From the Sochi Olympics to the World Cup, Six Nations to Wimbledon, Express Sport has been on hand to cover the major triumphs and controversies of 2014.
Here are our most iconic sporting images of the last 12 months…
January:
The year kicked off with Manchester United's shock FA Cup third-round exit but the month will be remembered for Stanislas Wawrinka finally smashing the tennis glass ceiling.
Wawrinka battled past Novak Djokovic and Tomas Berdych to make the final in Melbourne against Rafael Nadal, who suffered severe back pain during the contest but refused to give up.
Wawrinka won 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 to become the first man since 2009 to win a Grand Slam title other than Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer or Andy Murray.
Yet this image shows the distress of Nadal, broken and beaten after Championship point, holding on to Wawrinka for support.
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Stanislas Wawrinka (left) meets Rafael Nadal at the net after winning the Australian Open
February:
While the Sochi Winter Olympic Games was embroiled in controversy surrounding homophobic policies in Russia, Lizzie Yarnold converted a superb World Cup performance into a gold medal in the skeleton, following in fellow Brit Amy Williams' footsteps.
This iconic image of Yarnold in action displays the skeleton at its best, when the sprint has been executed and sheer bravery takes over.
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Lizzie Yarnold takes flight in Sochi
March:
Rugby league's Super League was in full swing by March but it was the union code that grabbed all the headlines as a dramatic Six Nations Championship went down to the wire.
O'Driscoll (left) was captured here celebrating their last-gasp win, a fitting tribute to the Lions veteran and Leinster legend.
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Brian O'Driscoll (left) helped Ireland to the Six Nations crown in March
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Moyes failed to get results when it mattered at Old Trafford as a malaise fell over the red half of Manchester.
Defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals condemned the former Everton man to a humiliating dismissal 10 months after taking the job.
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David Moyes was sacked by Manchester United in April
May:
While Moyes was counting his compensation package, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini was celebrating his first Premier League title in his debut season at the Etihad.
City successfully fended off Liverpool's advances to secure their second championship in three years.
Here, captain Vincent Kompany holds aloft the famous trophy.
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Vincent Kompany (centre) holds aloft Manchester City's second Premier League trophy
June:
England's ill-fated World Cup venture to Brazil started badly and got worse. An electrical storm in Miami halted their friendly with Honduras, hampering manager Roy Hodgson's early plans.
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England's World Cup preparations were halted by an electrical storm in Miami
When the team finally got to Brazil, they were outwitted by Italy and Uruguay to crash out at the group stage, before a 0-0 bore draw with Costa Rica condemned Hodgson's men to a humiliating end to their campaign.
This image shows the England supporters in full voice as their heroes watch on after 90 minutes of very little action in Belo Horizonte.
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The England players applaud their supporters after a disastrous World Cup campaign
Meanwhile in Paris, Maria Sharapova clinched her second French Open crown and fifth Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.
Almost a decade on from her 2004 Wimbledon triumph that shot the Russian to global fame, Sharapova sunk Simona Halep 6-4 6-7 6-4 on the Paris clay.
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Maria Sharapova clinched her fifth Grand Slam title at Roland Garros
July:
The height of summer saw possibly the most shocking moment of 2014 as Brazil were trounced 7-1 by Germany to crash out of the World Cup.
Rocked by the absence of the injured Neymar, Brazil began the game with an aggressive tempo that they couldn't sustain.
The hosts burnt themselves out and were stifled by Germany's composed play.
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Germany fire home another goal as Brazil crumble in the World Cup
It was a disaster for the nation at the end of the World Cup that had carried controversy since Brazil won the hosting rights back in 2007.
Here, anger, desperation and despair are wrapped up in one fan's face - while the Brazilian newspapers lambasted their fallen stars.
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This Brazil fan was left furious with his nation's capitulation
Back home, Novak Djokovic was pushed to the limit against Roger Federer in the Wimbledon men's final.
The Serb overcame Swiss ace Federer 6-7 6-4 7-6 5-7 6-4 in an enthralling encounter on Centre Court.
Here, Djokovic (top) stretches to keep a point alive.
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Novak Djokovic (left) beat Roger Federer to win his seventh Grand Slam trophy
McIlroy would go on to win the US PGA and the Ryder Cup later that summer, but the evening he won the Claret Jug was the ultimate sporting achievement of this man's flourishing career.
Murdoch was never meant to win this one and his expression proved it - the utter shock on the 20-year-old's face as he looked up at the results board encapsulated the spirit of Glasgow's Games.
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Ross Murdoch's priceless reaction
August:
Jo Pavey's 2014 is possibly the most unique in British sport. The long-distance runner began the year caring for her newly-born baby, returning to the track to train for Glasgow 2014.
Ten days after Glasgow and Pavey, with a glittering 5,000m Commonwealth bronze medal around her neck, headed to Zurich for the European Championships, hoping to make the final.
But the 40-year-old didn't just reach the 10,000m showdown, she blitzed the pack. This image captures her stumbling over the line to cap a wonderful career in athletics.
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Jo Pavey crosses the line for European 10,000m gold
August also saw England women's rugby team clinch World Cup glory at the fourth time of asking.
After three consecutive final defeats, Katy McLean and her team-mates ended two decades of hurt to win a second World Cup crown.
Here, the girls celebrate their fantastic achievement after beating Canada 21-9 in the final.
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England won their second Women's Rugby World Cup title in August
September:
Transfer deadline day dominated the sporting agenda on 1 September as desperate late deals were concluded in the Premier League.
Here, Sergio Garcia and Jamie Donaldson embrace as Europe retain the Ryder Cup.
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Sergio Garcia celebrates with Jamie Donaldson as Europe win the Ryder Cup
October:
Tragedy struck the Formula One world in October when Marussia driver Jules Bianchi crashed into a recovery truck during the Japanese Grand Prix.
The prayers of sporting fans around the world flooded in as Bianchi was rushed to hospital with severe head injuries.
As yet the Frenchman is still in hospital in Japan. He is out of an artificial coma but still in critical condition.
This image shows the hurried frenzy of race stewards as they work to free Bianchi from his car.
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Jules Bianchi crashed on the Suzuka circuit
A week after this image was taken, Rugby League was stunned by the despicable action of Ben Flower, the St Helens prop who punched defenceless opponent Lance Hohaia during the Super League Grand Final.
Days earlier, Sam Burgess had proven just how this sport should be played with a courageous display to help South Sydney Rabbitohs to the NRL championship.
Burgess broke his cheek bone in the first tackle of the game but, as this image shows, that wouldn't stop him claiming the Clive Churchill Medal (man of the match award).
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Sam Burgess (centre) signed for union side Bath after his NRL victory in Australia
November:
Rugby union reared its head for the November Tests but England struggled to inspire their fans one year before the World Cup comes to town.
The emergence of George Ford as a different fly-half option to Owen Farrell pleased many fans, but as this image shows, New Zealand are still one step ahead of the rest.
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Ben Smith (right) runs through the England line
November also saw Lewis Hamilton claim his second career Formula One Drivers' Championship in Abu Dhabi.
The 25-year-old was hit on the base of the neck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match and died in hospital from the injury.
His death was immediately felt across the sporting world and people paid tribute to the model professional by putting their cricket bats out, with the social media hashtag #putyourbatsout tranding worldwide.
This image, of Australia's bats lined up before their first Test back after the tragedy against India, exemplifies how sport can unite in tragedy and help those affected move on together.