By Gonzalo Fuentes

Since David Beckham arrived in Paris the media have captured every move, every training session, every single time he and his family have roamed around the city.

The infrastructure of the Paris Saint Germain (PSG) stadium was upgraded to handle all the media that he attracts. The media in Paris was ready to follow all his actions as evidenced when 150 journalists were accredited to cover the presentation of his PSG jersey.

While covering his first match, I was able to capture an emblematic picture that I was hoping to shoot. Beckham ran and embraced Swedish team mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic to celebrate scoring, providing me with an image of a true team player. As the French tournament continued, Beckham did what he does best, which was to spread himself among the team, while becoming one of the key leaders.

For the last home match of the season, I arrived at the stadium in advance to install my equipment. The night announced itself as a long one. It was pouring rain and Paris Saint-Germain was already the winner of the French League. This could have been the most irrelevant match if it was not for the fact that this night was to be the last soccer match of one of the most defining figures in soccer.

As in previous games, Beckham gave himself to the match and did everything to be a key player on the pitch. Thanks to him his team was able to score. However, there was something different this time. You could see his desperation to score, a need to shine, and an attempt to make those final minutes on the pitch last as long as possible.

As the clock ticked, Beckham started to become overwhelmed as the time for him to leave the pitch neared. He started to restrain his emotions but they were getting stronger. Then I saw it. I saw a player that couldn't help himself as he counted down the last moments of his time on the pitch. He couldn't avoid looking at the bench that was waiting for him; as he played for the last time as a professional.

The moment was intense and I became oblivious to all the noise and events of the match. I could only feel the silence that happens before you lose your strength and sadness invades your body. Then, it just happened, Beckham stopped running, started scratching his hair, and broke down in tears as he awaited the moment for his replacement to enter the pitch right at the 81st minute.

By Phil Noble

It was the author Mark Twain who wrote "Golf is a good walk spoiled" and although the persistent rain that dogged the final round play at this years Masters certainly made it tough for both players and photographers alike, the amazing photographs at the final hole of regular play and the subsequent thrilling playoff certainly ensured our "good walk" wasn't ruined.

I was lucky enough to be asked to return to the Augusta National golf club this year for my second Masters tournament. Along with my Reuters colleagues Mike Segar, Bryan Snyder, Mark Blinch and 24 year Masters veteran Gary Hershorn, who would edit our pictures, we pitched up again at the Mecca of golf to cover a tournament unlike any other.

At most other golf championships we cover, photographers are allowed to work inside the ropes that hold the spectators back, making the job of following play and getting into a good position to photograph the golfers a relatively easy one. At Augusta however, we are accorded no such privilege, the hallowed, well manicured and vibrant green turf being preserved only for those playing in the tournament, meaning we are in with the spectators, or in the case of Augusta, the 'patrons'.

With tens of thousands of golf fans all vying to get a view of their heroes, moving around the course and finding a clear vantage point is more challenging than usual, but once you've got your 'masters head' on and a bunch of "Excuse me", "Would you mind awfully if I..." and a liberal sprinkling of "If I kneel can I squeeze in front of you?" in your camera bag the course offers a wealth of angles and pictures unlike anywhere else.

The course is a work of art with towering Georgia pines providing the scaffolding for the miles of vibrant green fairways and greens to roll through. Throw into the mix a splash of vibrant azalea pinks and purples and a hint of dogwood and wisteria all bathed in amazing Georgia light and you have a breathtaking vista in which to photograph golf.

Sadly as the final round unfolded the Georgia sunshine gave way to weather more akin to that which I usually cover soccer in back in the UK as heavy and persistent rain set in.

The on-the-course battle between Argentina's Angel Cabrera and Australia's Adam Scott was mirrored off the course with photographers battling the elements to keep themselves and their cameras dry whilst still trying to capture the enthralling end to the tournament.

In rapidly failing light Scott bravely holed out on the second playoff hole and after trudging soggily back to the clubhouse we handed off our disks of the jubilation and waited for the presentation of the famous Green Jacket.

