With a dazzling hat-trick against Algeria, Lionel Messi once again defied age, expectations and logic at the World Cup, prompting coach Lionel Scaloni to call his performances "inexplicable" and admit he is simply no longer surprised by the Argentine legend's brilliance.
'I'm just trying to keep my head down and hope people like my work.'
'They had been locked up for 17 days and the door was opened and they're like, 'We're not going on one of these stretcher things. We're out of here'!' 'Then someone says, 'They're all out!' 'They are all safe?' 'Yes, they're all safe'.' 'I am like aaaaahhh. I cried happy tears.'
As the countdown to 2018 starts, it's time to rewind those moments in sport that stood out this year.