Greetings, it’s that time of year to enjoy our Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments in 2025 – a strange year for many.
You can read the stories and watch the videos, or listen to the Top 10 stories recorded with BBC Radio London here.
Thanks to Phil Parry, BBC Radio London Sports Show anchor man.
As in previous years we’ll start with 10th best story and work our way down to the number 1 moment.
The 10th Best Sportsmanship Story: A Scottish Kid Greets Thousands of Swiss Fans & This Happens…
At the end of a football match between Celtic & a Swiss club, ‘Young Boys’, way back in Jan 2025 , the ‘away’ fans were kept in the stadium to let the home fans exit the stadium first.
A very young Celtic supporter stood on his own in the now-empty Celtic seats and he started to applaud the Swiss fans. They see the kid and soon, thousands of Swiss fans c with the young ‘Joshua’. Then the thousands of Swiss fans spontaneously and collectively applaud the youngster.
For a moment, rivalry vanished and pure football camaraderie shined.
The 9th Best Story: Belgium Helps Collapsing Colombian Across The Line
World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, last September …. in the 3000m steeplechase qualifier.
Belgian runner, Tim Van de Valde, saw the Colombian, Carlos San Martin, stumbling uncontrollably after colliding with the barrier. The Belgian runner thought ‘why not?’
So the Belgian helped the Colombian – his rival competitor – over the finish line. Rivals United in Sportsmanship.
The 8th Best Story: Honest Spanish Tennis Sensation Gives Point Up To American
Paris in June – The French Open. Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz is playing the American, Ben Shelton. Shelton hits a great shot that Alcaraz couldn’t reach, so Alcaraz threw his racket at the ball, which somehow made good enough contact & sent the ball back over the net. The point was awarded to Alcaraz.
Alcaraz then tells the umpire that he had broken the rules as he was not holding the racket when it made contact with the ball.
The umpire agreed and took the point off Alcaraz and awarded it to Shelton instead. Honesty & Integrity is, indeed, refreshing.
7th Best Story: A Young Grieving Debutant Goaly Embraced by Opposition Fans
This beautiful story is about great fans and a young goalkeeper. Brent Stevens was making his professional debut for Genk in the Belgium 1st Division B, on the 13th April 2025 – just a week after the death of his father.
So there was a minute’s silence before the game for the goal-keeper’s father. After that every player from the opponents, RFC Liege, came up to the young goal-keeper to show him their support.
Then late in the game the 21 year old Belgian keeper saved a penalty. The opposition fans applauded him, and at full-time, they gestured to the young goalkeeper to come over. He did and the opposition fans hugged the young goalkeeper, showering him with waves of respect, warmth and friendship.
6th Best Story: Brazilian F1 Driver ‘Does The Decent Thing’ to Canadian After They Crash
Heading across the Atlantic & west to Las Vegas Grand Prix for a rare apology in Formula 1 Championship in November.
Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto collides with Canadian, Lance Stroll. Both drivers are out of the race.
After the race, the Brazilian walked over to the Aston Martin Hospitality Suite, admitted to his error and apologised: “First of all, I would like to apologise to Lance “It was my fault.”
An apology is rare but is always an honourable thing.
5th Best Story: Hard-Hitting Tongan Rugby Players Kneel With Scottish
Let’s go over to Murrayfield, Scotland when Tonga played Scotland who beat Tonga 56-0 in the Autumn Series.
At the end of the game all players from both sides huddled together, with their arms over each other, they knelt down on one knee and prayed.
Although rivals on the field, all the players were united in a moment of prayer. What a great way to pay respect to the culture of the visiting team.
4th Best Story: A Broken Scottish Dreamer Rises Among The Great
This is all about a very special guy, Bob Maclntyre, a Scottish golfer who did something subtle yet magical this year
He was on the brink of his first Major title, the US Open. He was leader in the clubhouse & he watched American JJ Spaun who somehow putted a 65 foot putt on the 18th hole to win the Open and break the Scotsman’s dreams.
Despite the shattering disappointment, MacIntyre was seen clapping the American and saying ‘wow’ as the American’s ball trickled into the hole.
