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Top 10 Female Football Referees in the World

March 5, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

Top 10 Female Football Referees in the World

In soccer, a referee plays an important role in making or breaking a game, just like in case of most team games. The referee is in charge of enforcing the Laws if Game during the match. As the final decision-maker of the game in association with all that is connected with the play, a referee is the only official on the ground. It is the referee who has the authority to start the play and stop it, and impose disciplinary action against the players. While a vast majority of referees are men, women have also started showing the knowledge and understanding of the sport to become referees. There are some great female referees in the world of sports today. Let us take a look at the Top 10 Female Football Referees in the World and read about the part they had to play in some memorable games.

Top 10 Female Football Referees in the World

1. Wendy Toms

Former English football referee Wendy Toms was born on 16 October 1962 in Broadstone, Dorset, and was inducted in the list of FIFA women’s international list. She is the first referee to officiate the Football League and the Premier League as an assistant referee, and became the first female official to achieve such feat. Wendy was named as the assistant referee at the Football League for the 1994-95 season, and later became a referee in the Football Conference in the 1997-98 season. She had officiated her first Conference match between Kidderminster and Nuneaton Borough on that season. Wendy then became the first female ever to be named as an assistant referee in the Premier League in the following year. She refereed the UEFA Women’s Cup quarter-final on 30 October 2003, and then the UEFA Women’s Championship in England in 2005.

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2. Amy Fearn

English football referee Amy Elizabeth Fearn was born on 20 November 1977 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, and became the first woman official to referee in The Football League in 2010. She started her refereeing career at the age of 14, and eventually became the second only female official to be named as an assistant referee in English professional football. Amy became the first ever female referee to act as the main referee in a Football League match on 9 February 2010. She had a full-time career in accountancy and later included in the FIFA assistant Referees’ list in 2005. Amy became the first female match referee of a Football League after the original referee Tony Bates suffered a calf strain on 9 February 2010 where Amy took over for the last 20 minutes of the match. She became the first female referee in a FA Cup Game in the Main Draw in 2013.

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3. Bibiana Steinhaus

German football referee Bibiana Steinhaus was born on 24 March 1979 in Bad Lauterberg, and was the first female referee in German professional football league. She was first chose to officiate in the Regionalliga and eventually became a professional referee in the Women’s Bundesliga in 1999. Steinhaus acted as the main referee of the Women’s DFB-Pokal final between 1. FFC Frankfurt and FCR 2001 Duisburg in 2002–03 season. She was then selected as an official for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2008, UEFA Women’s Euro in 2009 and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2010. She was listed among the 16 referees for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup on 15 April 2011 and successfully officiated the final between Japan and United States. Steinhaus also refereed the women’s football gold medal match again between Japan and United States in the 2012 London Olympics.

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4. Kari Seitz

American professional soccer referee Kari Seitz was born on November 2, 1970, and is widely regarded as one of the most experienced female referees of all time. She was named as an official in three Olympic soccer tournaments i.e. 2004 Athens Olympics, 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics, and four FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 thus becoming the only official ever to achieve such feat. She acted as a match official for the last 28 years which includes 14 years of international career. Seitz, about her own career, stated “It was less of a decision and more of an obligation. My youth coach in 1985 required everyone on the team to become a referee in order to better understand the laws and the game itself.” Kari Seitz recently announced her retirement from international soccer in October 2013.

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5. Sian Massey-Ellis

English football referee Sian Louise Massey-Ellis was born in October 1985, and currently officiates in the Premier League and the Football League as an assistant referee. She also refereed several matches of the Football League Trophy, UEFA Women’s Champions League and FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification rounds. Sian was included in the FIFA list of women assistant referees in 2010. She first became the fourth official of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying match between England and Austria on 20 April 2006, then acted as an assistant referee in an international friendly between England and Denmark in September 2007. She is also a part of the match officials at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2009 in qualification stage. Sian refereed three matches in the qualification stage for the Women’s World Cup in 2011.

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6. Jacqui Melksham

Australian female soccer referee Jacqui Melksham was born on 12 October 1978 in Australia and is regarded by many as one of the best female referees in the world. She also works as a graphic designer besides her international career as a soccer match official. She currently lives in Murarrie, Queensland, and is now included in the list of FIFA Match Officials. Jacqui officiated the opening match of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup between Germany and Canada at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on 26 June 2011. She was then selected as the match official in the quarterfinal between Brazil and the United States at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion in Dresden on 10 July 2011 for the same international event. Ray Ratto stated she had a ‘bad day at the office’ when many media persons thought Melksham did not call the U.S.-Brazil international game well.

