional german player who plays as left winger or forward. She is 17 year old and is considered as one of the best young wingers in Europe.
She was a part of SC Freiburg for four years before joining FC Bayern Munich in 2020. Klara has scored 65 goals in 230 appearances for clubs, and 27 international goals in 65 appearances for Germany.
Salma Paralluelo after scoring a goal Atlético de Madrid Femenino in 2024. Image | Instagram
National Team: Spain
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Forward
Goals: 99
The Spanish left winger, Salma Paralluelo, is a born champion, with all three 3 World Cups to her name. She started her career as a sprinter and holds several records in the categories of under 16 and 18.
Salma won the FIFA Women's World Cup with the Spanish senior team in 2023, the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2020, and FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018. She also won the U-17 UEFA U-17 Women's Championship in 2018.
Salma has scored 85 goals in 125 club appearances and 14 goals in 35 appearances for Spain.
Linda Caicedo after scoring a goal against Germany in FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. Image | FIFPro
National Team: Colombia
Club: Real Madrid
Position: Forward
Goals: 46
Linda Caicedo is a Colombian footballer who has reached commendable milestones at a young age of 20. She plays as a forward for Real Madrid, and has been associated with football legends like Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, Trinity Rodman for commercial ad campaigns.
She played for América Cali and Deportivo Cali before joining Real Madrid, and scored a total of 33 goals in 92 appearances across all of them.
Linda has scored 13 goals to her name in 42 appearances for Colombia.
#FU17WWC Bronze Boot🥾 & Silver Ball ⚽ winner Linda Caicedo makes her senior #FIFAWWC debut 🫡
Alessia Russo after scoring a goal in a Arse's 4-1 WSL win over Chelsea in 2023. Image | Facebook
National Team: England
Club: Arsenal
Position: Forward
Goals: 87
Alessia Russo is a professional footballer who plays for England and the WSL club Arsenal as a forward. She has exceptional records, including being awarded the player of the month and goal of the month for Arsenal.
Alessia is known for her aggressive gameplay and match-winning abilities. She played for other clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United before, and was also the top scorer twice.
Her club goals count to 66 in 138 appearances across all clubs and 21 in 49 appearances for England.
Khadija Shaw in action for Manchester City in a WSL match against Liverpool. Image | womenfootball.blog
National Team: Jamaica
Club: Manchester City
Position: Forward
Goals: 182
The all-time top scorer, Khadija Shaw, is one of the world's best strikers from Jamaica, who also plays as a forward for Manchester City.
Khadija holds the record for the most hat-tricks in the history of the Women's Super League. She scored 125 goals in her 144 club appearances and 57 goals in 44 appearances for Jamaica!
She was named The Guardian Footballer of the Year in 2018 as a tribute to her legendary contributions in football.
4. Alexia Putellas
Alexia putellas in action for Spain in a football match. Image | Business Insider
National Team: Spain
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Midfielder
Goals: 260
Alexis Putellas is a Spanish midfielder or forward who currently plays for Barcelona. She is the captain of Barcelona and has won all the individual European football awards.
Alexis is widely appreciated for her style of play and aura. She has previously played for Espanyol and Levante, having a total of 226 goals in 515 appearances across all clubs.
She scored 34 goals for the Spanish National Team in 130 appearances. Alexis also won Ballon d'Or Féminin for two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022.
3. Caroline Graham Hansen
Caroline Graham Hansen during a match playing for Barcelona. Image | BBC
National Team: Norway
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Winger
Goals: 225
Caroline Graham Hansen is a Norwegian footballer who is one of the best wingers in the world. She plays for Barcelona and has won prestigious awards like Statoil Talent Award of the Year and others.
Hansen has exceptional dribbling and passing skills, which never fail to amaze the fans. She played for other clubs like Stabæk and Wolfsburg and scored 180 goals in all 404 appearances.
Her goals count to 45 in 95 international caps for Norway.
Sophia Smith celebrating her goal against Vietnam in World Cup Opener in 2023. Image | The Today Show
National Team: USA
Club: Portland Thorns
Position: Forward
Goals: 74
Sophia Smith is an American footballer who plays as a forward for the team. She plays for the NWSL club Portland Thorns and was named the most valuable player for them, along with the Golden Boot, in 2022.
Sophia scored 3 goals in the Paris Olympics 2024 for the US National Team. She earned her national team cap in 2020 and became the youngest player to debut for the US Women's National Team.
