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Football is called 'the beautiful game' for a reason. The game can be a great source of joy but it can also provide gut-wrenching and heartbreaking moments. It can always go both ways and the unpredictability keeps us coming back for more.
Over the course of footballing history, we have seen several iconic moments that have stayed with us. The last decade was also littered with such incredible moments. Sometimes such moments offer us comfort and at times they offer us hope.
Liverpool's comeback win over AC Milan in the Champions League on that historic night in Istanbul in 2005 is an example of an iconic moment from not too long ago. Manchester United's stoppage-time heroics against Bayern Munich to win the continental treble in the 1999 Champions League final is another.
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Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the most iconic football moments of the last decade.
#5 Liverpool YNWA after Barcelona 4-0
In May 2019, en route to winning the UEFA Champions League title, Liverpool produced one of the most incredible comeback wins in the history of the game. The Merseysiders had fallen to a 3-0 defeat at the Camp Nou against Barcelona and the second leg looked like a formality.
Divock Origi opened the scoring for Jurgen Klopp's side in the seventh minute with a tap-in. But it was in the second half that Liverpool truly sprang to life. Substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored two goals in 122 seconds to restore parity in the tie and send the Kop into a state of euphoria.
A few minutes later, Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold caught the Barcelona defence out with a quickly taken corner. Divock Origi slotted home and Liverpool held on to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg of the semi-final.
Needless to say, Anfield exploded when the final whistle blew. It was a night to celebrate for Liverpool. Fans and players sang the iconic Liverpool anthem, 'You'll Never Walk Alone', in unison. It was simply one of the most serene moments to have unfolded on a football pitch in recent times.
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo Euro 2016
Cristiano Ronaldo was the driving force behind Portugal's Euro 2016 triumph. He scored three goals and provided three assists in six appearances for Portugal as they qualified for the final against France.
Unfortunately, he was forced off in the ninth minute of the final following a clash of knees with France's Dimitri Payet. Ronaldo came off worse and couldn't continue in what could have been a big moment in the game.
He carried on for a few more minutes until he went down in pain and was in tears as he was led off the pitch. Portugal won the game in extra-time thanks to an incredible long-range strike from Eder with just over 10 minutes remaining on the clock.
Though he was out injured, Ronaldo stayed in the tactical area and kept encouraging his teammates to give it their all. He was an even more animated presence on the sidelines than coach Fernando Santos. His passion for the game shone through as he marshaled his troops and inspired them to get the job done.
#3 Germany winning the 2014 World Cup
The Germans have always been a European footballing powerhouse. Die Mannschaft fielded one of the strongest sides at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Germany were a force to be reckoned with from the get-go. They kickstarted their World Cup campaign with a thumping 4-0 victory over Portugal.
After being held to a 2-2 draw by Ghana, Germany beat the United States of America 1-0. They beat Algeria and France to cruise into the semis. It is there that Germany truly delivered. They ripped Brazil apart in front of their own fans and handed them a heavy 7-1 whooping.
It is still considered to be one of the darkest days in Brazil's footballing history. Germany were pitted against Argentina in the final. An in-form Lionel Messi kept creating chances but La Albiceleste failed to find the back of the net.
The match seemed destined to be decided on penalties. But there was one more twist in the tale. Substitutes Andre Schurrle and Mario Gotze combined in the 113th minute of the game to score Germany's winning goal. It was heartbreak for Argentina and jubilation for the Germans.
Germany were crowned world champions and quite deservedly so. That iconic German team was simply the best in the business at the time.
#2 France winning the 2018 World Cup
Didier Deschamps guided a young French side to World Cup triumph in 2018. Les Bleus enjoyed a dominant run in the tournament. They were simply a cut above the rest and once they hit their stride, there was no stopping the Frenchman.
Everyone contributed equally. Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe had spectacular tournaments. Olivier Giroud, despite not scoring at the tournament, played an important role in the frontline. The iconic midfield duo of N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba were running the show from the center of the park.
Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti were formidable in defence. Young right-back Benjamin Pavard scored the goal of the tournament and left-back Lucas Hernandez was a revelation. Except for a howler in the final which wasn't very consequential in the grand scheme of things, Hugo Lloris was a reliable presence between the sticks.
France beat Argentina 4-3 in the Round of 16 before seeing off Uruguay with a 2-0 scoreline in the quarter-finals. They then got the better of Belgium in the semi-finals thanks to a Samuel Umtiti strike. They were by far the best side in the final, beating Croatia 4-2.
France had come agonizingly close in the 2006 World Cup before falling to Italy in the final. So winning the World Cup after they last did it in 1998 was a big moment for them and they had proven themselves worthy of the tag of world champions.
#1 Lionel Messi Copa America 2021
The fact that Lionel Messi hadn't won a major trophy with Argentina has always been used by detractors as a reason not to give him GOAT status. Having lost two Copa America finals and a World Cup final in the last decade, Messi was no stranger to heartbreak.
But he was a man on a mission at Copa America 2021. The Barcelona legend produced a handful of iconic performances as Argentina hustled their way to continental glory. The final was a showdown between Brazil and Argentina and Angel Di Maria's delightful lobbed finish proved to be the difference between the two sides.
But more importantly, it is the competition where Messi finally shut his critics up. He won the Golden Boot for being the top scorer and the Golden Ball for being the best player at the tournament. He averaged 1.42 goal contributions per ninety. He scored four goals and provided five assists.
Messi later posted a photo with the Copa America trophy on his Instagram. It has now become the most liked photo posted by an athlete in the history of the social media platform.
