History rarely moves in straight lines, and sport—perhaps more than any other human pursuit—thrives on its unpredictability. Yet even by those standards, 2025 stood apart. It was a year when decades-old jinxes collapsed under the weight of belief, when patience was rewarded in spectacular fashion, and when long-suffering fans across continents were finally granted release from heartbreak.

From football’s grandest stages to cricket’s most unforgiving formats, from NBA arenas to Formula One circuits, and from athletics tracks to women’s sport rewriting its own narrative, 2025 became the year redemption finally arrived. Trophies were lifted, barriers were breached, and labels that had haunted players and teams for years were finally discarded.

For Indian sport, the year following the Paris Olympics was expected to be quieter, marked by a lighter competitive calendar. Instead, it delivered its usual cocktail of drama—controversies that erupted overnight, federations making headlines for the wrong reasons, emotional highs swiftly followed by crushing lows. And yet, amid the chaos, hope persisted. Chess, women’s cricket, para-athletics and individual brilliance offered rays of optimism that cut through the gloom.

What united these stories—globally and domestically—was not just success, but timing. These victories came after years of waiting, questioning, and enduring ridicule. In hindsight, 2025 will be remembered not simply as a year of champions, but as the year sport kept its greatest promise: that perseverance eventually pays.

PSG’s European Obsession Finally Ends in Triumph

Few modern football stories have been as intensely dissected as Paris Saint-Germain’s pursuit of the UEFA Champions League. Since their Qatari takeover in 2011, PSG invested billions, assembling superstar-laden squads designed for one purpose: conquering Europe. Yet season after season, heartbreak followed—late collapses, improbable comebacks by opponents, and exits that reinforced their reputation as nearly men.

In 2025, that narrative finally ended.

PSG lifted their first-ever Champions League title, ending a 32-year drought for French clubs in the competition. The victory was both cathartic and symbolic, representing the culmination of years of financial commitment, strategic rebuilding, and resilience in the face of repeated failure. For Paris, it was more than a trophy—it was the shedding of a stigma that had defined the club for over a decade.

The night PSG conquered Europe instantly entered French sporting folklore, marking the moment ambition finally aligned with achievement.

Harry Kane and Tottenham: Two Long Waits Finally Over

For years, Harry Kane’s brilliance was overshadowed by one uncomfortable statistic—a complete absence of major trophies. Despite being one of the most prolific strikers of his generation, Kane’s time in the Premier League yielded individual accolades but no silverware. Jokes followed him relentlessly, and critics questioned whether his loyalty had cost him legacy.

That burden disappeared in 2025, when Kane lifted his first major trophy after Bayern Munich clinched the Bundesliga title. The images of Kane celebrating resonated globally, offering long-awaited vindication for a player whose quality had never been in doubt.

Meanwhile, Kane’s former club experienced its own moment of deliverance. Tottenham Hotspur, burdened by a 17-year trophy drought dating back to 2008, finally tasted glory by winning the Europa League. For Spurs supporters, it was an emotional reckoning—a release after years of false dawns, lost finals, and perpetual rebuilding cycles.

Individual Redemption and Club Firsts Across Football

The year also witnessed one of football’s most remarkable personal comebacks. Ousmane Dembélé, once written off due to injuries and inconsistency, reached the pinnacle of individual success by winning the Ballon d’Or. His triumph was a testament to resilience and patient nurturing of talent, redefining a career many believed had peaked too early.

In England, Crystal Palace etched their name into history by winning their first major trophy, lifting the FA Cup in a stunning achievement that sent shockwaves through the footballing world. In a landscape dominated by traditional giants, Palace’s triumph embodied the underdog spirit that defined 2025.

Elsewhere, football saw a cascade of long-awaited celebrations:

• Go Ahead Eagles ended a 93-year drought

• Newcastle United lifted a trophy after 70 years

• Bologna claimed the Coppa Italia, ending a 51-year wait

• VfB Stuttgart won the DFB-Pokal

• Inter Miami secured major silverware in the MLS era

• Arsenal Women returned to winning ways after years of near misses

Rarely had so many clubs, across so many leagues, shattered historical droughts in a single calendar year.

RCB, Kohli and the IPL’s Most Emotional Night

In Indian sport, no moment carried greater emotional weight than Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL triumph. For nearly two decades, RCB fans endured heartbreak, memes, and repeated near misses. The franchise became synonymous with unfulfilled potential.

On 3 June 2025, that curse finally lifted.

RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in a dramatic final to win their first IPL title. For Virat Kohli, widely regarded as one of cricket’s modern greats, the victory ended a 17-year wait for the trophy that had eluded him throughout his IPL career. The celebrations were unprecedented, reflecting not just victory, but years of accumulated emotion.

