Sports
SAFF U-19 Women’s: India beat Bhutan; Nepal crush Sri Lanka 6-0
India took a joint lead in the five-nation SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship’21 with an all-win run beating Bhutan by 3-0 goals in their 2nd match at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Wednesday evening.
In the day’s other match, Nepal crushed Sri Lanka by 6-0 goals, also in their 2nd match at the same venue in the afternoon.
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After the day’s match, India dominated the meet securing full six points from straight two matches while Bangladesh and Nepal followed the leader also with uneaten run securing four points each from two matches.
Earlier, Bangladesh played goalless draw with Nepal and they outplayed Bhutan 6-0, while India beat Sri Lanka 5-0.
In the day’s first match, Rashimi struck twice in the 5th and 85th minutes, while Sabita, Menuka Rajana and Saloni scored one each in the 6th, 43rd, 48th and 53rd minutes respectively for the Himalayan nation.
Read:National Football: Rangamati, Bagerhat districts win matches
In the next match, India will play hosts Bangladesh at 3 pm on Friday while Nepal will encounter Bhutan at 7 pm on the same day.
No maitree in hockey: India crush Bangladesh 9-0 in Champions Trophy
On the eve of the date that commemorates the pinnacle of India-Bangladesh joint efforts - December 16, Victory Day in both countries - the India hockey team seemed determined to signal the gulf in class and pedigree between themselves and their hosts at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here on Wednesday.
Showing no sign of wear and tear hardly 24 hrs on from their opening fixture against South Korea, a thrilling 2-2 draw in a fixture that may well repeat in the final, the Indian side turned on an exhibition of attacking play, overwhelming their hapless hosts 9-0 to taste their first win in the five-nation Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Hockey ’2021 - in fact the first win for any side in the tournament, after both fixtures on the opening day finished in draws.
The bronze medalists of this year's Tokyo Olympics, India were left to rue a raft of missed chances in the 2-2 draw with South Korea, on Tuesday.
With the feat, India dominated the league table with unbeat run securing four points from two matches while Bangladesh remained at bottom without any points playing one match.
In the day’s one sided match, Dilpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh scored two goals each while Lalit Kumar, Akashdeep Singh and Mandeep More scored one each for the winners-who started dominating early and led 3-0 at halftime.
Dilpreet Singh opened the floodgates for India in the 12th minute by field goal (1-0), while Dilpreet Singh doubled the Indian margin in the 22nd minute also by a field goal off a Sumit pass (2-0).
Jarmanpreet Singh scored the 3rd goal for India in the 28th minute from a penalty corner while Jarmanpreet Singh again made it 4-0 scoring one more goal in the 31st minute, also from a penalty corner (4-0).
In the 42nd minute, India scored the 5th goal from their 12th penalty corners while Dilpreet Singh further widen the Indian margin jn the 44th minute by a field goal (6-0),
Akashdeep Singh made it 7-0 in the in the 53rd minute while Mandeep More scored the 8th goal in the in the 54th minute from their 13th penalty corner (8-0).
Harmanpreet Singh sealed the fate of the match in the 56th minute converting another penalty corner (9-0).
India got 14 penalty corners to win the match comfortable while Bangladesh were able to make one unsuccessful attempt towards their target.
In the next match, India will play their traditional rivals Pakistan on Friday (Dec 17) 3:30 pm while Bangladesh will play Korea at 6 pm one the same day.
Pakistan played to a goalless draw against Japan in their first match to collect one points from one match.
The day’s other match between Korea and Japan ended in a 3-3 draw at the same venue Wednesday evening.
Achievements of Bangladesh in sports in 50 years since independence
On the 16th of December 1971, Bangladesh became an independent country. Glorious independence was achieved after a 9-month bloodbath with Pakistan and is celebrating its 50 years of victory in 2021. Apart from establishing East Pakistan as an independent state, Bangladesh has a significant challenge in making it an economically and socially reliant country. To this aim, Bangladesh has made significant progress in a variety of fields over the past five decades, and sports is no exception. Let's take a look at Bangladesh's significant sporting successes in 50 years of victory.
