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History was made in Canterbury as floodlit championship cricket with a pink ball came to the St Lawrence ground for the first time

Mark Pennell at Canterbury12-Sep-2011
Scorecard
Geraint Jones inspects the ball with the umpires before play begins•Getty Images

History was made in Canterbury as floodlit championship cricket with a pink ball came to the St Lawrence ground for the first time – only for the ECB’s great and the good to all but out number the crowd.When a distinctly chilly set of players left the ground at 9pm, Glamorgan had reached two without loss after five overs having spent the best part of three sessions in dismissing Kent for 237.With little riding on the result, the ECB’s hasty decision to play this end-of-term second division clash under lights and using pink balls may have seemed a reasonable one, but the Kentish public seemingly voted with their feet. Barely 300 turned up for the opening day of a fixture that might usually attract 1,000-plus, yet the committee room appeared full with visiting administrators.”I don’t see any rhyme or reason to it,” said one Kent member trudging out of the ground at a usual finish time of 6pm; “It feels like we’re being used as lab rats.”Former ICC president and ex-ECB chairman, David Morgan, was among the ECB delegation casting an eye over this experimental game, that will see a pink Tiflex ball used in both first innings, followed by a Kookaburra version second time around.”I know it’s not the case for all counties, but some clubs would love to play day/night first-class championship cricket,” Morgan said. “We are here to see if we can give them an element of choice. We will have to gauge the opinion of the players and the umpires as the game progresses and see where we go from here.”As for the players, in-form Kent opener Joe Denly, fresh from 199 in Derby last week, was seeing it like a football from the start, a pink football that is, as his 69 from 130-ball underpinned the Kent total. “I picked the pink ball up really well from ball one,” said Denly, whose two-and-a-half hour stay included six fours.”The first delivery from Graham Wagg swung in plenty, but after that, it did nothing. Yes, it turned early on, but it was really slow turn. The major thing for me was that the ball lost its brightness really quickly. If they continue to use this ball I would think they will be changing it fairly frequently.”Only 14 overs into a blustery opening session Glamorgan turned to spin at both ends and reaped an immediate benefit when Dan Cosker trapped Daniel Bell-Drummond leg before with his first delivery.By lunch Kent had lost four as Sam Northeast and Alex Blake both paid the price for indeterminate strokes against left-arm spinner Nick James while Darren Stevens mistimed a cut against Graham Wagg straight to point.After indifferent first-session batting, Denly finally found a willing partner in acting captain Geraint Jones who hit 48 for his part in a stand worth 59 only for Denly to be undone by a useful delivery from John Glover. Azhar Mahmood’s decision to shoulder arms to the same bowler also proved fatal and once Jones followed suit, to go two short of his half- century, Kent simply unravelled to post only two batting bonus points.With only a handful of spectators still around to watch, Glamorgan played out four maidens through to stumps and will go into day two trailing by 235.

The Kochi franchise has been served a termination notice by the BCCI but has been given a 30-day deadline to respond to the Indian board, explaining why it should not be scrapped

