Real Madrid, Aitana Bonmati, Xabi Alonso and Rodri star as Spain reign: 2024 in world football reviewed
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Published 28/12/2024 at 10:54 GMT
It's been another bumper year of football stories across the world, with the biggest honours dominated by one nation in particular. There's been no shortage of drama in 2024 with the biggest names and biggest teams making the news, but also several shocks and surprises to keep fans locked in. At TNT Sports, we take a look back at the very best of the sport over the year.
Mbappe, Salah, Gyokeres and more star in the top 20 UEFA Champions League Goals of 2024
Video credit: TNT Sports
Madrid conquer Europe once again
After storming their way to the Liga title, Real Madrid also managed to get their hands on the UEFA Champions League trophy yet again, beating a spirited Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final at Wembley.
It secured the trophy for a record-extending 15th time, as well as a remarkable sixth time in the last 11 seasons.
Not content with that, Europe’s most dominant side then casually decided to finally add Kylian Mbappe to their ranks after the Frenchman cut ties with Paris Saint-Germain in a messy divorce.
But despite Mbappe adding 14 goals across all competitions already as of the turn of the year, his arrival has not quite gone as smoothly as expected.
With the team struggling for form and consistency early on this season, Madrid are currently second in La Liga, and most shockingly, languish in 20th place in the new-look Champions League table with two matches to play.
Not that anyone would be foolish enough to doubt their abilities, but a big push in 2025 is going to be required if they are to defend either of their crowns.
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Highlights: Carvajal, Vinicius lead Real past Dortmund to seal Champions League glory
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Rodri breaks the mould with Ballon d'Or win
The Ballon d’Or closed shop, previously dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, had its doors kicked off the hinges emphatically with Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri picking up the coveted golden ball in 2024.
The talented midfielder played a key role in success for both club and country this year, yet his personal triumph still raised eyebrows - particularly in Madrid!
Rather than the usual fawning over goalscoring heroics and attacking talent as football understandably tends to do, Rodri’s triumph proves hugely symbolic.
With more data and the analysis of the sport as a whole expanding ever wider, there now looks to be a greater appreciation of the work done by the likes of Rodri and more technically-minded players, over flair and output.
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Ballon d'Or winner Rodri's biggest moments
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Bonmati at it again
There was no such nonsense in the women’s category, which duly rewarded the attacking brilliance of Aitana Bonmati for the second year in a row after a virtually untouchable 2024.
The Barcelona midfield superstar was integral to the club winning a historic first treble, including a goal in the UEFA Women's Champions League final, as well as helping Spain win the first edition of the UEFA Women’s Nations League, again scoring in the final.
Bonmati follows in the footsteps of teammate Alexia Putellas in winning back-to-back Ballons d’Or. Already impressing again this season, and with the European Championships coming up in 2025, odds on her making it a hat-trick next year could be fairly slim.
Spain clean up at Euros and Olympics
The aforementioned Rodri was part of the Spain side who powered their way to Euro 2024 glory. La Roja were deserved winners of the tournament, having claimed maximum points in their group before knockout wins over Georgia, fellow European powerhouses Germany and France, and England in the final in Berlin.
A month later in Paris, it was a similar story as a youthful Spain side secured gold courtesy of an epic 5-3 extra-time win over hosts France in the Olympic Games final.
Spain’s initial ascent to the top of the global game between 2008 and 2012, with their unique style of play, put the footballing world in a choke-hold.
A decade of disappointment perhaps meant they hadn't been adequately rewarded despite their obvious talents. It seems like 2024 - not forgetting the Women’s Nations League win a year after FIFA Women's World Cup glory - is the year the nation decided to put everyone back on notice.
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Watch as Spain's 'super sub' Camello nets extra time goal to sink France in final
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Making Hayes while the sun shines
The women’s Olympic tournament in Paris was won by the United States, which in itself is not especially noteworthy given their standing and history of success in the sport.
What was notable was the fact this triumph was masterminded by Women's Super League legend Emma Hayes, who had only been in the USWNT managerial post for two months prior to the Games.
Having left Chelsea following a trophy-laden 12 years in charge, Hayes showed her talents extended beyond the domestic game in England, leading the US to their fifth Olympic title, winning every match along the way.
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Watch USA's women celebrate winning football gold as Cruise and Rapinoe applaud
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Euro stars
The highlight of the men’s European Championships this year was perhaps the emergence of great young players who look set to lead the way for years to come.
Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz starred for hosts Germany on their run to the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by a Spain team containing Barcelona gem and young player of the tournament Lamine Yamal.
The eventual champions also had the electric Nico Williams – who scored in the final – as well as Barca duo Gavi and Pedri guiding them to glory.
Turkey’s Arda Guler and Netherlands’ Xavi Simons shone, while Jude Bellingham’s incredible overhead kick against Slovakia was the highlight of England’s campaign.
Along with the retired Toni Kroos, this summer may well have been the last time we see the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Kevin de Bruyne, Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann at the Euros, but this tournament showed us there is no need to fret, with the future of the game seemingly in safe hands.
Copa runneth over - Messi and Argentina triumph again
Not that it was ever easy to find a reason to bring Lionel Messi down a peg, but there was once an ongoing narrative that he couldn’t achieve any notable success with Argentina to accompany his many, many club honours.
That all changed when he led his country to Copa America success in 2021, followed in spectacular fashion by the FIFA World Cup a year later.
He completed the hat-trick this year as La Albiceleste successfully defended their crown in the United States, with Messi making team of the tournament, albeit overshadowed on this occasion by Lautaro Martinez, whose five goals – including the winner in the final against Colombia – were the driving force to victory.
Ivory Coast rise from the ashes to claim AFCON glory
Perhaps the best international football story of 2024 came at the start of the year at the always-interesting Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament was hosted by Ivory Coast, who looked all but eliminated after a 4-0 hammering against Equatorial Guinea in their final group stage match led to the sacking of manager Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament.
However, as Ghana somehow contrived to concede two stoppage-time goals to surrender a 2-0 lead against Mozambique, Ivory Coast were able to sneak through to the knockouts as one of the best third-placed sides.
With Emerse Fae hastily installed as caretaker boss, they faced defending champions Senegal next, and again looked like going out before a late penalty took the match to a shootout they ultimately won.
Their strong will continued in the quarters as they trailed 1-0 to Mali going into stoppage time before snatching an equaliser and then a winner in added time of extra time.
After beating DR Congo in the semis, they triumphed over Nigeria in the final to lift the trophy in the most dramatic of circumstances.
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Ivory Coast. Africa Cup of Nations.
Image credit: Getty Images
Leverkusen topple Bayern to make history
Even the most hardened Bundesliga fanatic would admit the league had become somewhat stale and predictable as far as the title was concerned, thanks to the unstoppable dominance of Bayern Munich over the last decade.
The 2023/24 season even saw the title-winner achieve a remarkable unbeaten campaign as they stormed to the title.
In fact, Bay… wait a moment... that doesn’t say Bayern! It says Bayer!
Yes, it's not a typo! Bayern’s vice-like grip was broken by Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side as they won the German title for the first time ever in the most impressive of ways, and even added the DFB-Pokal for good measure.
They were prevented from securing a historic treble, however…
Fun first-time winners make their mark on Europe
Leverkusen lined up for the UEFA Europa League final in Dublin having not tasted defeat in the preceding 51 matches across all competitions, before Ademola Lookman’s incredible hat-trick for Atalanta secured a first European honour for the ever-improving Italian side.
Taking over in 2016, under Gian Piero Gasperini the club have gone from relegation fodder to European victors. The club are now riding high in Serie A with hopes of potentially emulating Leverkusen by upsetting the established order to win the title. Ones to watch in 2025.
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Atalanta v Bayer Leverkusen Europa League final highlights as Lookman shines bright
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Remarkably, they weren’t the only team to win a European trophy for the first time, with the UEFA Europa Conference League landing in the hands of Olympiacos after the Greek side beat Fiorentina in the final.
Despite their domestic standing, and many seasons competing in Europe, the club had never gone beyond a quarter-final.
But the relatively new Conference League competition gave them a chance to change that - a chance they grabbed with both hands.
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Highlights: Olympiacos beat Fiorentina to make history
Video credit: TNT Sports
Champions League changes bring new hope
In other European news, UEFA’s dramatic re-configuration of their competitions was initially greeted with cynicism, but with two league stage rounds left to play in the Champions League, qualification for the next round remains very much in the balance for a lot of teams.
With the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain struggling and teams such as Lille, Aston Villa and debutants Brest looking well-placed to advance, the new format has undoubtedly injected some much-needed intrigue and jeopardy, which the previous group stage format lost over the years.
Perhaps, like Atalanta and Olympiacos in the other competitions, the big one might actually open up for an unfamiliar side. We may even see a new name on the trophy come May, rather than Real Madrid again…
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