WSL and Manchester United superstar Katie Zelem revealed her inspirations in a recent interview with talkSPORT – one of them was Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, while the other was none other than David Beckham OBE.
A set-piece specialist herself, Zelem is an admirer of excellent free-kick takers both past and present. This season, she has seven assists to her name – most of them coming from corners and other dead-ball scenarios.
In the interview, Zelem said: “I think we all know David Beckham had the best right foot in the world. Now I’m a bit older, too, I love watching James Ward-Prowse take free-kicks. His ratio is crazy!
“At Arsenal, we scored a couple of set-piece goals and it helped us win the game. So, if you’re able to practice that and I’m able to give the team the extra edge and if we’re able to get that collaboration right then it definitely sets us apart from the rest.”
Manchester United are currently top of the WSL table – Zelem has played a huge role in their successful season. With just five games left in the season, the Red Devils will be looking to hold onto their lead – however, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City are all within touching distance.
Beckham played for United from 1992-2003 – he was one of the frontrunning members of the famous ‘Class of ’92’ squad, which won an unprecedented treble in 1999. He was perhaps best known for his set-pieces, precise passing ability and long-range efforts – not to mention his filmstar good looks, which have earned him a myriad of sponsorship deals over the years.
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