From Bazball to Fifa, these were the villains of the sporting year

But we all make mistakes, no performance is ever perfect - and, similarly, 2025 witnessed its fair share of ignominy in the sporting world as well.

We’re calling them our villains of the year.

Gianni Infantino

Even by Fifa’s standards, this was a sorry year. The “Fifa Peace Prize: Football Unites the World” award was made up in a blatant attempt to hang something gold and shiny around Donald Trump’s neck after the US President missed out on the Nobel Peace Prize. In doing so, Infantino dragged Fifa to a new low and made a mockery of the World Cup draw, which was, in itself, a cringey and shambolic affair where Infantino had the bluster to claim that Fifa have been “the official happiness provider for humanity for over 100 years”. This came after a summer where Infantino’s other ego project was on full display at the Club World Cup, as Trump marched onto the stage and presented the trophy in a worrying foreshadowing of what the World Cup could be allowed to become. Speaking of, have you seen the prices of the tickets for next summer’s tournament?

US Ryder Cup fans

The Ryder Cup is a special event with a unique atmosphere - but the abuse directed at Europe’s golfers, particularly Rory McIlroy, went so far across the line at Bethpage Black that it may as well have been at Whistling Straights. American golf fans are loud at obnoxious at the best of times; loaded up with alcohol and Ryder Cup excitement, and fuelled by what felt like genuine vitriol for the visiting side, and you are left with a toxic concoction that led to vicious personal insults and McIlroy’s wife Erica Stoll being caught in the crossfire. The PGA of America apologised to McIlroy in the aftermath and Europe will be determined to be more welcoming hosts when the Ryder Cup heads to Ireland and Adare Manor in 2027.

Bazball

With the Ashes lost in 11 days of cricket, the Bazball approach that thrilled and invigorated so many just a couple of years ago has instead infuriated those who had such high hopes of a long-awaited away win. From the extraordinary batting collapses and a dismal lack of preparation to the beers in Noosa and a general lack of contrition from the England team, the finger has been pointed squarely in the direction of the very ethos of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s side. Spare a thought for the England fans who flew out to Perth for an opening Ashes Test that was wrapped up inside two days, or those who have spent life savings staying out for the car crashes of Brisbane and Adelaide in what has been a disastrous tour, with Melbourne and Sydney still to come.

Christian Horner

Lost out in the Red Bull power struggle and was sensationally sacked a year on from the personal scandal that engulfed the once-dominant F1 team. Following two internal investigations, Horner was twice cleared after allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” from a female colleague but lost his job anyway and received a reported payout of £80m. From there, Max Verstappen launched himself back into the title fight as Red Bull found form over the second half of the season, with the Dutch driver narrowly missing out on beating Lando Norris to the title despite being 104 points behind in the summer.

Alexander Isak

Isak became a hero on Tyneside after scoring the goal that sealed Newcastle’s first silverware in 1955 and leading their charge towards the Champions League but traded that in as he went on strike and accused the club of broken promises in an attempt to force through a move to Liverpool. After a protracted transfer saga, the Premier League champions stumped up the British record £125m required to sign Isak on deadline day. But after he effectively sidelined himself from pre-season, Isak struggled to get up to speed and looked a shadow of the player who scored 27 goals for Newcastle last campaign. Nevertheless, suffering a broken leg while scoring in Liverpool’s win at Tottenham was rotten luck and a huge shame.

Mary Earps

Earps’s dramatic retirement after being told that she had lost her place to Hannah Hampton left England heading into their Euros defence with two inexperienced, uncapped goalkeepers behind their new No 1. Thankfully for the Lionesses, Sarina Wiegman got her big call correct and Hampton was ever-present and exceptional in Switzerland. Earps’s autobiography All In, which accused Wiegman of rewarding “bad behaviour” by recalling Hampton and labelled Wiegman’s handling of the situation as “bull----”, was undoubtedly the PR disaster of the year.

Anthony Joshua

The ‘cut-throat’ gesture Joshua made after knocking out YouTuber-turned-master provocateur Jake Paul was as embarrassing as the sight of the two-time heavyweight world champion chasing such a mismatched opponent around the ring in six shameful rounds in Miami. Joshua eventually broke Paul’s jaw in two places as he earned a massive pay-day, ahead of a proper return to the ring and a long-awaited bout with Tyson Fury in 2026 - but there were no winners from this dangerous circus and it was sad to see a former champion stoop to such a low.

Israel-Premier Tech

The cycling team were the target of protests this year, notably at the Vuelta a Espana as pro-Palestine demonstrators blocked roads and led to the cancellation of two stages. Its owner, the Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams, refused to withdraw the Israel-Premier Tech team from the Vuelta, despite the disruption and amid security concerns for riders. Adams, a “self-appointed ambassador” to Israel, later announced that he would step back from the team and Israel-Premier Tech will rebrand as NSN Cycling Team next year.

Michael Johnson

The legendary Olympian and popular face of the BBC’s athletics coverage became embroiled in scandal as it emerged that his Grand Slam Track league was unable to pay its athletes. Johnson unveiled ambitious plans to transform athletics when it promised an exciting fresh format and $100,000 for race winners. But after a key investor pulled out, the final meet of the season was cancelled, leaving major stars including Gabby Thomas, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Josh Kerr being owed six-figure sums. “This current situation of not being able to pay our athletes and partners has been one of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever experienced,” Johnson said.

Idrissa Gueye

You know what, this ended up being a decent laugh. Everton’s Gueye became just the third Premier League player to be sent off for fighting with his own team-mate after he slapped Michael Keane following a disagreement over a loose pass in the early stages of his side’s trip to Manchester United. But, actually, Gueye’s slap was hardly a punch, 10-man Everton managed to win 1-0 at Old Trafford anyway, and David Moyes said he liked what he saw. “I like my players fighting each other if someone didn’t do the right action,” Moyes said, the Scot positively beaming. Gueye and Keane made up the following day with a display of pretend fistycuffs and a hug in training.

Axelle Berthoumieu

In the biggest controversy of the Rugby World Cup, the France back-row was caught biting Ireland’s Aoife Wafe on the arm during a ruck. Berthoumieu was suspended from France’s semi-final defeat to England but her ban was later reduced to nine weeks following an appeal. It’s still less than the 12-week ban South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth received for gouging the eye of Wales flanker Alex Mann in another unsavoury incident later this year.