• Snooker commentary can be heard on a number of television and radio stations

• John Virgo, Ken Doherty and Steve Davis are three of the best snooker commentators

• Lots of former stars are now working as snooker commentators for various broadcasters

Often broadcast on terrestrial television in the United Kingdom, snooker is readily available to a wide audience – although it is not a sport that will appeal to all.

Those who enjoy browsing snooker betting odds will appreciate the skill and mentality that is required to perform at the highest level of the sport.

Best Snooker Commentators:

And as many of the old guard hang up their cues, the snooker commentary booth is packed with a plethora of former World Snooker champions.

The likes of Stephen Hendry, John Parrott and Dennis Taylor are three of the best snooker commentators, providing expert insight into all aspects of the game.

The snooker world rankings are constantly changing and the snooker commentator role is no picnic. However, here are some of the greatest…

*Credit for all of the images in this article belongs to Alamy*

Women’s soccer has been on the rise for many years but it has seen a huge influx of fans in the last few years.

With the 2023 Women’s World Cup broadcast around the world, football betting fans have enhanced their understanding of the women’s game.

Social media is a key reason for the increased interest. Stars like Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe have used their social media presence to promote women’s soccer and female footballers are starting to see more recognition.

Most Followed Female Soccer Players:

• Lieke Martens – 1.2 million

• Jordyn Huitema – 1.6 million 

• Deyna Castellanos – 1.7 million 

• Sam Kerr – 1.8 million

• Norma Palafox – 2.2 million

• Marta – 2.8 million

• Alexia Putellas  - 3.3 million

• Ana Markovic – 3.3 million

• Alex Morgan – 10.1 million

• Alisha Lehmann – 17 million

The United States women’s national team are the dominant force in soccer but they are facing stronger opposition each year from teams like Brazil and England. 

Without further ado, it is time to take a look at the most popular women’s soccer players on Instagram. 

Lieke Martens – 1.2 million

An Ajax fan who earned comparisons to Johan Cruyff at a young age, Lieke Martens is an iconic figure in Dutch football.

Martens was named UEFA’s Player of the Year in 2017 ahead of Carli Lloyd and Deyna Castellanos.

The Dutch star followed in the path of another generational playmaker, making the move from Barcelona to PSG in 2022.

Martens, like Lionel Messi, collected medals in Catalunya, but is yet to replicate that success in Paris. 

Jordyn Huitema – 1.6 million 

Jordyn Huitema is one of the best young players in the world. Standing at 5’11, the 22-year-old is tipped for greatness and has already featured for PSG and OL Reign.

Some have suggested Huitema can fill the sizeable shoes of Christine Sinclair for Canada. 

Huitema often made the headlines for her relationship with compatriot and fellow football betting star Alphonso Davies.

The couple split up in 2022. Since, it has become public that Huitema is in a relationship with Seattle Mariners phenom Julio Rodrigez. 

Deyna Castellanos – 1.7 million 

Deyna Castellanos is not as decorated as many of her peers on this list, but the Venezuelan international has worked as a pundit for men’s and women’s World Cups, and made a high-profile move to Manchester City in 2022.

Castellanos was nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Player award in 2017, a decision which attracted criticism from Megan Rapinoe.

In Venezuela, fans refer to Castellanos as ‘Queen Deyna’. 

She is very active on Instagram, which has helped to amass such a huge following. 

After scoring five goals over two seasons for Manchester City, Castellanos was signed by Bay FC in 2024.

Sam Kerr – 1.8 million

The only player to have won the Golden Boot in three different leagues and the all-time leading scorer in the NWSL, Sam Kerr is one of the greatest forwards in the history of women’s football.

Kerr signed for Chelsea in 2020, and has scored at an average of 0.8 goals per match for the west London club.

Long-term skipper of the Australian national team, Kerr has an extraordinary list of accolades on both a personal and team level.

Approaching 1000 posts on Instagram, she is the definition of a world star. She isn’t going anywhere any time soon either, and she will be banging in the goals again once she returns from injury.

Norma Palafox – 2.2 million

Mexican star Norma Palafox has long been a big name in football betting. Since starting her career with Guadalajara, Palafox has moved around several Mexican clubs.

Most recently, she signed for Juarez in 2024.

She frequently posts on Instagram, with plenty of snaps from training, matches and her personal life. 

Marta – 2.8 million

The consensus greatest female footballer of all-time, it’s no surprise Marta is in the top five on this list.

The Brazilian is among the highest-paid female soccer players, and has plied her trade with the Orland Pride since 2017. 

Marta is a six-time winner of FIFA World Player of the Year. No player has scored more World Cup goals. IFFHS named her the best women’s player of the 2010s.

The CV speaks for itself, from titles in Sweden to leading Brazil to finals at the World Cup and Olympics.

Both a masterful playmaker and prolific goal scorer, Marta is a once-in-a-generation talent. 

Alexia Putellas  - 3.3 million

A seven-time Spanish champion with Barcelona and the Ballon d’Or winner in 2021 and 2022, Alexia Putellas is an absolute phenomenon.

She has been the best player in the world over the last few years, and has enjoyed immense success at both club and international level. Putellas won the 2023 World Cup and 2023-24 Nations League with Spain, and has twice won the Champions League. 

Putellas modelled her game on the midfielders of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona tenure. Comparisons to Andres Iniesta are accurate, such is Putellas’ ability to dribble past opponents and deliver passes through the tightest of windows. 

At 30 years old, Putellas will remain at the peak of her powers for years to come. 

Ana Markovic – 3.3 million

Grasshoppers forward Ana Markovic has almost three million followers on Instagram, putting her ahead of some of the best players in the world. 

Markovic is yet to reach those heights, though she has made 11 appearances for Croatia since debuting in 2021. 

Alex Morgan – 10.1 million

Alex Morgan has won an Olympic gold, two World Cups and the Champions League. She’s a four-time CONCACAF Player of the Year and was included in IFFHS’ Team of the Decade.

Morgan is an all-time great, but her on-pitch achievements are just part of what makes her so well-known.

The San Dimas native was all over social media with the infamous tea-sipping celebration. She appeared in a Maroon 5 music video, and even worked as a sport envoy in 2017. 

Morgan transcends football. Away from the silverware, individual honours and match-winning performances, the San Diego Wave striker is a household name.

Americans with no more than a passing interest in the Beautiful Game will be well aware of Alex Morgan, hence the 10 million followers.

Alisha Lehmann – 17 million

Having passed the 17 million mark, Alisha Lehmann is the most followed female footballer on Instagram by a healthy margin.

Born in Tägertschi, Lehmann has represented Switzerland on 49 occasions, but moved to English football in 2018 when she joined West Ham.

