ESPN

Sports Photos of the Year

The biggest international sports events, moments and
stars of 2021 through the lens of the camera.

December

January

Alabama claims another championship, Dustin Poirier gets revenge on Conor McGregor and Drew Brees calls it a career.
Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith led the Alabama Crimson Tide to their 18th national championship on Jan. 11 in Miami. Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

February

James Harden, pictured, was acquired by the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 13, joining Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The trio led Brooklyn to the East semifinals. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images
Dustin Poirier got revenge on Conor McGregor in their Jan. 23 rematch. Josh Ritchie for ESPN
Julia Simon, left, won the 12.5-kilometer biathlon in the Italian leg of the BMW IBU World Cup on Jan. 23. Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images
Ohio State was swallowed up by Alabama 52-24 in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 11 in Miami. Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Amateur wrestlers sparred in a roadside ring in Kolkata, India, on Jan. 30. Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty Images
Tom Brady spent time with the Brees family after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints on Jan. 10 in Drew Brees' final NFL game. AP Photo/Butch Dill
“Til the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organization, my team and the great city of New Orleans”
Drew Brees, via Instagram
On Jan. 10, the Cleveland Browns routed the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC wild-card game, picking up their first postseason win since 1994. Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Eileen Gu, 17, won X Games gold in Women's Ski SuperPipe on Jan. 29. AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/Getty Images
Much of the 2020-21 college basketball season was played in front of cardboard fans. Patrick Smith/Getty Images
The sports world remembered Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26 on the one-year anniversary of the helicopter crash that killed him, his daughter Gianna and seven others. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Next Month

January

February

Tom Brady adds a ring with a new team, and Coach Prime debuts at an HBCU.
Days after a butterfly landed on her face Feb. 12, Naomi Osaka won her second career Australian Open and fourth overall Grand Slam title. Paul Crock/AFP/Getty Images

March

The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in the Italian Alps took place on Feb. 13. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
The Kansas City Chiefs' hopes for back-to-back Super Bowl championships were derailed Feb. 7 in Tampa by the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won 31-9. Brett Carlsen for ESPN
The Weeknd performed the Super Bowl LV halftime show. Brett Carlsen for ESPN
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took the Lombardi Trophy with them on a celebratory boat parade down the Hillsborough River on Feb. 10 after they won Super Bowl LV. Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
The Boston Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 7-3 on Feb. 21 in the second of two regular-season NHL games held outdoors at Lake Tahoe. Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Renee Montgomery bought her former team, the Atlanta Dream, on Feb. 26. Ari Skin for ESPN
Czech freediver David Vencl broke the world record for longest swim under ice on Feb. 24. Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images
Fans sat in socially distanced rectangles painted on the grass beyond left field during spring training games at the Detroit Tigers' facility in Lakeland, Florida. Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Deion Sanders made his head-coaching debut for FCS Jackson State on Feb. 21 in a season moved to spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
Next Month

February

March

Team LeBron wins the All-Star Game, March Madness heads to Indiana and Lewis Hamilton keeps winning.
LeBron James was one of two team captains for the NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta on March 7. It was James' 17th All-Star selection. Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images

April

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, ran Feb. 24-March 7. Matthias Hangst/Getty Images
NASCAR ran its first dirt race since 1970 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee on March 29. Joey Logano nabbed his only win of the year. Andrew Kornylak for ESPN
For the first time, the entire NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was held in six arenas in Indiana, including Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse, from March 18-April 5. Andrew Hancock for ESPN
Kemar Roofe of Rangers was shown a red card for this challenge against Slavia Praha goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar during their March 18 UEFA Europa League round of 16 match. Andrew Milligan/Getty Images
Portugal's Patricia Mamona won the women's triple jump at the European Indoor Championships in Poland on March 7. Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for European Athletics
The Penrith Panthers became the only team in Australia's National Rugby League history to hold its first two opponents scoreless after they blanked the Canterbury Bulldogs in Round 2 on March 20. Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton opened the F1 season with his 98th career win at the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28. He hit 100 three races later. Lars Baron/Getty Images
Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier represented the USA at the World Figure Skating Championships from March 24-28. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images
Estelle Yoka Mossely of France, right, earned a 10-round decision over Germany's Verena Kaiser on March 5 and retained her IBO lightweight title. Jean-Francois Monier/AFP/Getty Images
The World Short Track Speed Skating Championships were contested March 5-7 in the Netherlands. Joosep Martinson/International Skating Union/Getty Images
Next Month

