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Quote of the year
The White House, issuing a communique to reporters covering April’s global market meltdown over tariffs as US losses hit $6.6tn (£4.9tn) in two days. “The President won his second round matchup of the Senior Club Championship today in Jupiter, FL, and advances to the Championship Round tomorrow.”
Most embedded
Gianni Infantino, standing in the Oval Office in November while his choice for Fifa’s inaugural peace prize winner floated the idea of bombing World Cup co-hosts Mexico. Infantino: “The president says what he thinks. He has such an incredible energy.”
And the coolest heads
Canada’s ice hockey team, responding to calls for restraint before February’s match against the US after Trump called Canada “our 51st State” by starting three fist‑fights in the first nine seconds. Canada coach Jon Cooper: “That was as organic as it gets.”
Tournament of the year
Infantino’s restructured Club World Cup: top clubs competing for a trophy with his name engraved on it twice. Infantino – who commissioned a Panini gold sticker of himself pre-tournament – used a Trump Tower press briefing in July to reflect on the mixed response to it all: “We respect everyone’s opinion. But we can say definitely this Fifa Club World Cup has been a huge, huge, huge success.”
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Owner of the year: Monaco-domiciled Sir Jim Ratcliffe, scrapping subsidised staff lunches at Old Trafford because people shouldn’t get something for nothing. “I got a lot of flak, but no one’s ever given me a free lunch.”
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Player of the year: Cole Palmer, trademarking his “Cold Palmer” shiver pose for use on toys, clothes, food, spirits, but not wine after the French winemaker Château Palmer blocked it. Palmer: “Everyone knows it’s my celebration. Lots of people might have done it before, but everybody knows it’s mine.”
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Tour of the year: Lionel Messi’s three-day GOAT India tour in December. Fans at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium paid up to £100 each to watch Messi waving at them, then rioted when they couldn’t see him behind a ring of VIPs. Organiser Satadru Dutta was arrested, and denies wrongdoing.
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And gala of the year: November’s Christmas gala in London, a chance to “meet and greet Lamine Yamal’s mother”. Tickets ranged from £130 to £313 for dinner, champagne and a picture with Sheila. Journalists were told: “No questions about Yamal.”
Best messaging
Among the year’s top content from Evangelos Marinakis’s media team at Forest:
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Morgan Gibbs-White’s interview in July about his new contract – making three mentions of “Mr Marinakis” in the first 45 seconds while the Forest owner stood just out of shot. “Thank you to Mr Marinakis for believing in me.” Marinakis: “Morgan belongs to our family.”
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And May’s deconstruction of live TV footage of Marinakis confronting his own manager on the pitch. “The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation, with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch, or inside the stadium.” Instead: “In moments like that [Mr Marinakis] demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence.”
Most viral day out
Manchester United’s open-top bus parade through Kuala Lumpur in May. United’s CEO, Omar Berrada, defended making players do it after their 15th-place finish: “This was a unique opportunity to deepen relationships with our fans.”
Millionaire of the year
Piotr Szczerek, caught on camera at the US Open tennis in August swiping a young boy’s signed cap. Szczerek, identified online as a company CEO, was filmed reaching for the cap then bagging it after Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak signed it. He said sorry for “a grave mistake” based on “my misconception”; Majchrzak gave the boy a new one.
Most male concept of the year
Halo, Sky Sports’ “lil sis” to their main TikTok channel, captioning a Man City goal clip for female fans: “How the matcha + hot girl walk combo hits.” Sky dropped the project after three days: “We didn’t get it right.”
And the most male clarification
Chivas striker Javier Hernández, issuing a clarification after he was fined by Mexico’s FA in July over his new TikTok series aimed at educating women, which featured key messages including: “Women, you are failing”; “Women, allow yourselves to be led by a man”; and: “Women, embrace your feminine energy: nurturing, caring, receiving, multiplying, cleaning, maintaining the home.” The former Manchester United striker said he “regretted any confusion … It was never my intention to reduce, hurt, or divide.”
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Among those offering feedback on the clips, Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum: “I’m a mother, I’m a grandmother, I’m a housewife. But I’m also the supreme commander of the armed forces.”
Sticklers of the year
Uefa – applying its rulebook to deliver a series of big calls, including paying £10m “solidarity” funds to Russian clubs banned from tournaments while denying the same funds to five Ukrainian clubs. Uefa said the Ukrainian clubs couldn’t have the money due to them being in a “zone of military operations”.
Most overlooked narrative
The PGA of America, expressing regret in September after the first-tee warm-up act it booked to deliver wholesome Ryder Cup atmosphere was filmed shouting “Fuck you Rory” through a megaphone as US fans joined in. Comedian Heather McMahan: “I will take full responsibility and sincerely apologise to Rory and Team Europe … I did not start the chant. I would just like that narrative to get out there.”