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2010The IPL’s Kochi franchise has been served a termination notice by the BCCI but has been given a 30-day deadline to respond and explain why it should not be scrapped. The decision was taken unanimously by the IPL’s governing council, meeting in Nagpur on Wednesday morning.”The governing council received replies from two parties, the Rendezvous group and the other co-owners, and they both felt that the dispute still exists,” Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, said. “If they don’t remedy these disputes in the 30 days, the franchise would stand cancelled on the 31st day.”Satyajit Gaekwad, of the Rendezvous Group, however, welcomed the extension and was confident that the factions within the consortium would make peace. “They have given us enough time to tie up our differences and come in a unified way and rise up to the expectations of the BCCI,” he told NDTV. “I’m sure we should be able to do that at the earliest. If we don’t tie up within 30 days we don’t deserve to be in the IPL. We had asked for a period of 10 days, the board has given us 30 days.”It brings to a head a long-running dispute both between Kochi and the IPL, and within the franchise, over its ownership pattern. Details of that ownership pattern were first revealed by Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, in April, triggering a series of events that eventually led to his ouster from the league.The emergency meeting was convened by Manohar due to the lingering dispute over who would run the affairs of the franchise, bought from the Cricket Board for USD 333 million, once the joint venture was formed.The investors in the Kochi consortium include corporate firms Anchor Earth, Parinee Developers, Rosy Blue and Film Wave – which hold 74 per cent of the equity. The remaining 26% has been given to the family of Gaikwads – Shailendra, his brother Ravi and their parents plus a few others, all part of Rendezvous Sports World – as free equity for services rendered in successfully bidding for the franchise.The IPL has already terminated the agreements of the Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab franchises, which leaves the league with seven teams as of now.Asked why Kochi had been given more time when Rajasthan and Punjab had been summarily ejected from the league, Manohar said those two cases were different from Kochi. “This not an intermediary breach that has been committed, as in the case of Rajasthan and Punjab, that is why they have been given 30 days to remedy this,” he said. “There was transfer of ownership as far as Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab were concerned but not as far as Kochi is concerned.”The news puts into jeopardy the IPL player auction, scheduled to be held sometime in November. This auction is likely to be similar to the first, with teams starting from scratch; however, the rules have yet to be formalised.

“We’re going to have a look at the wicket and finalise it [the XI] tomorrow,” says the coach when asked if India’s out-of-form captain will play

Alagappan Muthu02-Jan-20252:51

Gambhir: ‘Chance to draw the series at SCG a good position to be in’

India coach Gautam Gambhir did not confirm whether out-of-form captain Rohit Sharma would be part of the starting XI for the New Year’s Test in Sydney or not.”The head coach is here. That should be enough,” Gambhir said to a room full of reporters wondering why Rohit was not at the pre-match press conference.Rohit had skipped it before the third Test in Brisbane too – Shubman Gill spoke to the press then – but the explanation then was that he had not come for the optional training session at the Gabba where the press conference was being held. Thursday’s training session at the SCG was optional too, but Rohit was there at the ground, on the eve of a Test India must win to draw the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.So the question was asked: Is Rohit okay? “Everything is fine with Rohit,” Gambhir replied.And when he was asked again whether Rohit was going to play, he said: “We’re going to have a look at the wicket and finalise it [the XI] tomorrow.”That’s where it all kicked off.Related

• Rohit Sharma and the ties that are a fraying

• Mitchell Marsh dropped, Beau Webster to debut in Sydney

• Akash Deep and Marsh out of Sydney showdown

Rohit has been struggling for form. He’s averaging 10.93 in his last nine Tests and only 6.2 in this series. He was late to India’s training on Thursday. Technically, it was an optional session, so it might not be right reading too much into it, but everybody was there.Gill, who was left out of the XI for the MCG Test, was among the first set of batters in the SCG nets. Dhruv Jurel, who hasn’t played since the first Test in Perth, was among them too; it was one of the few times he has worked alongside the first-XI players. Jasprit Bumrah came out from the doors leading into the members pavilion and went straight to Gambhir for a little chat.Still there was no sign of Rohit at the nets. He had been in the main ground playing a game of foot-volleyball and then disappeared. It was only after the others had batted for an hour that Rohit made his way out to join them, without his kit, in just his sweatshirt and shorts. He went down to where the team analyst, Hari, was standing. Then Bumrah joined the two. This had happened at the MCG as well. Rohit took his time to get to the outdoor nets and had a fairly long session facing only throwdowns. The only difference was in Melbourne he also attended the press conference.At the SCG, he had a light, 40-minute hit facing the fielding coach T Dilip and throwdown specialist Daya off the sidearm. The other frontline batters were already done with their stints by this time. Rohit was batting alongside Tanush Kotian and Abhimanyu Easwaran. There were moments that he looked good, a pull shot off the front foot for example, moments that he seemed to have fun, an apology for an awkward throwback down the pitch had him smiling from ear to ear, and moments where he batted like someone not in form, he left one that took out his off stump.Rohit Sharma was a late arrival at training and did not practice like the others did at the SCG•Getty Images