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7. Sandra Hunt

Former American soccer referee Sandra Hunt was born on June 14, 1959, and acted as a FIFA enlisted referee between 1999 and 2004. She served her duty as a match official in the FIFA Women’s World Cup twice in 1999 and 2003, and had officiated matches at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Sandra currently lives is Bellingham, Washington, and currently works for Professional Referee Organization as a referee coach. She became one of the first two women beside Nancy Lay to officiate in Major League Soccer matches in August 1998. She later also acted as a match official of the Women’s United Soccer Association. Sandra was included in the FIFA-sanctioned referee list as a representative of the United States in 1999. She took the role as an instructor-assessor at the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship in 2004.

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8. Jenny Palmqvist

South Korean-born Swedish soccer referee Jenny Palmqvist was born on 2 November 1969, and acted as a match official for several major women’s soccer matches at domestic and international level. She has officiated the final of the 2004 Summer Olympics tournament and the final of the UEFA Champions Leagues twice in 2009 and 2012. She showed the only red card on the tournament to North Korea’s Choe Mi-gyong in a match between United States and North Korea at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Palmqvist also assigned the first penalty of the tournament in the opening match of 2012 Olympics between Brazil and Cameroon. She acted as the match official in the quarterfinal between Germany and Italy in the European Championship in 2009. Palmqvist refereed the final between The Olympique Lyon and Frankfurt at the 2012 UEFA Champions League.

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9. Dagmar Damková

Czech football referee Dagmar Damková was born on 29 December 1974, and is listed as an international referee since 1999. She made her debut as a match official in a game between Belarus and Moldova on 17 April 1999. Damková is the first woman to referee in the Gambrinus liga. She successfully refereed finals of the 2008 Olympics, the UEFA Women’s Euro 2009 and also the final match of the 2011 UEFA Women’s Champions League. She was also acted as a match official of three games at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China, and became the first Czech woman to achieve such feat. Damková was also listed as an official at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. She refereed her last match on 7 August 2011 in a game between Mladá Boleslav and Slovácko at the Gambrinus liga.

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10. Kirsi Heikkinen

Finnish women’s football referee Kirsi Heikkinen was born on 26 September 1978, and is considered as one of the most experienced female football referees in the world. She acted as a match official in several major international tournaments which include the 2009 European Championship, the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She also became a part of the 2010 U–17 World Cup and the 2010 Algarve Cup, and also refereed the final of the Champions League in 2010. Heikkinen refereed three matches of the World Cup’s UEFA qualifier and three more matches in the final tournament in 2011. She was included as a match official of the Champions League twice consecutively in 2012 and 2013. Heikkinen is known as a strict referee on the international matches while showing several cards in her referring career.

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These women have walked into a field that has, for ages, been reserved primarily for men. A female soccer referee might still be an unlikely sight, even today. Yet, they are refereeing matches played by male soccer players, and they won’t stop until they become a common sight on the fields.

10 Race Drivers who are also Actors

March 4, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Race Drivers who are also Actors

Car racers are among the most glamorous people on the earth. A part of it is because of the risk involved in the sport, since one single skid of the tires can send the racer off into the gaping mouth of death, or injure them severely, and the racers are brave enough to compete, anyway. Moreover, racers are among the wealthiest of all sportsmen, owing to the fact that they are heavily rewarded. The glamour and popularity of race car drivers are almost at par with the stars and actors. It is almost unimaginable how the popularity of a celebrity simply increases by several degrees if he is both, an actor and a car race driver. They have eyes of sports buffs, as well as Hollywood followers, upon them. Let us take a quick look at 10 Race Drivers who are also Actors.

10 Race Drivers who are also Actors

1. Rowan Atkinson

English actor, comedian and screenwriter Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on 6 January 1955 and hugely popular for his work on the sitcoms Mr. Bean and Blackadder. He started gaining reputations since his first introduction prominence in the sketch comedy show Not the Nine O’Clock News from 1979 to 1982. He is also noted for his participation in The Secret Policeman’s Balls from 1979. Rowan Atkinson is listed among the 50 funniest actors in British comedy by The Observer. He holds a category C+E lorry driving license. He raced a Renault 5 GT Turbo for two seasons for its one make series and also owns a McLaren F1. Atkinson appeared as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car on Top Gear while driving the Kia Cee’d around the track in 1:42.2 in July 2011.

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2. Paul Walker

Former American actor Paul William Walker was born on September 12, 1973 and met with a tragic accident and died on November 30, 2013. The gained his reputation while appearing for several televisions shows such as The Young and the Restless and Touched by an Angel. He is widely known for playing the role of Brian O’Conner in the street racing action film The Fast and the Furious and later all its sequels. Paul Walker competed in the Redline Time Attack racing series. He drove that series with M3 E92 as a member of the AE Performance Team. Etnies, Brembo Brakes, Ohlins, Volk, OS Giken, Hankook, Gintani and Reach Out Worldwide are the major sponsors of his car. He also started preparing for an auto show before he was killed in a single-car accident on November 30, 2013.