She scored 50 goals in 95 appearances for Portland Thorns FC and 24 goals in 58 appearances for the USA.
Her contributions in the world of football makes her way to the list of best 10 women's footballers in the world right now.
Aitana Bonmatí celebrates after scoring a goal for Barcelona in the Champions League Final in 2024. Image | Pinterest
National Team: Spain
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Midfielder
Goals: 134
Aitana Bonmatí is a Spanish footballer who plays as a midfielder for FC Barcelona. She is one of the greatest of all time in football history. Her elegant style of play is a treat to the eyes.
The Spanish National team captain won the Ballon d'Or Féminin, Laureus World Sports Award, and Golden Player Woman Award for her incredible 2023 season for Spain and Barcelona. She is the first women's player to win The Best, Ballon d'Or, UEFA Player of the Year and World Cup Golden Ball in the same year
Mary Earps celebrating a goal save during a match for England. Image | FIFPro
The legendary English goalkeeper, Mary Earps, is a name honorary mention for this list. She plays for PSG and is considered to have the safest pair of hands when it comes to football. Earps' legendary performance in the UEFA Euro 2022 will always be remembered in the history of English football, as they lifted the European Championship.
Earps played for a total of 11 clubs, including Manchester United and became the first goalkeeper to reach 50 clean sheets in the WSL.
Earps received the Golden Glove Award for her record-breaking 14 clean sheets in 2024 for Manchester United. She is a two-time FIFA Best and Golden Glove winner.
Her iconic contributions deserves a special place in the list of best 10 women's footballers in the world right now.
As Liverpool FC won their second title of the Premier League era, let's look at the clubs with the most Premier League titles in the history of English Football.
Premier League, also known as the English Premier League, is a top-tier football league in England. This league consists of 20 teams in a league system with a relegation and promotion system to/from the English Championship.
Each team plays 38 matches against every other team, 19 at home and away. The seasons generally start in August and run till May. The Premier League is the most-watched sports league globally and is broadcast in over 200 territories with an average number of viewers of 4.7 billion.
As Liverpool FC won their second title of the Premier League era, we will look at the clubs with the most Premier League titles in the history of English Football.
The Football League First Division was the top-tier football league in England from 1888. But in the post-1970s and early 1980s, the league started to reach a low point with incidents like the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster, which banned them from UEFA Competitions for five years.
But after England reached the 1990 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, the downward trend started to reverse. The stadium started to get filled, and the Taylor Report on stadium safety standards also helped clubs to create better standard stadiums.
After a dispute over TV rights and maximising the club revenue, the big five clubs, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Arsenal, opted to come out of the Football League First Division and create another league.
At the close of the 1990-91 season, the FA Premier League was formed, and from 1992-93 the Premier League era started with 22 teams. Manchester United were the first Premier League champions and went on to win seven of the first nine trophies.
Who has won the most Premier League titles?
Till now, 51 teams have played in the Premier League since the tournament was rebranded in 1992. 7 teams have successfully won the Premier League title.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham are considered the 'Big Six' in the Premier League. Unfortunately, Tottenham haven't lifted any major title in their history, but still, they go toe to toe with every club and take part in the title race.
Manchester United, with 13 Premier League titles since 1992, are the most successful club in the Premier League era.
Most Premier League titles won by the clubs
Manchester United- 13
Manchester City- 8
Chelsea - 5
Arsenal- 3
Liverpool- 2
Blackburn Rovers - 1
Leicester City -1
Most Premier League Titles
7. Leicester City - 1 title
Leicester City won the Premier League title in the 2015-16 season | Image: Sky Sports
In the 2015-16 Premier League season, Leicester City won the title in the Premier League. They were considered to be an underdog before but they overcame the rough phase and won the Premier League title in the club's 132-year history.
Striker Jamie Vardy broke the record for consecutive games with a goal in the Premier League (11). Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez became both the first African and Algerian player to be the recipient of the PFA Players' Player of the Year.
Blackburn won the title in the 1994-95 season | Image: Reuters
Blackburn Rovers was one of the 22 founding members of the Premier League era. They won the Premier League a long time ago in the 1994-95 season. Alan Shearer, with 34 goals for them, was the top scorer of the season. However, they were relegated in the 1998–99 season, becoming one of the 42 teams that were relegated as the Premier League champions.
Right after two seasons, they were promoted again in the 2000-01 season, but they were relegated yet once again, and that too in the same season. Unfortunately, they have not returned to the Premier League since then.
