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SINGAPORE — The 2025 sporting calendar was full of plot twists, defining performances and moments that felt bigger than the stadiums they performed out in.

There was Champions League glory for a French soccer staff and for as soon as, a British Components One champion not named Lewis Hamilton. This 12 months additionally noticed Singapore soccer roar again to life following a historic evening in Hong Kong.

Because the mud settles on a rare 12 months, Yahoo Singapore takes a more in-depth have a look at the moments that stood above the remaining.

PSG lastly scale the Champions League summit

Paris Saint Germain’s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi lastly will get his arms on the Champions League trophy. (Photograph: AFP)

When Qatar Sports activities Investments took over possession of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2011, they’d a dream of turning the French membership into a worldwide powerhouse. Greater than a decade later the controversial challenge – strongly opposed by soccer traditionalists – bore fruit as

Victory within the – the top of European membership soccer – was not solely a vindication of membership president Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s daring imaginative and prescient but in addition a testomony to the footballing philosophy of .

Enrique had joined the membership in July 2023 and by the tip of his first season it was clear the previous Barcelona boss had been empowered to seek out an alternative choice to PSG’s habit to creating superteams.

These celebrity heavy groups – which up to now have included family names akin to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe – helped PSG conquer domestically in France. However in addition they left PSG wanting unbalanced and uncovered towards the cream of the crop in Europe, inflicting the membership to fall in need of greedy the holy grail of the Champions League trophy.

Enrique was famously caught on movie lecturing Mbappe in regards to the want for everybody to contribute defensively. The Frenchman – the final remaining celebrity from PSG’s obscene attacking trident of Mbappe-Neymar-Messi – is a fan of basketball. Enrique is seen within the video making an attempt to encourage his star participant by utilizing the instance of NBA icon Michael Jordan, whose aggressive spirit and winning-mentality has gained him many admirers throughout completely different sports activities.

Enrique, in expletive-laden Spanish, stated that Jordan “would seize his teammates by the balls and defend with them.”

“You assume that you simply solely have to attain targets,” Enrique advised Mbappé. “ … However that is not sufficient for me.”

Mbappe left the membership earlier than the beginning of the 2024-25 season and watched as his former teammates stormed previous Inter Milan in Might’s Champions League ultimate. PSG gained as a staff, with 4 targets scored or assisted by youngsters.

A golden 12 months for Indian cricket

Harshit Rana, Ravindra Jadeja and Arshdeep Singh have fun India’s victory after the ICC Champions Trophy ultimate towards New Zealand. (Photograph: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC by way of Getty Photos)

India loved a commanding 2025 in cricket, asserting dominance throughout codecs and on each the boys’s and girls’s phases.

The boys’s staff delivered a , defeating New Zealand by 4 wickets within the ultimate again in March. The victory noticed India finish their lengthy anticipate an ICC One Day Worldwide (ODI) title since successful the 2013 Champions Trophy underneath MS Dhoni’s brilliance. India are actually essentially the most profitable staff within the event’s historical past with three titles.

In September, to retain the Asia Cup on the Dubai Worldwide Cricket Stadium – matches right here have been performed within the Twenty20 Worldwide (T20I) format.

Equally spectacular was the rise of India’s girls’s staff, who beat South Africa by 52 runs to win the ultimate in November. Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma starred with each bat and ball as India powered to their maiden Ladies’s Cricket World Cup title.

All three of those tournaments, gained by India, have been among the many globally in 2025.

Lando Norris halts the unstoppable drive

Lando Norris of McLaren clinches his first World Championship after the Components 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. (Photograph: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photos)

marked a watershed second each for his profession and for the aggressive panorama of the game.

After years of promise, Norris delivered a marketing campaign of consistency and maturity to win his . However the significance runs deeper than a maiden title. Norris needed to maintain his nerve and overcome one of the daunting duties within the present F1 panorama – ending on the championship.

and saved his hopes of a fifth alive by successful the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Nevertheless, Norris refused to fold and he secured the rostrum end required for him handy McLaren a primary world champion driver in 17 years.

Rory McIlroy lastly will get his inexperienced jacket

Rory McIlroy receives his inexperienced jacket from Scottie Scheffler after successful 2025 Masters at Augusta Nationwide. (Photograph: Erick W. Rasco/Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Photos)

can be remembered as one of many defining chapters of his stellar profession. In April, the Northern Irishman ended over a decade of heartache to get his arms on the well-known inexperienced jacket which is given to winners of golf’s Masters.

When McIlroy bogeyed the 18th gap, it appeared he was about to let one other alternative at Augusta slip by way of his fingers. Ignoring the hushed nervousness of the gang, he in some way summoned the braveness to birdie the opening gap of a sudden-death playoff, edging Justin Rose for golf’s coveted Masters. “It is one of the best day of my {golfing} life,” McIlroy stated.

McIlroy has now gained all 4 of golf’s grand slams – a feat achieved by solely a handful of golfers in historical past. He additionally rounded up a memorable 2025 by in September.

Asia, hear the Lions roar

Ilhan Fandi fires Singapore into the Asian Cup Finals on benefit for the primary time. (Photograph: FAS)

on a cold night at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium in November – the scene of a vital AFC Asian Cup qualifier.

The Lions have been trailing Hong Kong 1-0 when Ilhan Fandi got here off the bench 10 minutes into the second half to arrange a sixty fourth minute equaliser for Shawal Anuar earlier than smashing within the winner himself 4 minutes later.

The two-1 comeback end result assured Singapore’s qualification to the Asian Cup Finals for the primary time on benefit. Their solely earlier look got here as hosts of the 1984 event.

“We’re a small nation however we by no means quit. We’re Lions,” stated super-sub Ilhan. “I’m simply glad that I can do something for my staff.”

For a technology of soccer followers who’ve by no means witnessed Singapore enjoying on Asia’s largest stage, qualification was greater than only a sporting milestone. It symbolised renewed ambition and hope for Singapore soccer. “Onward to Saudi Arabia in 2027,” wrote .