40+ Of The Worst World Cup Upsets To Ever Happen
Many commentators and fans from around the world have shared their predictions for which teams will win the coveted World Cup trophy as we get ready for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Even so, there have been instances where tenacious underdogs thumped the tournament favorites. Let’s look at the most unexpected World Cup upsets that perhaps not even the most devoted football experts saw coming.
Bulgaria 2, Germany 1 – 1994 Quarterfinals
Germany appeared to be in excellent shape going into the semifinals after winning their group and defeating Belgium 3-2 in the Round of 16. Bulgaria, on the other hand, came as a surprise, finishing second in their group and edging out Mexico on penalties to get to the quarterfinals. The form didn’t matter much, though, as Bulgaria recovered from behind to defeat Germany and establish themselves as one of the tournament’s dark horses.
USA 1, England 0 – 1950 Group Stage
Due to their recent losing streak of seven games, the United States was particularly vulnerable going into this encounter. In actuality, the USA only managed to score twice in those seven games while giving up 45 goals. This increased the surprise factor surrounding the England game’s outcome.
USA 1, England 0 – 1950 Group Stage
The ragtag American team, dubbed “Miracle on Grass,” held on for the victory after scoring in the 38th minute, effectively knocking England out of the competition.
Switzerland 1, Spain 0 – 2010 Group Stage
Although Spain went on to win the World Cup in South Africa, few people anticipated “La Furia Roja” to lose their first game, especially in light of how formidable their team appeared on paper. Despite this, the Swiss managed to pull off the tournament’s biggest upset.
Switzerland 1, Spain 0 – 2010 Group Stage
Spain had the majority of the possession, but they were unable to recover after Gelson Fernandes gave the Swiss the lead.
Scotland 3, Netherlands 2 – 1978 Group Stage
Few could believe it when underdogs Scotland managed to score three goals past the highly regarded Dutch defense in an era when Dutch “Total Football” was the standard. Furthermore, many people thought the Netherlands may duplicate their record of reaching the World Cup final in the previous edition.
Scotland 3, Netherlands 2 – 1978 Group Stage
In the end, the outcome had little bearing on the outcome of the competition because the Dutch advanced to yet another World Cup final. However, Scotland’s success won’t be quickly forgotten.
Cameroon 1, Argentina 0 – 1990 Group Stage
The 1980s were the heyday of Argentinian football, especially with Diego Maradona at his peak, after winning the previous World Cup. However, the hard-fought opening game ended with François Omam-Biyik of Cameroon scoring the game-winning goal, shocking the defending world champions.
Cameroon 1, Argentina 0 – 1990 Group Stage
Cameroon brought great honor to Africa by reaching the quarterfinals, while Argentina still managed to win third place in the competition.
Senegal 1, France 0 – 2002 Group Stage
Few would have predicted that Senegal would defeat this star-studded team, even though everyone knew it would be difficult for France to retain their World Cup victory from 1998. Bouba Diop’s goal gave Senegal the opportunity to go to the knockout stages.
Senegal 1, France 0 – 2002 Group Stage
The Senegalese made a reputation for themselves after making it to the quarterfinals, but for the French, who were ousted without scoring, 2002 was a year to forget.
North Korea 1, Italy 0 – 1966 Group Stage
Italy, who had already won two World Cups, was determined to add a third trophy to their collection in 1966. On the other side, North Korea was taking part in its first World Cup. This game demonstrated that, once the opening horn sounds, the past is meaningless.
North Korea 1, Italy 0 – 1966 Group Stage
North Korea was able to begin a memorable cup run to the quarterfinals thanks to their shocking 1-0 victory, while the Italians were eliminated in the group stage.
Germany 7, Brazil 1 – 2014 Semi-Finals
Brazil was hosting the World Cup, so there were high expectations placed on them to win a sixth championship in front of their own supporters. The quarterfinals were the point at which it really started to look like they might pull this off. until they encountered Germany, that is.
Germany 7, Brazil 1 – 2014 Semi-Finals
Germany demonstrated that they still had enough gas in the tank by humiliating Brazil on their way to World Cup victory after thrashing Portugal 4-0 in the group stage.
Northern Ireland 1, Spain 0 – 1982 Group Stage
It appeared inexplicable that the Spanish national team hadn’t won a World Cup until 1982 considering that the country is home to some of the top soccer teams on the planet. Even while they might not have been the dominant forces they are now, it was fair to assume a victory against Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland 1, Spain 0 – 1982 Group Stage
Spain was humiliated by Northern Ireland at their own tournament because, despite having the gifted Juanito in their attack, they were unable to score.
Costa Rica’s 2014 World Cup Run
With Uruguay, Italy, and England as their “group of death” opponents, underdog Costa Rica appeared certain to be eliminated before the tournament even got underway. That was before the tenacious Central Americans won the group by defeating Uruguay 3-1, Italy 1-0, and England 0-0.
Costa Rica’s 2014 World Cup Run
The most remarkable accomplishment in Costa Rican football history was finally put to a stop in a penalty shootout against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal.