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3. Patrick Dempsey

American actor and race car driver Patrick Galen Dempsey was born on January 13, 1966 and famously known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd on the ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. He acted in several films in his early 20s such as Buy Me Love and Loverboy. Patrick Dempsey competed in several prestigious pro-am events that include the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car race, and Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. He announced that he would “walk away” from acting if he could dedicate himself to motors-ports prior to the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans series. Dempsey was first introduced to racing at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans and made a return in a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race four years later.

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4. Paul Newman

Former American actor, film director, entrepreneur environmentalist, social activist and philanthropist Paul Leonard Newman was also known as a professional racing driver and auto racing team owner. He achieved numerous awards during his lifetime that includes Academy Award for best actor for his performance in the 1986 Martin Scorsese film The Color of Money. He also achieved six Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, an Emmy Award. Newman was first introduced as a professional racer at Thompson International Speedway in 1972. He later established himself as a frequent competitor in Sports Car Club of America. Newman also raced in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans in Dick Barbour’s Porsche 935 and achieved the second place.

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5. James Garner

Former American actor, voice artist and comedian James Garner was born as James Scott Bumgarner on April 7, 1928, and starred in several television series over more than five decades. He played leading roles in more than fifty theatrical films such as The Great Escape and The Notebook, and also noted for his roles as Bret Maverick in the 1950s western comedy series Maverick. He is one of the owners of the “American International Racers” and participated in active racing from 1967 through 1969. James Garner made the racing documentary The Racing Scene with motorsports writer William Edgar and Hollywood director Andy Sidaris which was filmed in 1969 and released in 1970. The team later fielded racing cars at Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring endurance races.

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6. Steve McQueen

American actor Terence Steven “Steve” McQueen was hugely popular for his anti-hero” persona and earned him the nickname “The King of Cool”. He was a top box-office draw at the height of the Vietnam War-era counterculture during the 1960s and 1970s. He achieved Academy Award nomination for his role in The Sand Pebbles and his major films include The Thomas Crown Affair, Bullitt, The Getaway, and Papillon. Steve McQueen raced in a BMC Mini at Brands Hatch in the British Touring Car Championship in 1961 where he finished 3rd. Peter Revson and McQueen won with a Porsche 908/02 in the 3 litre class in the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring race but missed winning the overall title just by 23 seconds to 5 litre Ferrari 512S.

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7. James Dean

Former American actor James Byron Dean, famously known as just James Dean, was born on February 8, 1931, and was regarded by many as the cultural icon of the United States and a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment. He is noted for his role in the film Rebel Without a Cause. He was ranked the 18th best male movie star by the American Film Institute on their “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Stars” list in 1999. James Dean first showed his interest in auto racing in 1954 and purchased various vehicles after filming for East of Eden had concluded. His collection included a Triumph Tiger T110 and a Porsche 356. James Dean competed in his first professional event at the Palm Springs Road Races on March 26–27, 1955 and won the first place in the novice class and second place at the main event.

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8. Gene Hackman

American actor and novelist Eugene Allen Hackman, famously known as Gene Hackman was born on January 30, 1930, and has had a successful career of five decades, during which, he has been able to acquire 3 Golden Globes and 2 BAFTAs, as well as nominations of 5 Academy Awards, winning 2. He is noted for his role in the film French Connection, for which he won the Academy Award as the best actor. At 16, he left home and joined the US Marine Corps, serving 4.5 years as a field radio operator. After his discharge, he moved to New York, working minor jobs. He partook in the Sports Car Club of America races, driving an open wheeled Formula Ford in the late 70s. In 1983, he drove a Dan Gurney Team Toyota in the 24 Hours of Daytona Endurance Race. He won the Long Beach Grand Prix Celebrity Race.

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9. Frankie Muniz

American actor, musician, writer and producer Francisco Muñiz IV, famously known as Frankie Muñiz, was born on December 5, 1985. He is primarily noted as the star of the FOX television family sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, for which he got an Emmy Award nomination and 2 Golden Globe Award nominations. In 2003, he was considered “one of Hollywood’s most bankable teens.” He began his career in car racing in 2005, when, as a celebrity participant, he won the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. He signed a two-year deal with Jensen Motorsport as a driver. During the 2006 Formula BMW USA series, he entered 14 races, and failed to finish in a point-scoring position. In 2007, he partook in all 12 races of the more competitive Champ Car Atlantic Series. He earned a prize of $17,000, logging 351 season laps.

