JULES BREACH: From the glory of the England U21s and Lionesses to the manic few minutes following Ange Postecoglou's sacking... my 2025 football highlights

​​One of the best parts of live broadcasting is being able to tell a story as it happens – you never really know what you’re going to get. Back in October, Nottingham Forest welcomed Chelsea to the City Ground, and once the full-time whistle blew it was anything but a standard post-match wrap-up.

Forest boss Ange Postecoglou, only 39 days into the job, had been under increasing pressure ahead of the game. Although there was a narrative that a negative result could potentially lead to a change in management at the club, the timing of his sacking took everyone by surprise.

I was reporting for TNT Sports and after the game, while waiting by the interview room, I noticed Postecoglou leaving the dressing room and heading down the corridor. A few minutes later he walked past, backpack on, towards the car park, rather than beginning his media duties.

It was unusual, but club representatives were unaware of any news, so we expected that he’d return shortly to chat to the press. Morgan Gibbs-White then arrived for his interview, seemingly unaware, like us, that his manager had just been dismissed.

He backed the Australian to still turn their season around. But by the end of his conversation with me the news was official – it appeared that we had learned of Postecoglou’s departure at the same time.

Decisions like these tend to be made public at least hours after games finish, typically not on a matchday itself, so for it to happen within 20 minutes of the final whistle was rare.

I gathered as much information as possible from club staff and other journalists at the ground to help tell the developing story live on air. Forest offered us an interview with club captain Ryan Yates, the first person from the club to speak publicly. You would never expect to interview a player so soon after their manager has been dismissed, and as a player, it can’t have been a simple task. It’s probably the first and last time Yates hopes to ever have an interview of that kind!

Being right in the thick of it at the City Ground that afternoon was an absolute whirlwind, but also a memorable experience as a journalist that I’ll never forget.

There have been plenty of amazing matches this year too, but none compare to the drama of the rainy April night at Old Trafford when Manchester United overcame Lyon 5-4 to reach the Europa League semis. It was a rollercoaster from start to finish, with Harry Maguire scoring the winner in the dying seconds of extra time in a comeback for the ages.

The tie was all square going into the second leg, where United went 2-0 up. But in a seven-minute collapse that epitomised their season, Lyon scored twice to force extra time, then found two more goals in quick succession despite having a man sent off.

A Bruno Fernandes penalty gave United a glimmer of hope before Kobbie Mainoo, on as a sub, scored a delightful equaliser. With all roads seemingly pointing to a shootout, Maguire headed home from a Casemiro cross in the 121st minute to send the stadium into complete bedlam.

Manager Ruben Amorim was laughing, almost in disbelief at what he’d witnessed, and spoke about wanting to bottle up the noise when the winner went in. It was one of the most thrilling matches I’ve seen live and the best match I’ve covered.

On the international stage, this was England’s year. The summer kicked off with the England Under-21s triumphing at the European Championships, before the Lionesses followed suit with a huge victory at the Women’s Euros in Switzerland. What made those stories even more incredible was that both teams secured back-to-back continental tournament wins.

For Lee Carsley’s Young Lions, that was a feat achieved for the first time since 1984 – incredible considering the challenges they faced due to the clash with the Club World Cup, meaning they missed some key players.

The Lionesses went into their Euros under immense pressure as defending champs and produced fighting displays right the way through. Led by the formidable Sarina Wiegman, they lifted the first major trophy won by a senior England team on foreign soil – another brilliant tournament for a special group of players who continue to inspire young girls and boys across the country.