Via a short loan at Everton, Lehmann swapped London for Birmingham as she signed with Aston Villa in 2021.

Lehmann has become a viral sensation. She is very active on various social media channels, and has recently collaborated with EA Sports. 

The Swiss international has attracted a lot of attention over the last couple of years, and in a 2023 interview, spoke passionately about femininity in sport. 

"It's not a bad thing to want to look like a girl and play football. I really support that, and I want everyone to be themselves when they play the sport. It's just that sometimes people don't seem to accept that women can and do play football."

Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

The wait is nearly over: we are now just days away from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Betting fans will be excited for a fortnight of athletics, swimming and cycling and UK followers will be able to follow Olympics bets free of charge on the BBC.

Plenty of athletics experts will be making their Paris 2024 predictions ahead of the Games, with 100m betting tips and Olympic swimming tips taking centre stage.

All eyes will be on the Team GB cycling team as they look to continue their Olympic success in the velodrome - though a number of major names have retired since Tokyo 2020.

How To Bet On The Olympics

If you are looking to bet on Paris 2024, the method is more or less exactly the same as placing a bet on any given sport.

Join 888sport today and visit the website to find today’s Olympics odds, with betting markets available on Olympic football, swimming and athletics events.

From there, it is simply a case of making your selection, entering the stake and hitting place bet to get involved in Paris 2024 betting.

So if you’re watching the Olympics coverage and the high jump is approaching, visit the 888 sport athletics section and look for this particular event to bet on the Games.

When Is The Olympics?

The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the biggest sporting event ever organised in France, with the official opening of the Games taking place on 26th July 2024.

The final events will take place ahead of the closing ceremony on 11th August 2024. The Olympics calendar is incredibly busy but there are plenty of events to bet on over the course of the Games – hopefully Paris 2024 lives up to the hype!

How To Watch The Olympics In The UK

The BBC will broadcast live coverage of EVERY Olympic event from Paris this summer.

With 33 sports and 339 medal events held across 42 different venues in the French capital, the BBC will basically have 24/7 coverage throughout the Games.

According to reports, those who wish to bet on the Olympics and watch the events can tune in and watch the world's best compete at various locations across Paris and other French regions.

Best Olympics Bets

Here at 888sport, there are a range of top Olympics betting odds already available ahead of Paris 2024.

It will come as no surprise to see Team USA ranked as red hot favourites to clinch more gold medals than any other nation but Great Britain will fancy their chances of beating their tally from 2016.

Team GB finished second in the medals table in Rio, with Great Britain claiming 27 gold medals and punters will hope to see more success this summer.

Team GB Olympics Medal Hopes

Team GB are expected to send over 380 athletes to Paris 2024, which would eclipse the biggest Team Great Britain contingent for an overseas Olympic Games.

122 Olympians make the squad after previous appearances, with 51 of those clinching medals. Those athletes will provide invaluable support to the 254 Olympic debutants.

If you’re looking for a British athlete to bet on, look no further than Adam Peaty. The 2016 Olympic gold medallist looks destined to retain his 100m breaststroke title in Tokyo.

Laura Muir is one of the biggest names on the Team GB athletics roster and Olympics odds will be favourable on the Scot clinching gold. A medal isn’t out of the question though…

If canoeing is your thing, Mallory Franklin has an excellent chance of medalling in the C1-class. Already the most successful female canoeist in Team GB history, she is one to watch.

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Max Whitlock will also take some beating on the pommel horse while Pat McCormack is looking to go all the way in the boxing ring.

Olympics Live Betting Tips

If you follow the Olympics religiously, you may wish to get involved with live betting on the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

888sport have live odds on Olympic events such as football, table tennis and water polo and there will be plenty of sport fans betting on live events this summer.

Betting in-play gives punters a chance to bet on the Olympics while watching competitors from all over the world on the biggest stage in athletics.

Olympics Betting News

888sport is the place to be for Olympics predictions, Paris 2024 betting news and the latest odds on Olympic events.

From athlete profiles to Team GB squads, we provide insight into the background of athletes, record times, Olympic medals and more to help your Olympic betting experience.

Join us here as we look at the biggest Olympics bet tips and discuss predictions on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games ahead of what should hopefully be a successful summer for Team GB!

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

• Cycling is one of the best medal hopes for Team GB at the Olympics this summer

• Plenty of previous Olympic medallists are looking to win more hardware in Paris this summer

• Read below for more on the history of Team GB cycling

When it comes to online betting, cycling is seldom at the forefront. The Tour de France gets some attention, but other than that, cycling is a niche interest outside of Olympic years.

With Team GB enjoying such success at recent Games, the cycling group have become stars in their own right.

Medals have been plentiful. Athletes have become celebrities. Team GB cycling has a wonderful history, producing many of the country’s most successful Olympians.

From those regularly looking for betting tips to part-time sports fans, everyone recognises the stars of the British cycling. They are in the spotlight once again this summer.

Beijing, London and Rio have happy memories for the Team GB’s cyclists. They have climbed the all-time medal tables in the sport, and helped Team GB achieve unprecedented Olympic success.

Here’s everything you need to know about Team GB cycling, starting with a bit of history…

Team GB Cycling History

Team GB cycling goes beyond the velodrome. Lengthy road races, mountain biking and BMX are all included in the cycling team despite the perception.

Like many sports, cycling at the Olympics has come and gone. Some events have been patchy in their Olympic appearances.

Talking about the history of Team GB cycling, though, is really focused on the last three Games.

There were plenty of medals in the men’s team pursuit in the early years, including a gold in 1908, but it’s Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro where the British cyclists have really proven their dominance.

The men’s sprint team have won the last three golds. Bradley Wiggins notched a gold in the time trial, and stars like Laura Kenny and Victoria Pendleton have collected medals at a prolific rate.

This success has been repeated in World Championships, Commonwealth Games and other events across the cycling calendar. The Olympics may be the highlight, but Team GB has been a force for over a decade.

Team GB have totalled 71 medals on the track. This includes winning seven gold medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 as well as six at Rio 2016.

Where Wiggins and others have shone on the road, Team GB is yet to conquer mountain biking.

The event was first introduced to the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, and Liam Killeen’s fifth-placed finish in Athens eight years later is Team GB’s best performance to date.

GB Cycling Team

There were 26 cyclists making up the Team GB cycling group for the Tokyo Olympics.

Former medallists and Olympic rookies alike headed to Japan with high hopes. As ever, Team GB will be among the frontrunners in cycling betting this time around in Paris.

