Football in 2018: Most memorable moments revealed

A Champions League final that had everything,  a classic World Cup, and the end of the road for two of the Premier League's most successful managers.

We experienced loads of footballing drama in 2018 - and lots that will live in the memory for a long time to come.

We have come up with a list of our most memorable moments of the year and demand you to rank them. In reverse order, here's your verdict. 

11. That throw-in

Initially, we planned to have 10 memorable moments, but there was one iconic incident we just could not leave out.

One legend. One man. One throw-in.

Iran were a goal down against Spain in injury time and won a throw-in - one final chance at claiming a famous draw. 

Milad Mohammadi picked up the ball, kissed it, touched it off his forehead, glanced at the sky and then did a forward roll before cancelling his plan to throw the ball at the final second. 

While the world looked on, baffled, Milad composed himself and took an orthodox short throw-in. Spain won the match.

10. Julen Lopetegui departure rocks Spain

Managerial appointments at clubs can often go under the radar during the World Cup. Unfortunately, it was a different case with Lopetegui. 

Spain got one better than the Republic of Ireland's effort of sending their captain home on the eve of 2002 World Cup campaign when

they sent Lopetegui home  the day before the opening game.

Having gone 20 games unbeaten under Lopetegui, La Fura Roja came into the tournament as one of the favourites - but just two days before the tournament commenced, Real Madrid announced he would be taking over as their manager after the World Cup.

Spain Football Federation were so furious they let him start his new career early by sacking him, with Fernando Hierro, their sporting director taking over for their ill-fated World Cup campaign - they were eliminated in the last 16 by hosts Russia.

Luckily it worked out well for Lopetegui at Real...

9. Neuer goes walkabout as Germans were eliminated

Goalkeepers have just one job. Stand in the goal and try to stop the ball. But as Son Heung-min was about to 

dump Germany out of the World Cup, Manuel Neuer was 80 yards away.

The world champions needed the three points but two minutes into injury time, they were trailing, thanks to Kim Young-gwon's goal, which had been awarded by the video assistant referee.

With nothing left to play for, and Germany needing to score twice, Manuel Neuer, who manager Joachim Low once said was good enough to play as a midfielder, took that commendation literally.

He left goal post to join open play for about a minute in the midfield before losing the ball to Ju Se-jong, who aimed a long punt down to Son. Neuer conceded the game was up and just stood watching instead of chasing back to his goal.

Is there anyone with a German word for the pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune?

8. Jose Mourinho sacked and replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Tuesday, 18 December was a strange day in world football.

The whole world (bar a handful of fans at most) woke up with no idea Jose Mourinho was about to be sacked as Manchester United manager. And we all went to sleep knowing that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was going to be appointed as the next caretaker/interim/loanee manager.

In a rarity for modern football, Mourinho's sack was not broken in the media before the official announcement, which came after a humiliating 

3-1 defeat by Liverpool on the Sunday.

Molde boss, former United striker Solskjaer then became Manchester United's first loan signing from Scandinavia since Helsingborg striker Henrik Larsson. 

The Norwegian striker is set to go back to his club at the end of the season... unless the Old Trafford board decide to appoint him permanently.

His appointment was officially confirmed by United the next day, although the Norwegian prime minister inadvertently broke the news on Tuesday night.

Like we said, it was a strange day in football. 

7. Roma's historic comeback against Barcelona

The crowd at the Stadio Olimpico erupted at the blow of the whistle as the Roma substitutes and entire coaching staff piled on to the pitch to celebrate with the players. 

There were tears in the stands as fans could not believe what they just witnessed - an emotional comeback to dump Barcelona out of the Champions League.

A year after Barcelona became the second club in the history of Champions League to overturn a first-leg deficit of three goals or more (against Paris St-Germain), Roma became the third.

Lost 4-1 from the first leg against the unbeaten La Liga leaders, nobody gave Roma any chance. But goals from Edin Dzeko and Daniele de Rossi gave the Italians hope before Kostas Manolas' stunning effort with eight minutes remaining.

They went on to lose to Liverpool in the semi-finals, but it will remain one of the great comebacks.