Incidentally, MacIntyre’s parents have fostered children for many years and when Bob MacIntyre asked if that had influenced his approach to life, he shared these wise words:
‘I think it makes you realise that hitting a white ball around a golf course isn’t the most important thing’ said the successful Ryder Cup player. BBC Link
3rd Best Story A Spanish Guard of Honour for Wonderful Swiss Hosts
This takes us to Women’s World Rugby Cup 2025 which, as you know, was hosted in England, who went on to win it – congrats to the Roses.
However, earlier in the competition, on Sep 19, in the semi-final between Canada and New Zealand a beautiful sportsmanship moment was captured on camera.
Canada, the underdog semi-professionals, had to crowdfund their preparations for this tournament.
While the Black Ferns, six-time world champions, had their 11-year winning streak in the tournament ended by Canada’s shock 34-19 win.
At the end of the game, the Canadian winger, Hogan-Rochester is on her knees giving, what looks like, a small, hand-made traditional bracelet as a gift to her opposite winger – Kiwi, Sorensen-McGee who was sitting on the grass, as the Canadian discussed elements of the bracelet. After the chat, they both stand up and hug each other.
Commentators noted that there was simply an “astonishing level of sportsmanship present in women’s rugby”.
World Rugby Women
2nd Best Story: South African Humility, Respect & Honour for West Indian Cricket Hero
This is a truly extraordinary story which happened on day 2 of the South Africa v Zimbabwe test match in July. South Africa’s batsman Wiaan Mulder, was on 367 runs & not out (just 33 runs from Lara’s 400 runs, which he made against England in 2004 – which is the world record for the most runs scored in an innings in an international test match).
Out of respect for the West Indies legend, Mulder declared himself and South Africa’s first innings on 626 – 5, giving up the opportunity of scoring 400+ runs, taking the world record and making history.
Wiaan Mulder said this in an interview after the match “First things first, I thought we’d got enough and we need to bowl,”
“And secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real. He got 400 against England and for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special. ”
“If I get the chance again I’d probably do the same thing. I was speaking to our coach Shukri Conrad and he kind of said to me, ‘Listen, let the legends keep the really big scores’ “.
“And you never know what my fate or whatever you want to call it, or what’s destined for me, but I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”
Best Sportsmanship Moment 2025: Spanish Guard of Honour Says ‘Thank-You’ to Swiss Hosts
Euro 2025 (which the Lionesses won beating Spain in a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out with good old Hanwell [West London] lady Chloe Kelly delivering the winning penalty – BTW the coffee shop in Hanwell, called Momentum, has her life-sized mural painted on the external wall of the coffee shop).
The actual best sportsmanship moment came at the end of – the knock-out match between the much-fancied Spain versus the underdogs Switzerland (who were hosting Euro 2025).
Incidentally, the Swiss did a great job with the Women’s Euro 2025 – it had the biggest attendances, biggest fan marches (mixed fans) and the most goals ever! And it was so exciting.
Back to the Spain v Switzerland knockout game. Spain eventually won 2-0 and the hosts, Switzerland, were out. Then this happened…. The Swiss team walked around the pitch with a large banner saying ‘Merci Fans’ (thank you fans).. to a standing ovation….. while the Spanish team waited quietly at the far end by the players’ tunnel & set up a guard of honour for their wonderful Swiss hosts. So the Spanish ladies applauded the Swiss team off the pitch, leaving a warm feeling between the teams, the fans, the TV audiences and hopefully you too.
What a great moment. Congrats to the Swiss team and the Spanish team.
One final thought going forward into 2026:
That coffee shop in Hanwell with Chloe Kelly’s mural we mentioned earlier – it also has something unique painted in beautiful big letters across the door. Can you remember?
‘Kindness is the new superpower’
– perhaps this could be the new motto for 2026?
If you enjoyed these 2025 stories, do leave a comment and/or share the stories with others. You might also enjoy our previous years’ 10 x 1-minute stories (either on audio or in words):
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2024
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2023
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2022
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2021
Top 5 Sportsmanship Moments 2020 (Covid Year)
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2019
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2018
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2017
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2016
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2015
Top 10 Sportsmanship Moments 2014
Thanks to Phil Parry, anchorman on BBC Radio London Saturday Sports Show. We always sit and chat for several hours after our Top 10 Moments. Thanks for your inspiration Phil.