World soccer governing body, FIFA, has picked Sunday Mba’s winning goal in the final of South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as one of the 13 moments that defined the outgoing year.
On its website yesterday, FIFA rated the goal as the second among the 13 unforgettable and memorable moments of 2013.
FIFA said of the winning goal Mba scored against Burkina Faso on February 10 at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, “It was a goal worthy of winning any match, and Sunday Mba’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations-winning strike brought joy and relief to an entire nation.
“Nigeria had not won a major trophy in 17 years going into the continental showpiece, but despite the best efforts of debutant finalists, Burkina Faso, Mba’s precise volley – after flicking the ball over his opponent’s head – proved sufficient to secure the African crown.”
Lionel Messi’s fourth Footballer of the Year award on January 7 is listed as the first among the 13 defining moments.
FIFA said of it, “Having scored 91 goals in 69 appearances during 2012, Lionel Messi’s reward came at the start of this year with a record-breaking fourth successive FIFA Ballon d’Or. The little Argentinian duly superseded Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff and achieved a feat he described as ‘just too great for words.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s one man show that earned Portugal the Brazil 2014 World Cup ticket is rated 13th among the monumental feats of 2013.
The global soccer body had this to say, “While there was drama across the various play-offs that brought an end to qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, there was no debate over the star performer. Cristiano Ronaldo, having struck the only goal of the first leg against Sweden, settled his all-star duel with Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a stunning hat-trick in Stockholm (on November 19) and reaffirmed his status as one of this generation’s truly great players.”
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