Tokyo 2020 Squad:

• Men’s Road: Tao Geoghegan Hart, Geraint Thomas, Adam Yates, Simon Yates

• Men’s TT: Tao Geoghegan Hart, Geraint Thomas

• Women’s Road: Lizzie Deignan, Anna Shackley

• Women’s TT: Anna Shackley

• Men’s Mountain Bike: Tom Pidcock

• Women’s Mountain Bike: Evie Richards

• Men’s BMX Supercross: Kye Whyte, Ross Cullen (travelling reserve)

• Women’s BMX Supercross: Beth Shriever

• Men’s BMX Freestyle Park: Declan Brooks, James Jones (travelling reserve)

• Women’s BMX Freestyle Park: Charlotte Worthington

• Men’s Track Endurance: Ed Clancy, Ethan Hayter, Ethan Vernon, Matt Walls, Ollie Wood, Charlie Tanfield (travelling reserve)

• Women’s Track Endurance: Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker, Neah Evans, Laura Kenny, Josie Knight

• Women’s Track Sprint: Katy Marchant

• Men’s Track Sprint: Jack Carlin, Jason Kenny, Ryan Owens, Phil Hindes (travelling reserve)

Most Successful Team GB Cyclists

Decorated is the only word for Team GB’s cyclists. The women have amassed 16 total medals, a tally only bettered by the Dutch and Americans. The 71 medals won by the men is second only to the French.

Sir Jason Kenny is the most decorated cyclist to represent Team Great Britain at the Olympic Games, winning a total of nine medals - including seven golds. That not only makes him the most successful British cyclist at the Olympics but he is also the most decorated British Olympian of all-time across all sports.

With seven total medals, Sir Chris Hoy is one of the most successful Olympians to represent Great Britain and his impact on the sport will go down in history.

Former Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins is close behind with five golds and eight total medals. Wiggins’ time trial gold in London in 2012 was one of the great moments of the Games.

He also enjoyed several triumphant days in the velodrome with two individual pursuit and two team pursuit golds.

Wiggins was accompanied by Geraint Thomas, Ed Clancy and Paul Manning in the first of his team pursuit golds. This was the first men’s team pursuit gold since 1908. Clancy has followed up by winning the gold again in London and Rio.

Laura Kenny is the most successful female Olympic track cyclist of all-time. Kenny has four Olympic golds, doing the omnium-team pursuit double in London and Rio.

Victoria Pendleton won two golds and a silver in the velodrome. The sprint gold in Beijing was Team GB’s first medal in the event, and she followed it up with a silver in London four years later. Pendleton also won a gold in the keirin in her home Games.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

In March 2024, Christoph Baumgartner scored the fastest goal in international football history as he opened the scoring after just six second's of Austria's clash with Slovakia.

Meanwhile, Shane Long secured a major honour when he handed Southampton the lead after only seven seconds of their clash against Watford in April 2019: the fastest goal in Premier League history.

The Southampton forward has earned his place in Premier League betting history, but where do Long and Baumgartner rank compared to other goals around the world?

We’ll now delve into the history of the sport and the fastest goals scored in association football. Keep an eye on our football prediction page for upcoming matches in the coming months!

Football's Fastest Goals Around The World

The honour of the fastest goal ever scored in association football is up for debate. In 2009, Al-Hilal’s Nawaf Al Abed scored after only two seconds flat when he smashed a left-footed strike into the net immediately from kickoff in the Prince Faisal U-21 Cup against Al-Shoulla.

However, Al-Hilal were adjudged to have broken the rules of the competition after fielding six players over the age of 21 in the contest. Whether the goal still counts as the fastest one of all-time is one for debate.

Maryhill’s Gavin Stokes also has a claim for the fastest goal scored in the sport. He blasted an effort straight into the top corner from the kickoff for his team in the West of Scotland Super League First Division against Clydebank in 2017 in a junior match.

Marc Burrow scored the fastest goal in England in 2004 when he found the net for Cowes Sports Reserves against Eastleigh Reserves, lifting the ball over the keeper from distance in their Wessex League first division match after just 2.56 seconds.

The Guinness Book of World Records, meanwhile, identified Ricardo Olivera as the player with the fastest goal in the history of the game after he scored after 2.8 seconds for Rio Negro Capital against Soriano Interior on December 26 1998.

So, the actual record holder is up for debate, but the above efforts will take some beating as far as teams at the highest level of competition are concerned.

That being said, it’s always worth monitoring the live betting odds and tips for a team to get off the mark quickly.

Fastest Goals In European Football

The MLS is the first major league to boast one of the fastest goals in recorded history. Mike Grella was the man on the spot for the New York Red Bulls in their 2015 match against the Philadelphia Union.

He pounced on a loose pass from the kickoff and proceeded to run into the box, before his deflected strike rolled into the bottom corner after seven seconds flat.

Most betting sites would not have fancied OFI Crete’s Andreas Labropoulos to score against Olympiacos in the Greek Super League, but he found the net after seven seconds as well, although his team did fall to a 3-1 defeat in the contest.

Fastest La Liga Goal

La Liga’s fastest goal came in 2007/08 campaign, when Real Valladolid’s Joseba Llorente scored after 7.22 seconds.

The forward made a surge into the box from kickoff and collected a lofted pass from team-mate Victor. He then took one touch to control before guiding his effort over Espanyol keeper Inaki Lafuente.

Seydou Keita came within 440 milliseconds of breaking the record for Valencia in 2014, latching on to a loose backpass from Almeria’s Marco Torsiglieri before sidefooting his strike home.

Fastest Ligue 1 Goal

Michel Rio still holds the fastest goal in Ligue 1, a record that has stood for 27 years. He broke the deadlock after eight seconds for SM Caen in their clash with AS Cannes in a 3-1 win for his team in 1992.

Fastest Serie A Goal

Serie A have not broken the eight-second barrier, either. Paolo Poggi’s effort is still the quickest off the mark in Italy’s top division, achieved when he scored a fine goal after 8.1 seconds for Piacenza in their victory over Fiorentina in 2001.

Fastest Goals In Bundesliga

The Bundesliga endured a 16-year wait for a new goalscorer to beat the record of 11 seconds held by three players – Giovane Elber, Ulf Kirsten and Paul Freier.

However, two players then rose to the occasion within a year of each other. Karim Bellarabi provided a neat finish from inside the box just nine seconds into Bayer Leverkusen’s game against Borussia Dortmund in 2014.

Bellarabi then saw his record broken 364 days later by Kevin Volland. The Hoffenheim forward pounced on a stray pass from Bayern Munich’s David Alaba that had eluded Jerome Boateng.

Volland ensured he got to the ball ahead of Manuel Neuer, slotting his effort into the net on the slide and 0.03 seconds faster than Bellarabi’s strike.

