The best sporting photos of the last 12 months tell different stories. Some capture the joy and jubilation of a gold medal, while others the despair of defeat. They show humour as well as sadness. The snapshots depict athletes performing at the most elite level in a host of different places, from the sunbaked days of the Paris Olympics and Euro 2024 to Arabian fight nights in Riyadh and frosty charity runs in Manchester.
ESPN tells the story of British sport in 2024 through 24 pictures.
Ellie Kildunne reaches new heights
Having held the No. 1 spot in world rugby rankings, the Red Roses’ stellar year cemented them in women’s rugby history. Their incredible run of dominance saw them clinch a sixth Six Nations title, a feat no other nation has matched in the tournament’s history. During this time, few shone like Ellie Kildunne. The full-back, known for her speed and attacking prowess, scored 14 tries in 9 Test matches in 2024 and was crowned World Rugby’s Women’s Player of the Year and the Six Nations Player of the Championship.
Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk put it all on the line
There hadn’t been an undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in a rematch of all-time greats in November 1999 in Las Vegas. 25 years later, in May 2024, Tyson Fury was floored by Oleksandr Usyk in what was the most highly anticipated boxing match of the year, if not of all time. The knockdown was the eighth of Fury’s career but ultimately, the only one that cost him as the unbeaten ‘Gypsy King’ suffered his first career defeat.
Usyk followed up by defeating Fury again in December, this time via a unanimous-decision victory.
Jürgen Klopp says goodbye
After a months-long goodbye, Jürgen Klopp finally closed his chapter as Liverpool manager. The final tally read: 489 matches played, 304 wins, 1,088 goals scored, three Champions League finals, one European trophy, one Club World Cup and one long-awaited Premier League title.
Luke Littler is UK sport’s newest superstar
Teenage sensation Luke Littler burst onto the scene in 2024 and topped his astonishing rise on the darts mainstage by winning the Premier League Darts title. The 17-year-old beat world champion Luke Humphries in the final with an 11-7 victory. The match was the second major final between the pair, a repeat of the world championship final in January. As the result of the final in January flipped, Littler’s fourth nine-darter of 2024 sent the crowd of the O2 arena into chaos and the next face of darts was crowned.
Manchester United taste silverware
In 2024’s FA Cup final, a struggling Manchester United did the unexpected and put a stop to rivals Manchester City‘s plans to win the historic treble after an incredible season of dominance from Pep Guardiola’s side. A 2-1 win secured United’s 13th title in the tournament, breaking an eight-year win drought. United’s previous FA Cup win was in 2016 under Louis van Gaal.
Real Madrid lift the Champions League … again
In June, the biggest night in European club football climaxed at Wembley Stadium. The home of English football hosted Spanish giants Real Madrid and powerhouse Borussia Dortmund as the two teams fought to be crowned champions of Europe. Real Madrid took the title after a 2-0 win, with England midfielder Jude Bellingham a part of the dominant side.
Rory McIlroy’s major drought continues
In the 2024 U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy lost out on the title in the most agonising fashion. The Northern Irishman missed two putts inside of three feet as his 10-year major drought continued, with Bryson DeChambeau winning the event.
Jude Bellingham’s wonder goal
In a European Championship round of 16 match against Slovakia, England looked to be heading out of the tournament. However, a stunning 95th-minute overhead kick from Jude Bellingham saw England re-establish themselves in the competition. The goal went on to be one of the most iconic moments of the tournament and after the ball hit the back of the net the 21-year-old prodigy exclaimed: “Who else!”
Mark Cavendish makes history
In 2023, Mark Cavendish was set to retire level with Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx for the number of Tour de France stage wins. However, the dream of ending his career with the outright record motivated him to make another comeback, and in 2024 he incredibly earned his 35th stage triumph.
James Anderson says farewell
In 2024, England international cricketer James Anderson called time on his illustrious career. The 41-year-old became the first seamer and just the third bowler in history to reach 700 Test wickets earlier in 2024. England’s all time wicket-taker retired with 188 Test appearances over his 20-year long career, ending with a win against West Indies at Lord’s.
Lewis Hamilton’s big switch and big win
2024 was a momentous year Lewis Hamilton, announcing he was leaving for Ferrari in 2025 before the season started, and then ending a prolonged F1 winning drought at his home British GP. Having dominated the top spot of the podium at Silverstone more than any other driver in history, Hamilton fought off Lando Norris and Max Verstappen amid scattered showers to claim his ninth F1 win in Britain.