At the end of the Brisbane Test, Rohit had admitted that while he wasn’t batting well, he was still ticking all the boxes that he needed to.”As long as my mind, my body, my feet are moving well, I am pretty happy with how things are panning out for me,” Rohit had said two weeks ago. “Sometimes those numbers can tell you that it’s been a while since he has got big runs. But for a person like me, I think it’s all about how I feel in my mind.”In Melbourne, he seemed to find a semblance of form, or at least a lot more faith in his defence, as he withstood a period of bowling that Pat Cummins said was pretty close to perfect from his side. Australia hunted for his outside edge, he denied them for the first hour, but then gave them their first breakthrough when he played a risky flick shot that ended up in the hands of the gully fielder.”As a batter as well, a lot of the things that I am trying to do is not falling in the place that I would want to,” Rohit said after India went 2-1 down in the series. “But mentally, it is disturbing without a doubt.” Reports emerged in the media that Rohit was already thinking of retiring at the end of the Sydney Test, which then begged the question, if he was thinking along those lines, could he not step away now when the series is still alive?India rarely reveal their XI on the eve of a Test match but Gambhir refusing to confirm whether Rohit will be part of it was odd. Doesn’t the captain walk straight in? Isn’t he the one who decides who plays, not the other way around? The new year has begun with plenty of intrigue for India.

Runs galore in Hyderabad as New Zealand and Pakistan prepare for the World Cup proper

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2023
Mohammad Rizwan’s century and half-centuries from Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel went in vain as Pakistan couldn’t defend 345 in their warm-up match against New Zealand in Hyderabad. Rachin Ravindra seized his chance as an opener, scoring 97 off 72 balls to lead New Zealand’s successful chase.New Zealand will also be pleased with the progress of Kane Williamson, who marked his return from a six-month injury layoff with a 49-ball fifty. Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman also hit half-centuries to warm up for the World Cup proper.Related

• 'Knee held up pretty well' – Williamson marks return from injury with half-century

After opting to bat first, Pakistan lost two early wickets, but Babar and Rizwan steadied the innings and set the scene for the late assault from Shakeel. Babar and Rizwan added 114 for the third wicket before Mitchell Santner snagged Babar for 80 off 84 balls. Rizwan was more fluent against spin and often manufactured room to drive them inside-out over extra-cover. He pressed onto a century and then retired out on 103 off 94 balls. Shakeel and Agha Salman teed off in the end overs to take Pakistan closer to 350. But it wasn’t enough in the end.Ravindra, who often bats in the top order for his domestic side Wellington Firebirds, made a strong impression in the same role for the national team too. He was responsible for 32 of the 65 runs New Zealand had scored in the mandatory powerplay. He combined with Williamson and picked away spinners Salman and Usama Mir with ease. Williamson retired out on 54 and Ravindra fell three short of a century, but Mitchell and Chapman ensured that New Zealand coasted to victory, with more than six overs to spare. Barring Mir, every Pakistan bowler conceded at over seven runs an over.

Ties still required for MCC members despite anticipated 40-degree heat

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2022The ECB have altered the County Championship’s playing conditions for the opening day of this week’s fixtures in anticipation of the hottest day on record in the UK, with forecast temperatures of up to 41C (106F).Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire both confirmed on Monday that they would make use of the changes and cut the length of each session by half an hour in order to avoid the extreme temperatures expected on Tuesday evening.Other counties will consider making use of the ECB’s provisions, which will see the scheduled close of play brought forward to 4.30pm local time, but both teams must agree to the optional change.Related

