As we wind our packages this year and wait for Christmas to knock our doors and embark a new year-2016, it’s time to look at the top-5 moments from football that mark 2015. Mixed with records to scandals, prodigies to failures, transfers to laundering, this year was also a happening one right from the start.
Here are the top 5 moments-
#5 Sepp Blatter and Michel Plantini under watch glass!
Middle of the year saw scandals and accusation dotting the career of FIFA president Sepp Blatter. The charges included money laundering for world cup bids, marketing rights and television rights.
The 2022 World Cup, going to be hosted by Qatar also came under the eye of US intelligence agency FBI accusing that Qatar paid $1.5 Million to African Football Confederation president Issa Hayatou, Ivory Coast Fifa member Jacques Anouma and Nigeria's suspended official Amos Adamu to vote for Qatar; and all this was done under the nose of Blatter.
In September 2015, Swiss public television channel SRF published that Blatter would have sold the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup rights in North America for US$600,000, a small fraction of their market value.
Later on, on 25 September, criminal proceedings were started against Blatter and later his appeal was rejected in November against his wrongdoings.
Following the same boulevard, UEFA President, Michel Platini was suspended for 90 days by FIFA’s ethics committee on the charges of lobbying and disproportioning.
#4 Barcelona’s treble
Barcelona's Champions League win followed their La Liga and Copa del Rey triumphs to complete the treble for Luis Enrique's team.
In the process, Barca became the first team to do the treble twice by following the accomplishment of Pep Guardiola's team in the 2008/09 season.
Following this vintage run, they are one of the eight teams who have won the domestic league, domestic cup and have later claimed to be the champions of Europe!
They had an easy win against Juventus in Champions League final and against Athletico Bilbao in Copa del Ray finals while they finished at the top spot in La Liga in style.
Credits to the stupendous triplet of Messi, Suarez and Neymar, Barcelona had an unbeaten stint last season despite some shaky start but all’s well that ends well. A triplet leading to treble, coincidence?
#3. Chelsea Crisis
The special one, Jose Mourinho would have never expected even in worst of his dreams that he will wake up to find him yearning, to put his boots on and take Chelsea out- of a crisis!
So far, Chelsea has lost 8 of their 15 premier league games and even towards finishing in the bottom 3 if they don’t win further. A war of words with Arsene Wenger, free transfer of Chelsea legend Petr Cech, altercation with the doctor, Eva Carneiro, guess these were the things that started protruding a negative image of him.
Diego Costa’s form, Eden Hazard’s scoring streak, Fabregas and Oscar in the midfield, nothing of this worked out this season that led Chelsea to Premier League title last season by a record margin.
Fans and the owner have been backing Mou after every now and then, but it’s time for Chelsea to ponder over rejuvenation and a permanent solution towards the ongoing crisis.
#4 Not a one season wonder, but a wonder boy- Harry Kane
Some call him as “one season wonder” while others proclaim his as the next prince of English football. Amidst all this, the new boy has been able to engulf lot of media flux and fans all over the world.
His 21 goals last season that carried his team Tottenham Hotspurs to top 5 in premier league were good enough to make him the new football prodigy. But his slow start this season led to speculations of him being wonder of one season.
Not scoring in seven games continuously made him avail the accusation of being prone to his own success but he came from behind to return to his form against
Manchester city and so far has scored eight premier league goals to prove that a lot is yet to come.
He is fulfilling the role of team captain and is widely tipped as filling the void of Rooney after he will call himself off from the national duty.
#1 The Vardy party and Neymar bash
The top spot is a tie with the top scorers of two most sought out leagues from the football world- Neymar Jr and Jamie Vardy.
Talking of Brazilian first, this season has been an ecstatic one for him. Winning a treble, being the top scorer till now and being part of world’s deadliest trio- MSN makes his move to Barcelona, completely justified.
With a total of 16 goals for Barca, now he has a bell ringing for Messi and Ronaldo to retain their Ballon D’ors as he also one of the upcoming contenders and a strong one too.
Leicester city’s rise to the top of the premier league is one of the most heartwarming stories of recent times. And one of the main reasons backing this is their striker Jamie Vardy who has set a record after scoring in 11 consecutive games last month.
With 13 goals overall and an assurance of a spot in Euro Cup 2016 team spot if this form continues is all that takes for Vardy to be on cloud 9. Hodgson has an enviable choice of six strikers - Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Theo Walcott and 28-year-old Vardy - if they are all injury free next June.
So it is going to be tough knock for him but we wish he makes it through!
By Shruti Pandey