50 years of victory: What has Bangladesh achieved in the field of sports?
Ha-du-du, popularly known as Kabaddi is Bangladesh's national sport. There has been some significant international success in Kabaddi. Cricket has overtaken football as the most popular sport in the country in the last two decades, despite football being the most popular for the first three decades following independence. Cricket has become the national thing in Bangladesh as a result of its international success. In team sports, field hockey also has had some success. Besides, Bangladeshi athletes have achieved international success in individual sports. Here are some of Bangladesh's noteworthy international sporting accomplishments.
Read Top 10 Most Memorable Football Moments of 2021
Kabaddi
Only a handful of nations play Kabaddi outside South Asia because it's most popular in the Indian sub-continent. Therefore, Bangladesh does not face significant international competition. Yet, the Bangladesh Kabaddi team has never won a gold medal in a major tournament. They had to settle for silver and bronze medals the majority of the time. Bangladesh's greatest achievements in Kabaddi were in the World Cups in 2004 and 2007. They came in third place in both tournaments. Apart from that, Bangladesh won silver at the Asian Games in 1990, 1994, and 2002.
Football
Football is now Bangladesh's second-most popular sport, after only cricket. The majority of Bangladesh's men's football success in the last five decades came in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the Bangladesh Women's Football team has made significant improvements in recent years. Here are some notable achievements in both men's and women's football in Bangladesh.
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Men’s Football
The greatest success of Bangladesh's men's national football team was winning the SAFF Championship in 2003. The national team also won a gold medal in the 2010 South Asian Games. Besides, Bangladesh also won the President's Gold Cup in 1989 and the four nations Tiger Trophy in 1995.
Women’s Football
In recent years, the Bangladesh Women's national football team has had more success than the Bangladesh Men's national football team. Bangladesh's women's team took silver in the 2016 SAFF Women's Championship and bronze in the 2010 and 2016 South Asian Games.
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Field Hockey
Field hockey was one of Bangladesh's most popular sports In the 1980s and 1990s, but it faded away as a result of poor international performance. Bangladesh's national men's hockey team won bronze medals in the 1995, 2010, and 2016 South Asian Games. Apart from that, one of the greatest achievements for the national team was coming fifth in the 1982 Asia Cup.
Cricket
After winning the 1997 ICC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur, cricket has eclipsed all other sports in Bangladesh in terms of popularity. After winning the competition, Bangladesh qualified for the 1999 ICC One-Day International World Cup. Since then, Bangladesh has participated in all of the main ICC competitions on a regular basis. On the other side, Bangladesh's women's team recently qualified for the ICC ODI World Cup 2022. Here are some important achievements in Bangladeshi cricket, both men's and women's.
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Men’s Cricket
Cricket has been Bangladesh's most significant sporting achievement. Bangladesh's cricket team was awarded Test status in 2000, and they have since defeated some of the world's best teams in the format. The two biggest Test victories for Bangladesh's men's national team came against England in 2016 and Australia in 2017. Bangladesh's greatest performance in any ICC event was reaching the semifinals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. Apart from that, Bangladesh was runner-up in the 2012, 2016, and 2018 Asia Cup.
Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh has been regularly named the world's best all-rounder. He is regarded as one of the finest all-rounders in history. Aside from national team success, the Bangladesh U19 team won the 2020 ICC U19 World Cup, widely regarded as the country's greatest sporting feat.
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Women’s Cricket
The women's national team of Bangladesh stunned the world by winning the Asia Cup 2018 in Malaysia. They defeated a strong Indian side by three wickets in the final. The Women's team rose to prominence after winning the Asia Cup, and they have continued to make improvements since then. They also took home a gold medal at the South Asian Games in 2019. The women's team has won a number of bilateral series against some of the world's best teams. The ICC granted Bangladesh's women's team full Test and ODI status in April 2021.
