10 iconic football moments in 2025

The article highlights the thrilling moments in football from 2025, showcasing unforgettable achievements. Paris Saint-Germain won their first UEFA Champions League, defeating Inter Milan 5-0.

Ousmane Dembele winning the Ballon d'Or 2025 was one of the iconic football moments in 2025.

2025 gave us some absolute belters in football, moments that had fans losing their minds, from underdog miracles to goals that defied physics. These 10 iconic highlights captured the raw emotion, drama, and sheer magic of the beautiful game, leaving lasting memories across the globe.

1. PSG's Champions League win

Paris Saint-Germain absolutely demolished Inter Milan 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final at the Allianz Arena, and it felt like a changing of the guard.

Hakimi scored the early goal for PSG while Desire Doue netted a brace. Kvaratskhelia and Mayulu scored the 4th and 5th goals to hand PSG a historic win, which gave them their maiden UCL title.

2. Crystal Palace's FA Cup victory

Crystal Palace pulled off one of those Wembley fairy tales, shocking Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final after 139 long years without major silverware.

Eberechi Eze scored the lone goal for Palace to hand the club their first-ever major trophy, excluding defunct competitions (having previously won the 1991 Full Member's Cup). ​

Read also: Qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026: Full list

3. Newcastle ended a 70-year drought

Newcastle United finally shook off 70 years of pain with a gritty 2-0 EFL Cup final win over Liverpool at Wembley.

Alexander Isak's cool finish and Bruno Guimarães' rock-solid defending did the trick.

Tyneside erupted in pure joy, turning St James' Park into a party zone and proving the Saudi money had built something real. Geordies dreamed bigger than ever after that.

4. Chelsea wins expanded Club World Cup

Chelsea lifted the first-ever 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in the US, brushing aside PSG 3-0 in the final with Cole Palmer's free-kick rocket, Enzo Fernández running the show, and Noni Madueke icing it late.

Played out at spots like MetLife Stadium, the tournament was a global showcase, but Enzo Maresca's Blues mixed youth and smarts to reclaim world champ status.

They became the first club to win every UEFA trophy in football history.

5. Inter Miami's historic upset over a European Giant

In the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami made history by becoming the first North American side to defeat a major European club in competitive play.

Messi's curling free-kick sealed a memorable victory, sparking talks of a shifting global football landscape.

6. Women's Euro Penalty Heroics

The UEFA Women's Euro 2025 in Switzerland was edge-of-your-seat stuff, with England clinching it via penalties against the hosts amid record crowds topping 50,000 per game.

Stars like Alessia Russo and Lena Oberdorf lit up the knockouts, smashing attendance records and proving women's football had arrived, commercially and competitively, on the men's level. What a ride for the new generation.​

7. Ousmane Dembélé wins the Ballon d'Or

At Ballon d'Or 2025, Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the world's best player, capping a trophy-laden season.

His explosive performances, including key contributions to domestic and European success, marked a career-defining honour.

8. Omar Marmoush's Thunderbolt Against Arsenal

Eintracht Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush unleashed what many called the goal of the year, a staggering 35-yard rocket that arrowed into the top corner past a stunned Arsenal defence.

The strike's power and precision left fans and pundits in awe, earning widespread acclaim as 2025's finest long-range effort.

9. Botafogo's shock victory over PSG

Brazilian underdogs Botafogo pulled off the tournament's biggest upset in the Club World Cup group stage, stunning Paris Saint-Germain with a resilient 1-0 win.

Igor Jesus's first-half goal and heroic defending highlighted the magic of football's unpredictability on the world stage.

10. Yamal's Rising Star Wondergoal

At 18, Barcelona kid Lamine Yamal humiliated Real Madrid in El Clásico with a no-look heel flick past Thibaut Courtois, pure audacity that had everyone buzzing.

Featured alongside Messi and Bellingham in the year's best, it screamed Ballon d'Or potential and summed up 2025's youth takeover.

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