As the new year looms, Goal looks back on some of the best and most significant moments in football during the last 12 months
Getty ImagesMessi's audacious Clasico shirt celebration
Back in April, as the 2016-17 Liga title race was heading towards a heated finale, Real Madrid and Barcelona locked horns at the Bernabeu. Barca came into the clash at the Bernabeu behind their bitter rivals and needed a win to haul themselves back into the title race.
Things got off to a bad start for the Blaugrana as Casemiro fired Real ahead, but Lionel Messi cancelled it out five minutes later. Ivan Rakitic then put Barca ahead mid-way through the second half, but James Rodriguez struck in the final five minutes to haul Madrid level. However, Messi rose to the occasion once again, blasting the winner past Keylor Navas in the 92nd minute.
What followed was one of the most iconic images of 2017 and certainly one that will endure in the annals of Clasico history as Messi coolly held aloft his shirt in front of Real Madrid fans to mark his 500th Barca goal and the one that saw him overtake Alfredo Di Stefano as the all-time Clasico top scorer.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMessi single-handedly dragging Argentina to the World Cup
As the CONMEBOL World Cup qualification cycle came to a conclusion it looked like Argentina might not make it. Defeats to Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Ecuador, as well as too many draws, left the Albiceleste needing a win in their final in order to ensure their safe passage to Russia in 2018.
The game against Ecuador in Quito got off to a disastrous start as Romario Ibarra shot Los Amarillos in front after the first minute and it looked like Jorge Sampaoli's men were set to miss out on a place at the world's biggest tournament for the first time since 1970.
However, Messi was in no mood for such a narrative and he scored two goals within 10 minutes to put his country ahead before putting the icing on the cake with his hat-trick strike in the final 10 minutes. The Barcelona star had rescued his country and ensured that his talents will grace a fourth World Cup.
Getty ImagesThe retirement of Francesco Totti
May 28, 2017 was an emotional day in Italy as one of its greatest sporting heroes brought the curtain down on his career. After 25 years, Francesco Totti finally called it a day and he was given his swan song as a second-half substitute in Roma's 3-2 victory over Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico.
The World Cup winner bid farewell to the faithful with a passionate and tearful address, delivered from the pitch and it is a moment that will, no doubt live long in the memory.
Getty ImagesReal Madrid win consecutive Champions Leagues
Real Madrid are the most successful team in the history of the Champions League and they made yet more history in June 2017 when they became the first team to successfully defend the trophy in the modern era.
Real won the European Cup four years in succession in the 1950s, while Bayern Munich and Ajax each won it three times in a row in the 1970s. AC Milan won it twice in a row in the late 1980s, but notably no club had managed the feat since the adoption of the new format in 1992.
Los Blancos blew Juventus away in the final, easily beating the Italian champions 4-1 in Cardiff, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice.