Sports

Rise of Mbappe, scourge of ball-tampering: 2018 sporting highlights

Top 10 sports moments of 2018
Kylian Mbappe, who proved his credentials and more at this event, celebrates with the trophy.

It was a memorable year for sport in 2018, with the World Cup in Russia, a cricketing controversy and Serena Williams' bizarre outburst grabbing the headlines.

Here, AFP Sport takes a look at 10 sporting highlights from the last 12 months:

 

France won World Cup 2018

FRANCE WIN WORLD CUP

France won the World Cup on July 15 in Moscow, beating Croatia 4-2 in the highest-scoring final for 52 years. Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann all hit the target. Mbappe was not even born when France claimed the World Cup on home soil in 1998, their only previous win.

 

Welshman Geraint Thomas celebrates on the podium in yellow jersey of the overall leader on the penultimate day of the Tour de France . Photo: REUTERS

THOMAS TAKES TOUR DE FRANCE

Welshman Geraint Thomas savoured the sweetest of Tour de France victories on July 29, eclipsing all challengers including Sky teammate Chris Froome, the four-time former winner, in the showcase Champs-Elysees finish to win his maiden Grand Tour title.

 

Jose Mourinho
Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho gestures after the final whistle the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester United at Turf Moor. Photo: AFP

MOURINHO'S THIRD-SEASON JINX

Jose Mourinho's third-season jinx struck again when he was fired by Manchester United on December 18 after a lengthy slump in fortunes at Old Trafford. He was sacked from his two previous jobs, at Chelsea and Real Madrid, following similar third-season slumps.

 

Serena Williams argues with referee Brian Earley during the US Open Women's Singles final match against Naomi Osaka. Photo: AFP

SERENA'S US OPEN TIRADE

Serena Williams' bid for a 24th Grand Slam title imploded in a furious tirade against umpire Carlos Ramos in the US Open final on September 8. Williams called him a thief after he docked her a point for two code violations. Her explosion then earned her a game penalty, prompting a further outburst and putting Japan's Naomi Osaka within one game of victory. Osaka went on to win her first Grand Slam 6-2, 6-4.

 

Real Madrid celebrate their third successive Champions League victory after defeating Liverpool 3-1 in the final in Kiev. Photos: REUTERS/AFP

REAL MADRID'S TRIPLE

Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev on May 26 to win the Champions League for the third time in a row under coach Zinedine Zidane and the 13th in total for the Spanish giants. It proved to be Zidane's last game at the club who were also weakened by the departure of star striker Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus.

 

F1 World Drivers Champion Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates with his team after the Formula One Grand Prix of Mexico. Photo: AFP

FIFTH IN A ROW FOR HAMILTON

Lewis Hamilton dominated the 2018 Formula One season, winning 11 grand prix in a fault-free year and taking his fifth drivers' championship as the challenge from Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari faded in the second half of the year. The 33-year-old Briton, who drives for Mercedes, says he is now ready to compete for a sixth title.

 

Steve Smith ball tampering scandal
A file photo taken on March 29, 2018 show Australian cricket player Steve Smith reacting at a press conference at the airport in Sydney, after returning from South Africa. Photo:AFP

CRICKET IN CRISIS

Australian cricket was engulfed in a cheating scandal that triggered national soul-searching about sport and fair play. Test captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft were banned, while coach Darren Lehmann resigned after ball-tampering was caught by cameras during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

 

The closing ceremony set the seal on 16 days of competition in Pyeongchang. Photo: AFP

KOREAN OLYMPIC THAW

The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February produced a thaw in ties with nuclear-armed North Korea, who sent a team to take part in the Games as well as cheerleaders and the highest-ranking diplomatic delegation ever to venture south of the heavily defended inter-Korean border.

 

IRELAND BEAT ALL BLACKS

Less than one year out from the World Cup, Ireland ended a 100-year wait on November 17, beating world champions New Zealand for the first time on Irish soil. The 16-9 victory marked a memorable end to an outstanding year for the Irish who won 11 out of 12 Tests, claiming the Six Nations Grand Slam, winning their three-Test series against Australia 2-1 and establishing themselves as genuine World Cup contenders in 2019.

Czech Republic's Ester Ledecka celebrates after winning the big final of the women's snowboard parallel giant slalom event at the Phoenix Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. Photo: AFP

LEDECKA'S OLYMPIC FIRST

Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic sealed the first ski-snowboard double in Olympic history at the Pyeongchang Winter Games. The snowboard world champion and favourite performed brilliantly to win the women's snowboard parallel giant slalom on February 24, a week after stunning the alpine skiing world by capturing gold in the Super-G.