The Bundesliga never fails to disappoint, making it one of the most unpredictable leagues outside of Bayern in sports betting odds.

Fastest FA Cup Goal

The fastest goal scored in the prestigious FA Cup belongs to Ashton United’s Gareth Morris, who blasted home a 60-yard effort in 2001 after only 4.2 seconds in his side's first qualifying-round tie against Skelmersdale United.

The English Football Association admitted that they’re not sure that it was the fastest goal in the 148-year history of the competition, as their records dating back to 1871 do not have a full account of every goal scored. Until proven otherwise, the record belongs to Morris.

Fastest Goals In International Football

The fastest goal in the history of international football was scored by Christoph Baumgartner in Austria's two-nil victory over Slovakia in Bratislava in March 2024.

The 24-year-old midfielder took the ball straight from kick-off, evading three tackles before firing a long range effort past goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. It took just six seconds for the ball to hit the back of the net from kick-off.

His effort was a full second quicker than Lukas Podolski's strike for Germany against Ecuador in 2013, giving Baumgartner a place in the record books. For now!

Previously, Podolski etched his place in history when he drilled a low strike into the bottom corner for Germany after six seconds of their friendly match against Ecuador in 2013.

Belgium’s Christian Benteke was slightly off the pace of Podolski, although he holds the record for the fastest strike in a World Cup qualifier, netting against Gibraltar after 8.1 seconds in 2016.

As for the World Cup itself, Turkey’s Hakan Sukur was the quickest off the mark in the tournament, netting after 10.8 seconds in his side’s defeat at the hands of South Korea in the 2002 third-place playoff.

Fastest Champions League Goals

A Dutchman holds the Champions League record for the fastest strike in Europe’s elite competition. Roy Makaay scored after 10.12 seconds of Bayern Munich’s round-of-16 match against Real Madrid at the Allianz in 2007.

His goal would prove to be vital as the German outfit advanced over their Spanish opposition, proving the Champions League is one of the most intriguing markets in the football betting landscape.

The Europa League’s fastest goal was secured by Jan Sykora of Liberec, who knocked off Vitolo’s effort from the top spot in 2016 when he fired home after 10.69 seconds of his team’s match against Qarabag.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual honour in football, an award given to the footballer deemed by learned judges - made up of journalists along with coaches and captains of national sides – to be at the very pinnacle of their craft. 

Put more simply, it determines who has been the greatest player on the planet across a twelve month period.

That wasn’t always the way, with only talent playing for European clubs eligible between 1956 and 2006. Originally conceived by two French journalists working for France Football it took a long while to look beyond the continent’s borders.

Ever since, the FIFA World Player of the Year has become a global event, its annual ceremony as lavish and star-studded as they come.

There are no prizes for guessing which little genius has the most Ballon d’Or wins, Lionel Messi claiming the most votes on eight occasions, while Cristiano Ronaldo is not too far behind on five. 

Truly, we are privileged to have lived through their time of greatness. 

Elsewhere, Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten have three apiece and it may surprise to learn that Zinedine Zidane has only been furnished with the award once. 

It was the magical midfielder’s fate to be in his prime during the era of Messi and Ronaldo’s duopoly. 

Intriguingly, France, Italy and Germany have produced the greatest number of greats, five each, though England can more than hold its head up high, with four Ballon d’Or recipients. Indeed, the first ever winner was Sir Stanley Matthews, the Wizard of Dribble.

Regarding the future, you don’t need our football tips today to gauge who is destined to be bequeathed with the honour in seasons to come. Erling Haaland is a shoo-in should he continue his phenomenal goal-scoring feats, the Norwegian coming second in 2023. 

Jude Bellingham is another dead-cert. 

And when their night of recognition eventually comes, they will join an illustrious list, a who’s who of behemoths who mastered their craft and conquered the world.

Ballon d'Or Winners:

• 1956: Stanley Matthews (Blackpool)

• 1957: Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)

• 1958: Raymond Kopa (Real Madrid)

• 1959: Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)

Sports tips would have been redundant this particular year in identifying the likeliest recipient.

Considered by some to be the greatest Argentinian footballer of all time – yes, even over and above Messi and Maradona – the ‘Blond Arrow’ was at the peak of his powers in the late-Fifties. 

A matter of months later he would combine with Puskas to demolish Eintracht Frankfurt in a European Cup final, an exhibition of brilliance the likes of which no-one had before seen. 

• 1960: Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

• 1961: Omar Sivori (Juventus)

• 1962: Josef Masopust (Dukla Prague)

• 1963: Lev Yashin (Dynamo Moscow)

• 1964: Denis Law (Manchester United)

• 1965: Eusebio (Benfica)

• 1966: Bobby Charlton (Manchester United)

• 1967: Florian Albert (Ferencvaros)

• 1968: George Best (Manchester United)

• 1969: Gianni Rivera (AC Milan)

• 1970: Gerd Muller (Bayern Munich)

The arch-poacher’s 38 Bundesliga goals the previous campaign set a benchmark that wasn’t topped for a generation while his ten goals at the 1970 World Cup earned the fearsome German a Golden Boot. 

Imagine the odds in the football betting in 1970 on Muller missing out on the Ballon d’Or. They would have been matched by Elvis being found on the moon.

• 1971: Johan Cruyff (Ajax)

• 1972: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich)

• 1973: Johan Cruyff (Barcelona)

• 1974: Johan Cruyff (Barcelona)

• 1975: Oleg Blokhin (Dynamo Kyiv)

• 1976: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich)

• 1977: Allan Simonsen (Borussia Monchengladbach)

• 1978: Kevin Keegan (Hamburg)

• 1979: Kevin Keegan (Hamburg)

For two years running Joseph Kevin Keegan, born and raised in the mining environs of Doncaster, was the king of Europe, first inspiring Hamburg to a league title, then engineering a continental adventure that took them all the way to a European Cup final. 

• 1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich)

• 1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich)

• 1982: Paolo Rossi (Juventus)

• 1983: Michel Platini (Juventus)

• 1984: Michel Platini (Juventus)

• 1985: Michel Platini (Juventus)

• 1986: Igor Belanov (Dynamo Kyiv)

• 1987: Ruud Gullit (AC Milan)

• 1988: Marco van Basten (AC Milan)

• 1989: Marco van Basten (AC Milan)

• 1990: Lothar Matthaus (Internazionale)

• 1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (Marseille)

• 1992: Marco van Basten (AC Milan)

Those of a certain age may raise an eyebrow at Van Basten’s three awards. The truth is the Dutch artist was the most complete centre-forward of his, or any other, generation. 

Were it not for cruel injuries, he would be spoken in the same breath as Messi and Ronaldo quite easily. 

