Sports Direct claims Matt Ritchie shirts '˜more popular than Neymar'

Sports Direct has released a list of its top 30 most popular football shirt sales - and there's a surprising entry at number 13.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Sep 2017, 10:21 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 11:25 BST
Matt Ritchie in action for Scotland against Denmark at Hampden. Picture: Michael GillenMatt Ritchie in action for Scotland against Denmark at Hampden. Picture: Michael Gillen
Matt Ritchie in action for Scotland against Denmark at Hampden. Picture: Michael Gillen

Newcastle United and Scotland winger Matt Ritchie slots in just behind Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto Firmino of Liverpool at numbers 11 and 12.

But according to The Sun, Sports Direct’s sales of shirts with Ritchie’s name on the back top the number of jerseys sold with the likes of Neymar Jr., Cristiano Ronaldo and Alexis Sanchez.

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The Brazilian ace just sneaked into the top 20 ahead of N’Golo Kante and Mesut Ozil.

Neymar Jr. waves during a PSG training session. Shirts with his name on the back only just made the top 20. Picture: AFP/Getty ImagesNeymar Jr. waves during a PSG training session. Shirts with his name on the back only just made the top 20. Picture: AFP/Getty Images
Neymar Jr. waves during a PSG training session. Shirts with his name on the back only just made the top 20. Picture: AFP/Getty Images

Even Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle (No. 17) is ahead of the Paris Saint-Germain forward on the list.

There’s also a place in the top 30 for former Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote, who died earlier this year after collapsing during a training session in China.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Manchester United dominate the top 30, with eight entries including three of the top five.

Paul Pogba takes top spot, closely followed by summer signing Romelu Lukaku, while Marcus Rashford slots completes the top five behind third-placed Eden Hazard of Chelsea in third, and Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette in fourth.

Neymar Jr. waves during a PSG training session. Shirts with his name on the back only just made the top 20. Picture: AFP/Getty ImagesNeymar Jr. waves during a PSG training session. Shirts with his name on the back only just made the top 20. Picture: AFP/Getty Images
Neymar Jr. waves during a PSG training session. Shirts with his name on the back only just made the top 20. Picture: AFP/Getty Images

Top 30 shirt sales: 1. Paul Pogba (Manchester United), 2. Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), 3. Eden Hazard (Chelsea), 4. Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal), 5. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), 6. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), 7. Sadio Mane (Liverpool), 8. Lionel Messi (Barcelona), 9. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), 10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United), 11. Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), 12. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), 13. Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United), 14. Ander Herrera (Manchester United), 15. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), 16. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United), 17. Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United), 18. Neymar Jr. (Barcelona/PSG), 19. N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), 20. Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), 21. John Terry (Chelsea/Aston Villa), 22. Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), 23. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), 24. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United/Everton), 25. Juan Mata (Manchester United), 26. Adam Lallana (Liverpool), 27. Alvaro Morata (Chelsea), 28. David de Gea (Manchester United), 29. Cheick Tiote (Newcastle United), 30. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur).

Related topics:Matt RitchieManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedLiverpoolTottenham HotspurChelseaArsenal