March

April

Baylor spoils Gonzaga's perfect season, and Hideki Matsuyama dons the green jacket for Japan.
A big right hand from Kamaru Usman, right, knocked out Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261 on April 24 in Jacksonville, Florida. Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire

May

The Gonzaga Bulldogs' perfect season was snapped on April 5 by the Baylor Bears. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
With the 86-70 win over previously unbeaten Gonzaga at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Baylor earned its first national championship in men's basketball. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
After a year of empty stadiums, MLB fans returned for the 2021 season. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Hideki Matsuyama became the first male Japanese golfer to win a major championship on April 11 at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
“Hopefully, I'll be a pioneer and many other Japanese will follow.”
Hideki Matsuyama
Alejandro Sancho, bottom, made the U.S. Olympic team with his April 3 victory over Ellis Coleman. Tom Pennington/Getty Images
On April 29, Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals clinched their seventh straight postseason berth. Al Bello/Getty Images
Aari McDonald, left, gave Arizona a chance to win the April 4 women's Division I national championship with 6 seconds left, but Stanford held to take the trophy. Elsa/Getty Images
Max Verstappen won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on April 18. Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Next Month

April

May

A 50-year-old wins the PGA Championship, and an American helps Chelsea to a UEFA Champions League trophy.
On May 5, the WNBA's 25th season began. All season long, the league is celebrating legends like Sheryl Swoopes, a three-time WNBA MVP. Elizabeth Lavin for ESPN

June

A wild pitch hit New York Mets outfielder Kevin Pillar in face on May 17. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Simona De Silvestro's pit crew for the May 31 Indianapolis 500 featured four women. Sarah Rice for ESPN
Helio Castroneves won his fourth Indy 500, tied for most all time, with the fastest time on record -- 2 hours, 39 minutes, 50 seconds. AP Photo/Paul Sancya
At 50 years old, Phil Mickelson became the oldest person to win a major when he took the PGA Championship on May 23. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Sam Houston State won the FCS Championship 23-21 on May 26 over South Dakota State. The season was moved to the spring because of COVID-19 concerns. Andy Hancock/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers clinched the Atlantic division May 14 for the first time since 2001. Sophy Holland for ESPN
Christian Alan Gomez Duran knocked out Xavier Wilson in their May 8 welterweight bout. Al Bello/Getty Images
The IFSC Climbing World Cup was held May 28 ahead of the sport's first Olympic appearance. Andy Bao/Getty Images
Christian Pulisic, center, became the first American to win a UEFA Champions League trophy on May 29 in a 1-0 Chelsea victory over Manchester City. Chris Lee/Chelsea FC/Getty Images
Next Month

May

June

Christian Eriksen's life is saved, Jon Rahm is disqualified and MLB cracks down on foreign substances.
Christian Eriksen's partner, center, was comforted by Danish footballer Simon Kjaer, right, who performed CPR on Eriksen after he collapsed during a June 12 match against Finland at EURO 2020. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

