WHAT. A. DECADE.

Dec 17, 2019 14 minutes

Words Huw Davies

2010

THE GOOD

While Inter secure a treble, Chelsea a double and Spain celebrate a first World Cup, there’s an unlikely feelgood story in the debut season of a rebranded Europa League (RIP UEFA Cup). Fulham begin their campaign in July and end it in May, playing 19 games against 10 teams from eight nations en route to the showpiece.

Even a 2-1 defeat after extra time to Atletico Madrid can’t taint memories of the Cottagers’ epic journey. The highlight: a magical evening at Craven Cottage when, trailing Juventus 4-1 on aggregate, Roy Hodgson’s men recover to win 5-4 – with Clint Dempsey’s delightful chip sealing a phenomenal comeback.

THE BAD

The unnerving sense that football now belongs to besuited baddies becomes overwhelming. Portsmouth are the first-ever top-flight English club to enter administration, acting as a grim harbinger for a decade defined by footballing institutions imploding financially. At the same time, Chester City’s 125-year history ends with a hasty winding-up hearing at the High Court.

In December, the 2018 and 2022 World Cups are awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively – and controversially. Russia has problems with racism, homophobia and hooliganism; Qatar, in its defence, lacks the supporter base to have hooligans. Investigations reveal vote-buying and corruption, although far less attention is paid to all the workers who inconveniently die building Qatari stadia.

The day Russia and Qatar are named World Cup hosts is effectively the day that the wider sporting community, already disillusioned by football’s governing body, give up on it entirely. The organisation’s general secretary, Jerome Valcke, is said to have cradled his head in his hands following the announcement, repeating: “This is the end of FIFA.”

THE WEIRD

Inter boss Jose Mourinho reveals the full scale of his influence, enlisting an Icelandic volcano to help him win the Champions League for the second time in his career.

As Eyjafjallajokull erupts and spreads smoke across Europe, flights are cancelled, forcing Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona to travel 1,000km by bus for the first leg of their semi-final at San Siro. The game starts less than 72 hours after their previous fixture in La Liga.

Inter progress, park the bus in Barcelona and beat Bayern Munich in the Madrid final. Jose’s never mentioned it since.