Boldest product placement
On screen at October’s figure skating in Chongqing: two Chinese ice dancers waving a toy nuclear missile while waiting for their scores. The International Skating Union censured the pair for using their screen-time to promote China’s new DF-61 intercontinental ballistic weapon: “This was an inappropriate soft toy … the ISU regrets it.”
Chinese ice dancers under investigation after holding toy missile at event – videoMoral red line of the year
Was drawn by Lazio: sacking their eagle mascot trainer Juan Bernabé in January for posting pictures of his penile implant surgery online. Officials – who stood by Bernabé in 2022 after he made fascist salutes to fans – said the posts were too much: “This violates the ethical values of this club.”
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Lazio’s pick to replace Bernabé as eagle handler: Giacomo Garruto, who urged media in November to stop obsessing over his own record of problematic pro-Mussolini posts. Garruto said the messages from 2018 “no longer represent me. I’m sorry if anyone felt hurt or upset.”
Regrets of the year
Among those not paying attention in 2025:
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Major League Baseball, pulling its new range of New Era Overlap caps from sale after fans spotted “unintended design issues” – the “unique motif” of team logos overlaid on team names resulting in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s hat reading “AnaAels” and Houston Astros’ cap reading “AsHos”. MLB: “This was missed during the product review process.”
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Great North Run organisers, apologising in September after 60,000 medals were accidentally printed with a map of Sunderland instead of Newcastle. Officials said the design “was a mistake … Lots of people looked very closely at it. None of us picked it up.”
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Wimbledon’s new automated line-calling tech, working fine, but only when turned on. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova said a fourth-round game was “stolen” when an official forgot to press the button; organisers said sorry: “We have made the appropriate changes.”
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Philadelphia’s mayor, Cherelle Parker, expressing regret in January after being filmed rallying Eagles fans before an NFC divisional playoff game by shouting at a press conference: “Listen, we got to do this. Let me hear you all say, ‘E-L-G-S-E-S, Eagles!’ Let’s go Birds.”
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Brentford under-21’s Iwan Morgan, taking a long throw in May.
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And Martin Brundle on his Singapore Grand Prix gridwalk, almost identifying Lewis Capaldi – “Lewis, wonderful to see you … Oh, you’re his brother?” – then turning away as the singer offered a handshake. Brundle apologised for a “cardinal sin on my part” after @LewisCapaldi reposted it.
Free speech campaigner of the year
Nigel Farage, who compared the UK to North Korea in September, then urged Sky to sack Gary Neville for criticising flag hangers in October. Farage: “He’s so detached from reality it’s not true.”
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Farage also eased up on his keep-politics-out-of-football campaign to launch a new line of Reform UK football tops, including new festive special edition £349 black shirt, “signed by Nigel himself”.
Tradition of the year
Among this year’s best wrong anthems at big games: organisers in Bulgaria hosting Ireland’s Women’s Under-19 Euros qualifier mistakenly swapping out the Irish anthem for God Save the King; and the PA team at India v Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in September failing to cue up the Pakistan anthem, and playing the intro to Jalebi Baby by Tesher and Jason Derulo instead.
Making an impact online in 2025:
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Best clarification of late-night tweeting: Norwich defender Shane Duffy, revealing in October how he meant no disrespect when he called a fan on X a “knob” and a “gimp”. Duffy: “My comment came out of frustration, not a lack of respect for supporters. We really value your passion and backing.”
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Least attentive tweeting: Paul Merson, July, taking instructions from his social media team and posting them: “Incredible day @slimmingworld meeting 41 amazing men who have lost a life-changing 330st 2lbs! Please also include #ad.”
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Strongest club views: Clyde FC, sorry in March after their official X account started retweeting Only Fans content. “We’re aware of some unfavourable content that was shared early this morning. Needless to say, this content does not reflect the views of the club.”
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Most over the novelty of it all: Bromley FC’s X admin, appealing for help in August after their second game in seven days was delayed due to an injured official. “Here we go again. If there’s anyone in the crowd who is a qualified referee, please come forward to the nearest steward. This is not a joke. 60’ | #WeAreBromley | 1-0”
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And the best use of a heart emoji: Plymouth manager Miron Muslic, 1 May, tweeting to explain he lost his cool in a press conference because: “I’ve fallen in love with this football club … I was over-passionate with emotions about our relegation and how much I care for Argyle and the Green Army and how committed I am to the club and its future. I want the best for Argyle. We are all frustrated, but now we will put it right. We are all in this together ♥.” 28 May: Joins Schalke.
Worst use of autotranslate
Virgin Media, saying sorry in November after a Welsh language translation error in their S4C TV listings trailed a show featuring Wales hooker Ryan Elias as a show featuring “Wales prostitute Ryan Elias”. Virgin: “It was promptly rectified by our external provider. We apologise for any offence.”
