With billions of fans and millions of players, football is the world’s leading sport in many areas. Although it is usually associated with men, the truth is that there are many female football fans as well, and the percentage is constantly on the rise.
Speaking of women in football, Nostrabet.com has data showing around 14% of women in the UK play football occasionally. This percentage is probably higher than what most people expected, but there are places where it is even more impressive. “The growing percentage of women interested in football is a clear sign that the sport is becoming even more popular. Considering how things are going, I would not be surprised if the sport becomes as trendy with women as it is with men”, said Kristiyan, Nostrabet’s football expert.
It’s interesting to see the stats from the survey, so let’s dive into the data and also learn more about some of the top female football players from each country.
Mexico
The number one country on our list in terms of places where football is popular among women is Mexico. Around 20% of those who took part in the survey revealed that they play soccer from time to time. These stats will definitely surprise some of you, but keep in mind that Mexico is also the country with the most active professional football players in the world. In other words, people there love this sport.
- When it comes to popular Mexican female footballers, most people think of Renae Cuellar. She has played for many big clubs and even participated in the 2011 and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cups.
- Of course, we also need to mention Maribel Dominguez. Even though she is no longer playing actively, Maribel has the highest number of goals for her country’s national team. Scoring 46 goals in 49 matches is impressive, so it’s no surprise some people call her “Marigol”.
Brazil
One of the first countries to pop into people’s minds when talking about football is Brazil. Home to the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and countless other players, football is more than just a sport here. Therefore, it is not surprising that 14% of female respondents in the survey said that they play football from time to time.
- Brazil has many legendary female football players. One of them is Marta (Marta Viera da Sila), who is widely recognized as one of the best football players in the world. She was the captain of Brazil’s football team and scored 108 goals. Furthermore, Marta has won the title for being the best player a total of six times.
- Formiga is another name that comes to mind when discussing female Brazilian football players. With more than 100 matches for the country’s national team, she appeared in 6 World Cup finals. Furthermore, Formiga holds the record for the most Olympic game matches (29) and has scored around 30 goals.
United Kingdom
As mentioned in the beginning, around 14% of women in the UK said that they play football from time to time. Considering this is this sport’s birthplace, some people probably expected slightly higher results. Furthermore, this place is home to the English Premier League, the world’s most prestigious and followed individual football competition.
- Regarding the best UK female football players, Kelly Smith is one of the names that always comes to mind. She used to play for Arsenal and won pretty much all big trophies. With around 46 goals in 117 matches, she also played for several other teams in Philadelphia and Boston.
- Fara Williams is the second big name in UK’s women football that many people are aware of. She has 176 appearances for the country’s national team and was one of Liverpool’s best players. She has won the Player of the year award two times but a lot of people like her because of her story and how she went from being homeless to one of the best footballers in the world.
United States
Let’s admit it: the US is not the first country that comes to mind when talking about football. It’s true that the sport is growing in popularity there, especially after Messi’s arrival in the MLS. However, it is still not on the level of Europe or other parts of the world.
With that said, the situation with women’s football (or as they like to call it soccer) is a little bit different. The sport is very popular among women and the US has some of the best players in the world. Therefore, it is no surprise that 11% of female survey respondents said they play occasionally.
- When talking about some of the best female football players from the US, Alex Morgan is one of the first options that comes to mind. Prior to retiring, she was a part of San Diego Wave FC and scored 123 goals during her career. Needless to say, she also had a huge role in winning the World Cup for her country in 2015 and 2019.
- The second name that many people associate with the US and football is Lindsay Horan. She’s the captain of the country’s national team and has 155 matches, 57 assists, and 35 goals. Besides helping the US football team, Horan is also a part of the French giants Olympique Lyonnais.
Spain
Like Brazil and Mexico, Spain is among the first countries to pop into people’s minds when talking about football. The country’s national football team recently won EURO 2024 and proved yet again it’s one of the best in the world.
Besides having loads of legendary male players, Spain’s also home to numerous top-tier female footballers. Therefore, most people are not surprised that around 9% of those who participated in the survey said they play soccer at least occasionally.
- Aitana Bonmati is one of Spain’s best female footballers right now. She recently received a reward for being the best player at the World Cup after she helped her country win the trophy. Besides her exceptional international career, Bonmati also had a key role in Barcelona’s success.
- Another interesting name we expect to hear a lot more of in the next couple of years is Salma Paralluelo. Despite her age, she is among Spain’s top rising stars and had a crucial role in Spain’s World Cup success. An interesting fact about Paralluelo is that she used to have a promising athletics career before she decided to focus exclusively on football.
France
The French national football team is often regarded as one of the best in the world. With living legends like Zidane, Henry, and Mbappe, it’s no surprise that football is incredibly popular in this European country. That is one of the reasons why around 9% of women there play football from time to time.
- In terms of some of the country’s best female footballers, we need to mention Amandine Henry. She is among the top midfielders in the world and has a crucial role for her club and the country’s national football team.
- Marie Antoinette Katoto is also a big name in France because she is the country’s “number 9”. She is among the most talented strikers in the world right now and has 27 goals in 234 appearances.
Germany
The results in Germany are the same as those in France and Spain because 9% of women who took part in the survey answered that they played football occasionally. Like other countries, Germany is a huge name for this sport, and it has fans from all age groups.
- There have been many amazing German players over the years, one of whom is Birgit Prinz. She has 214 matches for her country and scored more than 128 goals. Considering her impressive stats, it’s no surprise she won the World Cup two times and received the award for the best player of the year 3 times. Regarding her club career, Prinz played for several squads in Germany and one in the US.
- Sydney Lohmann is another name that deserves attention among football fans. Born in 2000, she played a key role for Bayern Munich and is now a member of Germany’s national football team. Speaking of the devil, she made her debut for it in 2018 when her country defeated Italy.
Italy
Speaking of Italy, this is the last country on the list. Italians are famous for many things, and football is among them because the country’s among the best. People there love the sport, which is why some may be surprised that only 5% of female respondents said they play football from time to time.
- If you are interested in Italian football, you have probably heard of Christian Girelli. She is one of Juventus’s top footballers and has scored 61 goals in 74 matches for her club. Keep in mind she became a part of it in 2018.
- Aurora Galli is the 2nd name on our list, and she became the first player from the country to move to the Women’s Super League after becoming a part of Everton. The 28-year-old is Everton’s midfielder and has a key role for her club.
Conclusion
All in all, football is becoming more popular among women. With more sponsorship opportunities, the sport will inevitably capture the attention of more and more people. This is also good news for people who like betting on football because bookmakers have started offering a lot more options for all top-tier women football leagues.
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