• Vasconcelos steps down as Northants captain

• Lancs aim for exhibition match against IPL franchise

• Vince's calm amid chaos secures Hampshire's glory

• Yorkshire's 'inexperience showed' says Gibson

• ECB defends dip in Blast attendances

“The hours of play on Tuesday may be shortened to 3 x 90-minute sessions, a reduction of 30 minutes in each session,” the ECB told the counties. “Lunch and tea intervals will be of the usual length meaning that the scheduled close of play would be 1630, thus avoiding the heat that is predicted at the end of the day.”The time not played on Tuesday as a consequence will be caught up by adding 30 minutes to each of Days 2, 3 and 4 with sessions of 2¼, 2¼, 2 hours. Please note that the playing conditions regarding making up of time/time carried forward are not altered and will be applied as normal.”Gloucestershire said they had made the decision “in unison” with their opponents Hampshire “in the interest of spectator and player welfare, to allow everyone in attendance to avoid the extreme heat that is expected towards the end of the day.”Northants said in a statement that tickets for the first day of their fixture against Lancashire would also be valid for the second, and reminded fans “of the importance of staying hydrated and taking appropriate action to protect themselves from the sun”.MCC members will still need to wear ties at Lord’s•Ben Radford/Getty Images

Middlesex confirmed they would not shift the timings of their game against Sussex, though the MCC have loosened the pavilion dress code by removing the stipulation that members must wear a jacket – though they still need to wear ties and formal trousers.”The players are happy to just get on with normal playing hours,” Richard Johnson, Middlesex’s coach, said. “Most of them have been abroad and played in this sort of weather before so are happy to just keep it regulation.”Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s coach, said: “There’s an England Lions tour to Sri Lanka next year. If you think this is hot, wait until you see what Sri Lanka’s going to dish up for you. Our boys have to be able to handle the conditions. Hopefully we’ll win the toss and bat, but you never know.”The women’s ODI between England and South Africa on Monday included additional drinks breaks, while the ECB are not anticipating any changes to the playing conditions for Tuesday’s men’s ODI between the same teams.

Blessing Muzarabani and Victor Nyauchi had earlier combined to bowl Afghanistan out for 131

