(AIPS Media) The Argentina men’s Football team, two-time Copa América champions, was voted the best team of the year 2024 by the AIPS, while the Paris 2024 Olympic Games received the prize of best AIPS press facilities. This is the result of the poll by the International Association of Sports Press (AIPS), where a panel of 518 journalists from 111 countries voted.
Football dominated the hotly contested best team category, which saw the Albiceleste receive 579 points to win the award for the third time in a row, beating Euro 2024 champions Spain (552 points) and Real Madrid (532 points), winners of the Champions League, La Liga, European Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup in 2024.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games amassed a total of 1,507 points in the poll for the best press facilities, followed by UEFA Euro 2024 with 714 points and Wimbledon with 321 points in third.
BEST TEAM OF THE YEAR In 2024, Argentina managed to retain their place as the world’s number one men’s football team after putting together a series of impressive performances to win a record 16th Copa América title and maintain their lead in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 26.
With a late extra-time goal from substitute Lautaro Martínez, the reigning world champions ended Colombia’s 28-match unbeaten run in the 2024 Copa América final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on July 15 to win their third consecutive major title. Martínez was the tournament’s top scorer with five goals while Emiliano Martínez was the best goalkeeper.
Two months later, the Albiceleste saw their own 12-match unbeaten run come to a dramatic end, with Colombia winning 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier. Despite two defeats and a draw in the 2024 qualifiers, Argentina remains comfortably at the top of the standings with 25 points in 12 matches.
Here is the Top 10
1. Argentina men’s football team – Football 579
2. Spain men’s football team – Football 552
3. Real Madrid Men’s Football Club – Football 532
4. United States Men’s Basketball Team – Basketball 360
5. Barcelona Women’s Football Club – Football 278
6. Italian women’s Volleyball team – Volleyball 219
7. Boston Celtics Men’s Team – Basketball 184
8. United States Women’s Gymnastics Team – Gymnastics 172
9. Manchester City Men’s Football Club – Football 170
10. Denmark men’s handball team – Handball 165
BEST PRESS FACILITIES The unique award for Best Press Facilities of the Year went to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which celebrated the return to “normal” three years after the Tokyo 2020 Games, which took place behind closed doors in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic.
In order to make Paris 2024 the most sustainable Olympic Games ever organized, organizers have implemented innovative solutions while guaranteeing adequate working conditions for members of the media.
From the three-level main press center at the Palais des Congrès de Paris, through the Transport Connect to the press areas of the magnificent competition venues, most of the 5,733 members of the accredited written and photographic press appeared satisfied with the services provided.
Here are the Top 5
1. Paris 2024 Olympic Games 1507
2. UEFA Euro – Football 714
3. Wimbledon – Tennis 321
4. European Athletics Championships – Athletics 287
5. Formula 1 World Championship – Formula 1 248
AIPS Members from the following 111 countries participated in the 2024 survey:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Cyprus, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Egypt, Ecuador, Spain, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan , Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sudan, Sweden , Switzerland, Suriname, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, Yemen
