Twitter published its Year on Twitter breakdown today, which revealed the most discussed issues among more than the 20 million regular users in the UK.

The microblogging site said the most talked about events of 2013 were sporting occasions, dead celebrities and One Direction.

Top of the list was a Champions League quarter final in March in which Real Madrid beat Manchester United 2-1.

Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray, the first male singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936, was the third most discussed event this year.

The world’s most popular tweet of the year was written by Glee actress Lea Michele after posting a message thanking fans following the death of her co-star and lover, Cory Monteith, with 408,000 retweets.

Of the five most retweeted messages on Twitter, three belonged to boy band One Direction, with member Harry styles the most popular.

Among the most used hashtags was #royalbaby, while other popular hashtags included #UKstorm, #Ashes when England beat Australia during the summer Test cricket series.

Death also featured heavily on Twitter this year, with users remembering the passing of Irish Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, Lady Thatcher, British author Iain Banks and actor James Gandolfini.