• 1993: Roberto Baggio (Juventus)

• 1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona)

• 1995: George Weah (AC Milan)

• 1996: Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund)

• 1997: Ronaldo (Internazionale)

• 1998: Zinedine Zidane (Juventus)

• 1999: Rivaldo (Barcelona)

• 2000: Luis Figo (Real Madrid)

• 2001: Michael Owen (Liverpool)

• 2002: Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

• 2003: Pavel Nedved (Juventus)

The Czech schemer is arguably the most interesting name on this entire list, a player who its easy to forget about when reeling off the magisterial midfielders of the 21st century. 

For several seasons though, for the mighty Juventus, the player bought as Zidane’s replacement in Turin was little short of immense. 

• 2004: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)

• 2005: Ronaldinho (Barcelona)

• 2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)

• 2007: Kaka (Milan)

• 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

CR7’s first Ballon d’Or was a no-brainer, the 23-year-old firing 31 league goals for the Reds that term and playing a pivotal part in their Champions League success.  

• 2009: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

• 2010: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

• 2011: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

• 2012: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

• 2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

• 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

• 2015: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

• 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

• 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

• 2018: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

• 2019: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

• 2020: No award due to pandemic

• 2021: Lionel Messi (PSG)

• 2022: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

• 2023: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) 

For the first time controversy accompanied a Messi victory, with many insisting the Argentine had not done enough that season to warrant an eighth garland.

Perhaps these detractors had a point given the sheer number of goal-scoring records smashed in 2022/23 by the ‘Striking Viking’ Erling Haaland.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

OUR fantastic EFL Championship embraces wonderfully evocative stadiums across the land.

Home advantage can play a big part in football betting odds. There are certain trips that seem particularly unappealing, away days that are more daunting than others.

Ranked: Best Championship Stadiums

1. Loftus Road Stadium – Queens Park Rangers
2. Elland Road – Leeds United
3. Hillsborough – Sheffield Wednesday
4. Riverside Stadium – Middlesbrough
5. Vicarage Road Stadium – Watford
6. King Power Stadium – Leicester City
7. Coventry Building Society Arena – Coventry City
8. The Den – Millwall
9. Carrow Road – Norwich City
10. The New York Stadium - Rotherham United

In this blog, I rank my top 10 venues reflecting personal anecdotes I’ve accumulated throughout a 50 year period...

10th) The AESSEAL New York Stadium - Rotherham United

Offering a capacity of 12,021, this is the smallest ground featuring in Championship predictions. Yet it perfectly suits Rotherham United’s needs. I particularly relish the 10 minute walk to New York Stadium from Rotherham Central railway station.

There is a narrow winding path along the banks of the River Don before you pass an ancient looking mill building to reach the stadium.

9th) Carrow Road – Norwich City

I once got physically accosted by an angry octogenarian at Carrow Road! That was on Saturday 12th March 1994 and Norwich City entertained Queens Park Rangers. The Canaries led 1-0 at half-time but Rangers recovered to win 4-3.

At the time, I worked for top London radio show Capital Gold Sport where reporters were encouraged en masse to hysterically scream on air to build up theatrical excitement.

As the QPR goals rattled in, I became louder and louder in my commentary. And I almost spontaneously combusted when Devon White scored their fourth

Unfortunately though, a group of long-standing Norwich City season ticket holders were sitting directly in front of the press box. And one old boy – he must have been 80 years old – had enough of me and my Capital Gold techniques.

He turned around, grabbed my precious matchday statistical notes, ripped them up and threw them in the air whilst yelling venomously into my microphone: “IT DOESN’T SOUND ANY BETTER IF YOU SHOUT YOU KNOW!”

His heated tirade went out live on Capital Gold and was heard by two million astonished listeners.

8th) The Den – Millwall

I attended the very first competitive match at what was briefly called The New Den on Sunday 22nd August 1993. Millwall lost 4-1 to Southend United and it was screened live by ITV in the London region.

I’ve returned many times. The atmosphere is always raucous. Millwall fans sometimes receive negative publicity but they passionately support their local club which is good enough for me.

7th) Coventry Building Society Arena – Coventry City

Another one I groundhopped for the opening game…Coventry City 3 Queens Park Rangers 0 on Saturday 20th August 2005 enthralling a sell-out safety limit crowd of 23,000.

There was plenty of niggle that day because Rangers had defeated Coventry in the Copa De Ibiza Final a month beforehand prompting totally exaggerated post-match celebrations akin to lifting the European Cup!

6th) King Power Stadium – Leicester City

A theme is developing as I also took in the inaugural fixture at this stadium. It ended 1-1 in a friendly between Leicester City and Athletic Bilbao on Sunday 4th August 2002.

My abiding recollection was the pitch-side gentleman melodically playing a horn moments prior to kick-off. The tradition precedes every Leicester City home game. 

5th) Vicarage Road Stadium – Watford

On my initial visit to Vicarage Road on Bank Holiday Monday 27th December 1976, I spotted rock star Elton John taking his seat in the directors’ box.

So an exuberant 13 year old me inelegantly clambered over 10 rows of seats to get his autograph on my programme. However, my favourite memory here was broadcasting on QPR’s promotion-clinching match on Saturday 30th April 2011.

The 2-0 victory past hosts Watford terminated a seemingly never-ending 15 year absence from the Premier League for Rangers. I interviewed R’s boss Neil Warnock afterwards for Sky TV in the tunnel and he gave me a huge hug!

4th) Riverside Stadium – Middlesbrough

I actually appeared on BBC1’s Match of the Day Show during my first trip to the Riverside Stadium.

The game versus QPR on Saturday 21st October 1995 attracted global publicity due to the fact Boro had just signed Brazilian superstar Juninho.

But he was unable to play in this fixture as his work permit had not come through. Even so, the Match Of The Day cameras filmed me in the press box reporting for Capital Gold on Juninho’s imminent arrival.

3rd) Hillsborough – Sheffield Wednesday

When I was a child, Hillsborough used to regularly stage FA Cup Semi-Finals before these were eventually switched to Wembley Stadium.

I’ve been to several Sheffield Wednesday home matches but the one which stands out featured QPR sealing promotion to the Championship courtesy of a 3-1 victory on Saturday 8th May 2004.

I was asked to give a pep talk to the Rangers players on Sky Sports News while they were preparing in their hotel on the morning of the game.

Then watching 7,200 travelling R’s fans joyously celebrating on the final whistle brought tears to my eyes.

2nd) Elland Road – Leeds United

If I contemplate Elland Road, I visual the great Leeds United teams of the 1970’s under Don Revie.

