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As the new year beckons, we leave it to the readers to decide the best and the worst of 2011 in the world of football. We are ending the year in style, empowering the readers to decide the winners of our prestigious awards. Starting on 29th December, 2011, we shall be inviting votes in 5 categories every week, 15 categories in total. The poll will run for one week from the time of opening. So make your vote count!
The first category that is open for poll is the SportsKeeda Team of the Year. The year that went by saw many a team overcoming the odds to emerge victorious in competitions, while the mighty fell, save a few. The poll and a brief note on why these teams were chosen are given below. Vote for your favourite team, or the team you wish to win the title below.
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- Catalan juggernaut
The Catalan juggernaut rolled on, with the club from Spain coached by Pep Guardiola marching on to their second Champions League title in three years. This in itself would have made them a strong contender for the title of Team of the Year, but to their credit, they also won the Liga BBVA for the third time in a row, Supercopa and the FIFA Club World Cup, defeating Santos in the finals. The team boasts of superstars such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta and the Argentine Lionel Messi, who is a forerunner to the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
- 19 and counting
The Red Devils, as they are called, had looked suspect in the earlier part of the 2010-11 season, but as is their style, they picked up their form post-Christmas, winning the Premier League for a record 19th time and reaching the finals of the Champions League, with what was described by many as the weakest squad under Alex Ferguson. The second half of the year kick started in style, with Man Utd defeating local rivals Man City in the stoppage time of the Community Shield match. The Red Devils will be disappointed with the 1-6 defeat by Man City and their exit from the Champions League group stages, though nobody can deny it was a fruitful year for them.
- Serie A Winners
2011 was a year in which AC Milan broke the monopoly of Serie A by bitter rivals Inter, who had won the Scudetto 4 years in a row. Led by Massimiliano Allegri, they won the Scudetto with Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing a key role. Thiago Silva established himself as a top centre-back in Europe, with Barcelona already expressing desire in signing him. The new season hasn’t been up to the expectations so far, but the supporters will be hoping they will step up a gear come New Year.
Kashiwa Reysol
- Kashiwa Reysol
They were relegated into the second division two seasons ago. But under the impeccable guidance of Nelsinho, the club has seen a dramatic turn of fortunes. They won promotion back into the J-League this season and have been a breath of fresh air in the league. They gave the other big teams a run for their money and at the end of the season, clinched the J-League title. Although they lost to Santos in the Club World Cup, their performances was a joy to behold for all football fans. Leandro Domingues and Nelsinho have been crucial to their revival.
Japanese Women’s Football Team
- Girl power
They were largely unfancied prior to the World Cup with the likes of Germany, USA and Brazil claiming bragging rights. However, the Japanese women’ stuck to their plan and executed it with style in every match. With the Tsunami and Fukushima Nuclear disaster claiming plenty of lives in Japan, the Samurai Blues sent a pretty strong message to the world that anything can be achieved through unity.
- Silverware – and more to follow
Led by the Italian coach Roberto Mancini, Manchester City won their first piece of silver in 35 years when they defeated Stoke City in the finals of F.A. Cup. The new season started in a defeat to bitter rivals Man Utd in the Community Shield, though they took revenge in a 6-1 victory at Old Trafford. City leads the Premier League table courtesy goal difference going into the new year. It seems like Mancini’s men can only improve upon their last season’s performances.
Al Sadd
- AFC Champions League 2011
They were only allowed to enter the qualifying stages of the AFC Champs League because another Vietnamese club was eliminated for not submitting the proper documents. But the Qatari club have gone on a dominating run in the competition since. They finally lifted the trophy after beating Jeonbuk Motors in the final, thus being crowed as the Asian Champions League winners. Because of their achievements, they were also voted as the Asian Club of the Year.
Brisbane Roar
- Roaaaarr
Brisbane Roar have been magnificent throughout 2011 with the club even setting the longest unbeaten run in the A-League, going unbeaten for 36 matches this season. The Roar’s 35-match undefeated streak consists of 22 wins and 13 draws, with 80 goals scored and 32 conceded.
Santos FC
- Santos FC
2011 was one of the best years in recent memory for Santos FC, with the club winning Campeonato Paulista, beating bitter rivals Sao Paulo and Corinthians along the way. They also won the Copa Libertadores beating Penarol from Uruguay, thereby gaining an entry to FIFA Club World Cup. Finishing second in the competition and the emergence of Neymar as a bright prospect have been two of the biggest highlights of the year.
Molde FK
- No small feat
The Norwegian team had only avoided relegation by a slim margin the previous season, so the expectations were low when club legend and former Manchester United youth coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as the manager in 2010. But the club beat all odds to finish at the top of the league, winning 2011 Tippaligaen in style for the first time in their history, in their centenary season. This was made all the more sweet by the fact that they took leadership of the league when they defeated Sogndal, in the match that celebrated their 100th anniversary.
Japanese Men’s National Team
- AFC Cup 2011 Winners
The tale of Japanese Men’s National team is very similar to their female counterparts. Coached by the former Juventus and AC Milan head coach Alberto Zaccheroni, the team went on to win the 2011 Asian Cup, defeating Australia in the finals. This was no small feat for a team that showed courage and determination and a nation that was ravaged by Tsunami and was in the process of rebuilding.
- Sleeping giants
After spending years in the shadow of the legendary team of the 80′s, a renaissance dawned upon the shores of Naples last season. Walter Mazzari, a tactician beyond excellence, forged a team that has the might to challenge Italy’s holy trinity. The team carved a niche for themselves with a fluid style of football with a unique three pronged attack and the almost extinct tactic of a 3 man defence flanked by the wingbacks. What Napoli bring to the plate is not just good football, but also the ease with they do what they do, having lost at home just four times in the last year and a half in the league while putting over 50 goals past their opposition.
Uruguay
- Uruguay won the Copa America
Often regarded as the sleeping giant, Uruguay bounced back onto the main scene in style this year, winning the Copa America. They showed plenty of promising signs in the World Cup last year and with the Uruguayan holy trinity of Suarez, Cavani and Forlan upfront, success seemed just a matter of time. True enough, they triumphed in this year’s Copa America, confidently dispatching Paraguay 3-0 in the final.
List compiled by: Keeshanan
