The ongoing WSL 2023/24 season presents a valuable chance to enhance women’s football further. The sport has already reaped immense benefits from the extensive global coverage received during the 2023 World Cup and especially the UEFA Women’s Euros held last summer, resulting in the Lionesses’ victorious campaign on home turf.
This increasing interest has played a pivotal role in propelling domestic growth. However, it should be noted that the FA Women’s Super League (WSL) had already displayed promising signs of expansion even before England triumphed over Germany in the Euros final.
With that said, today, we’ll highlight some of the greatest players and clubs to have ever competed in the WSL in a celebration of women’s professional football.
Samantha Kerr
Team: Chelsea
Samantha May Kerr is a globally revered and highly esteemed athlete. Hailing from Australia, she currently excels as a forward for Chelsea in the FA Women’s Super League and proudly represents the Australia women’s national team.
Since 2019, Kerr has assumed the role of captain for the Australia women’s national team, solidifying her position as one of the sport’s premier forwards. Throughout her illustrious career, she has garnered many prestigious awards and accolades.
Notably, in 2017, Kerr was honoured with the title of Asian Women’s Footballer of the Year and secured the runner-up position for the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Chelsea Women
WSL Titles: 2015, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23
Chelsea FC Women have solidified their position as one of the most formidable women’s teams in the football world today. In 2015, they secured their inaugural major trophy and have continued their upward trajectory since then.
With an impressive record, Chelsea FC Women have claimed six FA WSL titles, five FA Cups, two FA League Cups, and one Community Shield. While they have not succeeded in European football, they came remarkably close in the 2020-21 season, narrowly losing to FC Barcelona Femení. Notably, they became the first team to clinch three consecutive WSL victories, thus making them a sure team to wager on at the bookmakers.
In the WSL’s current climate, no other team is more feared than Chelsea Women, and their title defence in the 2023/24 season has started strong. With five games and no losses, they sit atop the WSL and, with free bets UK, are a team regularly considered on straight betting picks.
Arsenal Women
Noteworthy Titles: 15 league titles, 14 FA Cups, 6 League Cups, 10 National League Cups, 5 Community Sheilds, and the only English team to win the Women’s Champions Leauge
Arsenal, the most successful club in the history of English women’s football, has experienced a recent drought in trophy wins. However, their consistently impressive performance over the past few years cannot be overlooked.
In the 2021/22 season, Arsenal scored the highest number of goals, conceded the fewest goals, and had the fewest losses in the FA Women’s Super League. Despite these achievements, they narrowly missed the league title, finishing one point behind Chelsea. Their performance in domestic cup competitions mirrored this, with Arsenal being eliminated in the later stages of both the League Cup and the FA Cup.
Vivianne Miedema
Team: Arsenal
Vivianne Miedema stands out as the most outstanding player in the history of the FA Women’s Super League, as well as one of the most exceptional strikers in the realm of women’s football.
Since joining Arsenal in 2017, she has triumphed in the WSL during the 2018-19 season and has quickly risen to become the top goalscorer in the league. Her remarkable achievements have earned her the prestigious titles of PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year in 2018-19 and FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2019-20.
Arsenal’s victory over Bristol City in 2019 not only stands as the largest recorded win in the history of the WSL but also witnessed the highest number of goals scored by a single player. On that memorable afternoon, Miedema netted an impressive six goals, securing the record for the most goals scored by an individual in a WSL game. Not forgetting the fact that she’s the league’s all-time top goalscorer.
Kelly Smith
Team: Arsenal (Retired)
Kelly Smith, a highly talented football player, showcased her exceptional skills both at the club and national level. Throughout her remarkable two-decade career with the England women’s national team, she scored 46 goals in 117 appearances.
While at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, Smith made history by becoming the first athlete from any sport to receive the prestigious title of Big East Offensive Player of the Year. Upon her return to the UK, she joined Arsenal and proved her prowess by scoring an astounding 73 goals in just 66 games from 2005 to 2009.
Smith’s contribution to Arsenal earned her the status of a legendary player. Recently, she embarked on a coaching journey by returning to North London, where she continues to build her legacy off the field. Through her leadership and guidance, she is making a lasting impact on the next generation of players.
Lucy Bronze
Team: Barcelona, Manchester City (Former)
Lucy Bronze, a player for England’s national team, has experienced considerable achievements in the Women’s Super League (WSL) when she has not been busy capturing Champions League titles with Lyon or assisting Barcelona in their Lifa F rise.
On two occasions, Bronze has received the prestigious PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year award. She first received this honour in 2014 and then again in 2017.
Summary
In the world of women’s football, greatness shines through both individual players and dominant clubs. Samantha Kerr’s remarkable skills and numerous accolades, Chelsea Women’s impressive WSL titles, Arsenal Women’s rich history of success, and the outstanding performances of players like Vivianne Miedema, Kelly Smith, and Lucy Bronze, have all left an indelible mark on the FA Women’s Super League. As the 2023/24 season unfolds, we celebrate these icons of women’s professional football and look forward to witnessing the continued growth and excellence of the sport.
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