2025: The sports year in pictures

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I always get a little sentimental around the holidays, thinking back on all the memories I made over the past year. And, to (mis)quote one of my favourite movies, how can you not be sentimental about sports too?

So, here are 12 photos — one for each month — and a few words to help us celebrate some of the best athletes and moments of 2025.

January: Philly special

The incredible Saquon Barkley rushed for 205 yards and two long touchdowns, including this 78-yard score in the fourth quarter, to power the Philadelphia Eagles past the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the NFL playoffs. Barkley, who became just the ninth player ever to run for 2,000 yards in the regular season, went on to help Philly batter Kansas City 40-22 in the Super Bowl.

February: Elbows up

At the height of Canadian fury over Trump's tariff war, Brandon Hagel fired up his country by brawling with U.S. star Matthew Tkachuk in one of the three fights in the opening nine seconds of an electric 4 Nations Face-Off matchup in Montreal. The Americans won that preliminary-round game, but Canada exacted its revenge five days later in Boston when Connor McDavid scored in overtime to win the final.

March: Alexander the great

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin celebrated a goal against Philadelphia that moved him closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL record. Ovechkin would surpass the Great One with his 895th regular-season goal in early April before reaching the mythical 900-goal plateau this season.

April: Masterstroke

Rory McIlroy birdied Augusta's 18th hole to win a sudden-death