South Africa’s ICC Redemption

If any international side knew the pain of repeated heartbreak, it was South Africa. For decades branded “chokers,” the Proteas consistently faltered at decisive moments despite fielding world-class teams.

In 2025, that narrative finally changed.

South Africa won their first ICC trophy since 1998, defeating Australia to claim the World Test Championship. The victory was monumental, erasing a 27-year-long psychological burden and proving the team could triumph when it mattered most.

India’s women’s team's first Women’s World Cup title

Women’s cricket also witnessed history. India’s women’s team finally captured their first Women’s World Cup title, defeating Australia in the semi-finals before overcoming South Africa in the final on November 3. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the triumph promised to reshape Indian cricket’s gender narrative, long dominated by the men’s game.

Adding to the significance, South Africa’s women reached their first-ever World Cup final, ensuring a new champion would be crowned for the first time in 25 years, breaking the historical dominance of Australia, England and New Zealand.

Mixed Fortunes for Indian Men’s Cricket

While the women soared, India’s men experienced a year of contrasts. The ODI team lifted its third Champions Trophy, and the T20 side won the Asia Cup—a triumph overshadowed by a handshake controversy that delayed the trophy’s arrival even months later.

The Test team, however, endured a humbling 0–2 home whitewash against South Africa, triggering speculation over Gautam Gambhir’s future as head coach.

Oklahoma City Thunder and Lando Norris Rewrite History

In basketball, the Oklahoma City Thunder produced one of the season’s biggest shocks by winning their first-ever NBA Championship. Ending one of the league’s longest active droughts, the Thunder’s victory signaled a shift away from superteam dominance and toward youthful, organic success.

Motorsport had its own breakthrough moment as Lando Norris claimed his first Formula One World Championship, delivering McLaren’s first drivers’ title since 2008. The achievement ended a 17-year drought for the team and validated Norris’s steady rise among F1’s elite.

Rare Glory Across Global Sport

The underdog theme continued worldwide:

• Hobart Hurricanes won their first BBL title

• Newcastle United lifted the Carabao Cup

• Stuttgart added the DFB-Pokal to their cabinet

Each victory reinforced the sense that 2025 belonged to those who had waited the longest.

Neeraj Chopra Breaks the 90-Metre Barrier

Indian athletics celebrated a defining moment when Neeraj Chopra finally breached the elusive 90-metre mark, throwing 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League. The achievement silenced years of speculation and symbolized perseverance at its finest.

Later in the year, Chopra fulfilled another ambition by hosting the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru. Over 14,000 spectators packed the Sree Kanteerava Stadium as he claimed gold at his own event, marking a milestone for Indian athletics infrastructure and fan engagement.

Indian Football’s Crisis—and Contrasting Hope

While individual sports thrived, Indian football’s structural crisis deepened. The Indian Super League remained suspended, leaving clubs and players in limbo. The senior men’s team suffered a historic defeat to Bangladesh for the first time in 22 years, finishing last in an AFC Asian Cup qualifying group alongside Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Yet hope emerged at youth and women’s levels. The India U17 men’s team qualified for the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup 2026, while the senior women’s team earned a direct berth to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The U20 women’s team also qualified for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in 20 years.

Global Ambitions and Chess Brilliance

India hosted its first World Para Athletics Championships, finishing with a record 22 medals—six gold, nine silver and seven bronze—to place 10th overall. The event bolstered India’s credentials ahead of its 2036 Olympics bid and the confirmed 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.

In chess, Divya Deshmukh, just 19, defeated Koneru Humpy in an all-Indian FIDE Women’s World Cup final, securing India’s first title in the tournament and achieving her Grandmaster norm along the way.

Highs, Lows and Lingering Questions

Indian badminton endured injury setbacks, with PV Sindhu sidelined and HS Prannoy struggling through a difficult season. Lakshya Sen revived his year by winning the Australian Open Super 500, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand defended their Syed Modi International title.

In hockey, India’s men won the Asia Cup after eight years but struggled in the FIH Pro League, narrowly avoiding relegation. The women’s team fared worse, suffering relegation after eight straight defeats. Junior teams showed promise but fell short of podium finishes.

Wrestling remained controversy-ridden, with Aman Sehrawat’s suspension and eventual reinstatement, while Antim Panghal redeemed herself with a World Championships bronze.

The Year the Jinxes Finally Fell

If 2025 taught the sporting world anything, it was that no curse is permanent. From PSG to RCB, from South Africa to Neeraj Chopra, the year belonged to those who refused to stop believing.

2025 will be remembered as the year waiting ended—when droughts broke, underdogs triumphed, and sport once again reminded us why it holds such power over human emotion. Because in sport, as in life, persistence does not always guarantee success—but when it finally pays off, it rewrites destiny itself.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Vygr Media.