The Guardian's Alternative 2025 Sports Awards: Quotes, Gaffes, and Animal Cameos
The Guardian's alternative 2025 sports awards list highlights notable quotes, gaffes, and animal cameos from across the sporting world in 2025.
The quote of the year features a White House communique discussing a two-day market meltdown and a line about a Senior Club Championship. Gianni Infantino is highlighted for a memorable quote delivered in the Oval Office and for promoting the restructured Club World Cup, which included a Panini sticker and remarks made via a Trump Tower briefing. The tournament of the year centers on Infantino’s revamped Club World Cup and its mixed reception.
The owner of the year award spotlights Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Manchester United, mentioning his comment on subsidised lunches and the note that he has yet to give a free lunch. Player of the year honors go to Cole Palmer, focusing on his trademarked celebration and the backlash from Château Palmer over its use.
Tour and gala coverage includes Lionel Messi’s India tour, noted for its high ticket demand and disturbances, as well as a London Christmas gala event where questions about Lamine Yamal were restricted. In best messaging, Morgan Gibbs-White praised Forest owner Marinakis, followed by a live-television footage denial of a confrontation involving Marinakis.
The boldest product placement award goes to figure skating footage that showed a toy missile, leading to the ISU censuring the promotion of China’s missile program. Finally, the moral red line was drawn when Lazio fired an eagle trainer over social media posts about penile implants and appointed a replacement who apologized for content related to Mussolini.
