Every year, Associated Press editors choose a selection of photos that best documents the year’s top sports stories as chronicled by photojournalists around the world.
Below is a gallery featuring the top 2016 sports photos from AP photographers across Europe and Africa.
In this Monday, May 23, 2016 photo, Barcelona players celebrate their last two titles at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona's added the Copa del Rey to its Spanish league title on Sunday, but fell short of repeating its treble from last season. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
In this Saturday, May 28, 2016 photo, Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos celebrates with the trophy after the Champions League final soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
In this Sunday, June 5, 2016 photo, Serbia's Novak Djokovic lays on the clay in a heart in drew after defeating Britain's Andy Murray during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Djokovic won 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. (AP Photo/David Vincent)
In this Tuesday, June 28, 2016 photo, Serena Williams of the U.S celebrates a point against Amara Safikovic of Switzerland during their women's singles match on day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
In this Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 photo, France's Alexis Pinturault speeds down the slope during the slalom portion of an Alpine ski, men's World Cup combined, in Kitzbuehel, Austria. (AP Photo/Shinichiro Tanaka)
In this Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016 photo, Movistar's Team Nairo Quintna of Colombia rides wearing the overall red jersey rides to win the Spanish La Vuelta cycling tour that finished in Madrid, Spain. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
In this Tuesday, April 19, 2016 photo, people work out in a gym in Madrid. The building, that was once a popular cinema, is nowadays a leisure venue hosting a gym, a restaurant with shows and a small commercial area. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
In this Saturday, May 7, 2016 photo, Leicester City team manager Claudio Ranieri has the crown of the trophy placed on his head by Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as they celebrate becoming the English Premier League soccer champions at King Power stadium in Leicester, England The preseason 5,000-1 title longshots swept the big spending teams aside to win biggest prize in English football Saturday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
In this Saturday June 18, 2016 photo, Congolese children play soccer on a dirt field in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. One goal was scored with the old deflated ball the children use to play with. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
In this Wednesday May 4, 2016 photo, Real Madrid's Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
In this Wednesday, April 20, 2016 photo, High Priestess Katerina Lehou stands in front of a line of priestesses during the dress rehearsal for the lighting of the Rio Olympics flame, in Ancient Olympia, southern Greece. The meticulously choreographed ceremony will be repeated Thursday in the ruined birthplace of the ancient Olympics in southern Greece, in the presence of top International Olympic Committee and Rio organizing officials. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
In this Sunday, July 10, 2016 photo, Portugal's Eder, front right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Euro 2016 final soccer match between Portugal and France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
In this Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo, Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne, right, fights for the ball with Hungary's Adam Lang during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
In this Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016 photo, Mercedes F1 driver Nico Rosberg of Germany celebrates after finishing second to win the 2016 world championship during the Emirates Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
In this Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 photo, former UEFA President Michel Platini waves after his speech during the vote for the new UEFA president a in Athens. European soccer federations will elect Wednesday a new UEFA president to replace Michel Platini, who is serving a four-year ban from the sport. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
In this Sunday, May 1, 2016 photo, Manor driver Rio Haryanto of Indonesia flies over Sauber driver Marcus Ericsson of Sweden during an accident at the start of the Formula One Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom racetrack in Sochi, Russia.(AP Photo/Denis Tyrin)
In this Saturday, June 11, 2016 photo, Russian supporters attack an England fan in the stands after the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
In this Sunday, July 17, 2016 photo, second placed driver Jonas Folger, left, from Germany and third placed Julian Simon, right, from Spain look on as first placed Moto 2 driver Johann Zarco, center, from France performs a backflip during the award ceremony for the Moto2 race on the Sachsenring in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)
In this Monday June 27, 2016 photo, Icelandic soccer fans celebrate as they watch the Euro 2016 round of 16 match between Iceland and England shown on a screen in Reykjavik, Iceland. Iceland pulled off the shock of the European Championship by beating England 2-1 in the round of 16 on Monday, continuing the improbable run of the smallest nation at the tournament. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gunnarsson)
In this Sunday, July 10, 2016 photo, Australia's Richie Porte, right, breaks away from the group with Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, as they climb towards Andorra Arcalis in pouring rain and hail during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 184.5 kilometers (114.3 miles) with start in Vielha Val d'Aran, Spain, and finish in Andorra Arcalis, Andorra. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
In this Sunday, May 15, 2016 photo, Leicester's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, left, and Chelsea's Pedro challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Leicester City at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
In this Sunday, July 24, 2016 photo, Tour de France champion, Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leaders yellow jersey, is congratulated by his wife Michelle, who holds their baby boy, after the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 113 kilometers (70.2 miles) with start in Chantilly and finish in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
In this Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016 photo, Germany's national soccer team throws their captain Bastian Schweinsteiger into the air after he played his last match for the national team in Moenchengladbach, Germany. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this Sunday, July 10, 2016 photo, Andy Murray of Britain celebrates after beating Milos Raonic of Canada in the men's singles final on day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
In this Saturday, May 28, 2016 photo, Real Madrid players celebrate after Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning penalty in a shootout during the Champions League final soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
To see all of the top photos of 2016 galleries, click here.
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