Ball Sports
Handball, volleyball, basketball, and rugby are among the other ball sports federations in Bangladesh. However, neither of these sports has had any notable international success. The Bangladesh Men's Volleyball team earned silver in a tournament hosted in Pakistan in 2009 and the Bangladesh Basketball team took bronze in the South Asian Games in 2010. Meanwhile, Rugby is a relatively new sport in Bangladesh. Winning the Bowl final of the 2018 Asia Rugby Sevens Series has been the best achievement for the Bangladesh Rugby team.
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Combat Sports
Bangladesh has a variety of combat sports. Karate has been the most successful of them all. Bangladesh has won seven gold medals in karate in the South Asian Games thus far. Taekwondo, on the other hand, is the most popular combat sport in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Taekwondo team won two gold medals in the 2009 Open International Taekwondo Championships in Seoul, as well as a few gold medals at the South Asian Games.
Golf
Golf has gradually become a popular sport in Bangladesh after Siddikur Rahman won the 2010 Brunei Open, becoming the first Bangladeshi golfer to win an Asian Tour tournament. Siddikur also made history by being the first Bangladeshi to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio 2016. He finished 58th in the main event of the 2016 Olympics. Siddikur also won the Hero Indian Open in 2013.
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Chess
Bangladesh has had some success in chess and produced a number of grandmasters over the years. Niaz Murshed, Ziaur Rahman, Reefat Bin-Sattar, Abdullah Al Rakib, and Enamul Hossain are among them. Niaz Murshed is the first South Asian to be honored as a Grandmaster. Women International Masters from Bangladesh include Rani Hamid and Shamima Akter Liza. Rani Hamid is a three-time winner of the British Women's Chess Championship and the country's first Women International Master.
Shooting
Archery has been the most successful individual sport for Bangladesh. In the 1990 Commonwealth Games, Ateequr Rahman and Abdus Sattar won Gold in the Men's Air Pistol - Pair event, while Shooter Asif Hossain Khan won Gold in the Men's Air Rifle event in the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Bangladesh has also won four silver medals and two bronze medals in Commonwealth tournaments. Apart from that, Bangladesh won many Gold medals at the South Asian Games.
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Archery
In Archery, Ruman Shana won bronze in the 2019 World Archery Championships, making him the first Bangladeshi archer to win a medal in an international tournament. Shana was also a gold medalist at the 2019 Asia Cup, which was held in the Philippines. During the 2021 Archery World Cup, Diya Siddique and Ruman Shana took silver in the recurve mixed team event.
Athletics
Bangladesh has produced a number of talented athletes, swimmers, and weightlifters over the years. Bangladesh has consistently won international medals in these events. However, all of the success came in the South Asian Games. The Bangladesh Athletic Federation must take a more strategic plan to be successful at the Asian Games and the Olympics.
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Other Sports
Tennis, Table Tennis, and Squash all have federations in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's best-ever Tennis achievement was reaching the semi-finals of the David Cup in the Asian/Oceania Zone group in 1989. Bangladesh earned a few medals in Table Tennis at the South Asian Games. Besides, Squash in Bangladesh has shown promise, although the country has yet to reach international success.
Way Forward
Culture and sports development are two indicators of a country's economic progress. Bangladesh has achieved success in both of these areas in the recent past. Particularly in sports, there have been some significant achievements, with cricket accounting for the majority of them. In addition to mainstream sports, the most important aspect is that Bangladeshi athletes are also succeeding in non-traditional sports.
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Despite certain achievements to commemorate the 50 years of victory, Bangladesh still has a long way to go to reach the level of the top on the international stage. In such circumstances, Bangladesh's government should take the lead in establishing a professional sports infrastructure. Only afterward will it be possible to achieve the desired outcome on a worldwide platform.