By this time the rain had finally eased. The tournament was over. Now all that was left was to get out of our saturated clothing and try and dry off our equipment... all par for the course I guess you could say.

By Jeff Haynes

I was on the court when Louisville basketball player Kevin Ware went to block the three-point shot of Duke’s Tyler Thornton and landed wrong on his right leg suffering a compound fracture with the shin bone protruding through the skin, with about 3 inches showing.

It is being called one of the most gruesome sports injuries ever to be seen on live TV and then replayed again.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones to have not seen it on TV and didn't actually see the bone exposed from my view from the court, but I knew right away something was wrong from the reaction of Louisville head coach Rick Pitino.

Coach Pitino was yelling for the officials to stop the game as Ware was lying at his feet with his shin bone exposed. I wasn't sure what had happened at first, because as people gathered around Ware other players who had heard and seen what had happened were now falling on the court holding their head and rolling around in the center of the floor out by the foul line.

At first I and other photographers around me thought the players might have hit heads, but one of my fellow photographers got a text saying his leg was broken and exposed. I knew then why coach Pitino had reacted as he did. Pitino would say “I went over and I was going to help him up and then all of a sudden, I saw what it was and I almost literally threw up.” This was the same reaction many of the Louisville and Duke players would have and this is why we had some many players rolling around the floor and holding their heads in disbelief in what they had seen from their fallen teammate.

As you can see in my photograph the Louisville Cardinals’ mascot covered his eyes with his wings as did many of the fans in the background, as they could see firsthand what had happened. Players gathered with each other hugging, crying and consoling each other.

At this point the medical personnel took over and worked to stabilize his leg and get him onto a stretcher to take him off the court. His teammates would come to gather around him and he wanted them all to know he was going to be okay and to go win the game, beat Duke and go to the final four in Atlanta.

Louisville could have folded their tent and given up, but they went on to win the game beating Duke 85-63 and celebrated by wearing Ware’s jersey onto the court and then holding it up while they received the trophy for winning the Midwest region.

The break of the leg is something that people will talk about for years to come, just as they do about former Redskins quarterback Joe Thiesmann's similar injury, but what I will remember most is how this team rallied around their wounded teammate to win the game.

By Steve Nesius

As a photographer you often don’t know what to expect when covering MLB spring training baseball games - especially covering the Yankees.

After several games of being crammed into ridiculously tight photo wells at other stadiums with still photographers, TV crews and team interns shooting videos of batters and pitchers, it was nice to be assigned to a game at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Florida. Most photographers choose to shoot on the walkway behind the seats with clean fields of view. I wanted to shoot in the third base well, which is low to ground level, during the first inning to get the starting right-handed pitchers before heading up to the walkway.

It turned out to be a good decision. The Yankees batted first. Lead-off batter Eduardo Nunez singled, then stole second base. Brennan Boesch, in his second game since joining the Yankees after his release by the Tigers, was batting second. Boesch broke his bat on an infield single. Nunez advanced to third and scored on a throwing error. Kevin Youkilis batted third and hit a two-run homer, scoring Boesch. Yankees were up 3-0. Good action to start the game.

I felt I had some decent frames but couldn’t see the back of my camera very well to "chimp" (edit images in camera) in the bright sunshine. It wasn’t until later in the game, as I was editing, I could see I made some good images. In particular, the frame of the barrel of the broken bat smacking the face of Boesch. In the six-frame sequence, Boesch’s bat cracked as he struck the ball. On the follow-through of the swing, the bat brook in two pieces, smacked into his face, knocked his helmet ajar and flew out of the frame as Boesch raced to first base with an infield single.

But even the referee’s decision to send off Nani when a booking seemed sufficient could not overshadow the graceful manner in which Cristiano Ronaldo handled the occasion of knocking out his former club at a ground where he is apparently still adored.

“Viva Ronaldo,” United supporters sang before, during and after the 1-1 first leg in Madrid and the ode to the Portuguese forward also reverberated around Old Trafford during Real’s 2-1 win as he barely held back the tears after delivering the killer blow that saw his present club advance into the last eight 3-2 on aggregate.

