₦airaland Forum

Football has provided countless breathtaking and unforgettable moments over the course of 2013. Here, FIFA.com singles out 13 occasions that helped make this a year to remember in the beautiful game.

Messi eclipses icons
7 January
Having scored 91 goals in 69 appearances during 2012, Lionel Messi’s reward came at the start of this year with a record-breaking fourth successive FIFA Ballon d’Or. The little Argentinian duly superseded Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff and achieved a feat he described as “just too great for words”.

Mba sends Eagles soaring
10 February
It was a goal worthy of winning any match, and Sunday Mba’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations-winning strike brought joy and relief to an entire nation.Nigeria had not won a major trophy in 17 years going into the continental showpiece, but despite the best efforts of debutant finalists Burkina Faso, Mba’s precise volley – after flicking the ball over his opponent’s head – proved sufficient to secure the African crown.

Barça pass the baton
1 May
The trophies would come later, but arguably the defining match of Bayern Munich’s remarkable year came in the UEFA Champions League semi-final at the Camp Nou, where – already four goals up from the first leg – they cruised to a stunning 3-0 victory.It was Barcelona’s record defeat in continental competition, and symbolised in spectacular fashion the Catalans’ replacement by Bayern as Europe’s supreme footballing force.

Fergie’s farewell
8 May
Seventeen days after securing the 13th league championship of his tenure as Manchester United manager, and 27 years after first taking the job, Sir Alex Ferguson stunned everyone by announcing his retirement. He bid a fond farewell to the club’s fans four days later in his 1500th and final match in charge, admitting that he had fulfilled his ambition of “going out a winner”.

Robben’s redemption
25 May
Having been the villain in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, when he missed an extra-time penalty against Chelsea, Arjen Robben made spectacular amends in the 2013 decider. The Dutchman emerged as the key player in the all-German Wembley showpiece, setting up the first and then scoring an 89th-minute winner as Borussia Dortmund were beaten 2-1.

Wambach surpasses Hamm
21 June
Like every women’s footballer of her generation, Abby Wambach grew up idolising Mia Hamm, and was in awe of the iconic forward when the two played together. In June, however, the current USA talisman eclipsed her legendary predecessor by moving beyond Hamm’s world-record goal tally of 158 by striking four times in a 5-0 victory over Korea Republic.

Brazil’s Maracana marvels
30 June
A FIFA Confederations Cup final between hosts Brazil and Spain, reigning European and world champions, promised to be a veritable battle of the titans.In fact, it was something of a mismatch, with A Seleção laying down a marker for 2014 with a resounding and thoroughly merited 3-0 triumph in front of raucous and delirious Maracana crowd.

Turkish delight for France
13 July
The emergence of an exciting new
generation of French players, led by player of the tournament Paul Pogba, was capped by victory in the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.This Bleuets team proved that they had the mental steel to match their technical skills by emerging triumphant from a decisive penalty shootout against Uruguay, in which goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was the hero with two crucial saves.

Galo’s comeback kids crowned
24 July
Atletico Mineiro maintained Brazil’s recent stranglehold on the Copa Libertadores, but they did it the hard way. In both the semi-final and final against Newell’s Old Boys and Olimpia respectively, they recovered from 2-0 first-leg defeats by winning the second legs by an identical margin – and triumphing in the resultant penalty shootouts. In the decider, Matias Gimenez’s decisive miss from the spot handed O Galo the first South American crown of their 105-year history.

Angerer to the rescue
28 July
Germany’s latest UEFA Women’s EURO title might have been their sixth in succession, but it was heavily indebted to one player.Veteran goalkeeper Nadine Angerer maintained her nation’s grip on the trophy by saving from the penalty spot not once, but twice, in a tight 1-0 final win over Norway.

wetin consign blue jersey and mermaid

In choosing a spouse, a lot of people have different things that attracts them to the opposite gender.For some, it is the beauty of the other gender; for others it is their character.So, What are the most important qualities needed in choosing the right partner?

Share your views....

double post

philfearon: Why not!!
Check minutes Played and overall input,you will be Wowed!!
However,If Messi doesnt Win it,RIBERY is the Only Deserving Candidate for it!!""
Ronaldo can win the highest goal scorer of 2013 if he wants!!

No matter what you say Ronaldo will still win the award.His performance against sweden automatically made him the winner.Ribery is good but he dosen't possess that extra quality.As for messi, too bad he got injured.

I have never experienced any problem with GTB ATM.So, I will give it to GTB.

Nani

The next poster will be a Nigerian

No excuse for FIFA not to give Ronaldo this award.

Damn, and that's my favourite part of a chicken.

One more goal remaining for Man city.Liverpool will smell pepper.

Liverpool is in trouble.Mancity 3-1 Liverpool

I would really appreciate it if you put this thread on frontpage.Thank you

https://www.nairaland.com/1568773/what-favourite-music-video-2013

Arsenal will never change.IGG

Chelsea is winning 2-0 today.

Hull city seriously messed up.They should have gone for hardcore defending immediately they scored two.

usbcable: love the theme in the picture
but no portuguese greeting from pepe or fabio or cris?

Check again.Ronaldo is the person in the middle.

It was definitely wizkid.

If the game remains this way, i see hull city snatching a heart breaking goal in the last five minutes.

United recieving it hot.spiritual beating.

Which Nigerian Tv station was your favourite in 2013 and which was your worst?

Nobody is gonna make me angry this December.So, I will just let this pass.

Hull city 1-1 United

Liverpool is in trouble today.They won't escape.Man city 3-1 Liverpool

No, we don't want kenya or any african team.We should play a tough european,south american or even an asian opponent.

Its so funny how people are seriously advicing a lunatic.

MODS frontpage please

Lovely couple

[quote author=sкчscrαρεr™]It will be safe if you become mad. Try it and thank me later.[/quote][size=24pt]GOD FORBID[/size]