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10. Bruce Jenner

Former U.S. track and field athlete and current television personality William Bruce Jenner was born on October 28, 1949. He won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal. After his Olympic win, he reached new heights of success in professional career in television. By 1981, he had worked in various made-for-TV movies and briefly starred in Erik Estrada’s place on TV series CHiPs. In the 80s, he was a successful race car driver in the IMSA Camel GT series (International Motor Sports Association). His first win was in the 12-hour Sebring in the IMSA GTO class, 1986, driving the 7-Eleven Roush Racing Ford Mustang with co-driver Scott Pruett. He won the class, finishing 4th overall in the 12-hour endurance race. In his most successful year, he finished 2nd in the championship.

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The race car drivers who are also actors have the best of both worlds. From famous red carpet events, to fun sports brand endorsements, they have it all. And with a greater reach, they are also followed by a greater number of people all around the world.

10 Most Famous Soccer Stadiums in the World

March 4, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Most Famous Soccer Stadiums in the World

Soccer, as we know, is one of the biggest sports in the world. The sport is plated at a professional level all around the world. Millions of people regularly frequent the football stadiums to enjoy a good game of soccer as their favorite teams battle it out with opponents. The soccer stadiums have been developed from the earliest of times to have the right dimensions of the pitch based on the Laws formulated in England. The stadiums are built largely to fit in the viewers so that they can watch the matches and show their support. Here is a list of the 10 Most Famous Soccer Stadiums in the World. Let us take a quick look at them, and learn a little about these grounds.

10 Most Famous Soccer Stadiums in the World

1. Old Trafford

Old Trafford is the home of English football club Manchester United F.C. and is located in the Old Trafford area of Stretford, Greater Manchester, England. With its capacity of 75,635 spectators, it is the second-largest football stadium in the United Kingdom and also the ninth-largest soccer stadium in Europe. Old Trafford was nicknamed the “Theatre of Dreams” by Bobby Charlton. The stadium had its record audience of 76,962 visitors in the FA Cup semi-final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Grimsby Town in 1939. This ground has hosted FA Cup semi-finals and several matches of the 1966 FIFA World Cup, Euro 96 and also the 2003 Champions League Final. Old Trafford hosts annual Super League Grand Final of the rugby league and also hosted two Rugby League World Cups finals. Old Trafford hosted the football matches at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

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2. Camp Nou

The Camp Nou with its capacity of 99,354 is the largest stadium in Europe and also the fourth largest soccer stadium in the world. It is situated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and is the home of Spanish club Barcelona since 1957. Camp Nou hosted two UEFA Champions League finals and also the matches of football at the 1992 Summer Olympics. The ground hosted its first European Cup Winners’ Cup final in May 1972 between Rangers and Dynamo Moscow. This ground also witnessed the inauguration ceremony of the 1982 FIFA World Cup on 13 June and also hosted several matches of the event. Recently the board of directors of Barcelona club announced the project of remodeling the Camp Nou in January 2014 to bring its capacity up to 105,000. The work will start in 2017 and has a completion date of early 2021 with an expected project cost around £495 million.

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3. Santiago Bernabéu

The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and has been the home ground of the Spanish Club Real Madrid Club de Fútbol ever since. It has a current capacity of 81,044 spectators and is situated in Madrid, Spain. This ground is the second-largest stadium in Spain and also the second-largest home ground of a top-flight European club. Santiago Bernabéu ground was renamed in honor of their former chairman Santiago Bernabéu Yeste. The ground hosted the European Cup finals four times and also hosted the UEFA Champions League Final in 2010. Santiago Bernabéu also previously hosted the 1982 FIFA World Cup final and 1964 European Nations’ Cup final. The ground was estimated to have a construction cost of €1,732,943. A redevelopment project was announced in 2013 to increase the capacity from 81,000 to about 87,000 which will cost nearly €300 million.

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4. Allianz Arena

The Allianz Arena is considered as one of the most gorgeous stadium due to its complete exterior of inflated ETFE plastic panels and for being the world’s first stadium with a full color-changing exterior. The ground has a seating capacity of 75,024, and is located in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is the third largest soccer stadium in Germany. Allianz Arena is the home of two professional Bundesliga clubs FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München. FC Bayern Munich purchased the 50% share of the stadium from TSV 1860 München in April, 2006, for 11 million euros. Financial services giant Allianz purchased the naming rights of the stadium for 30 years. Allianz Arena was nicknamed “Schlauchboot” which stands for inflatable boat. The museum of Bayern Munich is also located inside the Allianz Arena.

