A year for the history books in elite-level sport

The year 2024 has been one of both triumphs and tribulations across various sporting disciplines. From football to golf, tennis and boxing, Malaga and the rest of Spain have witnessed some of the most exhilarating highs in recent sporting history, as well as a bittersweet farewell. Here's a look back at the standout moments of the year.

Promotions and Euros victory

The local football scene saw significant successes in 2024, marked by the promotions of both Malaga CF and Marbella FC. After a tough few years, Malaga returned to Spain's second tier, securing their spot with a dramatic 4-3 aggregate play-off win over Gimnàstic in June. Antoñito's extra-time equaliser in Tarragona sealed the victory, sparking jubilant celebrations, including an airport welcome and open-top bus parade.

Marbella FC also achieved back-to-back promotions, advancing to the third tier after defeating Logroñés 2-0 on aggregate in the play-off final.

Nationally, Spain claimed their first European Championship title since 2012 at Euro 2024. Under coach Luis de la Fuente, the young team, led by wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, won a record fourth title with a 2-1 victory over England in Berlin in July.

In December, FIFA ratified Malaga's bid to be a host city for the 2030 World Cup, paving the way for an ambitious upgrade of La Rosaleda stadium.

The centre of world tennis

Malaga became the centre of world tennis in November, as both the finals of the Billie Jean King and Davis Cup came to the city.

Standing in as a last-minute replacement for Seville, a purpose-built arena withstood the flooding (after a delay) and brought together the best women's teams in the world. Eventually, Jasmine Paolini led the charge as the Italians claimed their first title since 2013, defeating surprise package Slovakia, who eliminated Great Britain, 2-0 in the final.

The following week was the men's turn and attention shifted to Rafael Nadal, competing in his final tournament before retiring. It was the hottest ticket in town, but it wasn't the fairytale ending anyone wanted. The tennis legend was beaten by the Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp in the tournament opener, leading to Spain's premature departure.

Italy then completed a double header, winning the men's final, too, beating Spain's victors 2-0.

Prestigious tournaments

It wasn't only in tennis that southern Spain continued to showcase its ability to host major events. Sotogrande hosted the LIV Golf series at the renowned Valderrama Golf Club in July, drawing high-profile golfers and large crowds.

In a thrilling conclusion, Sergio García emerged victorious after an intense playoff against Anirban Lahiri. García's triumph in Sotogrande was not only a personal milestone in front of a home crowd but also secured his team, Fireballs GC, the overall team victory.

By October, top golf returned to Valderrama as it also hosted the Andalucía Masters. Top-tier players, including Jon Rahm, battled it out but it was Frenchman Julien Guerrier who came out on top after a marathon playoff with Spaniard Jorge Campillo.

Meanwhile, in both the men's and women's Open de España, a Spaniard took the top prize. In September, Marbella-born golfer Ángel Hidalgo achieved a stunning victory over Rahm in Madrid, while Carlota Ciganda captured her second Open de España victory, in a thrilling finale at Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf in Malaga.

Unicaja's historic treble

Basketball in Malaga has also had a standout year. Local side Unicaja completed an unprecedented domestic treble. The team claimed the Copa del Rey, Liga Endesa and the Super Cup, marking one of the best periods in the club's history.

Under the guidance of coach Ibon Navarro, the team has delivered thrilling performances, reinvigorating the city's passion for basketball, with large crowds filling the Martín Carpena arena for every game.

The team's stellar year means fans are eager to see if they can carry their momentum into 2025 as they compete both domestically and in the Champions League.

Groundbreaking achievements

2024 was a groundbreaking year for boxing in Malaga. During the summer, Ayoub Ghadfa from Marbella made history by securing a silver medal in the lightweight division at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Meanwhile, Malaga's Samuel Molina made waves in October when he defeated the previously unbeaten Jordy Weiss in a thrilling bout in Laval, France, to become the European welterweight champion.

The home of European cricket

The spotlight on Malaga also extended to cricket, as Cártama Oval became a key venue for European cricket in 2024.

The Oval hosted the European Cricket League, with Hornchurch claiming their first European title in March.

In October, England XI returned to win back-to-back ECC titles, cementing their dominance in European cricket.

December, meanwhile, saw Jersey crowned champions of the inaugural Women's European Cricket Championship Challenger Division, with England XI once again taking the Women's European Cricket Championship title.