Most done with it all
Racing 42 coach Patrice Collazo, reflecting on the lessons after his hooker Janick Tarrit was sent off for a diving head-butt in November. “As a coach you plan for a lot of things; your tactics, your rival’s tactics. But one thing you cannot plan for is stupidity.” Had he spoken to Tarrit? “No. What’s the point?”
Liveliest post-match handshakes
Club Blooming v Real Oruro in the Bolivian Cup in November, featuring 17 post-match red cards and police pepper spraying players and staff. Blooming captain Gabriel Valverde said he regretted his own red because “I probably didn’t set a good example there. This shouldn’t happen again.”
Boardroom awards
Among the year’s bigger votes of confidence:
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RB Leipzig managing director Marcel Schäfer, backing his under-fire coach Marco Rose. 4 Feb: “I’m known in football for not losing my nerve, I’m known for being very patient, and I believe in Marco.” 8 Mar: “The lack of patience in our industry is always criticised, and maybe rightly so. But we’re completely different at this club.” 30 Mar: Sacks him.
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Tranmere chair Mark Palios, 6 Feb, telling fans to lay off Nigel Adkins in an open letter. “As always happens when a club has a bad run it has led to calls from some for the manager to be sacked. But I’ve decided to stick with Nigel. In Nigel we have a manager with huge experience, a record of many successes, and a genuine passion for a club he has supported all his life. I cannot see what is to be gained by gambling.” 26 Feb: Gambles.
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And Reading chair Rob Couhig, 6 Oct, defending manager Noel Hunt against fans’ impatience. “I’ve never considered firing Noel. I don’t believe firing a manager suddenly turns a guy into a better striker or a better defender. I don’t think firing a manager changes anything as long as the players still support him. I don’t believe firing a manager does anything but take pressure off an owner – and I’m here to take that pressure. If you don’t like what he does, blame me. If you don’t like who we sign, blame me.” 26 Oct: Sacks him.
13 Oct: Bracknell Town manager Matt Saunders getting an unexpected 8.4m views for this assessment of his senior players. “I’m not going to let this club be dragged down by players that can’t run, can’t look after their body, want to go and drink after games, it ain’t happening. They don’t want to do the basics well. They don’t want to eat well. They don’t want to live right. I’ve got rid of a lot of them, and I’m going to keep going.” 24 Oct, Bracknell: “The club wishes Matt all the best for the future.”
Mascot awards
Making an impact off the pitch this year:
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NRL side South Sydney’s Reggie Rabbit, saying sorry in March after being filmed shoving a nine-year-old who tried to high-five him. 81-year-old Charlie Gallico, Reggie since 2002, said he had been “heckled by boys” but “nothing like this will happen again … I love this club.”
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St Albans’ mascot Sammy the Saint, filmed in November being led out by stewards at Burton “looking unsteady” after falling over a hoarding, having trouble balancing and “making gestures at fans”. St Albans: “New protocols will ensure this cannot happen again.”
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And the Philadelphia Eagles installing a giant inflatable “positivity rabbit” mascot in the team’s locker room to lift morale and “bring good vibes” after back‑to-back defeats. The club axed it four days later after a fresh 22-19 loss. Former captain Jason Kelce: “I have no idea where this fucking rabbit came from.”
Worst sports injury
Michael van Gerwen, forced to pull out of April’s Premier League Darts quarter-final after trying on a shirt. “My neck and my back went. It was really, really stupid to be fair. If I tell the story to anyone, they don’t believe me. You know what I mean? It’s fact. I’m never lying. It is what it is. What can you do?”
Celebrations of the year
Being spontaneous in 2025:
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France flanker Noa Traversier, showboating as he ran in an easy Under-20 Six Nations try against Ireland, grinning left and right, before being tackled from behind.
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Magdeburg winger Rayan Ghrieb, celebrating scoring his side’s late second against Hertha by jumping over a hoarding and disappearing into a 9ft concrete ditch. Coach Petrik Sander: “I could say a lot of things now that would not be in the player’s favour. We are glad that he came out of it healthy.”
Cricket’s least sympathetic non-striker
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Animal awards
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Insect of the year: At August’s BMW Championship in Maryland, a fly landing on Tommy Fleetwood’s putt as it stopped on the lip at the 2nd. The ball dropped for a birdie; Fleetwood ended up tied for fourth, earning £56,000 more than he would have won in fifth.
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Most laid-back owner: All Blacks utility back Leroy Carter, a late call-up in August, delayed after he put his passport by his bed for safekeeping, where his dog ate it. “It was a bit of a shambles yesterday. I thought it would happen to me, something like that, so no point getting stressed.”
