By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 1, 2023

With another interesting year of sports coming to an end, 2022 has been full of incredible moments in a variety of sporting areas. There have been underdog tales of greatness, and champions reaching new, record-breaking highs.

The year probably went down in history as the year of the the ‘Greatest Of All Time,’ with many of those in the ‘GOAT’ conversation in their respective sporting areas either achieving some crowning glories, ending their careers, or in a very sad development like that of Pele, died as legends.

Read the top 10 sporting moments in 2022:

1. ‘King of Football,’ Pele, dies at 82

An eventful year of sport ended on a sad note as one of its greatest exponents – Brazilian icon Pele died at the age of 82.

Pele, who is regarded by many as the ‘King of football’, died less than three days before the end of the year (2022).

Regarded as one of the ‘GOATs’, Pele unfortunately spent the final month of his life in the hospital battling colon cancer and died following multiple organ failures as a result of the disease.

Pele was the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation, the eternal master of the beautiful game.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in October 1940, Pele played his first game for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956.

Pele won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970. His sumptuous range of skills made him the embodiment of his country’s golden age of football.

When Pele finally retired in 1977, he had scored more than 1,000 goals, including scoring 77 for Brazil.

Indeed, while the debate of who is GOAT went on again in 2022, there is no doubt that Pele is firmly in the conversation.

2. The ‘GOAT’ debate and Messi’s Argentina winning World Cup

Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe and Giroud

The Qatar 2022 World Cup final was full of intrigues. From early goals to late drama, it also ended on a satisfying note for many football fans. For some, Lionel Messi cemented his place as the GOAT by leading Argentina to World Cup glory.

For all of the controversy surrounding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, matters on the field did not disappoint and the host nation could not have dreamt of a better finale as Argentina and France – both of whom’s star men played for Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain – went head to head.

While Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal had dropped in an earlier stage, Kylian Mbappe’s France dragged on to face Argentina in the finals.

Mbappe first converted from the penalty spot before firing a brilliant first-time volley into the bottom far corner just 97 seconds later, ultimately forcing extra time despite Messi coming close to a storybook ending with a fierce shot in the 97th minute which was saved by Hugo Lloris.

Mbappe’s performance in the World Cup probably placed him as one of the youngest in the ‘GOAT’ conversation. For Messi, that was his last World Cup.

3. Serena Williams retires at US Open

Serena Williams receives a standing ovation from spectators after being knocked out in the first round at Wimbledon

Fans bid farewell to arguably the greatest women’s player of all time at the US Open.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion announced before the tournament that she would focus on other ventures, including being a ‘mother’ after the final Grand Slam of the year 2022. Williams surpassed many expectations by making it as far as the third round in only her fourth tournament in more than a year.

However, her third-round tie with Ajla Tomljanovic proved to be one step too far for the 40-year-old, who went down 7-5 [4]6-7 6-1 at the hands of the Australian in New York.

Serena later succumbed to a defeat that brought an end to her legendary 27-year professional career.

Report has it that Serena noted that she was likely to come back to tennis.

4. Ronaldo and Erik ten Hag fallout

Ten Hag and Ronaldo

Manchester United have announced that Cristiano Ronaldo left the club by mutual agreement.

The club thanked the Portuguese for his contribution during the two spells which saw him score 145 goals in 346 appearances.

The Portugal star has joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on a two-year contract in a deal worth €200m per year with commercial benefits included.

The 37-year-old Portugal captain is a free agent after leaving Manchester United following a controversial interview in which he criticised the club.

Al Nassr, nine-time Saudi Pro League champions, described the signing of former Real Madrid star as “history in the making”.

The club said it would “inspire our league, nation and future generations to be the best version of themselves.”

After months of speculation over his future, Ronaldo went nuclear at Manchester United with an explosive interview from which there would be no way back.

