The year 2024 was marked by some big sports moments including the Paris 2024 Olympics, the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Euro 2024 and Formula One, among others.
These events reflect the dynamic and memorable nature of sports in 2024, highlighting both individual and team achievements across the globe.
2024 will surely be a memorable one for sports fans around the world.
Here are the big moments of 2024 in the sporting world;
Ivory Coast’s AFCON triumph
The 2023 AFCON held from 13 January to 11 February in 2024 in Ivory Coast was indeed memorable with the host nation fighting against all odds to comeback from near exit in the group stages after losing their final group game 4-0 against Equatorial Guinea.
Durng the tournament, the host nation sacked Jean-Louis Gasset as their coach and appointed Emerse Faé to take charge of the team.
A resurgent Ivory Coast scraped through to the knockout phase eliminating the likes of Senegal, Mali and DR Congo on their way to the final.
They came from behind to beat Nigeria’s Super Eagles 2-1 in the final, thanks to Sebastien Haller’s winning goal.
The victory over the Super Eagles completed a miraculous turnaround for the Elephants in the competition.
Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics
The Paris 2024 Olympics opened on July 26 and ended on August 11 with thousands of athletes from different countries participating and millions of fans following.
The United States led the medal table with 126 total medals, including 40 golds, followed by China with 91 medals and Great Britain with 65. Notable performances included both the US male and female Basketball teams, Simone Biles’s triumphant return to gymnastics, securing gold, and Katie Ledecky’s dominance in swimming, adding multiple golds to her tally.
The occasion marked the first time a gold medal tie among the two most successful countries has occurred in Summer Olympics history.
New records were set, and historic milestones were reached as Paris passed the Olympic torch to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games.
Shortly after the end of Paris 2024, the Paralympics followed from August 28 to September 8, with thousands of para-athletes competing in different events.
Like the Olympics, the Paralympic Games also witnessed athletes break milestones as Nigerian athlete, Mariam Eniola Bolaji, an 18-year-old, became the first African to win a badminton medal at either the Paralympic or Olympic Games.
2024 Ballon d’Or controversy
The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony, held on October 28, 2024, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, honored the world’s top football talents for the 2023–24 season. Manchester City’s midfielder, Rodri, secured the prestigious men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Premier League player to win since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.
Rodri’s exceptional performances were pivotal in Manchester City’s Premier League triumph and Spain’s victory at Euro 2024.
Notably, Real Madrid boycotted the event, expressing dissatisfaction over Vinícius Júnior not securing the top honor. Vinícius, who had an outstanding season with 24 goals in 39 appearances, was considered a strong contender but ultimately finished second to Rodri.
There were mixed reactions after Manchester City midfielder, Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or ahead of Real Madrid winger, Vinicius Junior in October.
Rodri got the highest number of votes to take home the prestigious individual prize ahead of Vinicius.
As a result, Vinicius, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, and the rest of the Los Blancos members boycotted the award ceremony in Paris, France, as they were disappointed with the outcome.
This brought diverse reactions from several stakeholders in the football industry.
Liga president, Javier Tebas blasted Real Madrid following their failure to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
Tebas described their action as ‘classless behaviour and lack of elegance’.
On his part, Portugal captain, Cristiano Ronaldo claimed that Vinicius, who won the 2024 FIFA Best Player Award, should have won the 2024 Ballon d’Or ahead of Rodri.
“Vinicius Jr should have won the Ballon d’Or, in my opinion it was clear,” Ronaldo said at the 2024 Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, adding “It was unfair.”
Tyson Fury’s back-to-back defeat against Oleksandr Usyk
Heavyweight champions Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury put out two superlative sold-out bouts that held the globe spellbound.
The first happened in May and the second in December; a befitting way to round off the year.
If the first fight had left some questions hanging in the air, mainly because the result on the scorecards was not unanimous, the second, in December, Usyk put those doubts to rest, scoring a clear unanimous decision win over Fury at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi.
In May, Fury held the WBC title while Usyk owned the WBO, WBA, and IBF belts. Both men had unbeaten records with Fury checking in at 34-0-1, while Usyk had an unblemished 21-0 mark. The two put on one of the better heavyweight fights of recent memory that night. After 12 tightly contested rounds, the judges awarded the split decision to Usyk, making him the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999.
The return bout also lived up to billing decent for ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ remembrance. Usyk retained his WBO, WBA, and WBC titles after a grueling 12-round rumble that got the arena on its feet through it all. With the win, Usyk extended his unbeaten streak. There is no doubt that Usyk’s name will be mentioned as an all-time great following his two wins over Fury. It is a promising way to end sports in 2024.
Fury suffered another defeat against Usyk in their heavyweight rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December.
The 12 rounds of boxing was intense as momentum shifted from one to the other.
Eventually, Usyk handled Fury’s aggression enough to win by unanimous decision. He defended his unified world heavyweight championship.
Spain’s dominance in Euro 2024
The 2024 Euro was held in Germany from June 14 to July 14. moments in world of sports.
Spain’s triumph in UEFA Euro 2024 marked a historic achievement, as they secured their record-breaking fourth European Championship title by defeating England 2-1 in the final held at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
Spain became the first team to win all seven matches in a single European Championship tournament, showcasing exceptional consistency and dominance throughout the competition.
The team also set a new record by scoring 15 goals in the tournament, surpassing the previous record of 14 goals held by France in 1984.
In the final against England, Spain took the lead with a goal from Nico Williams early in the second half. England equalized through substitute Cole Palmer, but Mikel Oyarzabal secured the win with a late goal, clinching Spain’s fourth European title.
17-year-old Lamine Yamal made history by becoming the youngest player to feature in a UEFA European Championship match and the youngest to score in a European Championship, underscoring the bright future of Spanish football.
Spain’s exceptional performance was recognized with six of their players named in UEFA’s Euro 2024 Team of the Tournament, reflecting their collective excellence.
Year of retirement in Tennis
In 2024, several prominent tennis players announced their retirements, marking the end of significant careers in the sport. Here are some of the notable retirees:
Rafael Nadal
The Spanish tennis legend concluded his illustrious career after the Davis Cup Final in Spain. Nadal’s retirement marks the end of an era, leaving a lasting legacy in tennis history.
Andy Murray
The British former world No. 1 retired after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Murray’s career was highlighted by multiple Grand Slam titles and a significant impact on British tennis.
Garbiñe Muguruza
The Spanish-Venezuelan player, a two-time Grand Slam champion, announced her retirement in April 2024 at the age of 30, concluding a 12-year professional career.
Dominic Thiem
The Austrian player, known for his powerful baseline play and a US Open title, confirmed that 2024 would be his final season on the professional circuit.
Angelique Kerber
The German former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion announced her retirement in October 2024, concluding a distinguished career in women’s tennis.
Diego Schwartzman
The Argentine player, known for his exceptional speed and baseline play, confirmed his retirement in 2024 after a notable career on the ATP Tour.
Verstappen’s Formula One milestone
Max Verstappen won the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship with a record nine Grand Prix wins out of 24 races. He became the first driver to win a title driving for a third-placed team in the World Constructors’ Championship since Nelson Piquet in 1987.
He secured his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship title, joining an elite group of drivers with multiple championships and reached his 100th podium finish, underscoring his consistent performance at the highest level of motorsport.
Verstappen also marked his 200th race start, a testament to his longevity and success in Formula One and became the first driver to win races starting from ten different grid positions, highlighting his versatility and skill in various race scenarios.
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