FIFA World Cup 2018 most googled event in India in 2018

Google Year in Search 2018: FIFA World Cup 2018 was followed by cricket tournaments - IPL 2018 and Asia Cup 2018 on the list of most-searched sports events on Google in India.

France went on to win FIFA World Cup 2018 after beating Croatia in a tense final (Reuters Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

• FIFA World Cup 2018 was also the most-searched news item in 2018
• While FIFA World Cup was the most searched, live scores and IPL 2018 were 2nd and 3rd
• Winter Olympics was searched more than Wimbledon, Pro Kabaddi 2018 and Indian Super League in India

Football's global showpiece event FIFA World Cup 2018 was the most searched keyword on Google in 2018 and the trend reflected in India, known for its cricket superstars and the fans who idolise them.

The 32-team tournament played in Russia was filled with high-octane moments, right from the opening weekend wherein, a Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick for Portugal against Spain sent the world into a tizzy. The frenzy continued till the final as two of the best teams in the tournament - France and Croatia battled for the coveted prize with the former winning it.

There was enough drama on the field as heavyweights Germany exited the tournament in the group stages while the likes of Spain, Portugal, and Argentina couldn't go past the Round of 16.

The official broadcasters of the World Cup in India had claimed that the tournament had attracted a record 70 million digital viewers.

Despite it being considerably less than the 202 million viewers that the official broadcasters of Indian Premier League (IPL) claim, the spike in the number of viewers for the FIFA World Cup showcases the love for football in the country.