5. Morocco shocked the world, reached World Cup semi-finals

Supporters cheer and light flares as Morocco’s national football team arrives to the center of the capital Rabat, on December 20, 2022, after the Qatar 2022 World Cup. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Morocco led Africa to reach the 2022 World Cup semi-finals. Never before had an Arab team gotten that far. Never before had a team garnered so much support from the whole globe. The team inspired Africans.

Morocco turned out to be the big dark horse of Qatar 2022. The Atlas Lions held Croatia to a stalemate in their opening game before beating Belgium in their second match and then Canada to round off their group stage in style.

Morocco were still major underdogs heading into their last-16 tie against Spain, yet overcame the 2010 winners on penalties, and then made it an Iberian double-header of scalps by beating Portugal in the quarter-finals.

6. Sport pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II 

Queen Elizabeth II

The United Kingdom, like the rest of the world, went into mourning in September as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died.

All Premier League, EFL and women’s matches were postponed on the weekend of the news, as were games in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The tributes were paid from the world of sport to the Queen on the day of her state funeral.

Sport came to a standstill across the UK on Monday as Britons paid their final respects to Queen Elizabeth, while organisations and individuals posted messages of condolence.

The English Football League also wrote on its Twitter page, “On the day of the funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the EFL and its clubs would like to join the nation in reflecting on the late Sovereign’s remarkable life of service to the country, and our thoughts are with the Royal Family.”

7. Oleksandr Usyk retains world titles after beating Anthony Joshua 

Anthony Joshua vs Usyk

Ukrainian Aleksander Usyk in August 2022, defeated British-Nigerian boxer, Anthony Joshua, by a split decision to win the heavyweight title rematch.

Usyk landed more solid jabs on Joshua in the final round and the former champion tried to counter with punches of his own.

Usyk retained the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO titles on a split decision.

The first judge had 115-113 in favour of Joshua while the second 115-113 to Usyk and the third 116-112 to Usyk.

Usyk, 35, had last year defeated the defending champion in London.

8. Roger Federer bids farewell to tennis

Switzerland’s Roger Federer (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer retired from tennis in September.

“The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event,” he had said in a statement posted on his Twitter account.

The 41-year-old winner of 20 Grand Slam titles had been out of action since a quarter-final loss at Wimbledon in 2021 before undergoing another bout of knee surgery.

According to Sportsmole, the pictures of Federer sat next to his greatest rival and fellow GOAT contender Rafael Nadal, with both players in floods of tears at the end of the best era in the sport’s history. They were some of the defining images of the year.

As it happened, Federer’s final match ended in defeat, but that was of secondary importance as he went out alongside Nadal in a thrilling doubles encountre for Team Europe against Team World, with his other great contemporaries Novak Djokovic and Sir Andy Murray watching on.

The main event came after the match itself, though, as tributes were paid to Federer and he got his chance to say goodbye to an adoring tennis world.

9. Tobi Amusan: Nigeria’s greatest sprinter of all time

Tobi Amusan

Nigerian sprinter Tobi Amusan pushed her way to victory through courage, hard work and determination to become the country’s greatest sprinter of all time.

The 25-year-old became the first-ever Nigerian athletics world champion and record holder in the 100m hurdles event at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

A report by The PUNCH noted that Amusan ran a time of 12.12secs – shaving almost a tenth of a second off the previous world record held by American Keni Harrison (12.20secs) – in the semi-finals of the event, before going on to win gold in the final at the Hayward Field stadium two hours later.

Her winning time of 12.06secs in the final was not recognised as a world record, however, due to regulations over a strong tailwind assisting runners.

Amusan was honoured by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). She was also honoured by the Governor of Ogun, her home state, Dapo Abiodun, for reaching such remarkable feats and making Nigeria proud.

10. Senegal win first-ever AFCON title 

Senegal AFCON 2021

Senegal lifted the African Cup of Nations trophy for the very first time, having previously lost in the 2002 and 2019 finals.

Source Punch Ng

Posted January 1, 2023

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