GOAL OF THE DECADE: ROBIN VAN PERSIE

MATCH OF THE DECADE: AUSTRALIAN OPEN ’12 FINAL

The 2010s were when Novak Djokovic pulled up a chair to the two greatest tennis players in history and demanded that he be a part of the conversation. And his opening statement, a promise to do what it takes, was made in the final of the 2012 Australian Open – the longest, and possibly greatest Grand Slam final ever witnessed.

For five hours and 53 minutes, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal yanked each other from side to side, with countless rallies crossing the 40-stroke mark. Great butterflies were drawn on the court in Melbourne, and a contest which began on a Sunday evening ended in the wee hours of Monday, when Djokovic planted a running down-the-line forehand that Nadal’s legs couldn’t hunt down. “Unfortunately we can’t share the trophy,” an exhausted Djokovic told an exhausted Nadal at the presentation ceremony. “But Rafa, you and me have been part of something extraordinary today.” As devastated as he was, it would have been hard for Nadal to disagree.

One hundred and seventy-one goals were scored at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the most in a single edition. But one of them stood head and shoulders above the rest. Or, in this case, just a head — that of Robin van Persie’s.

In a decade when two legends have made a habit of slotting in remarkable goals every other weekend, anyone not named Messi or Ronaldo had to pull off a phantasmic feat to usurp them from collective conscience. Rising to that challenge, quite literally, was van Persie, against the defending champions Spain. Once a diagonal cross was whipped in from the halfway line, the Dutch striker tore into the box and jet-packed towards the swinging ball. The header sailed a mile into the net, lobbing and stunning goalie Iker Casillas along the way. It was scored on the second day of the Cup, setting the tone for what would be a tournament for the ages. But really, as great goals go, the van Persie goal wasn’t bettered in Brazil, or anywhere this decade.