Sportskeeda's Top 10 iconic football moments of 2017

Honourable mentions

Syria's football team reminded their people of the feeling of joy

- Syria's failed tryst with destiny

Forget Bashar Al-Assad. Forget ISIS. Easier said than done if you live in the tragedy that is modern-day Syria, but their football team almost made it possible.

Tim Cahill, though, as is his wont, looked the fairytale in the eye and gave it that trademark double punch of his in Extra Time. In the end, over two legs, Australia beat Syria 3-2 to book their place in the World Cup.

Poor Syria, but in coming within touching distance of glory they went above and beyond what was expected of them as a collective. For that... Shukran!

- India scores first ever FIFA World Cup goal

Jeakson Thounaojam Singh etched his name into Indian sporting history by being the first from his nation to score in World Cup competition when he leapt high to thud in a header against Colombia.

Sure it was the U-17 World Cup, but as the saying goes... A small step for a Manipuri, a giant leap for India...

- Paulinho shuts the internet up

How dare Barcelona do this?

€40 million for a Tottenham reject. For a footballer playing in China. A 29-year-old midfielder. What the hell is wrong with the world!

Half-a-year after the internet exploded in a paroxysm of rage at the Catalans signing of Paulinho - just after the sale of Neymar - no one has a word to say against the Brazilian who has made Barcelona a much better team than the one he joined.

Like the man himself said - ‘Everyone said: “Bah, his career is over". Now I’m at Barça. That’s football'

- Jackson Follman and Chapecoense

Sometimes, words are not required:

Associacao Chapecoense de Futbol: Melancholy in Medellin