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5. San Siro Stadium

The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza famously known as San Siro is the home ground of A.C. Milan and F.C. Internazionale Milano of the Italian Seria A. The stadium holds the UEFA five-star stadium status. San Siro Stadium was named after Giuseppe Meazza who is a member of Internazionale and is also a two-time consecutive World Cup winner. The ground hosted the UEFA Champions League finals three times in 1965, 1970 and 2001. The Italian national soccer team also plays occasional games in this ground besides A.C. Milan and Inter Milan. The ground was actually the property of AC Milan but FC Internazionale became the tenants in 1947 and two clubs started sharing the ground ever since. San Siro Stadium will host the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League Final. The average attendances at the San Siro were 46,246 and 39,874 in the last respectively for Inter Milan and AC Milan.

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6. Anfield Stadium

Anfield soccer Stadium is the seventh largest football stadium in England and is located in Anfield, Liverpool, England. It has a current capacity of 45,276 spectators and is the home of Liverpool F.C. since their establishment in 1892. The ground was actually used as the home ground of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1891, and later they moved after a dispute over rent to Goodison Park. Two of the stadium gates are named after former Liverpool managers Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. Recently, a construction for an extension of the Main Stand has been started on Monday, 8 December 2014, to increase the stadium capacity to around 55,000. As an interesting fact, after Manchester United were banned from playing their first two home matches at Old Trafford due to United hooligans attack into the away section at a match, Manchester United F.C. played their first home match at this stadium in the 1971-72 season.

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7. Signal Iduna Park

Signal Iduna Park is the home ground of the Borussia Dortmund football club of the German Bundesliga. The ground was originally called as Westfalenstadion and is located in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The name of the stadium has officially been changed from December 2005 to 2021, after the purchase of the naming rights by the investment company the Signal Iduna Group. The ground has a current capacity of 80,720 spectators and is the biggest stadium of Germany and also the third-largest home ground of a top-flight European club. Signal Iduna Park set the record audience with almost 1.37 million spectators in the 2011–2012 season and also has the European record in average fan attendance of 1.354 million in 2004–2005 season. The museum of Borussia Dortmund club called The Borusseum is also located inside the Signal Iduna Park stadium.

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8. Wembley Stadium

Wembley Stadium is a UEFA category-four stadium, and is located in Wembley Park, London, England. This ground has its current capacity of 90,000, and is the largest stadium in the United Kingdom and the second largest stadium in Europe. The ground is owned by The Football Association through their subsidiary Wembley National Stadium Ltd. HOK Sport and Foster and Partners are the designer of this stadium and was built by Australian firm Multiplex with an estimated cost of £798 million. The stadium features a partially retractable roof and the 440 feet high Wembley Arch. Wembley Stadium hosts the season-opening FA Community Shield, the finals of the Football League Cup, the Football League play-offs and the Football League Trophy. The ground also previously hosted FA Cup Final and several matches of the England national soccer team.

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9. Stade de France

The Stade de France is located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis, and is the national stadium of France. With its current all-seater capacity of 75,000, Stade de France is the sixth largest stadium in Europe. The ground is the home of both the France national football team and French rugby union team. The stadium is currently owned and operated by the Consortium Stade de France. Stade de France was built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and French legend Michel Platini recommended its name. The ground hosted the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final where France defeated Brazil 3–0 on 12 July 1998. Stade de France also hosted several matches of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, 2003 World Championships in Athletics and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The stadium hosted two UEFA Champions League finals in 2000 and 2006.

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10. Stamford Bridge

Stamford Bridge is the eighth largest ground in the Premier League with its current seating capacity of 41,798. The stadium is located in Fulham, London, and is the home ground of Chelsea F.C. The stadium is often referred to as simply The Bridge and was inaugurated in 1877. Stamford Bridge was used by the London Athletic Club Gus Mears founded Chelsea Football Club until 1905. Stamford Bridge hosted international matches for the English national team, FA Cup Finals, FA Cup semi-finals and Charity Shield games. The stadium also hosted numerous matches for various other sports event such as cricket, rugby union, greyhound racing, speedway, baseball and American football. The stadium was used as the venue of the FA Cup Final between 1920 and 1922. Stamford Bridge hosted three England matches, ten FA Cup semi-finals and ten Charity Shield matches till now. The stadium is also one of the home grounds of the representative London XI team in the original Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

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The soccer stadiums are much more than just the ground where the matches are played and the events are held. Soccer grounds are places that witness history of the sport being made. They are places where the passionate sports fans witness such historic soccer moments being created. They are the places where the fans, in wild colours and sounds, express their joy and sorrow, all associated with one thing that binds them together: the love of soccer.

