Biggest Upsets in Football History You Have to See to Believe

Football is a game of skill, strategy, and, sometimes, sheer unpredictability. Over the years, the sport has witnessed some shocking upsets, where underdogs defied all expectations and toppled the game’s giants. 

These unexpected victories have become legendary, captivating fans, leaving lasting memories that transcend the final score. From last-minute goals to surprising tactical masterstrokes, these upsets remind us that in football, anything can happen. 

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the most dramatic and jaw-dropping upsets in football history, celebrating the moments when the impossible became reality. From surprising victories in the Champions League to deceptions in the World Cup, here we will cover the main cases where the impossible became true, and the football world could not believe their own eyes.

Make sure to look at each case below to see some of the most iconic and important moments in the history of this sport. Here are the biggest upsets in the history of world football:

Table of Contents

• Biggest Upsets in Football History You Have to See to Believe
• The Unpredictability of Football
• Biggest Upsets and Surprises in Football History
• Become a Legend in FootballTeam

The Unpredictability of Football

It is no surprise that football is one of the most popular sports in the world. Whether it is the Premier League or the final of the Champions League, each game holds numerous surprises and emotions that stop the whole world.

Along with the players’ talent and the emotion of sharing the experience with everyone else at home or in the stadium, another thing that makes this sport unique and loved is its unpredictability. In our opinion, this is why so many games leave us speechless and in awe of the results and what happens during the two halves. 

Every major shock helps shape the sport’s history and completely changes the next round. Everything can happen, from an unexpected injury to a winning goal at the last minute. Whether you’re a fan or an aspiring player, if you want to dive into the magic of the sport, this article is for you.

Football is where everything can happen, and no game is decided until the very last second of the match. Whether a huge upset or a genius takeover, this is what reunites us all.

Biggest Upsets and Surprises in Football History

Now, it’s time to dive into each case that surprised the football universe and left people frustrated or in awe with a match’s results. Beyond just the World Cup history, we will cover multiple tournaments and parts of the world, so make sure to take a look at each one, and you’ll find some very interesting matches and events.

We’ll also cover what makes these specific matches so unique and the results of these unexpected scores. Here are the biggest upsets in football history and the history behind them:

1988 FA Cup Final – Liverpool 0 – 1 Wimbledon

This is one of the most surprising results of the FA Cup, and even though it wasn’t a surprise for some fans, it was an unforgettable upset for Liverpool. The team was at the top of the charts. It dominated the competition since the opening match, effortlessly passing through the knockout stages and defeating reigning champions like Manchester United and others. 

On the other hand, Wimbledon was seventh at the table, with good results but nothing expressive. With this, fans were not expecting a victory in the competition, and the top-flight team was the favorite to win the FA Cup and raise the trophy.

Liverpool also played a very different style, much more aggressive and easy to understand, contributing to the club’s favoritism in the game. However, that’s not what happened, and right in the first half of the game, Wimbledon scored a goal, opening an advantage against their opponents.

They managed to keep this advantage throughout the second half as well, defeating England’s powerhouse and showing the whole world that the underdogs also have a chance against the big teams. In the end, it was announced that “the crazy gang has beaten the culture club,” creating one of the most upsetting yet memorable moments in the sport’s history.

2013 FA Cup Final – Wigan 1 – 0 Manchester City

Another FA Cup game that deserves a spot in this list is the 2013 final match between Wigan and Manchester City. As expected from the oldest football competition in the world, this tournament was the stage for some of the most iconic and upsetting matches of all time.

Another famous win that left many fans surprised and others frustrated was definitely this one. Man City was the top team of the season, conquering the prominent awards and defeating the main opponents in the knockout stage, so everyone thought they’d also conquer a stunning victory over Wigan.

Another factor that made people think they’d win is that Wigan was at the bottom of the Premier League table, fighting for its life and risking relegation. On the other hand, Manchester City was on the top-flight side, with a superb display of abilities and one of their best campaigns since the first match. 

However, Wigan scored the only goal during the game, leaving everyone speechless when Ben Watson scored a goal during extra time. It was a remarkable result for the underdog club that struggled throughout the entire campaign, from their first game in the group stage to the last one. 

Many people attributed this result to the numerous rumors circulating that Manchester City was about to change its coach and manager. This increased the nervousness of the club’s players, and Wigan took advantage of that. It was one of the biggest shocks in the history of the FA Cup and a game that defied all the odds.

2022 FIFA World Cup – Argentina 1 – 2 Saudi Arabia

The World Cup is another tournament that has already hosted some of the biggest upsets in history. Whether it’s a big powerhouse against a tiny nation or a classic between two countries, every game holds numerous surprises and is watched by the entire world.