6. Gabriel Jesus goal helps City get 100 points

Manchester City players celebrated with the fans like it was Sergio Agueroooooo all over again.

Pep Guardiola leapt into the air on the touchline like Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated Steve Bruce's title-winning strike in 1993.

Yet they had sealed the league a month earlier.

Gabriel Jesus' chip in the last minute against the Saints on the final day made City the first club to reach 100 Premier League points.

It was City’s 106th league goal of the season, another record. A positive goal difference of 79 was also in their kitty. Manchester City won 32 of their 38 matches, another record - this one for most wins in any English top-flight season.

5. Arsene Wenger leaves Arsenal

It was the moment fans had seen coming for five years but never actually expected to arrive this year. 

Virtually a quarter of the population of the UK had never lived in a world without Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager. 

Since Arsenal last won a Premier League title, more than five million people had been born in the UK.

The Frenchman finally announced on 20 April that he would be leaving the Gunners at the end of the season, a year before the end of his contract. 

Wenger had a seven-game farewell tour - including a last defeat at Old Trafford, a final European exit but it all ended with a 1-0 win at Huddersfield on the last day of the campaign.

4. Ronaldo's incredible overhead kick

As awesome as Gareth Bale's bicycle kick in the Champions League final against Liverpool was, it didn't get him a £99m move to Juventus. 

Ronaldo flew into the Turin sky to send a 

magnificent overhead kick flying pass Buffon. Arguably, It was the greatest goal the Champions League has ever seen and received a standing ovation from the Old Ladies fans.

Four months later Ronaldo was theirs and the Portugal captain admitted the round of applause was a key factor in his decision to join the Serie A champions.

Cue every opposition fan in EPL applauding Manchester City's Kun Aguero or Chelsea’s Eden Hazard every time they score.

3. Mbappe shines as France win World Cup

Kylian Mbappe became the first teenager since Pele to score twice in a World Cup game. 

Clinched the trophy that has eluded Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Kylian Mbappe was the star as France won the World Cup, scoring a sparkling brace against Argentina and a solo from outside the box against Croatia.

He was obviously nowhere near an unknown, having already cost Paris St-Germain a whopping £165.7m, but it was the summer tournament that Mbappe really showcased his talent on the world stage as the man most likely to replace Messi and Ronaldo as the best.

The now 20-year-old Mbappe has carried that form into this season, with 13 league goals in 11 matches. Only Lionel Messi has scored more in Europe's top five leagues.

2. Champions League final with everything

So much talking points to fill a decade of Champions League finals - squeezed into

90 unforgettable minutes. 

Mohamed Salah's season had been fantastic up to this moment, but arguably, Sergio Ramos had other ideas when he pulled the Egyptian's arm and injured his shoulder midway through the first half.

Salah left the pitch in tears as Ramos turned public enemy number one in Liverpool and Egypt.

The final will also be remembered for one of the biggest blunders and one of the greatest moments of skill that European club football's showpiece match has ever produced.

Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius' career at Anfield effectively ended when he threw the ball directly at Karim Benzema to hand Real Madrid the opening goal.

Gareth Bale's relationship with Real Madrid fans has been rocky at times but he etched himself back into folklore with his fourth touch of the night.

After coming off the bench, Bale sent an absolutely sensational overhead kick flying past Karius from Marcelo's deflected shot.

The fact that Karius spilling Bale's 30-yard effort at goal into his own net to make it 3-1 was neither the German's biggest error nor the Welshman's best goal of the match tells its own story.

1. England win penalty shootout

Tears. Everywhere. Beer. Everywhere. A moment most England fans thought they would go to the grave without witnessing a penalty shootout win at a World Cup.

It was a gloriously sunny summer in which, for a brief period at least, world cup looked to be coming home. 

England reaching the semi-finals of World Cup was a shock to many, but the most astonishing bit was the Three Lions actually winning a real-life penalty shootout.

Gareth Southgate's team looked set up for another woe when Jordan Henderson's spot kick was saved, but keeper Jordan Pickford and Eric Dier were the heroes as England defeat Colombia.

If we can actually go by history - with their only previous shootout success in Euro 96 against Spain - their next penalty victory will be at Euro 2040.