The exciting year of 2025 is coming to an end. During this year, Camel Live reported thousands of news stories, and we have selected ten of the most representative actions to review what happened in the world of football this year.
1. Diogo Jota's Tragic Passing
At approximately 00:40 on July 3, 2025, Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre were killed when their car lost control, veered off the road, and burst into flames in Spain. The incident occurred on the A-52 highway near Palacios de Sanabria. Both died instantly at the scene.
The football world was plunged into mourning. Tributes poured in from all corners of the globe, with Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and even the British rock band Oasis all honoring Jota in their own ways.
Reports indicated that Jota had undergone a minor lung surgery after the UEFA Nations League final and was advised against flying. On his way back to Portugal from Spain, the Lamborghini he was driving suffered a tire blowout, leading to the fatal accident.
On July 11, 2025, Liverpool announced that Jota's number 20 jersey would be retired across all levels of the club's teams.
2. Paris Saint-Germain's Historic Sextuple
Paris Saint-Germain, long considered one of the Champions League favorites since the 2010s but always falling short of the ultimate prize, finally achieved their dream in the 2024-25 season.
Following coach Enrique's vision and after letting Mbappé leave, they positioned Dembélé as the center-forward, yielding unprecedented success. Despite initially falling into the Champions League playoffs, they demolished Brestois 10-0 in the playoffs and then eliminated Liverpool (who topped their group) via penalty shootout in the Round of 16.
PSG then swept past two consecutive Premier League teams in the quarter-finals and semi-finals before delivering a stunning 5-0 victory over Inter Milan at Allianz Arena in the final, securing their first-ever Champions League title.
Having already won all domestic competitions, PSG completed the historic treble with a 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Flamengo in the December Intercontinental Cup final, becoming only the third team in world football history to achieve the sextuple.
3. Dembélé's Ballon d'Or Ascension
The 2024-25 season saw Ousmane Dembélé silencing all his critics. After shifting to the center-forward position, he excelled beyond expectations, scoring 35 goals and providing 16 assists in 53 matches, helping PSG win the Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Trophée des Champions, and reaching the Club World Cup final.
Consequently, at the end-of-year Ballon d'Or and FIFA The Best awards, Dembélé was crowned the winner of both prestigious titles, backed by his impressive individual achievements including the Ligue 1 Golden Boot, Ligue 1 Player of the Year, and Champions League Player of the Year.
The French star, who joined PSG from Barcelona in August 2023 for €50.4 million, finally fulfilled the immense potential that had been evident since his early days.
4. The 2026 World Cup Draw Unveiled
With most qualification spots confirmed by 2025 (except for a few regional playoffs), the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico took place on December 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
The opening match will feature Mexico hosting South Africa at home. Group I is widely considered the "Group of Death," with Norway, Senegal, and France all drawn together.
The group stage will showcase several mouthwatering clashes, including Brazil vs. Morocco, Netherlands vs. Japan, Spain vs. Uruguay, Argentina vs. Austria, Portugal vs. Colombia, and England vs. Croatia.
The 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 11, 2026, promising to be a football feast that will captivate fans worldwide.
5. Chelsea's FIFA Club World Cup Triumph
Chelsea's 2025 was destined for history books. After securing a Champions League spot at the last minute, they went on to win the Europa Conference League final, achieving the only European treble in the continent.
In the summer 2025 Club World Cup, Chelsea qualified as the 2021 Champions League winner. Their journey was far from smooth, nearly failing to advance from the group stage after a defeat to Flamengo.
In the knockout stage, they faced Benfica and, after James scored the opener, the match was suspended due to a thunderstorm. Upon resumption, Chelsea conceded an equalizer but ultimately prevailed in extra time with an extra man advantage.
Chelsea then swept past two Brazilian teams in the quarter-finals and semi-finals before facing PSG in the final. In a David vs. Goliath scenario, Palmer delivered a masterclass with two goals and one assist, leading Chelsea to a resounding 3-0 victory over the reigning European champions.
6. Liverpool’s Sensational Transfer Window
Liverpool’s blockbuster summer transfer window finally drew to a close after they missed out on signing Marc Guehi in the eleventh hour. The Reds splashed a staggering €484 million in this window, setting a new record for the highest transfer expenditure by a club in a single window in football history.
Their major signings included: Alexander Isak for €144 million, Florian Wirtz for €125 million, Hugo Ekitike for €95 million, Milos Kerkez for €46.9 million, Jeremie Frimpong for €40 million and Giovanni Leoni for €31 million.
However, as the season unfolded, Wirtz, Isak, Kerkez and Frimpong all failed to live up to their hefty price tags and deliver their expected performances. Wirtz scored his first goal for the club only in the match against Wolves, and Isak even suffered a serious injury moments after netting a goal against Tottenham Hotspur. Only time will tell whether this summer transfer window will be deemed a success for Liverpool.