Hasan Murad shines as Central Zone’s register a big win in BCL
Left-arm spinner Hasan Murad of Walton Central Zone bagged six wickets conceding 74 runs to help his team win by an innings and 70 runs against BCB North Zone in the ongoing Bangladesh Cricket League on Wednesday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
To avoid the innings defeat, North Zone needed to score at least 172 runs on the fourth and final day of the match.
Read:Bangladesh spin-bowling coach tests positive for COVID in New Zealand
Marshal Ayub, the captain of BCB North Zone, hit a ton in the second innings of his team, but that was not enough to avoid a big defeat.
North Zone ended up on 274 for all out in the second innings after scoring 210 in the first innings. In contrast, Central Zone scored 563 for three in their only innings of the match riding on the centuries of Mohammad Mithun, Mizanur Rahman and Soumya Sarkar.
Murad’s six for 74 is now his best bowling figure in First-class cricket. He now has 49 wickets in this format in just nine matches.
In the other match of the first round, BCB South Zone beat Islami Bank East Zone by eight wickets on Wednesday in Rajshahi.
East Zone had managed an 88-run lead in the second innings. South Zone chased down in 20.3 overs with a fifty by Towhid Hridoy. He remained unbeaten for 54 off 60 balls.
Read: BCL: Central Zone eye a win as Soumya hits a ton
In the first innings of the match, East Zone posted 260 all out as Mahedi Hasan and Nasum Ahmed of South Zone bagged five wickets each.
In reply, South Zone posted 429 in their first innings riding on 158 by left-handed wicketkeeper batter Zakir Hasan. Along with him, Anamul Haque Bijoy hit 88.
East Zone tumbled for 257 as Nahidul Islam bagged four wickets, and Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan scalped two wickets each. In the final innings, South Zone needed only 89 to seal the match.
Bangladesh spin-bowling coach tests positive for COVID in New Zealand
Bangladesh spin bowling coach Rangana Herath tested positive for Covid-19 in New Zealand, team sources said on Wednesday. He is touring with the Tigers for a two-match series against the hosts starting from January 1. Multiple sources from the Bangladesh team and BCB have confirmed the development. However, Herath has been doing well and he has no complications, sources said.
READ: Another member of Bangladesh women’s cricket team tests positive for Covid-19
Bangladesh team underwent three Covid-19 tests after arriving in New Zealand, and in the first two tests, all players and members of the coaching staff returned negative. But in the last test, Hearth came out positive. Bangladesh team members were allowed to use the gymnasium for the first time on Tuesday except for nine members who were close to a Covid-19 positive passenger while travelling to New Zealand. According to the latest development, they won’t be allowed to use the gymnasium during the quarantine period. The players were scheduled to use the field today for practice, but due to the relentless rain, they were not able to go to the field.
READ: BCL: Central Zone eye a win as Soumya hits a ton Bangladesh team was supposed to maintain a 14-day in-room quarantine period, but the New Zealand authority cut it down to three days. The first Test of the series will take place on January 1, and the second and final Test of the series will be played from January 9. There is no limited-over match in this series.
Pakistan-Japan match ends in a draw
Pakistan and Japan played out a dull 0-0 draw in their first match of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy at the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s first outing of the event, the second match on the opening day, could not yield a result as both the teams failed to score a goal, reported IG News.
Pakistan’s goalkeeper, Mazhar Arshad, was adjudged as the Man of the match for his brilliant performance.
READ: Champions Trophy Hockey: India plays out 2-2 draw with Korea in opener
The goalkeeper had faced visa issuance problems and joined the squad late, only yesterday.
Hosts Bangladesh take on India in Wednesday’s big match.
Champions Trophy Hockey: India plays out 2-2 draw with Korea in opener
Coming from behind, South Korea drew 2-2 with India in the opening match of the Hero Men's Asian Champions Trophy Hockey 2021 that began on Tuesday (Dec 14) at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here.
In the day's opener, India took an early lead in the very 4th minute as Lalit Upadhyay received the ball in space and smashed it into the goal (1-0).
Read:Hockey: Asian Champions Trophy begins Tuesday
Besides the goal, India launched a series of attacks, but the first half ended 1-0.