In the latest edition of the tournament, one of the biggest surprises came at the beginning of the competition. Of course, it didn’t impact the competition as much as an eliminatory game, but it was still a major upset, especially for the Argentinians. 

During the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, Argentina, one of the strongest teams in the history of the competition, played against Saudi Arabia, one of the weakest teams of all time, that struggled to join other editions of the cup years earlier. Everyone thought the South American team would do an actual massacre against the host nation, but that wasn’t what happened.

Lionel Messi was one of the main reasons why Argentina was one of the heavy favourites in this game and for the rest of the competition. The player, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, was one of the most praised members of the competition. He also scored the first goal in this match, with a penalty.

However, Saudi Arabia turned the tide and scored two goals against them, winning the match. Still, Argentina eventually became the official champions of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the final against France, the defending champions of the previous edition.

1991 League Cup Final – Manchester United 0 – 1 Sheffield Wednesday

Another case of English teams seeing the victory fade away in front of their eyes was the 1991 League Cup final match between Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday. Man United has always been one of England’s most regarded teams and the favorite to win the competition since the opening game. This feeling became even stronger when they easily defeated Leeds in the semi-finals.

However, the Red Devils underestimated Sheffield Wednesday’s abilities. The second-division team was an absolute underdog that many spectators didn’t even know existed, yet they managed to advance all the way to the finals of the competition.

In the end, Manchester United didn’t hit the net once, and the Owls scored the only goal in the match in the first half. No one could believe that a team that narrowly avoided relegation could take down one of the best teams in the country. 

It took only one goal to take their dream away and write history with the championship, becoming one of the biggest highlights in the history of the small club. More than the results and the players’ frustration, fans were extremely upset, and you could hear the silence and deception of the home crowd.

Euro 2004 Final – Greece 1 – 0 Portugal

Another European classic match that surprised everyone with the final result was the Euro 2004 Final. The competition is one of the hardest in the world and reunites the best national teams in the continent. 

Portugal has always been one of the favorites, especially because of one specific player: Cristiano Ronaldo. He was in his younger phase, with an energetic and eager playstyle. They were the best team in the competition statistically, and everyone was sure they’d take the trophy home, especially after defeating England in the semi-finals.

On the other hand, even though Greece had a good team, no one thought they’d get so far, much less win the Euro Cup. But they proved their value by scoring the only goal of the match. The silence at the stadium once the Greek team scored said everything they needed to know. Everyone was in awe and didn’t believe what they were seeing. They led the rest of the game and managed to secure success in the competition, taking home the prize for the first time in history and leaving Portugal and its fans in disbelief of what just happened.

2014 FIFA World Cup – Germany 7 – 1 Brazil

Another major upset in the history of football that left an entire stadium silent was the semi-final game between Brazil and Germany at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Brazil has always been one of the strongest teams in the competition’s history, with a record for most wins and some of the best rosters. On top of that, they were also the home team that year, so almost the entire crowd was cheering for them.

They defeated some of the biggest teams and reached the semi-finals. They only needed to secure a victory against Germany to reach the final match and possibly become the only six-time champion team in the world.

However, no one was ready for what would happen during this game. Not in a million years would any player think that the German team would destroy Brazil in one of the most significant score differences in the history of the World Cup.

They scored seven goals throughout the game, while Brazil only scored one in the second half. People could not recognize Brazil from the quarter-finals that were dominating and intimidating their opponents. 

With this, Germany advanced to the finals and eventually became world champions that year. It was one of the most upsetting moments in the entire history of football, as not only did they lose the match, but also didn’t manage to do anything during both halves.

2016 Premier League Title

There’s no better way to finish this list than with one of the most impressive results in the history of football. Leicester City made history by conquering England’s most wanted award among club players. 

The team barely avoided relegation in the previous season, and their participation in the tournament was already a miracle. There was no good reason to believe they’d go far in the competition and become the winning club. To be more specific, specialists said the club’s chances of winning the competition were 5000 – 1.

However, people’s hopes started to rise once they saw the club climb positions at the table one by one. Ultimately, they established an outstanding advantage between them and the second place, which was Arsenal.

They defied all the odds and managed to knock the leading teams in the country, not only being ranked #1 and claiming the trophy but also showing the whole crowd that they could be one of the best top-flight teams in the region. It was one of the most impressive seasons of the Premier League and a big upset for all the other fans, seeing their teams lose to a barely relegated club.

After that, their coach, Claudio Ranieri, was also crowned one of the best Italian coaches in history. He was a true miracle for the team, and no doubt, the team wouldn’t have done all of that without him.

Become a Legend in FootballTeam

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