7. Messi Claims His First MLS Cup Championship
Prior to Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami languished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with just 18 points on the board, 12 points adrift of the playoff qualification line, and were regarded as a total pushover of the league.
In this season's regular league campaign, Inter Miami climbed up to finish third in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they first defeated Nashville SC over a three-legged tie, then thrashed FC Cincinnati 4-0, and followed it up with a resounding 5-1 victory over New York City FC to claim the Eastern Conference playoff title, earning their maiden berth in the MLS Cup Final in club history. In the final, Messi had to face his old foe Vancouver Whitecaps, led by Thomas Müller—Inter Miami had lost to Vancouver Whitecaps in both legs of the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals earlier this season.
Trailing the script of taking the lead and then having it pegged back within the first 60 minutes, Messi showcased his razor-sharp reflexes in the 71st minute: he intercepted an opponent's square pass, then threaded a defence-splitting through ball forward. Rodrigo De Paul read his teammate's intention perfectly, burst into the penalty area and slotted the ball home into the far corner, putting Inter Miami back in front at 2-1. Inter Miami eventually sealed a 3-1 win to exact revenge on Vancouver Whitecaps, clinching their first-ever MLS Cup championship. Notably, this match also marked the swansong of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who hung up their boots after the final whistle.
8. Portugal's Second UEFA Nations League Title
In the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, Portugal finished top of Group A1 with an unbeaten record, advancing to the knockout stage.
In the quarter-finals against Denmark, Portugal suffered a shock 0-1 defeat away in the first leg. However, at home, Ronaldo missed a penalty in the first half but made amends with a crucial equalizer in the second half, before Trincão scored twice to seal a 5-3 aggregate victory.
In the semi-finals against Germany, Portugal trailed in the first half before Conceição scored a thunderous equalizer. Then, at 68 minutes, 40-year-old Ronaldo headed home the winner from a Nuno Mendes cross, sending Portugal to the final.
In the final against European champions Spain, Portugal found themselves 1-2 down at half-time. At 61 minutes, Ronaldo again came to the rescue, heading home another crucial equalizer from a Mendes cross.
In the penalty shootout, Diogo Costa saved Morata's penalty, and Portugal won 5-3 on penalties to claim their second UEFA Nations League title. At 40 years old, Ronaldo became the tournament's top scorer, injecting crucial winning momentum for next year's World Cup.
9. Ten Hag's Lightning Departure
Erik ten Hag, undoubtedly one of Europe's most talked-about coaches in recent years, had a rollercoaster career before his latest abrupt exit.
After leaving Manchester United in October 2024 following a disappointing season, ten Hag was appointed as Bayer Leverkusen's manager on May 26, 2025. He declared: “This is an attractive challenge, and I look forward to leading this talented team to continued success.”
However, during the summer transfer window, Leverkusen sold several key players (including Xhaka, Wirtz, Frimpong, and Inkapiye), which directly contributed to their poor start to the season - a 1-2 loss to Hoffenheim and a 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen in their first two matches.
On September 1, 2025, just 62 days after his appointment (and only 62 days into his tenure), Leverkusen announced the dismissal of ten Hag, making him the shortest-serving coach in Bundesliga history. Reports indicated the decision stemmed from conflicts with management over transfer strategy, ten Hag's repeated criticism of the club's sale of key players, and player resistance to his tactical approach.
10. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona & Referee Controversies&Negreira Case
The Negreira case, widely regarded as one of Spanish football's biggest scandals in recent years, continued to simmer throughout 2025 with no final verdict. Real Madrid repeatedly pressured the media, the Spanish Football Federation, and the courts to thoroughly investigate whether Barcelona had engaged in bribery.
Additionally, Real Madrid launched what appeared to be a full-scale war against La Liga referees in 2025. In February, when Tchouaméni fouled Lino in the penalty area and the referee awarded a penalty after VAR intervention, Real Madrid officially filed a complaint about the "unfair VAR decision," demanding that the Spanish Football Federation replace the referee system's main officials and establish an effective oversight mechanism.
Most notably, before the Copa del Rey final, Real Madrid TV (as the club's official media outlet) aired a compilation of controversial decisions from referee Burgos' past matches involving Real Madrid, which reportedly reduced the referee to tears during a press conference. Real Madrid then issued an official statement strongly condemning the referee and VAR official for "crying" and threatening measures against Real Madrid, stating: “These statements deliberately target Real Madrid TV and reveal the referee's clear hostility and prejudice toward Real Madrid.”
During the final match, Rudiger was sent off for throwing a water bottle at the referee in protest at a decision, and several Real Madrid players received additional red cards after the final whistle for their persistent complaints.
In December 2025, the Spanish Referees' Association issued a "solemn statement" strongly condemning Florentino's comments, stating: "Referees are not scapegoats; match outcomes should be determined by performance on the field, not attributed to referees." They denied any "threats" before the Copa del Rey final, calling Real Madrid's accusations "factually incorrect and fabricated," and warned: "Anyone who uses their influence to publicly smear referees will face consequences."