Firdose Moonda02-Mar-2021Stumps Fifteen wickets fell on an eventful first day in Abu Dhabi, where Zimbabwe edged their noses in front in the first Test against Afghanistan. Their seamers shared eight wickets between them to dismiss Afghanistan for their fourth-lowest Test total, before a 71-run fifth-wicket stand between Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza steadied Zimbabwe from 38 for 4. But by the time the day ended, Williams’ fourth Test half-century had put them in the lead.On a green-tinged pitch that assisted the quicks early on but started to turn later in the day, batting is expected to only become more difficult so any lead Zimbabwe can get is likely to be valuable. And they may be able to build one against a depleted Afghanistan attack. Their only seamer Yamin Ahmadzai left the field with what looked like an ankle injury during his tenth over, which was the 31st over in the Zimbabwe innings.Ahmadzai did not get the benefit of morning conditions, where there was movement through the air and off the seam and extra bounce for the tall Blessing Muzarabani, whose strikes bookended a disappointing effort from the Afghanistan line-up. Six of their batsmen were caught behind the wicket and their innings was littered with loose strokes pointing to deficiencies in defence and temperament, or at least a lack of match practice in the longest format.Though they avoided sinking to their lowest Test score of 103, their final total will hardly be any consolation, especially knowing that their two wins in this format – against Bangladesh and against Ireland – have come when they totalled over 300 in the first innings. Theirs is also the lowest total by an opposition against Zimbabwe since West Indies’ 128 in Bulawayo in 2003.Muzarabani, playing in his first Test since the day-night game against South Africa in 2017, became the first Zimbabwe bowler to take a wicket with the first ball of a Test when he bowled debutant Abdul Malik with a ball that moved into him and took the inside edge on to the stumps. Malik’s was the 33rd instance of a batsman being dismissed off the first ball of a Test.His wicket brought Afghanistan’s only Test centurion to date, Rahmat Shah, to the crease, who reached 300 runs in the format with a straight drive down the ground, but lasted just five more balls before Muzarabani got one to move away slightly, with a fine outside edge carrying to Regis Chakabva.Muzarabani’s early burst was well-supported by his new-ball partner Victor Nyauchi, who ensured the third-wicket stand did not grow beyond 29, which turned out to be the highest of the Afghanistan innings. He had Munir Ahmad caught at slip reaching for a wide delivery. Ibrahim Zadran, who was Afghanistan’s best batsman in the opening session and was strong on the square drive, went the same way three overs later when he attempted a drive off a Nyauchi ball that moved away to be caught in the gully. Nyauchi had further success before lunch when he bowled Hashmatullah Shahidi with an inswinging yorker that snuck through the bat-pad gap, sending Afghanistan into the lunch break on 85 for 5.Blessing Muzarabani became the first Zimbabwe bowler to strike with the first ball of a Test•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Muzarabani followed up his eight-over morning spell by returning immediately after the interval and struck in his second over. Asghar Afghan fished at a full ball outside off and got an outside edge to give Chakabva a simple catch. Top-scorer Afsar Zazai played some eye-catching shots – including the leg glance and the cut – to take Afghanistan over a hundred, but eventually edged Donald Tiripano to Chakabva while defending inside the line.Zimbabwe only found use for spin in tandem in the 41st over when Raza joined Williams in the attack. Raza also found extra bounce and had Abdul Wasi caught at short leg as it took the shoulder of the bat when he tried to defend. In the next over, Ahmadzai holed out off Williams to mid-on, and the captain then took himself out of the attack so Muzarabani could finish off. Zahir Khan was caught at third slip to give Muzarabani his first four-wicket haul.The total of 131 might leave Afghanistan ruing their inability to leave the ball as much as they should have or to spend time at the crease as their innings lasted just 47 overs.In response, Zimbabwe found themselves in early trouble when Kevin Kasuza was bowled off the fourth ball, which was an inswinging yorker from Ahmadzai. Then Tarisai Musakanda and Prince Masvaure both played for turn, but were out lbw to deliveries that went on with the arm from Amir Hamza. Masvaure faced 49 balls for his 15 runs and showed the kind of application many of the batsmen before him lacked.But he was followed to the crease – and the change room – by debutant Wesley Madhevere who was dismissed off the next ball, closing the face of his bat to a Hamza delivery that skidded on to the front pad. Without DRS, it was not possible to tell if the impact was outside the line, and Madhevere’s maiden Test innings ended up being a first-ball duck.With the ball turning and Hamza posing problems, Afghanistan may have seen the opportunity to run through Zimbabwe, but the experience of Williams and Raza kept them at bay. Williams’ back-foot play and Raza’s ease on the sweep were on display and though there were some nervous moments in their knock, both could have gone on to half-centuries. Raza began to chance his luck when he pulled Wasi to a vacant midwicket area and in the next over, sliced Hamza to deep point. Williams was more cautious, and with Ryan Burl, saw Zimbabwe through the final 20 minutes of play,

The Polish striker's late heroics saved Xavi's side as they overturned a 2-0 deficit in the final minutes to pull off a remarkable turnaround.

Not since 'La Remontada' have Barca showed resilience like this. The Blaugrana were miserable for 82 minutes, but sparked into like in the final 10, with Robert Lewandowski leading the charge in an incredible comeback to beat a dogged Celta Vigo side 3-2.

Celta rarely had the ball in the early goings but they made use of it. Jorgen Larsen opened the scoring after 19 minutes, latching onto a loose ball before firing a shot into the bottom corner to shock the Olympic Stadium. In-form forward Joao Felix had a chance to equalise almost immediately but lashed a shot over the bar after a flowing Barca move. The visitors nearly had a second, only to miss a trio of chances in quick succession, giving Xavi's men a lifeline before the break.

Celta seemed to have won it midway through the second half, with club veteran Iago Aspas feeding Tasos Douvikas, who added the finishing touch to a clinical counter.

But the home side remarkably turned things around late on. Felix dinked the ball over the defence, and Lewandowski latched onto it, bagging the Blaugrana's first. The striker got his second shortly after, turning home Joao Cancelo's cross. And then the full-back grabbed the most dramatic of winners in the 89th minute, poking home at the far post after a well-worked move.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Olympic Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Marc-Andre ter Stegen (6/10):

  Couldn't do anything about either of Celta's goals. Made a good save to keep the game at 1-0 just before the interval.