5. Liverpool FC - 2 titles
Liverpool FC after winning the Premier League 2024-25 title. Image | Liverpool FC
The Anfield Giants are one of the most popular English Clubs. Midfield maestros Steven Gerrard and William Shankly were a few of the legends that the club produced.
However, Liverpool had to wait for 30 years for their first-ever Premier League title. The club won the Premier League once in 2019-20 under German tactician Jurgen Klopp. That was Liverpool's nineteenth overall title in England's top-tier football.
Mohamed Salah, with 19 goals, was one of the star performers for the Reds in that season.
As their most recent league success, Liverpool won the Premier League 2024-25 title with 4 games to go in the season. Arne Slot's first season as the Liverpool manager gave them their 20th Title in the top flight and 2nd in the Premier League era.
Mohamed Salah again played a pivotal role in their success with 28 goals and counting.
4. Arsenal FC - 3 titles
Arsenal won the 2003-04 title as Invincibles | Image: Getty
The London Giants Arsenal are one of the most famous football clubs on planet earth. They have won the title 3 times in the years 1997-98, 2001-02, and 2003-04.
They were the first club to create Premier League history by maintaining a 38-game unbeaten streak to win the title in 2003-04.
In domestic football, Arsenal has won 13 league titles, a record 14 FA Cups, two League Cups, and 17 FA Community Shields, but they haven't won a single European title yet.
Chelsea won their first Premier League title under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 season | Image: Chelsea
Another London club, Chelsea, is on this list, and there is no doubt why they are the best London Club in the Premier League. They won the title 5 times in the years 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2014-15, and 2016-17.
The Blues won their first Premier League title under the 'Special One'Jose Mourinho, who completely changed the face of this London Club alongside Roman Abramovich, who was the Chelsea owner at that time.
They have also won the Champions League 2 times, alongside 2 Europa League titles.
2. Manchester City - 8 titles
City players celebrating their sixth title in seven seaons.
Manchester City, the Blue side of Manchester, are the reigning champions of England and Europe. This team have won the title 7 times in the years 2011-12, 2013-14, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
In the 2023-24 season, Manchester City became the first club to win the Premier League for a record fourth consecutive season. No side in English football history had ever won the top-flight more than three years back-to-back.
They are the second Club after Manchester United to complete the three-pit in the Premier League and win the European treble.
The club has won nine league titles, seven FA Cups, eight League Cups, six FA Community Shields, one UEFA Champions League, one European Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Manchester United are the most successful club in the Premier League era | Image: X
The team with the most Premier League Titles is Manchester United, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. They are the most successful team in the English Premier League and also the most famous English Club on the Entire Planet. United were also the first-ever team to win the Premier League.
They were the first English club to ever win the European treble, and that remained a record until Manchester City finally matched it in the 2022-23 season. Manchester United won the titles in 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13.
They have also won the most number of trophies in England, and that happened because of the Scottish manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. Sir Alex is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time and has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football
Deandra Dottin's iconic century off 38 balls is the fastest in the history of Women's T20Is. Here are the phenomenal top 10 fastest centuries in women's T20Is.
Centuries in T20Is are a treat to watch. Over the years, some incredible cricketing talents across the globe have set the bar high with their records. This article celebrates the art of power-hitting by logging the top 10 fastest centuries in Women's cricket.
Check out the Top 10s that left the fans and bowlers amazed in the competitive T20 format.
10. Hayley Matthews | (53 balls) vs Australia, 2023
Hayley Matthews celebrating her fastest T20 century against Australia in 2023. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The West Indies captain Hayley Matthews scored a crucial ton in their record-breaking run chase against Australia. She is known for excelling in the T20 format. They succeeded in defeating Australia on their home soil with the help of this knock in 2023.
Matthews has scored 2 centuries in T20Is so far. It took her only 53 balls for this, which makes it one of the fastest centuries in Women's cricket.
9. Meg Lanning | (53 balls) vs Ireland, 2014
Meg Lanning, the former Australian captain, holds the ninth position with her timeless century against Ireland in the Women's T20 World Cup, 2014. Lanning is one of the finest cricketers of all time, with seven World Cup titles under her name.
She scored 125 runs off 65 balls in this innings and was also the top run-scorer of the tournament.
The former captain of the Nepal Women's Team, Rubina Chhetry, scored a record-breaking century in a match of ACC Women's Premier Cup against Maldives in 2024. She hit 10 fours and 5 sixes, leading the team to a total of 227 runs on the board.
