The English Premier League is a global sporting phenomenon that captivates millions of fans around the world with its thrilling matches and superstar players.

But beneath the surface of the on-field action lie some fascinating and lesser-known facts about this prestigious football league. With the league set to resume on Friday night with the game between champions Manchester City and newly promoted Burnley, we thought it would be fun to take a little dive into the depths of the league to highlight some of intriguing facts.

International broadcasting powerhouse

Did you know that the EPL’s TV rights are sold to over 200 countries? This vast reach makes it the most-watched football league on the planet, attracting fans from all corners of the globe. In total the Premier League is said to generate about 5.5 billion pounds from the sale of broadcast rights – converted to Rand that’s a whopping R131,865,690,000.00

Global player diversity

The EPL is often celebrated for its diverse pool of talent. In the 2020-2021 season, players from a staggering 105 different nationalities graced the pitches, making it a true melting pot of football excellence. In total FIFA recognizes 207 playing nations – of those 115 have had at least one player in the Premier League. Some of the more obscure players to have been represented on the EPL stage include Gambia (Modou Barrow – Swansea City), Central African Republic (Frederic Nimani – Burnley), Oman (Ali Al-Habsi – Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic) and Cuba (Onel Hernandez – Norwich City).

Historical hat-tricks

In 1995, Liverpool’s Robbie Fowler achieved a remarkable feat by scoring the fastest hat-trick in EPL history. He netted three goals in just four minutes and 33 seconds against Arsenal, leaving fans and pundits astounded. It seemed like an achievement that would never be beaten – and then it was… In 2015 at the start of his incredible career Sadio Mane banged in three goals in just two minutes and 56 seconds in a game between Southampton and Aston Villa.

Goal-scoring defenders

While defenders are meant to be recognized for their ability to keep the ball out of the net, there are some who developed enviable scoring records as well. Former Chelsea skipper John Terry, undoubtedly one of the best defenders to ever play in the Premier League also left their mark on the league by scoring an impressive number of goals. Terry was responsible for scoring 41 goals. Terry’s achievement was all the more remarkable because he was a central defender, and he was not a free kick taker like Leighton Baines (32 goals) and Ian Harte (28 goals) who both played left back and were able to push higher up the field.

Unsung heroes in the dugout

Managers often take the spotlight, but there are unsung heroes behind the scenes too. In 2015, Leicester City’s then-manager Claudio Ranieri treated his entire staff to a pizza party after each clean sheet, fostering a strong team spirit that contributed to their miraculous title-winning season.

Late bloomers

Jamie Vardy, a household name now, rose from non-league football to become an EPL superstar. He began his EPL journey at the age of 27 and set a new record for consecutive EPL matches with a goal, finding the net in 11 straight games during the 2015-2016 season.

Title decided by goal difference

The 2011-2012 EPL season saw an incredible climax as Manchester City secured their first Premier League title, dramatically snatching it from the hands of Manchester United in the final minutes of the last match. Their superior goal difference proved to be the decisive factor. Interestingly goal difference is the deciding factor in the EPL, but in some other leagues, like Spain’s La Liga, ties are decided by the head-to-head results between the teams.