10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015

February 22, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015

Sports are not just about getting onto the field and competing to win the game. Sports is a whole world in itself, and the sports stars are among the most sought after beings on the planet, with their popularity matching that of Hollywood stars. All eyes are on the athletes and their every move, be it on the field or off it. How they play, what they do, what they wear: everything is important. Athletes try be as fashionable as possible, with the fashion and sports accessories they use. One of the most important accessories of athletes are the shoes they wear, because they are not only an addition to their stylish look, but also provide them extra flexibility, agility, cushioning, etc. Shoes are associated with sports and athletes in many ways. Many great sports companies are there in the world, and they sponsor some great athletes. They also design new shoes in honor of sports stars as well. New shoes are released in the market every once in a while. Let us take a look at 10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015.

10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015

1. Nike Metcon 1

The Nike Metcon 1 has been released on January 31, 2015. It is a cross-training shoe built with minimal heel-toe drop to provide stability while withstanding the rigors of lifting, running or jumping, with durable sides for protection on the ropes. It is one of the best sneakerheads released in the season, with advanced technology and design. Just like any other Nike shoe of this kind, Metcon 1 has been provided with excellent traction system. The grooves on the sole are great for regular needs. In terms of looks, it is a cross between a basketball shoe and a running shoe. What makes it stand out is the multi-coloured platform, with a volt neon colour. The shoe is a must-haves

2. Nike LeBron 12 ’23 Chromosomes’

Nike LeBron 12 ’23 Chromosome’ has been released on January 17, 2015. LeBron 12s have a tradition of excellence that has been created by Nike in collaboration with LeBron James. 23 Chromosome seems to be in continuation with the tradition. In fact, it is considered the pair to look out for among the releases in 2015. With a colourway inspired by DNA, used as the backdrop, and it works tremendously well in terms of appeal. It has an aggressive ultraviolet pattern suspended ober the black base. The intricate designs and the colourful stylized interpretation of DNA gel0readings on the Hyperposite upper make it extremely eye-catching. It is definitely for the basketball fans.

3. Nike Zoom Cage 2

Nike Zoom Cage 2 is a shoe that has hit the market on January 14, 2015. The striking feature of this shoe is that it is a tennis shoe, and is a forward-thinking one at that. Its traction and support are quite impressive, and it is also extremely lightweight at the same time, which is particularly helpful for any tennis player. The heels offer great cushioning, allowing the player to get comfort throughout the match, without compromising on the speed. It incorporates advanced technology, such as Drag-on, which in particular, boosts the durability of the pair. Despite being light and sleek, the shoe helps to guard against scuffs and regular wear-and-tear. It is impressive to look at, too.

4. Air Jordan 4 ‘Oreo’

When Air Jordan 4 “Columbia” was released, there was a lot of hype around the product in the market. This hype increased when the release of Air Jordan “Oreo” was announced, due in February. In fact, it is perhaps one of the most anticipated and hyped releases of the year. It is the newest member of the collection named Remastered. Oreo has been designed as a colourway that is likely to remain unharmed in terms of colour and material for a long time. These kicks have a black base, and complementing this base is the colour grey, with just a flash of white around the back of the midsole region. Made of tumbled leather, it is one of the top-notch releases of 2015.

5. Adidas D Lillard 1

Adidas has created D Lillard 1 in collaboration with one of the top guards in the NBA, Damian Lillard, after having jumped from their previous favourite NBA guard, Stephen Curry. Lillard is noted for his habit of crushing the opponents and for hitting some memorably big shots. As a result, he had Adidas offer the hoop slasher his very own signature pair of shoes, the Adidas D Lillard 1. This shoe is one of the most eye-catching products by the brand in 2015. The initial colourway for the shoe revolves around the Portland Trail Blazers, with speckled midsole and dual-colour bottom complementing a fusion of black, red and white, with other colourways to be released soon.

6. Air Jordan 7 ‘French Blue’

With 2015 being the 30^th anniversary of Jordan Brand, a large number of crazy releases are anticipated in this year, and they are sure to be pretty expensive. The Air Jordan 7 “French Blue” is one of these much-anticipated releases. It is also a part of the series called Remastered. The shoe is designed to be equipped with high-quality leather to give the product a gorgeous look, a stitched colourway that is robust. This shoe is likely to rock the world of casual shoes for fans, like the other Air Jordans, mainly with their beauty. It just about fits with anything. Sure enough, a pair of shoes that costs about $200 will do that. This whopping amount makes it inappropriate for all buyers.

7. Adidas Superstar Series

Adidas Superstar Series takes the traditional route of going classic, and hence, it is likely to never go out of style. That is why, it has turned out to be one of the most anticipated releases of 2015 by the brand. In fact, this shoe bears a design that is the defining staple of the brand by far. One of the biggest reasons why the pair is making a lot of wave in the market, especially with the fans, is the multiple range of colourways, readily available in the market for purchase. It has a look that catches the eyes, with a three-stripe look behind the shoe, which can be considered synonymous with the popular culture. The look has definitely brought the product on the path to be one of the most recognizable.