July

Oregon's Hayward Field hosted its seventh US Olympic trials in track and field between June 18-27. Patrick Smith/Getty Images
U.S. Olympic swimming trials ran June 4-7 in Omaha, Nebraska. Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Jon Rahm was notified he tested positive for COVID-19 on May 5 after he amassed a six-shot lead at the Memorial Tournament. He was forced to withdraw. Ben Jared/PGA TOUR/Getty Images
Two-time Olympic gold medal boxer Claressa Shields made her MMA debut June 10 against Brittney Elkin, whom she knocked out in the third round. Hana Asano for ESPN
Sha'Carri Richardson qualified for the Olympics on June 2. She was suspended from competition a month later after a drug test came back positive for marijuana. Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Giselle Juarez, No. 45, threw back-to-back complete games on June 9 and 10 to eliminate Florida State and win Oklahoma's fifth Women's College World Series. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
A June 28 horse race got West Bengal, India, fields ready for harvest season. Sumit Sanyal/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
MLB implemented more foreign substance checks in 2021. Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer got heated on June 22 after his equipment was checked midinning. Rich Schultz/Getty Images
“I understand that there’s a problem with Spider Tack and we’ve got to get that out of the game. But I also think there’s a way to handle this that’s a better way.”
Max Scherzer
Novak Djokovic won his 19th major on June 13 at the French Open. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Next Month

June

July

Milwaukee celebrates a long-awaited title, English soccer fans rally behind Marcus Rashford and Naomi Osaka opens the Olympics.
On July 20, Giannis Antetokounmpo, left, became only the seventh player in NBA history to score 50 points in the Finals. Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

August

The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in Game 6 of the Finals on July 20 at Fiserv Forum, clinching the team's first championship in 50 years. AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps
The Detroit Pistons drafted Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham first overall on July 29. Melanie Fidler/NBAE/Getty Images
After playing to a 1-1 tie in the EURO final on July 11 that was postponed from 2020, Italy defeated England on penalty kicks. John Sibley/Getty Images
On July 13, hundreds protested racism at a defaced mural in Manchester, England, of Marcus Rashford, who endured racist threats after he missed a penalty kick in the EURO final. AP Photo/Jon Super
Fernando Tatis Jr., center, and other All-Stars looked on as Pete Alonso won his second consecutive Home Run Derby at Coors Field in Denver on July 12. Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images
Gloves flew high in celebration on July 7 when the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup for back-to-back titles. Mike Carlson/Getty Images
In his third bout against Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor was beat by TKO on July 10 after sustaining a leg injury that required surgery. Al Powers/ESPN Images
Naomi Osaka lit the Olympic torch on July 23 during the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony. Scheduled a year later due to COVID-19, the Olympics was held without fans. Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Next Month

July

August

MLB plays in an Iowa cornfield, Simone Biles shines a spotlight on mental health and Lionel Messi leaves Barcelona.
Liam Hendriks waded through cornstalks on his way to the MLB Field of Dreams game on Aug. 12 between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos/Getty Images

September

Nicola McDermott took notes on every Aug. 7 high jump attempt on her way to Olympic silver. David Ramos/Getty Images
Surfers enjoyed the waves at Maroubra Beach in Sydney, Australia on Aug. 5. Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
Lionel Messi announced he would be leaving Barcelona after 21 years in an emotional press conference on Aug. 8. Eric Alonso/Getty Images
“I am really sad because I didn’t want to leave because this is the club I love.”
Lionel Messi
Simone Biles won her seventh Olympic medal with a bronze in beam on Aug. 3, less than a week after she pulled out of the team final to focus on her mental health. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
YouTube celebrity-turned-boxer Jake Paul beat former UFC champion Tyron Woodley in a split decision on Aug. 29. The win moved Paul to 4-0 in his career. Ben Lowy for ESPN
The Caldor Fire burned near Lake Tahoe, California, on Aug. 30. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
South Dakota celebrated Gavin Weir's, No. 19, home run on Aug. 23 during the Little League World Series, which was open to only U.S. teams because of COVID-19. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
High jumpers Gianmarco Tamberi, left, and Mutaz Essa Barshim, right, agreed to share the Olympic gold medal on Aug. 1. David Ramos/Getty Images
Next Month