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Most put out: Spelthorne Sports, hitting back at critics after their Combined Counties Division One game was called off in August after geese “caked the pitch”. Spelthorne said they tried to clear the waste, and “to have opposition players making derisive comments on social media is not constructive or helpful”.
And the rest …
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A goat joining the peloton on stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia in May, leaping over Dion Smith’s bike. Commentator: “Smith did well there, but that was some evasive action from the goat.”
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A snake on the fairway delaying play at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in May, a day after a snapping turtle dug up a bunker.
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Another turtle in play at the Houston Open in March, peeing on a caddie who carried it off.
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Multiple cows holding up the Tour of Britain final stage in September by crossing the road in the Brecon Beacons. S4C commentator: “The farmer waits for no one.”
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A squirrel making an overlapping run at Norwich in February as Josh Seargant scored.
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The Ally Pally wasp buzzing Luke Littler, sitting on Ross Smith, making Wayne Mardles scream, and chasing Shaun Murphy during his snooker Masters semi‑final at Alexandra Palace, and then again during his final.
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And a rat stopping play during Wales’s World Cup qualifier against Belgium in October as Thibaut Courtois tried to catch it. Cardiff City Stadium: “People have seen a rat on the pitch as quite funny, but it does have serious undertones.”
Journey of the year
Peruvian aspiring commentator Cliver Huamán, 15, making an 18-hour road trip from his parents’ farm to Lima so he could cover the Copa Libertadores final. Denied entry, he climbed a hill overlooking the ground and did it from there instead, earning 2.2m TikTok followers, endorsement deals and a trip to meet Peru’s president. “I worked on the farm since I was six. But this is what I love.”
Second best journey of the year
Spalding defender Lewis White, missing the first 88 minutes of his side’s Southern League Premier Central fixture at Bury St Edmunds after driving to the wrong Bury. The 24-year-old added 200 miles to his journey. Spalding manager Jimmy Dean: “He must have been in a world of his own.”
Most surprised by breaking news
Petko Ganchev, 78, reacting in March after his former Bulgarian top-flight side Arda Kardzhali announced his death and held a minute’s silence. “When I got home in my car my wife was there crying, shouting: ‘Petko, Petko, they announced on TV that you are dead’ … Then two friends called me, then so many people called me. It was not pleasant. But in the end we have to be positive.”
Worst trust exercise
Carlos Alcaraz, explaining in August why he started the US Open bald. “I really wanted to get a haircut. Suddenly my brother just … he misunderstood with the machine. He just cut it. Then, the only way to fix it was just to shave it off. To be honest, it’s not that bad, I guess. It is what it is.”
Best high five
Alcaraz, spotting a hopeful face in the corridor.
Best capitalising
Dublin zoo, naming a parrot Troy in November after the Ireland striker’s 96th-minute winner against Hungary, and @DublinAirport, floating a rebrand.
Most non-league scene
Ninth-tier Rusthall’s striker Charlie Clover, pictured trying but failing to fix the floodlights at half-time with a ladder but no tools. @CharClover: “Did my best but apparently 14 out the 16 lights on wasn’t enough for the restart … Shame being 2 up, but oh well, we go again.”
Sharpest finish
Filmed in 2019, but viral again in 2025.
Least shy performer
Stephen Bunting, getting global interest with his darts walk-on to Titanium by Sia and David Guetta, but not from everyone. “I messaged Sia on Instagram, she didn’t get back to me.”
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Biggest vision
Nitin Kumar, the first Indian to win a match at the PDC World Darts Championship, eyeing a culture shift after his gruelling victory. “It’s history for us … In India if you’re not an engineer, a doctor, an architect, a lawyer and stuff like that you’re not successful in life. Maybe it will open sort of like the floodgates to another career and if that works, hey great.” On the other hand: “If this is what I have to do every day to win a match … oh no, Jesus Christ, don’t. I’d rather be in bed.”
Best life advice
NFL star Micah Parsons, video-calling a young fan whose tearful reaction to Parsons being traded by the Dallas Cowboys was watched 5.2m times on TikTok. Parsons told Isaac, 7: “I saw that video bruh, I’m sorry, bruh. I hope you know, in life, things happen you can’t control, but you just got to keep going.”
Most at home with a GoPro
Jean Phillipe-Mateta, handed a camera at Wembley in May after Palace won their first ever FA Cup.
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Best use of fabric
Palace fans’ pre-match cup final tifo, recreating a 2011 TV crowd-shot cutaway of two boys celebrating a Palace goal with their dad. The dad, Mark, died in 2017; the sons, Nathan and Dominic, were at Wembley. Nathan: “We had no idea it was going to be us … then out of nowhere someone told us and we broke down in tears as soon as we saw. It shows there’s still a real love, not just for my dad, but for all the loved ones who didn’t get to see this.”
54 big seconds from the 98th minute at Hampden Park.
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