8. Kyrie 1 ‘BHM’

The signature pair of Kyrie Irving, namely Kyrie 1 ‘BHM’, is anticipated to receive special treatment in the market as a show released in winter 2015. After the colourways Dream and Deceptive Red which have taken the stores by a storm, BHM is the newest release in the lot, and is so far better than all of them in many respects, especially in terms of looks, with a beautiful grey mesh upper fused behind the black underlay, combined with multicolored sole and the speckled heel accent. It offer extreme comfort as a silhouette. It is a great flow, be on the court or off it. While some people are criticising these kicks, these shoes have hit the stores on January 19, 2015. They are among the top releases of 2015.

9. Under Armour ‘Curry One’

We have seen that in the past few years, it has been a trend for your sports stars to have their own signature collection. Notable among these are the Kyrie 1, with Nike collaborating with Kyrie Irving in 2014, followed by Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors pioneer Stephen Curry in 2015. Under Armour’s “Curry One” has been made in collaboration with Stephen Curry, the NBA guard who had left Nike in 2013, to join Under Armour. All set to release in February, 2015, the initial colourways are likely to stir up quite a storm in the market of sports shoes, especially among the basketball fans, one of the reasons being, the shoe is perfect for the athletes in the sport.

10. Air Jordan 1 ‘BHM’

After the Air Jordan 1 with it silhouette done in different colourways and styles enough to make it difficult to keep track of them, Air Jordan 1 ‘Black History Month’ edition, which was released on January 17, 2015. The BHM has been an instant success with the fan, as it was expected, especially because of its rarity among the Air Jordan 1 shoes, in the design and construction of the shoe which I really hard to come by. Most Air Jordan 1 shoes do not carry the same feel that this one does, especially because of the noir colour scheme and etched pattern. The jet-black colourway makes it just perfect as a winter shoe. It is excellent as a regular wear, and can very well rock the court.

For sports fans who have their pockets loaded, these shoes are going to be the perfect addition to their collection. They can be worn on the court by those who play, but also those who want to use these shoes as a part of their regular casual wear for a sporty look.

10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World

February 16, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World

Sports is a part of the entertainment industry, and athletes are among the greatest of stars who, with their skill and contributions of greatest moments in the history or sports, win a special place in the hearts of the sports watchers, as they prove themselves to be among the top entertainers in the world, at par with Hollywood celebrities. Sure enough, the superstars in sports have created some of the greatest moments in the world. But, for many athletes, it is more than just these moments. Many athletes have made a place in the memories of people by being entertaining in some other ways. Be it the way they present themselves in terms of their style, or how they show their personality, they are just memorable. Let us take a look at 10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World.

10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World

1. Muhammad Ali

American former professional boxer Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942, as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. and is considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. His career is studded with several historic boxing matches which also earned him his nickname “The Greatest”. Muhammad Ali was named “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated. He was honored as the “Sports Personality of the Century” by the BBC. Ali is the only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion which he achieved in 1964, 1974, and 1978. He reigned as the Undisputed Heavyweight Boxing Champ between February 25, 1964 and September 19, 1964. Writer Joyce Carol Oates once stated about him that he “defines the terms of his public reputation.” Ali became the titular bearer of the Olympic Flag on July 27, 2012, at the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Bonus: Most Difficult Sports to Play

2. Alex Rodriguez

American professional baseball third baseman and shortstop Alexander Emmanuel “Alex” Rodriguez was born on July 27, 1975, and currently plays for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. He got his nickname “A-Rod” and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Rodriguez previously played for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. He achieved All-Star 14 times, has won the American League Most Valuable Player Awards three times, and achieved ten Silver Slugger Awards and two Gold Glove Awards. He joined the Texas Rangers after the 2000 season with a $252 million contract for ten years. Rodriguez signed a new 10-year $275 million contract after the 2007 season with the Yankees. Rodriguez is also known for leading a highly controversial career due to his use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonus: Top 10 Extreme Sports

3. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

American professional boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was born on February 24, 1977, as Floyd Joy Sinclair, and is a five-division world champion. He is currently standing as an undefeated champion and achieved the world titles ten times. Mayweather achieved the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named Fighter of the Year twice by the Ring magazine in 1998 and 2007. Mayweather achieved the Fighter of the Year award by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2007. He also achieved the Best Fighter ESPY Award six times till now. Mayweather is considered by many as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He topped the Forbes and Sports Illustrated lists of the 50 highest-paid athletes in 2012 and 2013 and again achieved the highest place in the list of Forbes in 2014.