South Korea also made a few attempts, but the Indians were brilliant in defence.
India began the second half as well with a bang, earning a number of penalty corners with Harmanpreet Singh converting one to make it 2-0 in the 33rd minute.
With four minutes left in the third quarter, South Korea finally earned their first penalty corner of the match.
Harmanpreet Singh, defending the goal, moved a second earlier than the injection, and he was moved out of the goal. Taking advantage, Jonghyun Jang of Korea reduced the margin converting the penalty corner (2-1).
Read:Men’s Hockey: Bangladesh lose to Pakistan in preparatory match
The South Koreans then came flying out of the blocks in the fourth and final quarter and leveled the margin with Kim Sung Hyun finishing from an acute angle to the frustration of India (2-2).
India responded on the offensive, attacking in droves and pinning the Koreans back. Harmanpreet Singh did put one in the net from a penalty corner but on review, it was seen that the shot was off-target and was deflected in off the head of a Korean defender.
Finally, India could not make their dominance count and settled for a 2-2 draw.
Another member of Bangladesh women’s cricket team tests positive for Covid-19
Another member of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team tested positive for Covid-19, a BCB source confirmed on Tuesday.
Earlier, two women cricketers tested positive for Omicron, the newest variant of Covid-19. But the third one is not an Omicron case.
Read: Omicron also enters Bangladesh; first 2 cases detected
All the three are now in isolation at the Mugda General Hospital.
“Another member of the team that toured Zimbabwe tested positive,” Jalal Yunus, the chief of BCB media department, told UNB on Tuesday without mentioning whether the infected person is a cricketer or a member of support staff.
“With two cricketers who had tested earlier, all three were shifted to Mugda General Hospital, but they have been doing very well.”
He said that the cricketers were shifted to the hospital due to other arrangement of the hotel where they had been staying.
The other members of the women team who were found negative in the latest test are in quarantine in the BCB academy building. They will have to undergo another test on December 19.
The women national team has recently returned home from Zimbabwe after the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier was suspended midway due to the surge of the new variant of Covid-19 which was first detected in South Africa.
Read: Bangladesh logs 3 Covid-linked deaths, 295 fresh infections in 24 hrs
After arriving in Dhaka, the cricketers had been maintaining the quarantine period in a Dhaka hotel.
On December 6, two cricketers tested positive for Covid-19. Two days later, the health ministry revealed that they were infected with the Omicron variant of the virus which were the first cases of Omicron in Bangladesh.
BCL: Central Zone eye a win as Soumya hits a ton
Walton Central Zone are eying a win in the first round of the ongoing Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) against BCB North Zone at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
Soumya Sarkar, the left-handed batter, hit an unbeaten 104 for Central Zone. And before him, Mohammad Mithun and Mizanur Rahman also smashed a century each.
Read:Mithun, Mizan shine in BCL with centuries
With these centuries, Central Zone declared their first innings at 563 for three
At the end of day three on Tuesday, North Zone are trailing by 172 runs with five wickets in hand with Marshall Ayub and Mahidul Islam Ankon unbeaten on 28 and 0 respectively.
In the first innings of the match, North Zone scored 219 all out.
On the fourth and last day of the match, Central Zone need only five wickets to seal the game.
Hasan Murad, the left-arm spinner, bagged three wickets while Robiul Haque and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury scalped one wicket each.
In the other match of the first round of BCL, BCB South Zone took a commanding position at Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi.
At the end of day three, East Zone are leading only by 26 runs with five wickets in hand— they are batting at 195 for five.
East Zone need to bat as long as possible to avoid a defeat in this match.
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In the first innings of this match, East Zone posted 260 all out, and in reply, South Zone posted 429 all out, and in their second innings, East Zone scored 195 for five so far with Afif Hossain Dhrubo remaining not-out for 73.
For South Zone, Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan bagged two wickets each while Nahidul Islam took one. In the first innings, both Nasum and Mahedi scalped five wickets each.