Ronaldo refrained from celebrating either his headed equaliser  at the Bernabeu or the deft finish which swung the tie Real’s way in the return leg and there was nothing pathetic or patronising in the gesture of a player often slated for theatrics while he played in the Premier League.

His salute to United players and fans after the absorbing tie reflected genuine respect for a place where he became one of the world’s top players and complemented the occasion of Ryan Giggs making his milestone 1,000^th appearance for United.

Having acknowledged his first priority in an emotional contest was to help Real advance, Ronaldo laid out just how mixed his emotions were after getting the job done in the most clinical fashion.

“The feelings for people who treat you well are unique and it was a special day for me to return to my second home and spend time with my friends,” he said.

“The most important thing was that Real Madrid won and inside I am very happy but also sad for United.”

It may be scant consolation to United that even Real coach Jose Mourinho said the best team had lost, but in a way they can at least take solace that they were ultimately and only undone by one of their own finest products.

First, it was current No. 1 India, who lost to Pakistan (No. 6) at home, followed by third-ranked Australia, who fought hard to just level a series with visitors Sri Lanka. Then it was the turn of hosts South Africa to lose a three-match series to lower-ranked New Zealand.

Not surprisingly, India, South Africa and Australia were labelled easy “favourites” in those encounters but the results, which also took the pundits by surprise, are proof of the growing competition in ODI cricket.

There were several factors which worked in unison to produce those turnarounds.

Numerous changes in the rules, governing the ODIs, have made it difficult for captains to stick to a consistent plan. The changes have instead put the onus on teams to experiment, which has often rewarded the lesser sides.

Also, no team seems to have mastered the new rules, including the Decision Review System.

Most of the higher ranked teams are in a re-building phase now, with senior players making way for younger talent, and it has reflected in their recent performances.

The Proteas are beginning to imagine life without their ace all-rounder Jacques Kallis. India are trying to do without Sachin Tendulkar, who recently retired from the ODI format, and out-of-form Virender Sehwag.

Australia, for their part, are keen to emerge from absence of recently-retired stalwarts Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.

England, still unsure of their core group in ODIs, are experimenting with various combinations in their bid to find a more aggressive unit.

Pakistan’s performances have improved but their ability in foreign conditions is always  in doubt.

With such fluidity at the top of the rankings, the likes of West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka have a chance to climb up the ladder. Bangladesh aren’t way behind them either.

There is an air of uncertainty in ODIs now and it’s a situation fans have longed for. There is little meaning to the rankings now.

It’s also working wonders for the International Cricket Council, who are desperate to revive the 50-over version and have a chance since all teams seem equal – at least for now.

Sadly, in a sport like cricket which has always been considered a “gentleman’s game”, it wasn’t an aberration. 

You see it more and more these days – be it international matches, domestic ties – or any televised game.

Like Warne, most of players admit that everything happens in the “heat of the moment”.

Back in 1981, Javed Miandad was all set to strike Dennis Lillee with his bat after the bowler had kicked him in the leg. At that time, their behaviour stunned all cricket lovers but now such incidents hold little shock value; although they get huge number of hits on YouTube.

It’s not hard to believe that if it wasn’t for TV coverage, a lot of these incidents would have never happened.

With around 16-20 cameras and numerous microphones following the action closely, and bringing it live to our living rooms, cricketers are well aware that even a wink won’t go unnoticed.

Sure, sour incidents make for entertaining TV viewing but it kills the purity of the sport.

The onus is on the players to discipline themselves and be good role-models rather than portraying themselves as celebrities, who are fighting it out for their two minutes of TV fame.

Let the sport be bigger than the players.

Roger Federer had made it his goal to try to win Olympic gold in singles for the first time, one of the very few things he hasn’t achieved in his career.

Andy Murray on the other hand, was trying to win gold on home soil after a painful loss to Federer in the Wimbledon finals.