The backcloth was magnificent commentary on ITV from Keith Macklin – a nice man I got to know well in later years. And I admired hot-shot Peter Lorimer who could strike the ball harder than anyone I’ve ever seen.

Incidentally, I remember some boisterous kids kicking a football on to the side wall of my mum’s house one time and she ran out screeching in her Dublin accent: "GET AWAY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? PETER LORIMER?"

1st) MATRADE Loftus Road Stadium – Queens Park Rangers

My second home and a lifelong love affair with my local football team from growing up. Supporters are really close to the action so there is no atmosphere quite like it anywhere else when Loftus Road is full and the place is rocking.

Indeed, online video footage shows the stadium literally shook amidst pulsating crowd celebrations as Paul Furlong scored QPR’s winner against Oldham Athletic in the 2003 Division Two Play-Off Semi-Final.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

The biggest largest attendances in English football history are detailed and celebrated below, accompanied by their Premier League equivalents for each club.

Additionally, three other big clubs have been added, purely in the interest of interest. 

Tottenham Hotspur

• Spurs Record Attendance: 85,512 vs Bayer Leverkusen (November 2016)

Playing their Champions League games at Wembley paved the way for an all-time record crowd for any English side as seemingly half of North London turned up to see Mauricio Pochettino’s men come unstuck against an under-estimated opposition. 

Spurs were the pre-match favourites in the football betting odds but a strike by Kevin Kempl on the hour-mark resulted in the masses leaving disappointed. 

• Spurs Record Premier League Attendance: 83,222 vs Arsenal (February 2018)

With Tottenham now fully decamped at Wembley to allow their magnificent new stadium to be constructed another enormous crowd showed up for the 182nd North London Derby, one that felt very meaningful at the time.

Spurs were in the ascendancy, in the title reckoning and blessed with having a striker in Harry Kane who seemed to score every week. The England man duly slotted home the only goal here. 

As for the Gunners, it was the end of days of Arsene Wenger’s long tenure. No-one knew at this point what the future held for them. 

Manchester City

• Man City Record Attendance: 84,569 vs Stoke City (March 1934)

A record for an English club’s home match until Tottenham played at Wembley in 2016, Manchester City and Stoke City played in front of nearly 85,000 fans in the sixth-round of the 1933/34 FA Cup at Maine Road.

Manchester City saw off the Potters on their way to winning their second FA Cup. No history, eh?

• Man City Record Premier League Attendance: 54,693 vs Leicester City (February 2016)

Ask any Leicester fan and they will tell you that this was the day when they actually started to believe that a ridiculous, far-fetched, fairy tale league title was indeed up for grabs.

The Foxes took an early lead courtesy of Robert Huth and never looked like losing thereafter, relentlessly hitting City on the break. It ended 3-1 but in truth it could have been more.

A recently opened South Stand expansion explains the record attendance, the Etihad’s capacity soon after being reduced slightly. 

Chelsea

• Chelsea Record Attendance: 82,905 vs Arsenal (October 1935)

It is astonishing to think that double Stamford Bridge’s current capacity crammed into the same famous stadium all those decades back to witness a 1-1 draw with Arsenal. 

This clash may have pre-dated Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger by about seventy years but the rivalry was alive and thriving even back then.

Separated by just two points at the end of the season, neither side threatened eventual champions Sunderland a great deal, although Arsenal did win the cup.

• Chelsea Record Premier League Attendance: 46,824 vs Manchester United (November 2003)

A few months into Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea reign, just shy of 47,000 were at the Bridge to see Claudio Ranieri’s Blues edge past Manchester United thanks to a Frank Lampard penalty.

There were big names aplenty on show, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, John Terry and Claude Makelele.

Manchester United

• Man United Record Attendance: 81,962 vs Arsenal (January 1948)

Relocated to Manchester City’s Maine Road because of bomb damage to Old Trafford, Manchester United hosted over 80,000 fans for a 1948 clash with Arsenal.

As the country recovered from the Second World War, the two teams who dominated the early Premier League years battled for the Division One title.

Arsenal lifted the trophy at the end of the 1947/48 campaign a few months after a 1-1 draw at Maine Road with their closest challengers.

• Man United Record Premier League Attendance: 76,098 vs Blackburn Rovers (March 2007)

Sir Alex Ferguson’s United completed some of the Premier League biggest wins at Old Trafford. They lifted league trophies there. They enjoyed famous European nights that live long in the memory.

Yet none of them had a bigger attendance than this perfectly ordinary March afternoon, when mid-table Blackburn were comfortably dispatched. 

Everton

• Everton Record Attendance: 78,299 vs Liverpool (September 1948)

The post-war football boom saw crowds swell at every ground. Add in that this was a Merseyside derby and unsurprisingly it was a sell-out. 

An early season encounter saw the great Bob Paisley starting for Liverpool and Joe Mercer for the Toffees. The match ended 1-1 with Jock Dodds getting on the scoresheet for the hosts at a packed Goodison.

• Everton Record Premier League Attendance: 40,552 vs Liverpool (December 2004)

The Toffees finished fourth this season, securing Champions League football for the first time, and here a very decent side featuring Tim Cahill, Duncan Ferguson and Nigel Martyn between the sticks executed their first derby win in over five years.

A moment of sheer quality from Lee Carsley punctuated a tense, tight contest, the midfielder’s long-ranger leaving Chris Kirkland rooted to the spot. 

Aston Villa

• Aston Villa Record Attendance: 76,588 vs Derby County (March 1946)

Just months after the end of the Second World War, a whopping 76,588 people piled into Villa Park to watch the first leg of Aston Villa’s FA Cup tie with Derby County.

A pair of late goals from The Rams saw them win a seven-goal thriller 4-3 in Birmingham before eking out a 1-1 draw in the second leg.

Derby beat Birmingham City in the last four and won a dramatic final against Charlton Athletic to lift their first and only FA Cup.

• Aston Villa Record Premier League Attendance: 45,347 vs Liverpool (May 1994)

It had been a frustrating campaign for both teams, Villa finishing tenth, despite being blessed with a terrific forward line. Liverpool for their part concluded their season in eighth as they reluctantly embarked on several years of mediocrity. 

Only one of them went into the summer with a smile on their face and it was the hosts, who overturned a first-half deficit via two goals by Dwight Yorke. 

Some of football’s greatest quotes were coined by Bill Shankly. You have to wonder what he would have said about the seasons of struggle that came next. 

Sunderland

• Sunderland Record Attendance: 75,118 vs Derby County (March 1933)

Sunderland hosted Derby County in an FA Cup sixth-round replay in the early 1930s and drew a crowd just shy of the current capacity of Old Trafford.

