- Title: The second part of the sports year ender covers soccer
- Date: 4th December 2022
- Summary: VARIOUS OF TEAM CELEBRATING WITH MEISTERSCHALEN (GERMAN SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES)
- Embargoed: 18th December 2022 08:15
- Keywords: Champions League Europa League Euros Soccer year ender
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: Various
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00K075419112022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An extra time strike from forward Chloe Kelly gave England a 2-1 win over Germany in the Women's European Championship final to claim their first ever major title in front of a record crowd on home soil.
England coach Sarina Wiegman became the first manager to win the Euros with two different nations having led her native Netherlands to the title in 2017.
It was a historic night for England in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley Stadium, the 87,192 attendance a record for a UEFA tournament, men's or women's.
Real Madrid secured a record-extending 14th European Cup when they beat Liverpool 1-0 in a Champions League final delayed for more than half an hour after police tried to stop people trying to force their way into the Stade de France.
Vinicius Junior scored just before the hour with Real's first attempt on goal and their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several fine saves to deny Liverpool, who ended the season with two domestic cups having also failed to win the Premier League.
In a battle of European heavyweights, Juergen Klopp's side had more opportunities but lacked sharpness when it mattered as Carlo Ancelotti became the first coach to enjoy double Champions League success with two clubs having triumphed with AC Milan.
It was LaLiga title holders Real's fourth Champions League crown in seven years as they improved their impressive record in the competition with their eighth victory in as many finals.
The final was to be played in St Petersburg, but European soccer governing body UEFA relocated it to Paris after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow called a 'special operation'.
Real Madrid's French forward Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d'Or award for the best men's player in the world, while Thibaut Courtois won the Lev Yashin award for the best goalkeeper of the season, with the towering shot stopper making nine saves to keep a clean sheet against Liverpool in the Champions League final.
Benzema had a stellar season with Real, scoring 44 goals in 46 games in all competitions as he helped guide them to a LaLiga and Champions League double. His 15 goals in the Champions League guided Real to the title.
German club Eintracht Frankfurt ended a 42-year wait for a European title when they beat Rangers 5-4 on penalties to win the Europa League.
Frankfurt are the first Bundesliga team to win the Europa League, or its predecessor the UEFA Cup, since 1997, when Schalke beat Inter Milan on penalties.
Striker Gabriel Barbosa scored the only goal deep into first-half stoppage time as Flamengo beat 10-man Athletico Paranaense 1-0 to lift the Copa Libertadores in an all-Brazilian final.
The strike from "Gabigol" secured a third Libertadores title for the Rio de Janeiro-based club, who lost the 2021 final to fellow Brazilians Palmeiras, and though they dominated the game from start to finish, they only managed the one goal.
Manchester City won their fourth English Premier League title in five years, narrowly beating Liverpool to the title in a close fought race that went down to the final game.
Following their success coach Pep Guardiola strengthened his side even more when the club won the race to sign Norway striker Erling Haaland from Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.
It was business as usual in Germany when Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga trophy, their 10th straight league crown.
Paris St Germain secured a record-equalling 10th French title, the club having now won eight of the last 10 Ligue 1 titles, only been denied by Monaco in 2017 and Lille last year.
PSG equalled the record set by St Etienne, who won 10 top flight titles between 1957 and 1981.
Despite the success the club parted ways with Argentinian coach Mauricio Pochettino and replaced him with Christophe Galtier, who left Nice to take up the job.
In Italy, Stefano Pioli's AC Milan side secured a first Scudetto in over a decade, beating Inter Milan to the Serie A title.
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