Top 10 Most Memorable Football Moments of 2021
Football regulating bodies throughout the world had to take safeguards and follow health protocols to avoid the coronavirus threat. One of the most important decisions was to restrict supporters from entering the stadium. However, European football organizations and other regulating bodies in football had decided to let spectators into the stadium starting with the current season. Therefore, the second half of the year was far more satisfying for both organizers and fans. Let's look at the top ten most notable football incidents from 2021.
2021's Most Notable Football Events
There were plenty of amazing football moments in the year 2021. Therefore, picking the top 10 was challenging. Here are the top ten most noteworthy moments in the year 2021.
Italy’s second EURO Championship win
Italy were the underdog Prior to the EURO 2020, but they steadily improved as the competition progressed. Before facing England in the final, Italy won two closely-contested matches in the quarter-final and semi-final. They defeated Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals and then defeated Spain in a penalty shootout. After a 1-1 draw, Italy defeated England 3-2 on penalties in the final. It was Italy's second EURO title and the first since 1968.
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Argentina’s Copa America 2021 win
Argentina's 15th Copa America championship came after a 28-year drought. In the meantime, they competed in four finals but lost all of them. The moment had finally come as Lionel Messi's Argentina team won the Copa America 2021, defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final.
Chelsea’s Second UEFA Champions League victory
When Frank Lampard was sacked in January, Chelsea were nowhere near their best. However, things began to change when Thomas Tuchel was appointed as Chelsea manager. His ideology has been well-taken by the players. Chelsea started to dominate the opposition with their pressing approach, ultimately reaching the Champions League 2021 final. They defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the final to win their second UEFA Champions League trophy.
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Al Hilal’s AFC Champions League Victory
Saudi Arabian team Al Hilal won the 40th edition of the AFC Champions League, Asia's best club competition. They defeated Pohang Steelers of South Korea 2-0 in the final. Al Hilal became the most successful club in AFC Champions League history with this triumph.
Palmeiras’ 2021 Copa Libertadores Victory
Brazilian team Palmeiras won the Copa Libertadores 2021, Latin America's most prestigious club championship. It was their third championship in the competition's history.
USA’s 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Win
The United States won the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup in August. The USA acquired its seventh CONCACAF Gold Cup championship, defeating Mexico 1-0 in the final.
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Lionel Messi’s seventh Ballon d’Or win
The most talked-about topic of the year was who will win the Ballon d'Or 2021. Lewandowski was the clear favorite in the first half of the year. However, Jorginho of Italy and Lionel Messi of Argentina were considered favorites in the second half because of their national team success. Messi went on to win the trophy, which was his seventh overall.
Jorginho’s UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award
Italian midfielder Jorginho was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year for his consistent performances for both club and nation. He was the only player to win both the Champions League and the EURO in 2021.
Robert Lewandowski’s European Golden Shoe Award
Bayern Munich's Polish striker Robert Lewandowski earned the European Golden Shoe Award after scoring 41 goals in the 2020-2021 Bundesliga season.
Read Champions League 2021-2022: The Five Best Matches in the Group Stage
Robert Lewandowski beats Gerd Muller’s Record
Robert Lewandowski has been in outstanding form over the past several seasons, breaking individual records on a regular basis. Gerd Muller's most goals in a single season was one such unique record Lewandowski broke in last season. He scored 41 goals in the season, making him the highest goal scorer in a single Bundesliga season.
Aftermath
So far, we have discussed the iconic football moments of 2021. A significant number of individual and team records were broken this year. Italy, Argentina, and the United States of America were the most successful nations, winning their respective continental championships in 2021. Italy set a new record for most consecutive victories, while Argentina have gone more than two years without losing. Lionel Messi's record-breaking seventh Ballon d'Or award was the most talked-about topic of the year. On the other hand, Jorginho and Lewandowski were always in the headlines for their consistent performances. Overall, 2021 was an eventful year.
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