  Joao Cancelo (7/10):

  Assisted the second, and scored the winner – two goal involvements that scrapped memories of an otherwise poor performance from the Man City loanee.

  Jules Kounde (5/10):

  Badly caught out for Celta's first goal, and wasn't particularly steady against a bigger centre-forward. Has a mistake in him, and was exposed

  Andreas Christensen (5/10):

  Turned in a mixed hour before being subbed. Looked tired.

  Marcos Alonso (5/10):

  Got forward with regularity, but lacks Alejandro Balde's pace and trickery in the final third. Switched to a central role after 60 minutes.

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  Midfield

  Ilkay Gundogan (6/10):

  Operated as the most advanced of the midfield three, and didn't really get into the game until late on. Not his best showing.

  Oriol Romeu (5/10):

  Certainly offered defensive solidity, but he didn't move the ball quickly enough.

  Frenkie de Jong (6/10):

  Orchestrated things wonderfully from central midfield before picking up a knock. Xavi will hope it's not too serious.

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  Attack

  Ferran Torres (5/10):

  Seems to struggle when he starts, and that was mostly the case here. Did a lot of running, put the requisite effort in, but he was lacking on the ball. Missed a glorious chance to equalise.

  Robert Lewandowski (8/10):

  Was ineffective for 80 minutes, but took both of his goals excellently late on to lead an incredible comeback.

  Joao Felix (7/10):

  Active without being particularly influential for most of the game, before providing a glorious assist for Lewandowski.

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  Subs & Manager

  Gavi (7/10):

  Replaced the injured De Jong in the first half. Got booked almost immediately. Assisted the winner.

  Lamine Yamal (6/10):

  Introduced at the break. Gave Barca an attacking spark on the right.

  Ronald Aruajo (6/10):

  Put in a number of vital tackles, but got caught out of position for the Celta second.

  Alejandro Balde (6/10):

  Was asked, strangely, to play left centre-back. Immensely effective when moved further forward.

  Raphinha (6/10):

  Operated as an inside forward for the last 20 minutes, and made a real difference around the box.

  Xavi (7/10):

  Made a handful of changes after a busy week. Balde, Gavi and Yamal were all benched, with Torres given a chance to impress. Barca were very poor for 80 minutes, and electric for 10. Credit is due for making the right subs – even if he got his starting XI all wrong.

This Schalke all-time XI is a work of art!

One of many iconic clubs in Germany, Schalke 04, or simply Schalke, have been a mainstay in European football ever since its formation in 1904.

As of 2022, Schalke has 160,000 members including fans who became a part of the club, thus making it the second-largest football club in Germany and the fourth-largest club in the world in terms of fan membership.

The seven-time Bundesliga champions have been home to some of the greatest footballers in Germany and the rest of the world.

Here's a look at their best XI in history!

• getty Images
  

  GK: Manuel Neuer

  Manuel Neuer graduated from Schalke's youth academy, making his senior debut for the club in 2005 at the age of just 19.

  The German goalkeeper made 156 senior appearances for the club between 2005 and 2011, winning the Germany League Cup in 2005 and the 2010-11 DFB Pokal.

  In 2011, Neuer joined Bayern Munich and since the 2012-13 season, he won every single Bundesliga title until 2021-22. He also won two Champions League crowns among other trophies in his 300+ appearances for the club.

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  RCB: Rafinha

  A skilled defender with lightning speed and a strong shot, Rafinha impressed Schalke with his performances at Brazilian club Coirtiba.

  They brought him to Germany in 2005 and over the course of the next five years, Rafinha made 153 appearances for Schalke.

  The tricky right-back went on to make over 150 appearances for Bayern Munich later in his career, winning a host of trophies.

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  CB: Joel Matip

  Matip began his career at Schalke 04 in 2009 and formed an important part of their team that won the DFB Pokal and DFL Supercup in 2011.

  His debut in Bundesliga is one that Matip will remember forever as he scored in a draw against Bayern Munich and was named Man of the Match.

