2024 in football was an incredible year. The pitch saw history made, science-defying goals scored, emotional goodbyes said, and drama from all around. And so, with the year safely behind us, let's look at the five most iconic moments that defined football in 2024.

Man United Beat Man City in the derby FA Cup final

The surprise high point of the 2023/24 football season was Manchester United winning the FA Cup and beating the unrivalled Manchester City. For fans of betting online, the performance was as unexpected as it was exciting. After swapping out Ten Hag for Ruben Amorim, United returned to their winning ways, breaking a 27-match losing streak. The team secured the 13th FA Cup trophy in the first half when Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo found the back of the net at minutes 30 and 39. This is despite a late goal from Jeremy Doku. It was a win they needed after a brutal Premier League campaign.

Manchester City won their 4th successive title

Despite that Man U snag, Manchester City closed the season at 91 points, becoming the first English team to win four consecutive Premier League titles. Guardiola’s boys wrapped up with a 3-1 win over West Ham, finishing 2 points ahead of Arsenal thanks to Phil Foden and Rodri.

This title maintains Guardiola’s EPL dominance and marks his sixth win in seven seasons. City’s 2023/24 season ended with just three league defeats and 96 goals scored.

Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal

Cristiano Ronaldo added another achievement to his legendary football career and made history when he became the first player to score 900 career goals. His 900th goal came in Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League win over Croatia in Lisbon. Ronaldo, who's already one of the two most impressive football players in history, also added a 135th international goal to his bag of achievements. The star treated the crowd and Betway fans worldwide to an emotional celebration, marking 2 decades of football excellence.

Emma Hayes won another WSL title and left Chelsea

Chelsea coach Emma Hayes said an emotional goodbye to Chelsea after winning a fifth consecutive Women's Super League title. Chelsea beat Manchester United by 6-0 in a breathtaking final-day match that also marked the end of Hayes’ tenure with the team.

Hayes leaves behind a great legacy at Chelsea, having turned the club into a powerhouse in the women’s league. Her next chapter includes leading the USA Women’s team, where she has already won an Olympic gold medal.

Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or

Manchester City defensive midfielder Rodri capped an outstanding year by winning the Ballon d’Or. With this award, he became the first Premier League player to win since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008. Rodri was a key part of City’s Premier League success and Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, where he was named player of the tournament. Tragically, and even more so for Betway fans, he suffered an ACL injury before the award ceremony and will not return to play until later in 2025.

Looking to 2025

After the uncertainty of the post-Covid years, 2024 was a breath of fresh air for football fans and bettors. Legends like Ronaldo continue to defy age, and stars like Rodri are amping up the heat. Meanwhile, sportsbooks like Betway continue to find new and exciting ways to capture all the action and deliver it to fans and bettors alike. It’s a great time to be alive.