August

September

The Ryder Cup belongs to the Americans, US gymnasts testify and Cristiano Ronaldo returns to his old club.
Australian high diver Rhiannan Iffland notched her fifth Red Bull Cliff World Series title on Sept. 25 in Polignano a Mare, Italy Romina Amato/Red Bull/Getty Images

October

The 43rd Ryder Cup began on Sept. 24 with the youngest American team in history. The youth dominated Europe 19-9, the largest margin of victory in the modern era. Warren Little/Getty Images
Jackson State rolled past Tennessee State 38-16 in the Southern Heritage Classic on Sept. 11. Gerry Melendez for ESPN
Buffalo Bills fans tailgated on Sept. 26 before their team played the Washington Football Team. Joshua Bessex/Getty Images
A 56-yard winning field goal for the Dallas Cowboys spoiled the Los Angeles Chargers first game at SoFi Stadium with fans on Sept. 19. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Mike Piazza reflected on his winning home run on Sept. 21, 2001, in the first professional sporting event in New York since the attack on the World Trade Center. Kyle Dorosz for ESPN
“I thought it was an amazing moment, but I didn’t think people would still be celebrating it 20 years later.”
Mike Piazza
US gymnasts testified in a Senate hearing on Sept. 15 that the FBI mishandled its investigation of convicted sexual abuser Larry Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics doctor. Saul Loeb via AP
In his return to Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals in a 4-1 win over Newcastle United on Sept. 11. Matthew Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images
A crowd in Caracas, Venezuela looks on during an exhibition on Sept. 19. AP Photo/Matias Delacroix
No. 1 ranked Valentina Shevchenko, right, defended her UFC flyweight title against Lauren Murphy on Sept. 25 AP Photo/John Locher
Next Month

September

October

Tom Brady throws his 600th touchdown pass and Candace Parker brings a title home to Chicago.
Deontay Wilder clung on for 10 rounds before succumbing to a knockout by Tyson Fury in the 11th on Sept. 9. With the win, Fury secured his WBC heavyweight belt. Al Bello/Getty Images

November

The Seattle Kraken played their first-ever home game in front of over 17,100 fans on Oct. 23. Christopher Mast/NHLI/Getty Images
On Oct. 24, Matthew Stafford led the Los Angeles Rams over his former team, the Detroit Lions, who exchanged him for Jared Goff in the offseason. Eric Ray Davidson for ESPN
When the ball from his 600th career touchdown pass was unknowingly given to a fan on Oct. 24, Tom Brady made a trade: team memorabilia and season tickets in exchange for the record-breaking pigskin. Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports
On Oct. 15, Chicago native Candace Parker celebrated the Chicago Sky's WNBA championship during the waning seconds of Game 4. The Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 80-74. Stacy Revere/Getty Images
The 35th annual Marathon des Sables took place on Sept. 30-Oct. 11 in the Sahara Desert. Jean-Philippe Ksiazek/AFP/Getty Images
Kyrie Irving supporters gathered outside Barclays Center on Oct. 24 after the Brooklyn Nets announced the All-Star could not play if he chose not comply with New York's vaccine rules. AP Photo/John Minchillo
Auston Matthews netted his 200th goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 25, becoming the fastest to do so since Alex Ovechkin in 2009. Marcus Eriksson for ESPN
In Sanaa, Yemen, a student throws a javelin during a local university athletics championship on Oct. 10. Mohammed Huwais/AFP/Getty Images
Washington State fired its head football coach, Nick Rolovich, and four assistants on Oct. 18 because they refused to comply with the school's vaccine mandate. AP Photo/Young Kwak
On Oct. 3, Sonny Colbrelli, left, became the first Italian to win the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in 22 years. Bernard Papon/Getty Images
Next Month

