The FIFA World Cup 2026 is probably the most eagerly awaited sports activities occasion of the yr.
Followers are gearing as much as see who scores probably the most targets, who’re the most important performers on soccer’s grandest stage, and who wins the coveted trophy.
Really helpful Tales
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However the event has additionally produced many beautiful shocks all through its historical past as defending champions have been knocked out within the group phases and minnows have downed giants of the sport – akin to when Saudi Arabia upset eventual champions Argentina at Qatar 2022.
Listed below are among the main upsets within the historical past of the World Cup.
USA 1-0 England (1950)
The post-war England workforce, comprising the likes of Alf Ramsey, Tom Finney and Billy Wright, was among the many favourites to raise the trophy because it made its World Cup debut. The Individuals, in the meantime, put collectively a bunch of part-timers, together with a dishwasher, a letter provider and a trainer. The combined bunch practised collectively for sooner or later and set off on a ship to Brazil.
Joe Gaetjens scored a Thirty eighth-minute header to place the USA forward. Within the second half, England’s assault was relentless, however USA’s goalkeeper Frank Borghi prevented them from scoring an equaliser and etched his workforce’s title into the historical past books.
West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954)
A German aspect staging a comeback to win a World Cup match wouldn’t be thought of an anomaly right this moment.
Nonetheless, this was a lesser-known West German aspect of the Fifties dealing with the Mighty Magyars of Hungary, who had the nice Ferenc Puskas main their assault.
Hungary entered the World Cup in Switzerland as favourites and lived as much as their billing by handing a 9-0 drubbing to South Korea and thrashing West Germany 8-3 in earlier matches.
The 2 sides met within the remaining once more. Hungary scored two targets within the first half and have been seemingly following the script till the opponents scored two.
The sport was tied till the 84th minute when Helmut Rahn scored his second objective and broke Hungarian hearts. The German comeback in opposition to probably the greatest groups in soccer’s historical past was termed “The Miracle of Bern”.
North Korea 1-0 Italy (1966)
The truth that North Korea was capable of make it to England for the World Cup was stunning sufficient.
The English FA had thought of rejecting the North Korean workforce’s visa amid its chilly conflict in opposition to the Western allied-backed South Korea.
Italy have been held collectively by Giacomo Bulgarelli on the pitch. The midfielder was injured in the course of the match, which diminished the Italian aspect to 10 males as substitutions weren’t allowed on the time.
Seven minutes later, Pak Doo Ik scored a objective that not solely gained his workforce the match but in addition knocked out the two-time world champions.
The match is taken into account one of many greatest upsets in World Cup historical past, and its unique match ticket is positioned within the FIFA soccer museum.
The spot the place the objective was scored has been marked with iron stud marks after the stadium was demolished for a housing property.
Algeria 2-1 West Germany (1982)
West Germany entered the 1982 World Cup as reigning European champions, former two-time winners and one of many favourites.
The all-star German lineup included Hansi Mueller, Wolfgang Dremmler, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Lothar Matthaus.
Algeria, however, have been a workforce made up of little-known names however had been performing effectively previous to the World Cup.
The nonchalance proven by the Germans became complacency. Rabah Madjer scored within the 54th minute handy the Germans their first shock.
Simply after Rummenigge’s strike introduced Germany degree, a objective that will shock West Germany and the world got here from the now-legendary Algerian ahead Lakhdar Belloumi.
Cameroon 1-0 Argentina (1990)
Holders, favourites and led by probably the world’s best footballer of the time, Diego Maradona, Argentina had a seemingly simple opening match on the 1990 World Cup.
Cameroon have been making their World Cup debut and have been the one sub-Saharan African nation enjoying within the event.
The opening match of the World Cup was performed on the legendary San Siro stadium.
Though Argentina began effectively, the Cameroonians grew in confidence as the sport went on with out conceding.
Midway into the second half, Francois Omam-Biyik latched onto a free kick and headed his aspect right into a lead that will stand till the ultimate whistle.
France 0-1 Senegal (2002)
World Cup holders vs debutants: examine.
Former colonisers vs colony: examine.
Opening recreation of the event: examine.
And eventually, holders knocked out within the first spherical: examine.
The opening recreation of the 2002 World Cup had all of the attainable subplots to make for an attention-grabbing match. However what the pundits and the French workforce did not anticipate was the meticulously deliberate Senegalese stifling of the French assault.