Slovakia 3, Italy 2 – 2010 Group Stage
The World Cup in Africa was famous for numerous reasons, including the shocking results it delivered. Only one of these contests saw Slovakia, which was competing in their first World Cup, overcome reigning champions Italy.
Slovakia 3, Italy 2 – 2010 Group Stage
With this win, Slovakia, a relative newcomer, was able to advance to the Round of 16, whereas Italy was eliminated from the competition after finishing bottom in their group.
South Africa 2, France 1 – 2010 Group Stage
Many fans would have anticipated France to show the hunger necessary to win the tournament after reaching the previous World Cup final. The South Africans, on the other hand, were more driven to perform well in front of their home supporters.
South Africa 2, France 1 – 2010 Group Stage
South Africa had a successful World Cup campaign overall, even though they didn’t advance past the group stages and lost to the former world champions in the process.
South Korea 2, Italy 1 – 2002 Round of 16
South Korea, who served as the tournament’s co-hosts, made a strong impression during the group stages, winning their group by defeating Portugal and Poland and drawing with the United States. The next difficulty was going up against an Italian team that was in great shape and was headed by luminaries like Paolo Maldini, Francesco Totti, and Fabio Cannavaro.
South Korea 2, Italy 1 – 2002 Round Of 16
The South Koreans proved their tenacity by scoring a thrilling win in overtime to earn a 2-1 triumph, despite not appearing as attractive on paper.
Algeria 2, West Germany 1 – 1982 Group Stage
Algeria’s tough test came when they opened their World Cup campaign against West Germany, the tournament’s two-time champions. However, the African team showed the composure they needed to beat the Germans, scoring the game-winning goal barely a minute after giving up a goal.
Algeria 2, West Germany 1 – 1982 Group Stage
Sadly, Algeria did not advance from the group since they lost on goal differential. Nevertheless, for the North Africans, this was the first of many competitions.
Uruguay 2, Brazil 1 – 1950 Final
The 1950 World Cup final is thought to have drawn the largest crowd to a World Cup game, while the exact figures are still up for debate. The Brazilians had a strong home-field advantage and were also the tournament favorites, with a win already appearing to be guaranteed.
Uruguay 2, Brazil 1 – 1950 Final
Although supporters expected Brazil to score first, they didn’t expect the underdog Uruguay to score again in the second half to win the World Cup.
Italy 2, Germany 0 – 2006 Semifinals
Italian football was going through a rough patch prior to the competition, with a Serie A corruption scandal sparking extensive investigations. On the other hand, Germany was in a promising phase as they advanced unimpeded to the World Cup semifinals.
Italy 2, Germany 0 – 2006 Semifinals
Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero scored goals in the waning seconds of extra time to help Italy defeat the host nation and win the World Cup. Penalties were about to be awarded.
Norway 2, Brazil 1 – 1998 Group Stages
Brazil, the 1994 World Cup winners, appeared to be cruising to the knockout rounds before their final group game against Norway. However, after drawing their first two games against Scotland and Morocco, Norway had everything to play for. Unbelievably, the Norwegians would quickly demonstrate that persistence is key.
Norway 2, Brazil 1 – 1998 Group Stages
Norway defeated the group winners, their greatest test so far, to take second place and advance to the Round of 16.
Nigeria 3, Spain 2 – 1998 Group Stages
With veterans like Luis Enrique and Raul at their disposal, Spain looked set to easily advance out of their World Cup group. The team had high hopes going into their opening match against Nigeria. This made it even more unexpected when Nigeria defeated La Furia Roja with three goals.
Nigeria 3, Spain 2 – 1998 Group Stages
The Eagles qualified for the next round by achieving an improbable victory. Spain, on the other hand, lost by a single point and was eliminated.
Netherlands 5, Spain 1 – 2014 Group Stage
The Netherlands were out for vengeance in a rematch of 2010 final after Spain won the World Cup trophy late in extra time. This time, it was the turn of the Netherlands to crush the hearts of the Spanish.
Netherlands 5, Spain 1 – 2014 Group Stage
The Dutch successfully defended their title as group winners by defeating Spain with five goals, while the defending champions were eliminated.
West Germany 3, Hungary 2 – 1954 Final
Hungary was the side to beat in 1954, even though the contrary may be true today. Hungary easily defeated West Germany 8-3 in their group-stage match, thus it only made sense that they would win again and win their first World Cup trophy.
West Germany 3, Hungary 2 – 1954 Final
Unfortunately for the Hungarians, it was not to be as the Germans bravely rallied to win the World Cup after falling down 2-0.
Croatia 3, Germany 0 – 1998 Quarterfinals
After easily winning their group and eliminating Mexico in the Round of 16, Germany, led by Juergen Klinsmann, appeared to be on course to win their fourth World Cup. On the other hand, Croatia was also on a promising streak.
Croatia 3, Germany 0 – 1998 Quarterfinals
Croatia demonstrated the value of team chemistry by thrashing Germany 3-0 to go to the semifinals despite not having a team with many stars on paper.
Switzerland’s 2006 World Cup Run
The Swiss won the group after drawing 0-0 with France and defeating South Korea and Togo by scores of 2-0 each. They were placed in a difficult group with France and South Korea, who finished fourth at the 2002 World Cup.
