Football has provided countless breathtaking and unforgettable moments over the course of 2013. Here, FIFA.com singles out 13 occasions that helped make this a year to remember in the beautiful game.
Messi eclipses icons
7 January
Having scored 91 goals in 69 appearances during 2012, Lionel Messi’s reward came at the start of this year with a record-breaking fourth successive FIFA Ballon d’Or. The little Argentinian duly superseded Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff and achieved a feat he described as “just too great for words”.
Mba sends Eagles soaring
10 February
It was a goal worthy of winning any match, and Sunday Mba’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations-winning strike brought joy and relief to an entire nation. Nigeria had not won a major trophy in 17 years going into the continental showpiece, but despite the best efforts of debutant finalists Burkina Faso, Mba’s precise volley – after flicking the ball over his opponent’s head – proved sufficient to secure the African crown.
