From Brazil's tearful ouster from the football World Cup 2014 to Indian hockey's glory at the Asian Games, the year 2014 was a nothing short of a roller-coaster journey for world sports.
Here's a recap of some of the most striking events in 2014 from the world of sports:
Germany Football World Cup triumph: Germany were crowned world champions for the fourth time thanks to a stunning extra-time winner from Mario Gotze against Argentina.
Gotze struck in the 113th minute and volleyed to cap Germany a historic victory in Maracana.
Asian Games 2014: Indian hockey men defeated Pakistan in nervy penalty shootout to win the Asian Games gold after 16 years.
Riding on a stellar show by their star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who pulled off two brilliant saves, India won 4-2 against the arch-rivals in the shootout.
India continued their stranglehold in women's 4x400m relay event as their quartet of Priyanka Panwar, Tintu Luka, Mandeep Kaur and M R Poovamma ran a brilliant race to win the gold for the fourth time on the trot in Games record time.
Defending champions India staged a late comeback to edge Iran 27-25 in the men's kabaddi final to retain their gold medal. India women too defeated Iran in the final to clinch the gold medal.
In archery, Indian archers won a historic gold by beating favourites Korea 227-224 in the compound men's team archer.
London Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt ended a 28-year gold drought for India in wrestling as he accounted for the country's fourth yellow metal after beating Zalimkhan Yusupov of Tajikistan in men's 65kg freestyle. This was India's first Asian Games wrestling gold after 1986 when Kartar Singh won it in Seoul.
Pistol-shooter Jitu Rai won India's first gold in the 50m event.
India ended their 17th Asian Games campaign at the eighth spot on the medals tally, a drop of two positions from the previous edition.
India clinched 57 medals - 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze- in the Asian Games.
In 2010 Asian Games, the country had ended sixth with 65 medals - 14 gold, 17 silver and 34 bronze.
Commonwealth Games 2014: Parupalli Kashyap won a historic gold in the men's singles badminton, as the country earned a fifth-place finish with 64 medals, including 15 yellow metals.
The quest for a CWG hockey gold though remained unfulfilled as the Indian men's team went down tamely 0-4 to title holders and world champions Australia in the final.
'Pistol King' Jitu Rai kept his reputation intact by clinching the gold medal.
India's squash stars Joshana Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal combined brilliantly to clinch gold in the women's doubles final and give India their first squash medal in the Commonwealth Games. The Indian pair outplayed Jenny Duncalf and Laura Massaro of England 11-6, 11-8.
Brazil World Cup ouster: The nation whose attacking soccer has thrilled the world for generations was left heart-broken after the hosts - Brazil suffered a humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany in the football World Cup semi-finals.
International Premier Tennis League: Indian tennis courts were dazzled like never before when global icons like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic touched down to enthrall "full house" crowds during the third leg of the inaugural International Premier Tennis League. Federer's Indian Aces won the inaugural IPTL tournament.
First Davis Cup title for Switzerland: Roger Federer defeated Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the first reverse singles match as Switzerland won the Davis Cup final against France.
Phillip Hughes death: The 25-year-old Australia cricketer Phillip Hughes died at Sydney's St. Vincent's Hospital after failing to recover from a blow on the head he suffered while batting in a Sheffield Shield match.
Hughes played 26 Tests for Australia, scoring 3 hundreds and 7 fifties while making 1535 runs. He also played 25 ODIs and a T20 international.
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