While the action on the pitch in 2011 underscored soccer’s well-earned reputation as the “beautiful game,” it was events off the field that showcased the ugly side of the sport.
Magical Lionel Messi and Barcelona were brilliant in sweeping all opponents before them, but the Catalans’ sublime form could hardly disguise the fact that the game fell further into a state of disrepute thanks to more shenanigans from FIFA, new allegations of match-fixing and overt acts of racism from players and fans.
NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR: LIONEL MESSI
Forget the stats (53 goals in all competitions for club and country). Forget the individual honours (a second consecutive FIFA world player of the year award). Forget the team championships (five in 2011). What makes Lionel Messi the best at what he does is his magical ability to make the impossible look routine. Talk to general sports fans who don’t have a clue about soccer — chances are they know who Messi is. The heir apparent to Diego Maradona is the face of the game, his captivating performances for an all-conquering Barcelona side earning him regular spots on TV highlight shows and gallons upon gallons of ink on the front pages of newspapers around the globe. His immense talent and will to win has made him into one of the most recognizable and greatest athletes on the planet. Simply put, Messi transcends soccer.
Honourable mentions: Cristiano Ronaldo (Scored more goals at club level — 55 – than anybody else during 2011), Xavi Hernandez (The main architect of a brilliant Barcelona side) and Robin van Persie (34 goals in the calendar year for Arsenal).
TEAM OF THE YEAR: BARCELONA
The Catalans were once again the dominant force in club soccer, winning five of six competitions they participated this past year: La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Only the Copa del Rey slipped through the fingers. How good was Barca? So good that Real Madrid’s amazing point total of 92 points could only earn them a second-place finish in La Liga. So good that they easily brushed aside Wayne Rooney and Manchester United at the UEFA Champions League final in Wembley. So good that they capped off the year by humbling South American champions Santos 4-0 in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2011, this Barcelona side proved it should be considered among the sport’s all-time greatest clubs.
Honourable mentions: Japan (Overcame long odds to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup), FC Porto (Dragoes went undefeated in winning Portuguese league; also won Europa League and Portuguese Cup), and AC Milan (Aging Italian side won the scudetto for the first time since 2004).
MATCH OF THE YEAR: UNITED STATES VS. BRAZIL
This quarter-final match-up at the FIFA Women’s World Cup was one for the ages, featuring countless plot twists and dramatic turns. Brazil entered the match as the favourites, but trailed after two minutes thanks to an own goal. The Americans were reduced to 10 players in the 65th minute, paving the way for Marta to bag a pair of goals for Brazil, including from the penalty spot early in extra time. The South Americans looked destined to win, but Abby Wambach headed home in the 122nd minute to force a penalty shootout, which the Americans went on to win to deny the Brazilians.
Honourable mentions: Newcastle 4-Arsenal 4 on February 5 (Down 4-0 after 26 minutes, the Magpies nicked four goals in the final 22 minutes to complete a miraculous comeback), Marseille 3-Dortmund 2 on December 6 (The French side scored twice in the final five minutes in Germany to advance to the knockout round of the UEFA Champions League), and Napoli 3-Juventus 3 on November 29 (The bianconeri fought back from two goals down to earn a dramatic draw on the road in a Serie A thriller).
GOAL OF THE YEAR: WAYNE ROONEY
Poetry in motion –- how else to describe Rooney’s winner for the Reds Devils in the Manchester Derby? With the game tied 1-1, Manchester United put Manchester City on their heels with a steady run of possession in the Blues’ half of the field. The ball then broke to Nani, who floated a cross into the middle of the box and Rooney, with his back to goal, leapt between two City defenders and executed a picture-perfect bicycle kick that sailed by a helpless Joe Hart and into the back of the net.
Honourable mentions: Eric Hassli (Audacious strike for the Whitecaps), Heather O’Reilly (long-range effort for the U.S.) and Neymar (sublime solo effort for Santos).
VILLAIN OF THE YEAR: LUIS SUAREZ
There’s no question that Suarez is one of the most dangerous goal-scorers in the game. But the Uruguayan forward earned the condemnation of just about everybody (except Liverpool fans!) for two ugly on-the-field incidents in which he was the protagonist. Suarez was hit with an eight-match ban after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during an Oct. 15 match at Anfield. Then in early December, the Reds forward was given a one-game ban by the English FA for making an obscene hand gesture towards Fulham fans after a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
Dishonourable mentions: FIFA (For countless corruption and bribery accusations, and dragging its feet in dealing with the growing problem of match-fixing), and Carlos Tevez (For his public fallout with Roberto Mancini and his deplorable dealings with Manchester City).
CANADA: THE GOOD
FC Edmonton was the only Canadian team that had a successful club campaign. The Alberta side marked a successful debut in NASL, one tier below MLS, by finishing fifth in the league and qualifying for the playoffs. Toronto FC made headlines by reaching the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League for the first time in franchise history. Canada over-achieved at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico, earning two draws and its first-ever points in the tournament, thus ending a 13-match losing streak that dated back to the 1987 competition. Dwayne De Rosario became the first Canadian to be named Major League Soccer’s MVP.
CANADA: THE BAD
The Montreal Impact posted a losing record and failed to qualify for the playoffs in their final NASL season. The Vancouver Whitecaps finished dead last in the standings in their debut campaign in MLS. For a fifth straight year, Toronto FC finished below .500 and failed to make it into the post-season. Despite going undefeated, the Canadian men’s team looked far from impressive in the World Cup qualifiers, as they were held to goal-less draws by lowly St. Kitts and Nevis and Puerto Rico. After staring for Norwich City in the Championship and helping them earn promotion, Canadian forward Simeon Jackson has barely featured for the Canaries in the Premiership.
CANADA: THE UGLY
Touted as one the favourites heading into the tournament, Canada lost all three of its matches, finished in last place and was eliminated after only two matches at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. Not even their gold-medal victory at the Pan Am Games in Mexico in October could make up for the team’s utter failure over the summer.
POLL:
What was your favourite soccer moment of 2011?
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