  It is worth knowing that Matip spent his initial years at Schalke playing as a defensive midfielder before changing to centre-back.

  He made 258 appearances and scored 23 goals for Schalke before moving to Liverpool on a free transfer in 2016.

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  LCB: Benedikt Howedes

  Schalke legend Benedikt Howedes graduated from the club's academy and made his first team debut in 2007.

  He played there for 11 years, making 240 appearances, winning the DFB Pokal in 2010-11 and the DFB Supercup in 2011.

  The centre-back joined Lokomotiv Moscow in 2018 before retiring from club football. He is currently the assistant manager of Germany's national team.

From Megan Rapinoe calling out Donald Trump to Eni Aluko speaking out against racism in her own dressing room, these women are making a difference

Goal has rounded up the most inspiring women in football, from those who take to the pitch to those who report from the sidelines and, in doing so, encouraging young girls to do the same.

These women are record-breaking international stars to acclaimed media personalities; from female referees breaking the glass ceiling to professionals using their platform to advocate for equality across the boards of gender, race and beyond.

GettyMegan Rapinoe

Megan Rapinoe is probably one of the most important and impactful footballers in the world right now, for her on-pitch and off-pitch contributions.

How many athletes can you name who managed to win a World Cup and be named the tournament’s best player, all the while sparring with the president of the United States – and coming out on top?

Rapinoe is an openly gay footballer and a vocal LGBTQ+ advocate, and is outspoken about social and political issues.

At a time where so many high-profile figures are wary of intersecting their personal politics with their platform, Rapinoe didn’t bat and eyelid when she publicly refused an invitation to the White House in the event that the USWNT win the World Cup (they did).

She was the first white footballer to kneel while the U.S. national anthem was played, following in the footsteps of Colin Kaepernick, and continues to fight the battle for equal pay in the women’s team. Every athlete should strive to be like Megan Rapinoe.

AdvertisementGettyMia Hamm

Arguably the most famous and recognisable female footballer of her time, Mia Hamm was a household name to even non-sports fans due to her success with the U.S. national women’s team in the ‘90s to early ‘00s.

A football icon of the women’s game, Hamm held the record for most international goals scored – by a woman or man – until 2013 and remains in third place behind former team-mate Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair.

She is frequently quoted as a huge influence and inspiration for both professional and amateur players alike, inspiring young girls to take up the sport – perpetuating the idea that representation, in all industries, is vital. You can't be who you can't see.

GettyMarta

When you’re rattling off the likes of Pele, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as your GOATs, Marta deserves a mention in the same breath. She has scored more World Cup goals than any man or woman alive (17) and was christened “Pele in skirts" by Pele himself.

Minutes after her Brazil side were eliminated by France in the 2019 World Cup, she gave an impassioned speech that implored young Brazil girls to take up the sport.

“Women's football depends on you to survive," said the 33-year-old, with tears in her eyes. "Think about it, value it more. It's about wanting more, it's about training more, it's about looking after yourself more, it's about being ready to play 90 minutes and then 30 minutes more.

"So that's why I am asking the girls. There's not going to be a Formiga forever, there's not going to be a Marta forever, there's not going to be a Cristiane. We are trying to represent women and show how women can play any type of role.”

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WarnerJess and Jules from Bend it Like Beckham

Ask a sports-mad woman of a certain age and they'll probably tell you that Bend it Like Beckham had some sort of influence on them.

Teenage girls are extremely impressionable, and if you were a teenage girl watching Gurinder Chadha’s 2002 classic about two women as they try to make it as footballers against the backdrop of the patriarchal industry, you were bound to be a little bit inspired to take up the sport, too.

Bend it Like Beckham follows Jess Bhamra as she dreams of playing football professionally, though hindered by her traditional Indian parents and the gendered social norms surrounding women playing football.

Jess’ plight as a character – more specifically, that of a brown girl – was particularly enlightening. The film, which navigates the struggles of a second-generation woman living in the UK, explores not just gender discrimination, but issues of race, social class and differing cultures in a predominantly white male environment.