Choosing the most memorable sporting moments is like being handed an unopened box of Celebrations or Heroes at Christmas. Take your pick – the best ones are all still there, waiting to be enjoyed – but it’s almost impossible to choose your favourite.
The year started with 17-year-old Luke Littler becoming the youngest ever darts world champion, and end with England losing the Ashes once again Down Under.
In between that, Rory McIlroy finally won the Masters, then helped Europe to victory in the Ryder Cup in the USA, the British and Irish Lions won their tour of Australia, Chelsea lifted the Club World Cup, Arsenal Women won the Champions League and England’s cricketers played out a classic Test series against India.
But the year belonged to England’s women – in football and rugby union – as the Lionesses retained their European Championship trophy, while the Red Roses shook off their shock defeat against New Zealand four years ago to lift the World Cup on home turf at Twickenham. Here, we’ve selected just a few of the most memorable moments of the sporting year.
The Red Roses lift the Rugby World Cup trophy
In September, England produced a dominant performance to sweep aside Canada and become world champions for the third time – their first win since 2014 after near-misses in 2017 and 2022.
Related articles:
“For England, this is a release from the era of near misses,” The Observer's assistant sports editor Jessica Hayden writes. “For women’s rugby, it’s a statement victory for a sport in crisis on every front. Here come the women, and they bring with them sell-out crowds, unprecedented coverage and early signs of an uptick in grassroots participation for both girls and boys.”
More on the Red Roses
Rory McIlroy wins his first Masters
In April, Rory McIlroy had us all on the edge of our sofas, in despair and then delight, as he beat Justin Rose in the Masters play-off, as he joined only a handful of other golfers to complete the career grand slam of all four majors.
Speaking after the win, he said: “You have this event in your life that you’ve worked towards and it happens; sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation to get back on the horse and go again.”
Writing in July ahead of the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, contributing editor Paul Hayward reflects on the 36-year-old's long and illustrious career – and asks what’s next.
“Blessed is the star who can say: mission accomplished,” Paul writes.
More from The Observer
Iga Świątek wins the Wimbledon women’s final
In July Iga Świątek became the first Polish player to secure the Wimbledon singles title. In the defining match against a hopeful Amanda Anisimova of the United States, “Świątek was the living spirit of devastation,” Simon Barnes writes.
“Świątek was fast, accurate, lethal. She showed not a hint of weakness, gave not the tiniest hint of hope to her opponent... this was the shark smelling blood in the water and doing what comes naturally to sharks.”
More on Wimbledon
Hugo Keenan’s Lions series-winning try
The Australian rugby union team is not the force it once was, but winning a British and Irish Lions tour Down Under is always special.
Step forward Hugo Keenan, whose 79th-minute try secured the tour victory for the British and Irish Lions in a classic Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Keenan received a special mention in The Observer’s Lions awards for best try – see who else was nominated and who won best moustache, best match and more: click here to read.
More on rugby union
Scott McTominay’s bicycle-kick glory
No Scotland, no party. The Scots are gearing up to play in their first World Cup in 28 years at the 2026 tournament, and Scott McTominay’s remarkable bicycle kick goal helped them on their way.
Possibly the best football match of 2025, Scotland’s qualification win over Denmark saw an entire nation jubilant.
The Observer’s deputy sports editor Andrew Butler summed it up: “Rarely does a goal truly get you out of your seat like Scott McTominay’s third-minute opener – a goal so good it forces you to message friends you know aren’t watching with a nudge, along the lines of: ‘Mate, I know you’re on a first date, but excuse yourself for a moment, you have to watch this goal’.”
More from The Observer
Michelle Agyemang scores against Sweden in the quarter-finals of the Euros
Nineteen-year-old Michelle Agyemang, the latest BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year, was once a ball girl for England – but this year she was on the pitch for the Lionesses.
It didn’t take long for the entire nation to notice her undeniable talent. But that support turned into euphoria when England looked down and out, losing 2-0 in the Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden, before Agyemang came on after 70 minutes, scoring an equaliser before England ultimately won on penalties.
“Agyemang is not just a bright spark – she is the face of the future,” Morgan Ofori writes.
More from The Observer
Melanie Woods wins bronze at the World Para Athletics Championships
Great Britain was well represented this September and October at the 12th World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, India.