Her century off 52 balls paved the way to achieve one of the highest totals of Women's T20Is by an Asian country.
7. Danni Wyatt-Hodge | (52 balls) vs India, 2018
Danni Wyatt-Hodge after her record-breaking ton against India in 2018. Image | BBC
The attacking opener of England Women's Team, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, scored a magnificent century from just 52 balls against India in 2018. She’s widely known for her composed batting style in this format, providing a headstart to the team.
Wyatt helped England reach the milestone of one of the highest successful run chases in the history of Women's T20Is with her vital knock.
This is yet another ton from the Australian legend that became one of the fastest centuries in women's cricket, making her appear on the list twice. She took 53 balls to score the century, and was also unbeaten in the inning.
Lanning also holds the record for most centuries in Women's ODIs, which says a lot about her exceptional abilities.
5. Fargana Hoque | (51 balls) vs Maldives, 2019
Fargana Hoque celebrating her maiden T20 century off 51 balls against Maldives. Image | Sports Tak
Fargana Hoque, the right-handed Bangladeshi batter scored her maiden T20 century off 51 balls in 2019, which was fastest in a lot. With this remarkable century against Maldives, Hoque became the second woman from Bangladesh to score a T20 century.
4. Harmanpreet Kaur | (49 balls) vs New Zealand, 2018
Harmanpreet Kaur, the current Indian captain, secured the fourth position with her maiden T20 century in 2018. She scored this off just 49 balls during the ICC Women's World T20, against New Zealand.
Kaur showcased some fearless cricketing class and became the first Indian woman to score a century in a T20 International.
3. Tamsin Beaumont | (47 balls) vs South Africa, 2018
Tamsin Beaumont, the right-handed English batter, scored an impressive century off 47 balls against South Africa in 2018. She is known for her ability to score runs in all cricketing formats and noteworthy fielding.
2. Alyssa Healy | (46 balls) vs Sri Lanka, 2019
The current Australian captain, Alyssa Healy, scored her maiden T20 century off 46 balls against Sri Lanka in 2019. In this inning, she played a spectacular knock of 148* from 61 balls, which is the highest individual score in women's T20Is by an Australian.
This performance brings her to the second position in the table of fastest centuries in Women's cricket of all time.
1. Deandra Dottin | (38 balls) vs South Africa, 2010
Deandra Dottin smashing the fastest century in the history of Women's T20Is in 2010. Image | Associated press
As we come down to the final name, Deandra Dottin’s extraordinary century off 38 balls is the long-standing record that has remained in the no. 1 rank for over a decade. This West Indies all-rounder scored her groundbreaking maiden century against South Africa in 2010.
Dottin is the first woman to score a century in the history of T20 cricket. She is widely recognised for her explosive batting power and has set an unforgettable benchmark worldwide.
IWL 2024-25: East Bengal FC clinch their maiden title; Gokulam finish as runners-up
East Bengal FC cemented their status as IWL 2024-25 champions with a commanding 3-0 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC at the East Bengal ground on Friday.
East Bengal FC cemented their status as IWL 2024-25 champions with a commanding 3-0 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC at the East Bengal ground on Friday.
Already assured of the title before kickoff, the Red and Golds showcased their supremacy by defeating every team in the league en route to the championship, with all three goals coming in an explosive first half.
The star of the show was Elshaddai Acheampong, who opened the scoring in the 27th minute. After missing earlier chances, including a header from five yards in the 19th minute, the Ghanaian forward made amends with a clinical finish, chipping the goalkeeper after a deft move past defenders following a pass from Anju Tamang.
Her poacher’s instinct shone again in the 37th minute, tapping in a cross from Karthika Angamuthu at the back post to double the lead. Minutes before halftime, Soumya Guguloth sealed the rout in the 42nd minute, rounding the keeper to score after a perfectly timed through ball.
Despite the title already in hand, East Bengal displayed remarkable professionalism, dominating possession and stifling Gokulam from the outset. The second half saw Gokulam mount a brief challenge, testing goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu with a long-range effort, but the champions held firm. This win marked the only team East Bengal had yet to beat this season, completing a flawless campaign.
The victory underscored East Bengal’s dominance throughout the season, blending skill, composure, and relentless attacking play.
For Gokulam, the defeat highlighted their struggle against the league’s top side, as East Bengal celebrated a perfect end to their triumphant IWL 2024-25 journey.