Google has unveiled its list of most-searched terms of the year; and in a year filled with monumental political events, global crises, and natural disasters, sport has surprisingly topped the charts.
In fact, it has not just topped the chart, it has dominated it, with four of the top five global searches all related to major sporting moments.
There are two additional sports entries that round out the top ten.
DAZN News looks at the sporting phenomena that captivated the world in 2024.
1. Copa America
The 2024 Copa América, hosted by the United States, brought together the giants of the Caribbean, North and South American football for a spectacular tournament.
Argentina, led by a resurgent Lionel Messi in his farewell tournament, claimed victory, defeating Colombia 1-0 in the final after extra time.
Messi’s magic continued to draw global audiences, making Copa América the most-searched event of the year.
2. UEFA European Championship
Hosted by Germany and won by Spain, England made it all the way to the final where they went down 2-1.
With so many stars from the major leagues of Europe on show, coupled with the hope that England would win their first major trophy since 1966, this event was searched widely and often.
Jude Bellingham’s sensational performances and Harry Kane’s form made headlines, while the emergence of Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal as the next big thing, drove record levels of search interest.
3. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Cricket fever reached a crescendo during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, held in the West Indies and the United States.
The fast-paced format and surprise performances from underdog teams like Afghanistan and the USA generated immense interest.
The fact that India, with a population of a billion passionate cricket fans went all the way and won the tournament ensured it was searched and searched often.
The final was a close-run affair between India and South Africa with a fantastic running catch on the boundary ultimately settling matters.
4. India vs England
The Test series between India and England captivated cricket fans globally.
Along with Australia, they make up the big three of Test cricket and the action in this series was plentiful.
Playing at home, India were the favourites to win, but when England won the opening game of the five Test series it suddenly became apparent that this was not going to be a walk in the park for the home side.
India duly came back to win the series 4-1 with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring back-to-back double centuries.
But there were also big performances from Ollie Pope, age-defying antics from Jimmy Anderson and of course the critical presence of playing in India's star bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
As we said earlier, having a billion cricket-mad fans supporting India is a big boost for search engine numbers.
5. India vs Bangladesh
Another cricketing spectacle that made the list was the series between neighbours India and Bangladesh.
Two Tests and three ODIs all went the way of India, but Bangladesh is an emerging force in international cricket and there was plenty of interest in the series.
Megastar Virat Kohli, who had missed the series against England earlier in the year, was back in action for this series, immediately amplifying its profile.
6. Olympics
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Surprisingly the Paris Olympics 2024 only comes in at number nine on the list. From its inventive opening ceremony to the performances of stars like Armand Duplantis, Simone Biles’ triumphant return and Noah Lyles’ dominance on the track, the Games provided unforgettable moments.
New sports like breakdancing debuted, while traditional events saw record-breaking performances. Paris’s iconic venues and cultural backdrop added to the global appeal.
Sport: A global unifier in 2024
In a year filled with challenges, sports served as a beacon of hope, entertainment, and unity.
Whether it was the magic of Messi, the heroics of cricketers, or the grandeur of the Olympics, these events captured the hearts of millions and dominated global search trends.
For those who are interested the four non-sports related events in the top ten of global search terms for 2024 were Liam Payne (fifth), the former One Direction singer who passed away; Donald Trump (sixth), the man elected to be President of the USA; iPhone 16 (eighth) and Catherine, Princess of Wales (tenth).
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