Since its formation in 2011, the Women’s Super League has grown in popularity and has seen a stratospheric rise in serial goal-getters across the years.
Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly first-half stoppage time finish against Arsenal gave her side the lead on the final day of the 2022/23 season, but also proved important on a personal level as she equalled the all-time WSL goalscoring record of 22 goals in one campaign.
Though she current features in the England national team as a defender, the Villa goal threat is making her case to be used as an attacker in the forthcoming Women’s World Cup this summer.
11 years ago, the first WSL Golden Boot was picked up by Rachel Williams of Birmingham, who averaged a goal a game in her 14 domestic outings. Rising as the years went on, that number has trickled into the 20s as the wealthy talent pool continues to be enriched.
Not only did Vivianne Miedema top the list for the 2018/19 season with Nikita Parris hot on her heels, but she also smashed the record held by England cult hero Ellen White, who had previously set the level with 15 domestic goals.
Her goals mattered, too. Arsenal stormed to the WSL title and in recognition of her brilliance, the Netherlands international won the Players’ Player of the Year award.
She has, understandably, struggled to match that tally since with 16, 18 and 14-goal season tallies to follow.
Miedema endured a season-ending injury mid-season which halted her 2022/23 campaign – but we’re sure this is not the last of her seeing as she racked up four goals in her eight appearances before undergoing surgery.
England’s left-back-turned-striker can do it all. She has been an integral piece of Sarina Wiegman’s high-flying Lionesses all over the pitch.
Arriving on a free transfer from Houston Dash last summer, Villa have possibly picked up the bargain of the year and have 22 domestic goals to show for their clever piece of business.
The poster girl of the WSL really showed her worth in the 2020/21 and amounted 21 goals in 22 games.
Kerr played for a plethora of clubs in her home country of Australia before making the high-profile switch to England.
She became only the second player to break the 20-goal mark in the WSL, but has since been joined by two others.
Jamaica international Shaw, nicknamed ‘Bunny’ because of her fondness for carrots at an early age, has plundered 20 goals this season.
White’s retirement left a gaping hole at the top of the Manchester City tree, but Shaw has taken to the WSL like a duck to water and her goal scoring tally attests to that.
Now plying her trade for their cross-town rivals Manchester United, Parris was a fine finisher for Manchester City a few years back and her 2018/19 campaign is the finest example of that.
19 of her 54 club goals for the Cityzens came in this season as they helped achieve their league-best position since the WSL’s inception in 2011.
To show how imperative the then 25-year-old was to their title charge, 35% of their goals that season came off the boot of Parris.