The official capacity was around 60,000 at the time, but an extra 15,000 or fans squeezed in to witness Derby scrape a 1-0 away victory.

The Rams went on to lose to Manchester City in the semi-final played in Huddersfield. As for Sunderland, they would get their hands on the cup four years later.

• Sunderland Record Premier League Attendance: 48,355 vs Liverpool (April 2002)

Like their record crowd at Roker Park, Sunderland’s highest Premier League attendance – which came at the Stadium of Light – also ended in a 1-0 defeat.

That seems apt for a club that historically has a habit for snatching heartbreak from the jaws of glory.

Liverpool were the winners on this occasion, with Sunderland’s Claudio Reyna being sent off in the 89th minute to compound Mackem misery.

Arsenal

• Arsenal Record Attendance: 73,707 vs RC Lens (November 1998)

The Gunners were granted permission to play their Champions League home games at Wembley in order to boost attendances and after a seven year absence from the competition fans duly flocked to the national stadium.

Alas, their French opponents put a major dampener on what could have been a special night, smuggling away with them a 1-0 win.

• Arsenal Record Premier League attendance: 60,383 vs Wolves (November 2019) 

The Emirates had never before been so jam-packed despite this being a fairly ordinary fixture and, ultimately, a perfectly forgettable outcome.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the hosts ahead halfway through the first half only for Raul Jimenez to equalise late on. 

Newcastle United

• Newcastle Record Attendance: 68,386 vs Chelsea (September 1930)

Held at the odd kick-off time of 6.15pm on a Wednesday evening – this of course being prior to the introduction of floodlights – the Magpies rewarded their bumper crowd with a narrow 1-0 victory, the heroically-named Jack Cape grabbing the winner. 

• Newcastle Record Premier League Attendance: 52,227 vs Chelsea (November 2023)

Chelsea again were the visitors but this time the scoreline was far more emphatic, Eddie Howe’s men racking up a 4-1 triumph courtesy of an exhilarating second half showing. 

The result rekindled hopes of a top four spot for the newly-minted North-East giants. 

Liverpool

• Liverpool Record Attendance: 61,905 vs Wolves (February 1952)

Pre-Shankly and pre-everything we associate with the Reds today, Liverpool were the FA Cup underdogs in 1952 when they entertained a feted Wolves side complete with the great Billy Wright.

The visitors would soon embark on a series of title-winning campaigns but here they found themselves surprisingly outclassed on the day, exiting the competition 2-1. 

We can only imagine the thunderous din from the Kop. 

• Liverpool Record Premier League attendance: 57,158 vs Man United (December 2023)

The new, expanded Anfield Road Stand was opened in time for the latest squabble between these two famous names, a match-up that very rarely failed to ignite.

Alas, on this occasion it did, United’s stoic defence keeping out Salah and company throughout to ensure a dull goalless stalemate.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

• Mallory Franklin is Great Britain’s most successful female canoeist

• The C1 discipline will be included at the Olympic Games for the second time this summer

• Franklin competed at the 2009 World Championships when she was just 15 years old

The most successful British female canoeist of all-time, Mallory Franklin is a women’s C1 and K1 slalom canoeist and she won the silver medal for Team GB at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

While she isn’t one of the biggest sports betting names on the Team GB roster, Franklin has enjoyed plenty of success in slalom canoeing over the past decade.

With nine ICF Canoe Slalom World Championship medals, 13 European Championship medals and a World Cup crown to her name, Franklin is a leading figure in the sport.

Here, we take a closer look at Mallory Franklin’s canoeing career. Can she justify favouritism and win Olympic gold in the C-1 event this year? Only time will tell…

Mallory Franklin Canoeing

According to an interview conducted in June 2021, Mallory started canoeing alongside her oldest brother when she was just five years old.

Franklin took to canoeing like a duck to water and she enjoyed training at her local leisure centre during her early years in the sport.

Mallory soon started to compete at national level and was asked to represent Great Britain in 2009 – she was just 15 years old at the time!

Now one of the most established names in the sport, Mallory Franklin is a leading contender for gold in the C-1 canoeing event this summer.

A gold medal at Paris 2024 would be a deserved reward after committing over 20 years to the sport. Now, it is time for Mallory Franklin to confirm her status as a canoeing legend.

Mallory Franklin Lee Valley

Lee Valley is Mallory Franklin’s home course and the venue will always have a special place in her heart.

However, the affinity to Lee Valley grew even stronger in June 2019 as Mallory clinched the gold medal in the C1 and K1 events at the World Cup.

The 27-year-old is already Great Britain’s most successful female canoeist and the triumphs at Lee Valley cements her status as one of the leading contenders in the C1 discipline.

Mallory will hope that her success at Lee Valley stands her in good stead for her Olympics debut and British fans will be fully behind her – either at Paris 2024 or from home.

Mallory Franklin C1

While Mallory Franklin has enjoyed success in both the K-1 and C-1 events, the British canoe star is arguably better suited to the C1 class.

For any canoe slalom newbies reading this, the K-1 event refers to Kayak Singles while C-1 is Canoe Singles.

The vast majority of Mallory Franklin’s gold medals have come in the C1 event and it was no surprise to see Team GB select her for the canoe singles squad in Paris - can she go one better than the silver medal won at Tokyo?

Franklin has had to wait her turn to represent Great Britain at the Olympics but her meteoric rise to power suggests that she will be tough to beat in the C-1 event this summer.

Jessica Fox is ranked number one in the world in the C-1 event and has won medals at each of the previous two Olympic Games. That experience gives her an edge on Mallory Franklin but the British canoeist is hot on her tail.

Mallory Franklin Instagram

At the time of writing, Mallory has around 2,200 Instagram followers. If she wins a medal at Tokyo 2021, that number is likely to soar before the end of the summer.

Unlike some of her fellow Team GB athletes, the Mallory Franklin Instagram account is well organised – with several highlights containing photographs and video clips.

From wedding planning and lockdown training to canoeing snapshots, Mallory has a strong Instagram portfolio despite her relatively small social media presence.

If you enjoy the canoe slalom events at Tokyo 2021, feel free to follow Mallory Franklin on Instagram via @mallorysfranklin. Fingers crossed she brings back the gold medal!

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

• Chelsea hold the record for the fewest goals conceded in a Premier League season

• The 2008-09 season saw three teams finish with under 30 goals conceded

• Read below for the 10 campaigns with the fewest goals conceded

We are perhaps as fans too enamoured by goal-scoring and too little enamoured by the art of keeping them out.

This of course is understandable, what with goals being the very currency of our excitement. It is a ball nestling in a net that we most fondly recall when we revisit a match. The strike. The micro-second of tension. The flailing arm of a goalkeeper. The eruption of pure joy.  