Add to that the tempo of El Hadji Diouf and a Thirtieth-minute objective from Papa Bouba Diop, Senegal discovered themselves on prime of the group on the finish of 90 minutes.
France’s journey ended after one other loss and a draw. Senegal went on to develop into solely the second African nation to qualify for the quarterfinals.
Germany 7-1 Brazil (2014)
The 2014 World Cup appeared like the proper alternative for Brazil to proper the wrongs of 1950 once they misplaced the ultimate in opposition to Uruguay at dwelling regardless of being clear favourites.
The stage was set for soccer’s greatest social gathering to gentle up the samba nation with the crowning of Brazil as champions for the sixth time.
It was solely a matter of two extra matches. Or so thought the Brazilians.
They have been up in opposition to Germany, by no means to be underestimated in a World Cup knockout match. Each groups had an analogous path to the semifinals: Topping their teams and having shut encounters within the knockouts.
Nonetheless, Brazil misplaced their star ahead Neymar Jr to harm within the quarterfinal and captain Thiago Silva to yellow card accumulation.
Within the semifinal, Germany opened the scoring within the eleventh minute and by no means regarded again. Between the twenty third and twenty ninth minutes, the Germans scored 4 extra targets to stun the Brazilians on the pitch, within the stands and throughout the nation.
It didn’t get higher after half-time, as Brazil’s defence was breached twice extra, earlier than the house workforce scored a comfort objective within the final minute.
The ultimate scoreline of 7-1 was Brazil’s greatest defeat since 1920, and introduced on titles akin to “the Agony of Mineirao” and was termed a nationwide humiliation for the football-mad nation.
Germany went on to win the ultimate in opposition to Argentina for his or her fourth title.
Netherlands 5-1 Spain (2014)
The opening recreation of Group B within the 2014 World Cup pitted the 2 finalists from the earlier World Cup.
Spain entered the event as reigning European and world champions and one of many favourites.
When Xabi Alonso opened the scoring within the twenty seventh minute, all appeared to be going effectively for the star-studded Spanish aspect. However one minute earlier than half-time got here a objective that grew to become probably the most iconic picture of the event.
Robin van Persie was 15 yards from the objective when he latched onto a looping ball and scored a surprising header to baffle Iker Casillas and the remainder of the Spanish aspect.
The Dutch went on to attain 4 extra targets handy Spain their second-biggest loss in a World Cup. It was additionally the most important loss margin for defending champions in a FIFA World Cup.
Spain have been knocked out of the group after one other loss, whereas the Netherlands completed the event in third place.
South Korea 2-0 Germany (2018)
Among the greatest upsets within the World Cup have concerned the defending champions being handed first-round defeats, and the 2018 event was no totally different.
It was the third consecutive World Cup the place the holders have been knocked out on the first hurdle.
Germany got here into their remaining group match needing a win to progress. South Korea have been enjoying for pleasure as they have been all however out of the event.
The match appeared to be heading to a goalless draw, so the Germans amassed all their efforts on scoring a successful objective that will see them by means of.
Nonetheless, two minutes into harm time, South Korea’s Kim Younger-gwon scored from a nook.
Then Manuel Neuer, German captain and goalkeeper, got here out all the best way into the Korean half to assist the assault.
South Korea capitalised by amassing the ball from a cross misplaced by Neuer, and slotting it into an empty web to seal Germany’s destiny.
It was the primary time since 1938 that Germany did not advance past the primary stage, and their first-ever defeat in opposition to an Asian nation in a World Cup match.
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina (2022)
Argentina got here into the match on a 36-match unbeaten streak and have been among the many prime event favourites.
All the things appeared to be going to plan for the Argentinians as Lionel Messi transformed a Tenth-minute penalty to provide them the lead. Argentina had one other couple of targets disallowed, and it appeared like solely a matter of time earlier than they added to their lead because the half-time whistle blew.
Nonetheless, it was to be a recreation of two halves.
Saleh Al-Shehri shocked the Argentinians within the forty eighth minute when he latched onto an extended ball and fired a shot by means of the legs of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
5 minutes later, winger Salem al-Dawsari minimize inside from the left and curled a cracking shot into the highest nook to provide Saudi Arabia the lead.
The Saudis weathered the inevitable late Argentina onslaught to see out the victory.
In the end, Argentina went on to raise the trophy whereas Saudi Arabia crashed out within the group phases, following defeats to Poland and Mexico, however their win over La Albiceleste despatched Saudi followers into raptures and went down as one of many nice World Cup upsets.
