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After 18 long years of heartbreak, banter, and near misses, the Royal Challengers Bangalore finally lifted the IPL trophy, and Virat Kohli, cricket’s crowned king, had his fairytale moment. But RCB’s triumph wasn’t just a standalone story. 2025, it seems, has declared war on long-standing sporting droughts.
A highlight indeed is Kohli’s emotional lift of the IPL title, but that was only one of many. Within this same year, the Hobart Hurricanes, Paris Saint-Germain, Harry Kane, and so many more ended years and even over a century of agonising wait!
RCB’s Crown Jewel: IPL Glory at Last
For RCB, the journey to the summit of the Indian Premier League was nothing short of epic. The team, often mocked as perennial underachievers despite their iconic roster, finally delivered on their potential. And at the centre of it all was Virat Kohli, who has given his blood, sweat, and tears to this franchise since its inception, for 18 long years.
This year, everything clicked. A balanced squad, inspired performances, and relentless hunger saw RCB storm into the finals and clinch the title.
For Kohli, a legend in every format but IPL-trophyless till now, the victory was more than a win. It was a redemption arc, a career-completing moment, and a gift to fans who never stopped believing. The scenes of Kohli lifting the trophy, eyes misty, arms raised, will be etched in cricketing folklore forever.
ALSO READ: Virat Kohli deserves it more than anyone else: Patidar after leading RCB to maiden IPL title
A Pattern of Redemption: Other Curses Broken
While RCB stole the spotlight in India, similar stories unfolded around the globe.
In the Big Bash League, the Hobart Hurricanes, long regarded as the ‘almost team', finally broke their jinx and lifted the title after 13 seasons. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), despite years of domestic dominance, finally became the kings of Europe with a historic UEFA Champions League triumph.
Harry Kane, often dubbed the best player without a trophy, shed that label by securing long-overdue silverware. Tottenham Hotspur, his former club, also joined the winner’s circle by ending a 17-year drought.
In Italy, Bologna FC made headlines by winning their first trophy since the 1970s. Newcastle United’s 70-year wait for a trophy ended, giving their passionate fanbase long-awaited relief.
But perhaps the most astonishing of all, Crystal Palace broke a 119-year barren spell by lifting their first major trophy.
ALSO READ: Shashank Singh, the unsung hero of IPL 2025 Final, who won hearts despite Punjab Kings’ loss
What Makes 2025 So Special?
The emotional weight of these wins isn’t just in numbers but in stories. It’s about legends finally getting their moment, fanbases rediscovering joy, and clubs turning history on its head.
It’s rare to witness so many sporting milestones fall in the same calendar year. 2025 has become a year of reckoning, a celebration of belief and resilience. For fans of RCB, PSG, Palace, and more, this wasn’t just about silverware. It was about closure.
From IPL to Champions League, from BBL to Premier League, 2025 has reminded the world why we keep watching, keep cheering, and keep hoping. Because droughts end. And when they do, the tears, the cheers, and the triumph taste all the sweeter.