The magical moment was our reward for paying the entrance fee.

So it is that every August we run the rule over the top scorer Premier League odds and back Erling Haaland to bag a ridiculous amount, and marvel at Mo Salah for his prolificacy.

Best Defensive Seasons In Premier League History:

• Chelsea, 2004-05, 15 goals
• Arsenal, 1998-99, 17 goals
• Chelsea, 2005-06, 22 goals
• Manchester United, 2007-08, 22 goals
• Liverpool, 2018-19, 22 goals
• Manchester City, 2018-19, 23 goals
• Chelsea, 2008-09, 24 goals
• Manchester United, 2008-09, 24 goals
• Chelsea, 2006-07, 24 goals
• Liverpool, 2005-06, 25 goals

We hold a special place in our hearts for those who don’t score often but when they do they’re usually spectacular. 

Yet there is also a lot to be said about a brilliantly constructed defence. Their assembly. How each component makes it greater than the sum of its parts.

How two centre-backs, two full-backs and a goalie, via well-drilled organisation, can nullify the most lethal hit-men on a weekly basis all season long. 

These outstanding back-lines – the meanest in modern times – warrant our unreserved admiration. But we should also love them a bit too. 

Liverpool, 2005-06, 25 goals 

Liverpool were on the fringes of the title race in 2005-06, coming off their heroic Champions League win in Istanbul. Rafa Benitez’s football brought success, including the 2005-06 FA Cup, but it was rarely pretty.

The Anfield outfit scored 15 goals fewer than Chelsea and Manchester United in 2005-06, and only two players scored more than 13 goals in the campaign.

Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher were the bedrock of the defence, protected by Xabi Alonso and Mohamed Sissoko.

Chelsea, 2006-07, 24 goals 

Having won the league twice-over in Jose Mourinho’s first two seasons in charge, the Blues refused to stand still and went decidedly big in the summer, bringing in Michael Ballack, Salomon Kalou, Andriy Shevchenko and Ashley Cole. 

Crucially and pertinently though, the defensive triangle of Petr Cech in nets, and John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho ahead of him remained untouched.

Which largely explains how Chelsea again managed to concede the fewest amount of goals in the top-flight in what was otherwise a frustrating campaign.

Adapting to their overhaul, Mourinho’s men only lost three times but drew too often, resulting in Manchester United ultimately pipping them to the league crown.  

Manchester United, 2008-09, 24 goals

Winners of a third consecutive league title and Champions League finalists once again, Manchester United won the 2008-09 Premier League by four points.

The defence was less settled than previous seasons, with Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra both missing chunks of the campaign to injury.

The leadership of Nemanja Vidic and Edwin van der Sar was particularly important amid line-up changes, as the Serbian centre-back and Dutch goalkeeper each started 33 league contests.

Chelsea, 2008-09, 24 goals

The Blues have often shunned convention to good effect, winning the Champions League in 2012 with an interim manager, and elsewhere winning leagues amidst chaos. 

Here is another, more niche, example of a club that rarely makes sense, and rarely cares about doing so.

With Mourinho now gone, and Chelsea presided over by three different managers across the whole campaign, a new-look defence saw Alex and Jose Bosingwa join its ranks.

Perhaps this partly explains why the West London giants lost five games in 2009-09, all to top six rivals. Add in eight draws and they were never mentioned loudest in the football bet tips, eventually finishing third.

Yet despite these relative failures, a reimagined back-line was breached every 142 minutes, the seventh best return on record. 

Manchester City, 2018-19, 23 goals

After immortalising themselves as ‘Centurions’ the season before, racking up a momentous 100 points, Pep Guardiola’s formidable creation discovered new heights of excellence in 2018-19, driven to near perfection by a relentless and equally brilliant Liverpool. 

Just 23 goals were conceded along the away and though this was the sixth best defensive season in Premier League history, it still wasn’t the fewest goals conceded that term.

We really are talking here about two very special teams. 

Aymeric Laporte, Kyle Walker and Ederson were the constants in defence while elsewhere a more fluid approach allowed Fernandinho to switch roles for weeks at a time, dropping back to partner Laporte.

To put City’s dominance – and defensive fortitude – into context, they were behind this season for a mere 122 minutes.

Liverpool, 2018-19, 22 goals

Missing out in a remarkably tight and tense title race by a single point, Liverpool went toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City juggernaut, conceding 0.5 goals per game all season.

Virgil van Dijk and Alisson played every league match. Andrew Robertson missed just two.

Van Dijk’s performances saw him named PFA Players’ Player of the Year, and he finished a narrow second to Lionel Messi in the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

Manchester United, 2007-08, 22 goals

A reasonable argument can be made that the late 2000s saw Sir Alex Ferguson’s United at their absolute peak and subsequently a Premier League and Champions League double was attained, each success forged on a centre-back pairing that has gone down in legend. 

Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were as solid as it comes in 2007-08, and with the magnificent Edwin van der Sar in his prime between the sticks was it any wonder that only five sides managed to score more than a single goal past them all season?

The success of the defence allowed the Red Devils’ array of attacking talent to flourish and Cristiano Ronaldo announced himself as one of the best players in the world, as they pipped Chelsea to the league title.

Chelsea, 2005-06, 22 goals 

The second of Chelsea’s back-to-back titles wasn’t as lock-tight defensively as the first, but it still places as the third best defensive season in Premier League history.

Led by one of the best defenders in the Premier League in John Terry, the Blues were impenetrable for most of 2005-06 and with Frank Lampard reaching double figures from midfield, and Joe Cole conjuring up party-pieces off the left, the Blues strolled to another title with games to spare. 

Arsenal, 1998-99, 17 goals 

It’s strange to think that the second-best defensive season in Premier League history came from a team which finished runners-up.

Manchester United won the treble in 1998-99, of course, but Arsenal secured their own place in the Premier League records book courtesy of a miserly rearguard that feels atypical of an Arsene Wenger side.

A tally of 12 draws held the Gunners back but the 17 goals conceded was still a remarkable feat, and credit must duly go to their all-English collective of David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Martin Keown.

Chelsea, 2004-05, 15 goals 

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea set plenty of Premier League records and conceding just 15 goals through a 38-match season is perhaps the most impressive of the lot. It’s telling that no other great champion in the 21st century have come within seven goals of the meagre tally.

It was a parsimony built on a foundation of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho at its heart, in front of Petr Cech who seemed for all the world like he was unbeatable.

Claude Makelele sat in a screening midfield role, while Paulo Ferreira and William Gallas did the majority of the full-back duties.

This was very much a team effort, though, with the Blues having a commitment to defence that has rarely been seen in the Premier League.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*