4. Mario Balotelli

Italian footballer Mario Barwuah Balotelli was born on 12 August 1990, as Mario Barwuah, and currently plays as a striker for the Italian national team and Premier League club Liverpool. He was nicknamed Super Mario for his activity on the field and outside of it. He debuted for his national team on 10 August 2010, in a friendly match against Côte d’Ivoire. Balotelli was a member of his national team at the UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and till now played more than 30 matches for the Italian national soccer team. He was selected in Italy’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on 1 June 2014, and scored the team’s winning goal in Italy’s opening match against England on 14 June. Balotelli for his unmatched foot skill is now considered as one of the best penalty kick takers in the world of football.

Bonus: Top 10 Highest Paying Sports

5. David Beckham

English former professional footballer David Robert Joseph Beckham was born on 2 May 1975, and played for several reputed club teams such as Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, LA Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain during his active soccer career. He is noted for his performance as a member of the England national team. Beckham was the first English player to win league titles in four different countries, England, Spain, the United States and France. He made his debut for the Manchester United at the age of just 17 in 1992, and later won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. Beckham then played for the Real Madrid where he also achieved the La Liga championship. He is the first player from England to play 100 Champions League games.

Bonus: Richest Soccer Players 2015

6. Wilt Chamberlain

Former American basketball player Wilton Norman “Wilt” Chamberlain was born on August 21, 1936, and played for the San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA during his active sports career. He started playing basketball for the University of Kansas and played for the Harlem Globetrotters before appearing in the NBA. Chamberlain is the only player to achieve 100 points in a single NBA game and has the record of average more than 40 and 50 points in a season. He became the scoring leader seven times, field goal percentage leader nine times, rebounding leader eleven times and became the assists leader once during his basketball career. Chamberlain achieved the NBA championships twice and became the Most Valuable Player of the regular season four times.

Bonus: Highest Paid NBA Players 2015

7. Sean Avery

Canadian former professional ice hockey player Sean Christopher Avery was born on April 10, 1980, and played left wing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. He is also known for his connection with the fashion industry most notably as an intern at Vogue magazine. Avery is also popular as a model and restaurateur besides his active ice hockey career with several reputed teams. He worked with men’s fashion label Commonwealth Utilities during Fashion Week in New York City in 2009. Avery began working at advertising and creative agency Lipman in New York City after he declared his retirement in 2012. He is also known as an investor of “Twtmob” which connects users with advertisers and campaigns, and also monitors social Medias such as Twitter and Facebook.

Bonus: Highest Paid NHL Players 2015

8. Novak Djokovic

Serbian professional tennis player Novak Djokovic was born on 22 May 1987, and is the current world No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Owing to his amazing tennis skills, he is considered as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He held the world No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings for a total of 133 weeks and achieved eight Grand Slam singles titles till now. Djokovic became the sixth male player to win three Grand Slams in a calendar year in 2011. He achieved the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series matches consecutive 31 times and achieved eight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series titles. Djokovic won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year in 2011, Best Male Tennis Player ESPY Award in 2012 and achieved the ATP World Tour Player of the Year three times. He is also a recipient of the Order of St. Sava and the Order of the Star of Karađorđe.

Bonus: Highest Paid Tennis Stars 2015

9. Nick Young

American professional basketball player Nicholas Aaron “Nick” Young was born on June 1, 1985, and currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He usually plays both shooting guard and small forward positions with his 6 feet 7 inches in height. He is quite popular with his nickname “Swaggy P” and with that he also handles his twitter account. He stated at the Lakers’ 11th Annual All-Access Event in January 2015 that it is a pseudo-biblical reference to “the Prophet of Swag”. Young recently re-signed with Lakers to a reported four-year, $21.5 million contract on July 21, 2014. Young made his season debut on November 18, 2014 against the Atlanta Hawks after he missed first ten games of the season due to his complete tear of the radial collateral ligament in his right thumb.

10. Aaron Rodgers

American football quarterback Aaron Charles Rodgers was born on December 2, 1983, and currently plays for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He played college football for the University of California and set the record of lowest single-season and career interception rates. Rodgers is the only quarterback having career passer rating of over 100.0 in the regular season and has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history at 3.96 touchdowns per interception. He was named the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player in the 2010 NFL season. Rodgers was named Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in 2011. He also became the league Most Valuable Player twice till now. Rodgers is also known as “The King of Photobombing” as he was noted that he was constantly in the background of every captain’s photo since 2006.

Thus, these athletes, and many more, have found their signature style to entertain the world. There are millions and millions of sports fans out there who keep their eyes on such entertaining athletes, to see what new move or style they will bring to the field.