Carlos Alcaraz at home in SW19
Carlos Alcaraz retained his title as Wimbledon champion in a remake of the match a year prior, defeating Novak Djokovic. The Princess of Wales awarded the trophy to the Spaniard at the All England Club. In the women’s final, Barbora Krejčíková beat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini to earn the title whilst British player Emma Raducanu was knocked-out in the Round of 16.
Gareth Southgate falls short
After England’s rocky road to the Euro’s final, Gareth Southgate did not have the unwavering support from the fans. Uncertainty about the starting 11 and substitutions dampened the fans’ faith in Southgate and despite making the final, the Three Lions fell short in winning the trophy. Goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal handed Spain the title and simultaneously ended Southgate’s career at the helm of England. He would later be replaced by German manager Thomas Tuchel.
Tom Daley and Noah Williams claim silver
With the summer of sport well and truly upon us, the Olympics kicked off in Paris as Team GB set out with an aim to win 50-70 medals. They ultimately reached 65, with 14 golds, 22 silvers and 29 bronze medals. One of them came from British diving duo Tom Daley and Noah Williams in the 10m platform synchronized competition. Having effectively retired from the sport after the Tokyo Olympics, Daley returned to the world stage after persuasion from his now six-year-old son, Robbie.
Andy Murray’s ever-delayed retirement
At times in elite sport, we have to say goodbye to the icons who have cemented themselves in history. In Paris, it was Andy Murray‘s time to hang up his racket. The British tennis legend announced he would retire after the Olympics, but in a fashion true to his proven determination on the court over the years, he and his playing partner Dan Evans rescued a remarkable five match points in a third-set tiebreak to win their first round doubles match. The pair reached the quarterfinals of the tournament to end Murray’s 19-year career which saw him win three Grand Slams and two Olympic golds.
Keely Hodgkinson’s crowning moment
Few British athletes at the Paris Olympics were as highly anticipated to win gold as Keely Hodgkinson. The 800-meter runner was widely favoured to win the event from the outset and on Aug. 5 she claimed Team GB’s first gold on the track since 2016. She became the first British woman since Dame Kelly Holmes at Athens 2004 to win the Olympic 800-metre title and only the 10th British woman ever to become an Olympic champion on the track.
For Jodie Grinham, it takes two
As the Olympics came to a close, all eyes turned to the Paralympics as ParalympicsGB began their campaign in Paris. Trailblazer Jodie Grinham was one of the standout athletes of the tournament as she not only brought home an individual bronze and mixed team gold, the 31-year-old did it whilst seven months pregnant. Having been open in the past about fertility struggles and pregnancy trauma, Grinham proved to be an inspiration to women all over the world.
Jack Draper renews British tennis hope
British No. 1 Jack Draper enjoyed a stellar year in 2024, most notably reaching the US Open semifinal. Draper was just the fourth British man to make it to that stage. The 22-year-old fell short to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Aston Villa make Champions League return
Aston Villa returned to the Champions League in 2024 after an epic Premier League campaign landed the team in the top four. Villa kicked-off their campaign, their first in Europe’s premier competition since the 1981-82 season, with a 3-0 win against Swiss team Young Boys and in October, brought German giants Bayern Munich to Villa Park. Jhon Durán scored in the 79th minute to win the game, sending the crowd into chaos as Villa reinstated themselves in Europe’s elite.
Daniel Dubois stuns Anthony Joshua
One of the most highly anticipated nights in British boxing happened in September in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. British boxer Daniel Dubois left Anthony Joshua’s career in disarray after knocking out his countryman with a right to the jaw in Round 5 in a first defense of his IBF world heavyweight title. Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) endured a nightmare as Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) floored him four times in Rounds 1, 3 and 4 before the savage finish after 59 seconds of Round 5.
England fail against elite competition
It was a mixed year for England when it came to rugby union, beating champions Ireland in the Six Nations but losing to Scotland and France. The autumn internationals were also rough as they continued to narrowly miss the mark. They suffered three consecutive narrow defeats to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, before ending the Test series with a win against Japan.
Wales never taste victory
Wales failed to win a single Test match this year, making 2024 the worst year in the nation’s rugby union history. After a winless Six Nations, they endured a miserable run of Tests in the autumn international series, losing all three matches at the Principality Stadium. The final loss against South Africa was the team’s 12th consecutive Test match loss.
In tribute to Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield pushes on
On June 2, 2024, former rugby league star Rob Burrow died at the age of 41. Burrow, who suffered from Motor Neurone Disease, was an avid campaigner for MND charities alongside friend and former teammate Kevin Sinfield. Following Burrow’s death, Sinfield set out to complete seven ultramarathons in seven days to continue to raise money for these charities. The seven ultramarathons is a nod to Burrow, who wore the number during his illustrious career.