November

The Atlanta Braves win the World Series in Houston, and Jim Harbaugh exorcises his Ohio State demons.
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt appeared to defy gravity during his introduction before a Nov. 14 showdown with the Detroit Lions. AP PHOTO/DON WRIGHT
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint race ran Nov. 5 in Del Mar, California. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Stanford women's basketball players, including Final Four Most Outstanding Player Haley Jones were presented with their 2020 national championship rings in a Nov. 14 ceremony. Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
Jorge Soler kicked off the Atlanta Braves' Nov. 2 World Series-clinching Game 6 win over the Houston Astros with a three-run home run in the third inning. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Isiah Stewart had to be restrained in a Nov. 21 game after being elbowed by LeBron James. Nic Antaya/Getty Images
Kyle Larson won his 10th race of the season at the Nov. 7 Season Finale 500. The victory gave him his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Several kitesurfers spent a cloudy Nov. 6 day on the North Sea. Hauke-Christian Dittrich/picture alliance/Getty Images
More than 30,000 people ran in the 125th NYC Marathon on Nov. 7. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
For the first time in his seven-year head-coaching tenue at Michigan, coach Jim Harbaugh defeated rival Ohio State on Nov. 27. Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
After his goal in the USMNT's 2-0 victory on Nov. 12, Christian Pulisic reminded Mexico of its goalkeeper's "mirror in which they want to see themselves" comment. John Dorton/ISI Photos/Getty Images
American Rose Namajunas retained her strawweight belt with a split decision victory over Zhang Weili of China at UFC 268 on Nov. 6. Rachel Woolf for ESPN
Next Month

December

Julianna Peña completes a huge upset, a Group of 5 team crashes the CFP and Steph Curry hits No. 2,974.
Julianna Peña overcame the second-longest odds in UFC women's title fight history, +650 according to Caesars Sportsbook, to take the belt from Amanda Nunes on Dec. 11. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
On Dec. 1, Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 prospect in 2020, signed a name, image and likeness contract to partner with Steph Curry's SC30 Inc. brand. John Loomis for ESPN
A fan got a puck from New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal on Dec. 2. Mike Stobe/NHLI/Getty Images
Quarterback Desmond Ridder led Cincinnati to an undefeated season and a College Football Playoff berth on Dec. 5, a first for a non-Power 5 team. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK
Sean Johnson, right, made back-to-back penalty-kick saves in New York City FC's first MLS Cup victory on Dec. 11. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski caught his 90th touchdown pass from Tom Brady on Dec. 5. AP Photo/Jason Behnken
Denver opened its Dec. 12 game with 10 players on the field in memory of former Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who died Dec. 9. Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire
Katharina Althaus made her fourth podium in Germany at the sixth leg of the FIS World Cup on Dec. 11. Jens Schlueter/AFP/Getty Images
Chelsea's Sam Kerr was given a yellow card for shoulder-checking a pitch invader during a UEFA Women's Champions League match on Dec. 8. John Walton/PA Images/Getty Images
Connor Finucane and Army had their four-game win streak snapped by rival Navy, which had won just three games this season before the Dec. 11 game at MetLife Stadium. Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
After Steph Curry broke the NBA record for 3-pointers on Dec. 14, director Spike Lee and two former record- holders, Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, congratulated him. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images
Wisconsin defeated Nebraska Dec. 18 for the NCAA women's volleyball national championship. AP Photo/Jeff Dean
Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, finished second at the PNC Championship Dec. 19. It was Tiger's first professional event since his car accident in February. Ben Jared/PGA Tour/Getty Images

Produced by ESPN Creative Studio: Michelle Bashaw, Heather Donahue, Jarret Gabel, Nick Galac, Alecia Hamm, Sean Hintz, Luke Knox, Sarah Pezzullo, Jason Potterton, Miller Safrit

Additional writing and editing by Dana Lee

Development by Robert Kirkner. Additional photo research by Jessi Dodge


In memory of ESPN Photo Editor John Klein (1951-2021): Forever part of the ESPN Photo family

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