 

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Rise of Mbappe, scourge of ball-tampering: 2018 sporting highlights

Top 10 sports moments of 2018
Kylian Mbappe, who proved his credentials and more at this event, celebrates with the trophy.

It was a memorable year for sport in 2018, with the World Cup in Russia, a cricketing controversy and Serena Williams' bizarre outburst grabbing the headlines.

Here, AFP Sport takes a look at 10 sporting highlights from the last 12 months:

 

France won World Cup 2018

FRANCE WIN WORLD CUP

France won the World Cup on July 15 in Moscow, beating Croatia 4-2 in the highest-scoring final for 52 years. Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann all hit the target. Mbappe was not even born when France claimed the World Cup on home soil in 1998, their only previous win.

 

Welshman Geraint Thomas celebrates on the podium in yellow jersey of the overall leader on the penultimate day of the Tour de France . Photo: REUTERS

THOMAS TAKES TOUR DE FRANCE

Welshman Geraint Thomas savoured the sweetest of Tour de France victories on July 29, eclipsing all challengers including Sky teammate Chris Froome, the four-time former winner, in the showcase Champs-Elysees finish to win his maiden Grand Tour title.

 

Jose Mourinho
Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho gestures after the final whistle the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester United at Turf Moor. Photo: AFP

MOURINHO'S THIRD-SEASON JINX

Jose Mourinho's third-season jinx struck again when he was fired by Manchester United on December 18 after a lengthy slump in fortunes at Old Trafford. He was sacked from his two previous jobs, at Chelsea and Real Madrid, following similar third-season slumps.

 

Serena Williams argues with referee Brian Earley during the US Open Women's Singles final match against Naomi Osaka. Photo: AFP

SERENA'S US OPEN TIRADE

Serena Williams' bid for a 24th Grand Slam title imploded in a furious tirade against umpire Carlos Ramos in the US Open final on September 8. Williams called him a thief after he docked her a point for two code violations. Her explosion then earned her a game penalty, prompting a further outburst and putting Japan's Naomi Osaka within one game of victory. Osaka went on to win her first Grand Slam 6-2, 6-4.

 

Real Madrid celebrate their third successive Champions League victory after defeating Liverpool 3-1 in the final in Kiev. Photos: REUTERS/AFP

REAL MADRID'S TRIPLE

Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev on May 26 to win the Champions League for the third time in a row under coach Zinedine Zidane and the 13th in total for the Spanish giants. It proved to be Zidane's last game at the club who were also weakened by the departure of star striker Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus.

 

F1 World Drivers Champion Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates with his team after the Formula One Grand Prix of Mexico. Photo: AFP

FIFTH IN A ROW FOR HAMILTON

Lewis Hamilton dominated the 2018 Formula One season, winning 11 grand prix in a fault-free year and taking his fifth drivers' championship as the challenge from Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari faded in the second half of the year. The 33-year-old Briton, who drives for Mercedes, says he is now ready to compete for a sixth title.

 

Steve Smith ball tampering scandal
A file photo taken on March 29, 2018 show Australian cricket player Steve Smith reacting at a press conference at the airport in Sydney, after returning from South Africa. Photo:AFP

CRICKET IN CRISIS

Australian cricket was engulfed in a cheating scandal that triggered national soul-searching about sport and fair play. Test captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft were banned, while coach Darren Lehmann resigned after ball-tampering was caught by cameras during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

 

The closing ceremony set the seal on 16 days of competition in Pyeongchang. Photo: AFP

KOREAN OLYMPIC THAW

The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February produced a thaw in ties with nuclear-armed North Korea, who sent a team to take part in the Games as well as cheerleaders and the highest-ranking diplomatic delegation ever to venture south of the heavily defended inter-Korean border.

 

IRELAND BEAT ALL BLACKS

Less than one year out from the World Cup, Ireland ended a 100-year wait on November 17, beating world champions New Zealand for the first time on Irish soil. The 16-9 victory marked a memorable end to an outstanding year for the Irish who won 11 out of 12 Tests, claiming the Six Nations Grand Slam, winning their three-Test series against Australia 2-1 and establishing themselves as genuine World Cup contenders in 2019.

Czech Republic's Ester Ledecka celebrates after winning the big final of the women's snowboard parallel giant slalom event at the Phoenix Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. Photo: AFP

LEDECKA'S OLYMPIC FIRST

Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic sealed the first ski-snowboard double in Olympic history at the Pyeongchang Winter Games. The snowboard world champion and favourite performed brilliantly to win the women's snowboard parallel giant slalom on February 24, a week after stunning the alpine skiing world by capturing gold in the Super-G.

 

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