The world number 1 Novak Djokovic was also desperate for gold. The only disappointment on the men’s side was the withdrawal of Rafael Nadal, who did not play due to injury and then subsequently also missed the rest of the season.

Federer got off to a nervy start at the Olympics. It was the only time Roger did not have that normal calmness. The semi-final line up was Novak Djokovic versus Andy Murray and Juan Martin Del Potro versus Roger Federer.

Murray was very solid beating Djokovic in two tight sets, while Federer won in the longest three set match in tennis history. This did not give Federer much time to recover and he ended up losing the gold medal match, which is out of five sets, to Murray in three straight sets.

It looks like Roger will never win Olympic gold in singles but he was very sporting in defeat.

For Murray this was the big breakthrough in his career, beating the world number 1 and number 2 back-to-back to win Olympic gold, and was the catalyst to him winning the US Open a month later.

It will go down as one of the greatest Olympic performances from a British man. Andy Murray was not finished there. He went on to partner Laura Robson in the mixed doubles, losing only the gold medal match against Mryni and Azarenka.

Winning two medals, one gold and one silver, was a great achievement for Andy. For Laura Robson this gave her confidence to have a great run at the US Open, where she beat two top 10 players, marking her big breakthrough on the tour.

The ladies event was all about Serena Williams, who dominated to win gold in singles and doubles with her sister Venus. Next year, if Serena plays a full calendar, I’m certain she will regain her number 1 status.

In the men’s doubles, the number 1 partnership in the world, the Bryan brothers, won the gold, which meant that the USA topped the Olympic medal table in tennis with three golds.

2012 was probably the most memorable Olympic tennis event in history and will be very difficult to top.

I cannot remember a year with more British sporting success. Andy Murray has had the best year of his career, becoming the first British man to win a major in 76 years. On top of that, he won Olympic gold at Wimbledon in singles, silver in the mixed doubles and also reached the Wimbledon singles final.

Most years he would be a shoe-in to win, except for the amazing feats of Bradley Wiggins and Mo Farah.

Bradley Wiggins became the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France and Olympic gold. Mo Farah won gold medals in the 5,000 and 10,000, which no British man has done before. This will most likely be the top three for BBC Sports Personality.

Bradley Wiggins is the bookies’ favourite at the moment, but this year there are at least 15 athletes who could have easily won the award in any other year.

As a former winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, I would like to make a case for fellow tennis pro Andy Murray.

Andy was very bold at the end of 2011 to choose former world number one and eight-time grand slam champion Ivan Lendl as his coach.

They have had very similar career paths. Each one was known as a nearly man. Lendl had gone through all the same ups and downs as Andy, and came through to be one of the greats. Andy could have stayed on his path but decided to take a risk by hiring Lendl to try to win majors and to become world number one.

Ivan brought experience, knowledge and the extra key, a good sports psychologist, to give Andy that extra edge.

In January this year he started working with Ivan’s sports psychologist and became a more aggressive player, which is not his natural instinct. Technically this improved his serve, forehand, volley and overhead.

These are not easy areas to improve if you had not believed the changes were necessary.

The belief never faltered and Andy went on to the Wimbledon final, becoming the first British man to do so since 1938. Andy went on to lose, but the nation got to see a glimpse of what it meant to him when he broke down and cried during his interview with Sue Barker after the loss to Roger Federer.

From there he grew in stature and went on to destroy the great Federer in the Olympic final also at Wimbledon, where under a month earlier he had lost.

In his fifth major final, like Ivan Lendl, Andy defeated Novak Djokovic in five brutal sets to become Britain’s first major winner in 76 years. This is such a remarkable sporting achievement because he is in an era with two of the greatest players of all time and a number one in Djokovic, who is also destined to be one of the greats of the game.

Andy keeps on pushing the bar and do not be surprised by the end of 2013 if Andy is the first British man to be world number one in the open era.

Andy Murray would be a deserved winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year and my choice. Now though, it comes down to the British public. I personally cannot wait to see what happens on Dec. 16 and I am keeping my fingers crossed for Andy.