The best things that happened in soccer in 2015

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The news has slowed down a bit for New Year's Eve, so we thought we'd take this opportunity to do a best of edition of Backheel Breakfast. Here are some things we loved in 2015.

BEST GOAL: Carli Lloyd's hat trick-completing lob from halfway in the World Cup final.
BEST ASSIST: Jackson Martinez's backheel for Porto.
BEST SKILLS: Arda Turan embarrassing five defenders in one dribbling move.
BEST MASCOT: Wimbledon's crowdsurfing Womble.
BEST AVOIDANCE OF A RED CARD: Tuca Ferretti, who hid behind his own bench.
BEST VINE: Megan Rapinoe describing herself.
BEST NOT GIVING A F--- MOMENT: Vincent Kompany doing four keepy-uppies, then taking a rip from 50 yards.
BEST FAN PROTEST: Blackpool supporters taking over a game to get their chairman out.
BEST DAD JOKE: This guy from the IRS making fun of FIFA.

Goal of the day

Neymar has a late entry for assist of the year here. Goodness. (r/soccer)

In the news

Dimitri Payet is back and ready to go for West Ham. (Guardian)

Phil Jagielka could return for Everton against Tottenham. (BBC)

Jordan Henderson picked up an injury on Tuesday, severity TBD. (ESPN FC)

Swiss authorities have turned over evidence in the FIFA corruption case to the USDOJ. (SI)

You should be reading

Steven Pye on the last time Aston Villa got relegated. (That 1980s Sports Blog)

Blair Newman on the Manchester clubs' futures in the Premier League. (These Football Times)

Kieron O'Connor on Swansea's finances. (Swiss Ramble)

Fun with transfer rumors

Silly season has returned. Please don't take anything in this section too seriously.

Norwich are after Inter center back Andrea Ranocchia. (BBC)

Manchester City want Schalke star Leroy Sane. (Guardian)

And they'd like to sign Isco from Real Madrid too. (ESPN FC)

Atlético Madrid have quietly snapped up Celta Vigo's Augusto Fernandez. (AS)

Anyone who wants to buy Roberto Soriano from Sampdoria will have to pay €15 million. (Football Italia)

What happened on Wednesday

Liverpool squeaked past Sunderland. (Liverpool Offside)

Real Madrid won a wild match against Real Sociedad. (Managing Madrid)

Barcelona had no problem crushing Real Betis. (Barca Blaugranes)

The only game of consequence on Thursday was an early one between Villarreal and Valencia. Everyone's off Friday, and there's a full slate of games in all of Europe's big five except Italy this weekend.