As we close out another year and chapter in our lives, I am taking a few moments to reflect back on the most significant memories of 2011 in the world of soccer—both at the club and international levels. It has been quite an interesting year on and off the field and though this year is ending, we have much to look forward to in 2012.
7. Fernando Torres to Chelsea There were many significant transfers this year, including Samir Nasri to Manchester City and Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona, but the one that got the most press was the star Spanish striker moving to Stamford Bridge for a fee of £50 million (yes, that is pounds), only to disappoint by not scoring his first goal for over 900 minutes of action.
6. Barcelona Dominance This seems to be a common trend the last few years, but again, we cannot ignore the greatness of Lionel Messi and his crew of Spanish stars. They once again dominated the Champions League when they dismantled a very good Manchester United squad in the final. They also won La Liga and even though Real Madrid won the coveted Copa del Rey, Barca still managed to win that battle.
5. FIFA Scandals 2011 started off with a scandal for FIFA in both the presidential election process and the picking of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup sights. There were accusations that choosing Qatar for 2022 was not clean. In the past few months, FIFA President Sepp Blatter attracted criticism when he denied the presence of racism in soccer. This was followed up by serious allegations against prominent EPL players Luis Suarez and John Terry that they used racial abuse during matches. Hopefully, 2012 will be a better year for FIFA with World Cup qualifying and the Euro Cup.
4. Manchester City’s Rise to Prominence City flirted with the top of the table during last season’s campaign, only falling when United smacked them down with the goal of a lifetime (see below) and recaptured the title. City was not deterred and acquired Samir Nasri over the summer and came out on fire this season, culminating in a 6-2 shellacking of hated cross-town rivals Manchester United. Both teams are currently tied atop the table, so 2012 should bring much drama in the EPL. City’s talent, however, is not to be doubted any longer.
3. Hiring of Jürgen Klinsmann At the end of July, after much speculation, the US Soccer Federation fired embattled coach Bob Bradley and hired fan-favorite Klinsmann. This was a move that many thought was going to happen a few years ago, but finally came to fruition in 2011. Klinsmann’s start to the US era has been slightly disappointing, but with a few months to go until World Cup qualifying, he still has time to measure the talent available and create a side that will be somewhat respected on the international scene.
2. Wayne Rooney Bicycle Kick If you have not seen this play yet, please do so now. This was one of the best goals I have ever seen and came near the end of the crucial aforementioned match against a surging Manchester City squad. It is also synonymous with the growth in Rooney’s career as a professional soccer player and will be replayed on top ten lists for centuries to come.
1. Women’s World Cup In any other year, Rooney’s goal would have taken the top spot. However, for anyone who watched the WWC this summer, you will agree that this was the soccer event of the year. Women’s soccer has never been considered on the same level as the men’s game, but the women proved they are no joke. The feel-good story was the US Women’s team, which was the favorite going in, but did not win their group, then had some amazing matches against Brazil and Japan in the knockout round. In the end, even though the US, Brazilian, and German teams got all the coverage, an underdog Japanese team took the title by showing that heart can win out over talent. The sportsmanship displayed during the tournament left a good taste in everyone’s mouths, a refreshing turn from the embarrassing antics by some of the men’s national teams in the recent World Cup.
As you can see, this has been a fantastic year of soccer at all levels. This year was also big for me personally, as I joined the ranks of soccer journalism with MyBriefs.com, and it has been a wonderful ride. I hope you stick with us into the New Year, as we get ready for the great goals, moments, and competitions of 2012!