Several British Paralympians, including Hannah Cockroft, Karé Adenegan, Finlay Menzies and Ndidikama Okoh all brought home medals.
But one of the highlights of the eight-day event was seeing Glaswegian school teacher Melanie Woods, after years of trying, win the first World Para Athletics championship medal of her career in the 800m and then clinching another bronze in the 1500m a few days after.
More from The Observer
England captain Maro Itoje secures 11 straight wins
In January, 31-year-old Maro Itoje was named the new England captain and by November, he saw his team make 11 straight wins without being defeated at home.
Although a former England coach once suggested Itoje had little prospect of ever becoming captain, Steve Borthwick, the current coach, has praised him for keeping “calm under pressure” and for being a role model on and off the pitch.
More from The Observer
Lando Norris becomes Formula One champion
Lando Norris became the first British driver to win the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship since Lewis Hamilton claimed the title in 2020. The 26-year-old’s win followed a nail-biting season, with incumbent champion Max Verstappen and Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri snapping at his heels. Verstappen lost out by just two points.
When Norris crossed the line in the final race in Abu Dhabi, he burst into tears and thanked his team and his parents. “It’s been a long year but we did it”, he said.
More on Formula One
Tokito Oda wins Wimbledon men’s wheelchair final
Japanese tennis star Tokito Oda secured his second Wimbledon title in July after beating Alfie Hewett.
The pair have won the last ten Grand Slam titles between them. This was the seventh time they’ve met in the finals.
Speaking after his win, Oda said: “I feel like I'm living in a dream. I'm so happy”.
More from The Observer
Simon Yates wins the Giro d’Italia
British cyclist Simon Yates claimed his first Giro d’Italia title by crossing the finish line in Rome almost four minutes ahead of Mexico’s Isaac del Toro.
For Yates, it was unfinished business – it came seven years after he look set to win the 2018 tour – only to fall short on the notorious Colle delle Finestre climb, and finished 38 minutes behind the winner, Chris Froome.
More from The Observer
Chloe Kelly’s winning penalty
England forward Chloe Kelly was the nation’s saviour in 2022 when she scored the winning goal for the Lionesses in the Euro 2022 final. This year, she did it again.
In July, the UEFA Women’s Euro final was anyone’s game as England and Spain met at St. Jakob-Park in Switzerland.
After a 1-1 draw, the Lionesses cinched the win on penalties – with Kelly dispatching the final one.
More from The Observer
The London Marathon
The London Marathon is always a big affair but this year, it was record-breaking.
On marathon day in April, some 56,640 people crossed the finish line on The Mall – the largest number of finishers in a marathon ever.
Marathon must-reads:
See all of our reporting on the marathon: click here
Ben Stokes leads England to Ashes series Down Under
This year’s Ashes has already been lost by England, but all hope is not lost.
The final Test on Sunday will determine whether England’s loss will be by 4-1 to Australia, or 3-2. Obviously, Ben Stokes et al hoping for the latter.
There may be some heavy hearts on the plane home, but they can hold on to their drought-breaking victory over Australia on Boxing Day – their first Ashes Test win in 14 years.
More from The Observer
Luke Littler’s darts triumph
Fans of darts have a range of songs in their repertoire, including the crowd-pleasing symphony, Stand Up If You Love The Darts. When Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler joined the big leagues, fans had a new refrain: “He’s got school in the morning”.
In January 17-year-old Littler became the youngest ever Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) champion after beating veteran Michael Van Gerwen on the Ally Pally stage.
The big question now is: can he retain his title in the new year?
More from The Observer
Virgil van Dijk lifts the Premier League trophy
For the first time in 35 years, the Premier League trophy was lifted in front of fans at Anfield.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was handed the trophy by Alan Hansen, the last Reds captain to raise the trophy at their home stadium in 1990.
Liverpool’s 2025 win means they’re now on par with Manchester United in terms of total top-flight league title wins, both enjoying 20 accolades respectively.
More from The Observer
With reporting by Jessica Hayden, Paul Hayward, Simon Barnes, Andrew Butler, Morgan Ofori, Matt Majendie and Ben Coles
Additional words and production by Elaine McCallig and Seun Matiluko