It is unlikely that both football and cricket fans across the globe will forget the 2024-25 season anytime soon.
Especially the European football scene which finally came to an end after a breathless 12-month grind, starting way back in August and concluding with the first ever instalment of the new FIFA Club World Cup in July.
But what perhaps will live on more in the memories are the success stories of the underachievers, after all, who doesn’t love a good underdog story?
And there were plenty in the way of feel-good stories and upsets in the just concluded Club World Cup.
Shocks aplenty
Inter Miami stunned Porto, Botafogo shocked Paris Saint Germain, Flamengo got the better of Chelsea, Benfica edged past Bayern Munich, Fluminense upset Inter Milan before Al Hilal surprised Manchester City for an epic victory.
To cap it all off, Chelsea outclassed favourites PSG in the grand finale, further encapsulating the underdog spirit.
The Blues have a glorious history of winning major trophies, especially under previous owner Roman Abramovich and former manager Jose Mourinho, but they were pretty much a team in transition since new owner Todd Boehly took over, and failed to qualify for the Champions League the last couple of years.
Their transfer strategy in recent times was also chaotic at best with a plethora of ins and outs.
Up against them was the might of current Champions League winners PSG, steered by probably the world’s best manager right now in Luis Enrique and featuring a formidable frontline, including Ballon d’Or hopeful Ousmane Dembele and young star Desire Doue, alongside the industry of Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz.
En route to the final, the Parisians had thrashed Madrid rivals Atletico and Real and also overcame Bayern.
Enzo Maresca’s charges however, ripped off the script in a devastating display in the first half, racing to a 3-0 lead, orchestrated brilliantly by Cole Palmer.
The London outfit eventually held the fort and executed Maresca’s plans to a tee, providing a blueprint for the other teams to follow in how to thwart the French side, who only a month ago claimed their maiden Champions League title after hammering Inter Milan.
Season of surprises
Newcastle United started it all last March when they beat powerhouses Liverpool in the League Cup final, as Eddie Howe’s men ended a long 56-year wait for a major trophy.
For Crystal Palace supporters though, the anticipation spanned much, much longer as the Eagles had never lifted major silverware in their history.
It all changed last May as Oliver Glasner’s disciples registered a dramatic win over giants Man City in the FA Cup final.
Derided in the last few decades for not making enough headway in European competitions, at times unfairly towards ex-player Harry Kane and current captain Son Heung-min, Tottenham Hotspur too had their moment of glory in the same month as they defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final.
Bologna (Italian Cup) and VfB Stuttgart (German Cup) also clinched silverware ahead of the more established names.
The Women’s Champions League final witnessed a stunning upset as well as superpower Barcelona Femeni, with Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati and the other usual suspects, suffered a loss at the hands of Arsenal.
Cricket not far behind
Following a similar path, the month of June was kind to first-time winners in cricket, the gentleman’s game. Just ask Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the South Africa men’s team.
Bengaluru finally broke their Indian Premier League duck at the 18th attempt, and the same can be said about star cricketer Virat Kohli, who has represented RCB in every edition since the money-spinning tournament’s inception.
The men in orange and black previously came close in 2009, 2011 and 2016 but fell short on each occasion in the final.
Victory against Punjab Kings in the final was sweet vindication for the former India captain who is the only player to have played for a single franchise in all editions since the Twenty20 league began in 2008. Loyalty personified.
Last but not least, the Proteas reigned supreme in the World Test Championship for the first time, acing serial winners Australia in the final to also bring to a halt a 26-year wait for an ICC trophy.
Leading up to the Lord’s decider, Shukri Conrad’s players copped a lot of criticism over their supposedly “easier” route to the final but Temba Bavuma and Co had the final laugh and dished out the perfect riposte to critics.
Captain Bavuma led from the front, while Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada starred with the willow and cherry respectively.
Rabada was no doubt a strong candidate for the player of the match award after notching nine wickets in the game, but it ultimately went to Markram who saw both sides of the coin with his 0 and magnificent 136 – an innings considered by famous cricket writer Andrew Miller to be the greatest ever in Tests by a South African.
The Proteas were rightly emotional with Keshav Maharaj breaking down in tears while talking to former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith after the game, and the usually composed Dale Steyn too unable to hold back the teardrops in a video interview later.
The entire cricket world lauded the South Africans. After all, everyone loves a good underdog story.
