Flashscore's Best of 2023: Napoli win Scudetto and Australia dominate the cricketing world
Harry Dunnett: Napoli winning Serie A
In 1989/90 Napoli were inspired to an extraordinary Scudetto by the late Diego Maradona, a football icon who sadly passed away in 2020 and despite his off-the-pitch controversies, holds a king-like status in Naples. And just three years after his death, Maradona’s beloved club have won Serie A again in his honour, but this time spearheaded by a new king, Africa’s finest Victor Osimhen.
It was only in 2004 that Napoli were declared bankrupt with debt reportedly rising as high as £46 million; less than 10 years and two promotions later, they were champions of Italy again. However, their 2022/23 success was no major surprise to those who had been following Serie A as they had been knocking on the title-winning door for a good few years.
It all came together in perfect harmony last season as Africa’s player of the year Oshimen and Georgian superstar Kvicha Kvaratskhelia led a Napoli attack that was one of the most potent in Europe. They played some sublime football, scoring 77 goals and finishing on 90 points. In truth they were playing so well, they should have gone further in Europe but they sorely missed their talisman Osimhen in their quarter-final second leg against AC Milan.
But the streets of Naples will always have that special night on May 4th 2023, the night the waiting ended and the celebrations began in a frenzy of fireworks and emotion. The celebrations lasted days if not weeks, fitting really in a year when Maradona’s Argentina also won their first World Cup since he led them to victory in 1986. Buenos Aires exploded into a cacophony of noise and unrivalled joy reminiscent of the scenes on the storied streets of Naples just a few months later.
Joshua Donaldson: The Ashes
After a romantic English summer of cricket in 2022, the power of Bazball faced its sternest challenge yet when Australia headed to England's shores for what was one of the most highly-anticipated test series in recent memory - and boy, it did not disappoint.
From Zak Crawley smashing the first ball of the series for four to Stuart Broad saying goodbye to the sport with a winning wicket with the final ball of the series, it was a rollercoaster ride for both sides and fans alike.
The biggest moment came at Lord’s where Jonny Bairstow was controversially run out by Alex Carey, causing a de-facto diplomatic incident. Over five tests and 25 days of pulsating cricket, the series ended 2-2 with Australia retaining the urn. In a world where international cricket is suffering an existential crisis, this series brought the sport back into the spotlight for all the right reasons.
Tolga Akdeniz: Nikola Jokic's play-off run
The Denver Nuggets became NBA champions for the first time in their history in 2023, and a large part of it was down to the sheer genius of the world’s best basketball player: Nikola Jokic.
Prior to the play-offs, Jokic was recognised as one of the best two or three players in the NBA, and had been named MVP for the last two years in a row, before Joel Embiid grabbed his crown that year.
However, Jokic was yet to win a Championship, and for many, you can only achieve true greatness once you have guided your team to an NBA title.
Jokic proceeded to do just that. The Giant Serb’s legendary play-off run included convincing victories over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat, as well as sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the Western Conference Final. The Joker’s numbers were staggering as he broke record after record.
The records he broke included: the most triple-doubles in a play-off run (10), the first player to record 30-20-10 in an NBA Finals game, and the first player to lead the post-season in total points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190).
Jokic is a special player, and his heroics for the Nuggets further cemented himself in NBA history.
Finley Crebolder: Carlos Alcaraz winning Wimbledon
There are some moments in sport that feel seismic. That feel so big that the sport in question will never be the same again. One of those moments took place this year at Wimbledon.
Precious few people headed into it expecting Novak Djokovic to be beaten at the tournament for the first time in seven years, and those that did would have all but given up hope when the Serb won the first set of the final 6-1 against Carlos Alcaraz. What happened next was simply remarkable.
Everybody already knew that the Spaniard was a generational talent, but that day it became clear that he’ll most likely go on to become one of the greats. On a surface he’d barely played on in the past, he produced a glorious display of attacking tennis to become the first man in a decade to beat the seemingly unbeatable Djokovic on Centre Court, claiming the sport’s biggest title in the process.
At a time when Djokovic was beginning to dominate more than ever in the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, it was exactly what tennis needed, and could one day be looked back on as the beginning of one of the great sporting rivalries.
Pat Dempsey: Australia winning the Cricket World Cup
Going into the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India, there could hardly have been less international enthusiasm for the 50-over format’s marquee event. One-day cricket had started to sink into the deep and dark chasm between Test and Twenty20 cricket meaning teams were undercooked in the format and overcooked from other commitments while fans were largely disengaged.
At the beginning of the tournament, the stadiums were looking empty and very quickly it started to seem as though no one would seriously challenge the hosts. And for a long time, no one did. India went on a 10-match winning streak, claiming victory in every pool match before beating New Zealand in their semi-final. The final saw them pitted against an Australian side they had already beaten and which, despite some fantastic individual flashes, didn’t look like a team at India’s level, suffering from recurrent injuries and patchy form.
Pat Cummins and his troops played a blinder, however, in front of the massive Ahmedabad crowd in the decider. They cruised to victory with relative ease after a near-perfect performance in the field was followed by Travis Head’s match-winning ton. They were largely written off at home and abroad pre-tournament but showed up when it mattered most, powered throughout the group stage by ageless veterans David Warner and Glenn Maxwell and the wily spin of Adam Zampa.
The best sporting successes are surprises - they leave you wanting more. 50-over cricket was desperately in need of the boost Australia’s shock win gave it. It will be remembered as one of the greatest World Cup victories for some time yet.
