In year of drama, World Cup shines spotlight on growth in the sport

Lionel Messi's World Cup fairytale lit up the year in soccer as heroics and heartbreak at the finals captivated fans and highlighted the growth of the world's most popular sport despite the criticism of host country Qatar's human rights record.

European leagues have long dictated the global football calendar but world governing body FIFA's decision to hold the tournament in the Middle East for the first time resulted in a mid-season pause and shook up the domestic club game.

With matches played in air-conditioned stadiums to cope with the heat of the desert state and no beer on tap in stadiums, spectators experienced a World Cup like never before.

But that did not kill the party mood as the finals repeatedly delivered exciting moments and concluded with Messi kissing the golden trophy, the missing piece in his vast collection, as Argentina defeated France on penalties.

Playing in a fifth World Cup for Argentina, the incomparable Messi once again left everyone in awe of his magical powers on the field as he smashed records and delivered on the hopes of a nation, bringing the World Cup home after 36 years.

The illustrious achievement, which will dominate discussions over the coming weeks, finally brought the diminutive forward out of the shadow of the late great Diego Maradona and reignited the debate about the greatest of all time (GOAT).

Though Argentina triumphed in the final, they were also one of the many heavyweights who suffered an upset in Qatar.

The South American giants were handed a shock defeat by Saudi Arabia in their first group game, which statisticians Gracenote credited as the biggest upset in World Cup history.

SHOCK RESULTS

Shock results were a theme as Japan finished on top of a group that included former