IPSWICH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 27: Maria Boswell of Ipswich Town poses for a portrait during the WSL 2 Headshots 2025/26 shoot day on August 27, 2025 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Andrea Southam – WSL/The FA via Getty Images)

The FA via Getty Images

The captain of newly-promoted Ipswich Town Women, Maria Boswell, is one of a host of players to benefit from a new landmark deal between the Women’s Super League and Nike.

As part of “a multi-year partnership” with the American sportswear firm, Nike has pledged to provide every female player in the top two tiers in England lacking a personal endorsement deal with football boots and goalkeeper gloves as part of its commitment to elevate the women’s game at all levels.

Ipswich Town Women’s head coach Joe Sheehan told me that almost every member of his squad, recently promoted from tier three in the English pyramid to the fully-professional tier two – WSL2 – has elected to make the most of Nike’s generosity.

“There’s lots of bright boots on our training pitch now, I know that” he said. “and unfortunately no-one was size 8! So I can’t even benefit from that either. Not that, I think it would be that good to see me out there in a pair of pink or yellow Nike boots on.”

“There’s tonnes of Nike boxes in our office and all of our players without endorsements deals have really benefitted from that, which is great. It’s a shame that I don’t benefit from it, not that I look great in pink boots anyway!”

The club’s 22-year-old captain is one who will take advantage of the new partnership. Wearing fluorescent pink Nike Mercurials during a recent interview, Boswell joked with me that the new lurid boots could transform the central defender into a more flamboyant player on the pitch. “Maybe, you might see a few more skills on the pitch from me! I’ll turn into Sophie Peskett!”

“To be fair, I used to be a black boot kind of girl over the last couple of seasons. I was actually wearing pink boots last year, with studs and moulds so I’ve got kind of got used to it. I get a bit of stick for it, a center half shouldn’t be having these bright pink boots but I like it. My new ones are actually the Phantoms, they’re kind of light blue so I’ve kind of dulled it down a little bit.”

“Obviously, for a football player, boots are the most important thing. They’re not cheap these days. For Nike to be able to provide every player in WSL and WSL2 with a good supply of boots with a good range, in the size you need and want, in studs, moulds, etc. It’s just another thing we don’t have to worry about. It’s just a really good step forward for women.”

Now beginning her seventh season at Ipswich Town, the long-time club servant almost missed the greatest moment in the team’s history. In the midst of their championship-winning season, a top-of-the-table clash away to Hashtag United in March finished, not only in defeat, but potentially a season-ending injury for Boswell.

She explained how she initally feared the worst. “As soon as I went down, I thought it was bad. I do think the first thing that poppped into my head was ‘I’m going to probably miss the rest of the season’. It was gutting. I think that was the only thing that was really on my mind.”

“Then, I got the scan results back and it ended up being just severe bone bruising and a compression fracture which sound quite bad, but it ended up being a six to eight week injury. I just did absolutely everything I could to make sure it was a six week injury because that would allow me to get back for those last two games.”

“I think that’s what really spurred me on – motivated me. Every training session where the girls are out, and I’m in the gym, I think having that clear aim in mind, working with the medical staff, this is what I’m working for, and yeah, we managed to do it.”

Over the summer, Boswell found time to play golf but she told me it will not be something she indulges in during the season. “I played a little bit over the summer, I mean I’m not particularly good. It was something I used to do when I was little. In the off-season, a few of the girls actually enjoy it as well so we end up trying – trying – to do a round of golf.”

“Me and Nat (Negri) actually quit on the sixth hole on one course because we were playing so bad. I was like ‘Nat, we’re losing too many balls here, this is ridiculous’. I actually haven’t played since we’ve come back (to training) because it’s just so full on.”

“On off days, I just chill at home, or go home to mum and dad’s or something. Haven’t played too much, I’ll probably get down the golf range a little bit but I’m also very much a fairweather golfer. I won’t be going outside in the winter!”