International soccer upsets that shocked the world

Biggest Upsets in International Soccer History

The world of international soccer is one that is full of some super surprising results. Here are the 10 most shocking upsets in the history of The Beautiful Game.

10: Northern Ireland Beats Czechoslovakia 2 – 1

While its team was still a relative newcomer to the scene, Northern Ireland, the smallest country in terms of population, reached the World Cup Quarterfinals after they managed to beat the Czechs 2 – 1 in the 1958 World Cup.

9: Wales Beats England 4 – 1

In the 1980 British Home Championship, the Welsh team may well have gained an advantage from playing an exhausted English squad. The latter team had played Argentina in the days preceding the match up, but the Welsh win remained its high-water mark until it managed to qualify for the 2016 Euros.

8: Cameroon Beats Argentina 1 – 0

The Argentine team was defending their championship during the 1990 World Cup when a little team from the Cameroon that no one had noticed managed to pull off their shock victory. A goal in the 67^th minute at the San Siro in Milan clinched the win.

7: Senegal Wins against France 1 – 0

At the 2002 World Cup the French were the reigning champions, but Zidane’s early injury in the tournament’s opening match sealed their fate. Pape Boube Diop’s 30^th minute goal saw the African team take first place.

6: Denmark 2, Germany 0

The Danes’ run to the 1992 European Championship final could make this list, but managing to defeat the Germans by 2 points was certainly the highlight of their incredible performance overall. Had online betting in NZ and the rest of the world been as big then as it is now, major payouts would have been accrued for punters who supported the underdog.

5 has Faroe Islands Outstripping Austria 1 – 0

During the 1992 European qualifier, the Faroes’ 1^st competitive game was played in Sweden, as the islands held no pitches that were suitable. This little-known team went on to defeat the Austrians in the match which took place in September 1992.

4: Albania and West Germany Tie with 0

During the 1968 Euro qualifier the 0 – 0 draw managed to qualify as an upset because of just how poorly the Albanians had performed up to then. The West Germans needed a win in order to qualify.

3: Uruguay Beats Brazil at the 1950 World Cup

The Uruguayan team broke the hearts of 200 000 Brazilian fans at Rio’s Maracana with their stunning 2 – 0 win during this game. The two goals which took place during the 2^nd half took them to glory, and they made their mark in soccer history.

2: North Korea 1, Italy 0

The Italian team needed a draw, but Pak Doo Ik, of the North Korean team, managed to score a goal that set this dream aside. The star player was reportedly thanked by his government with a brand-new car.

The Biggest Upset in International Soccer’s History

At the 1950 World Cup, a rag-tag team of players from the USA, some only very recent arrivals to the country, managed to pull off the single greatest upset in the history of international soccer. The American goalkeeper Frank Borghi sealed the deal thanks to the penalty save which he managed in the game’s 2^nd half, and a movie commemorates this historic happening, aptly titled The Game of Our Lives.