Switzerland’s 2006 World Cup Run
Although Switzerland fell to Ukraine in the Round of 16 on penalties, they made history by becoming the only team to go the entire game without giving up a goal.
South Korea 2, Germany 0 – 2018 Group Stages
Germany’s match against South Korea was a must-win due to the fact that their opponents had dropped both of their prior games, especially with Sweden and Germany level on points going into the last round of group games. Nevertheless, despite the dismal competition, the South Korean team was determined to make a good impression.
South Korea 2, Germany 0 – 2018 Group Stages
Kim Young-gwon’s goal in the 94th minute broke the game’s goalless streak. At the very last second, Son Heung-min doubled South Korea’s advantage, sealing a thrilling victory and removing Germany from the running.
Poland 1, Brazil 0 – 1974 Third-Place Play-off
Brazil was the defending champion and had great expectations for a repeat of their 1970 triumph run. After they placed second in both the first and second rounds of group-stage matches, it ultimately wasn’t to be. Nevertheless, they guaranteed their place in the third-place matchup with Poland.
Poland 1, Brazil 0 – 1974 Third Place Play-Off
Brazil exited the competition after a 1-0 loss to Poland, ending a poor tournament despite having the chance to do so on a positive note.
Russia 1, Spain 1 (4-3 penalties) – 2018 Round of 16
The Spanish were hungry to prove themselves after being kicked out of the group stage in 2014. Despite being placed in a challenging group alongside Portugal, they won their division and are now prepared to face the host nation Russia in the round of 16.
Russia 1, Spain 1 (4 3 Penalties) – 2018 Round Of 16
Spain struggled to score and needed an own goal to tie the game before falling to the underdog Russians in a penalty shootout.
Portugal 3, Brazil 1 – 1966 Group Stage
Brazil would not have anticipated losing given their star-studded lineup, however, Portugal may have proven to be a difficult opponent with Eusébio as their front man. Brazil was also a clear favorite due to the fact that they had won the previous two competitions.
Portugal 3, Brazil 1 – 1966 Group Stage
Brazil’s second setback was an obvious defeat that neither Pelé nor the other national heroes could stop. The Seleço was then shockingly ousted from the group stage.
Spain 0, South Korea 0 (3-5 penalties) – 2002 Quarterfinals
Spain has a chance to end their string of early World Cup exits in this quarterfinal matchup. On the other hand, South Korea sought to demonstrate its capacity as a host country by surprising its home crowd with yet another triumph.
Spain 0, South Korea 0 (3 5
The South Koreans replicated their heroics against Italy in the previous round, and with the score still tied after extra time, they secured a place in the semifinals.
Croatia 3, Argentina 0 – 2018 Group Stage
Argentina was expected to have a big World Cup with stars like Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, and Javier Mascherano leading the way. Nevertheless, Croatia wasn’t going to let pre-game predictions decide the outcome of the game. The Croatians started bombarding the Argentinians with shots soon after the game started.
Croatia 3, Argentina 0 – 2018 Group Stage
The aggressive Croatian attack was successful, and captain Luka Modric demonstrated why he was given the Ballon d’Or that year.
Republic of Ireland 1, Italy 0 – 1994 Group Stage
The Azzuri, who finished third in 1990, were determined to compete for all the way this time, beginning with a decisive victory over the Republic of Ireland. The bookmakers didn’t give the Irish much of a chance because this was only their second tournament participation.
Republic Of Ireland 1, Italy 0 – 1994 Group Stage
The Irish accomplished the almost unthinkable feat of defeating Italy and securing their place in the following round, even though Italy ended up finishing as runners-up that year.
Mexico 1, Germany 0 – 2018 Group Stage
Mexico was not anticipated to pose much of a threat to the defending World Cup champions, despite having a good team. This anticipation appeared to be accurate for the majority of the first half as Germany dominated possession. That all changed when Hirving Lozano scored a goal to give Mexico the lead in the 35th minute.
Mexico 1, Germany 0 – 2018 Group Stage
Mexico’s tenacious defensive play paid off as they held on for the victory and eliminated Germany early from the World Cup.
Ghana 2, Czech Republic 0 – 2006 Group Stage
The Czech Republic had high expectations, especially with stars like Tomáš Rosický and Pavel Nedvěd in their prime. Additionally, they had just defeated the United States 3-0, while Ghana’s opponents were still smarting from their 2-0 defeat to Italy.
Ghana 2, Czech Republic 0 – 2006 Group Stage
In stark contrast to both teams’ prior performances, the Ghanaians scored twice to upset the Czechs and secure a spot in the knockout round while the Czechs were sent packing early.
Belgium 1, Spain 1 (5-4 penalties) – 1986 Quarterfinals
La Furia Roja sought to change their fortunes in what had been a disappointing period for Spanish football. Spain appeared to have found their rhythm after barely making it to the knockout stages with a 5-1 victory over Denmark in the round of 16.
Belgium 1, Spain 1 (5 4 Penalties) – 1986 Quarterfinals
Sadly, Spain’s happiness was short-lived as Belgium, a surprise, upset them on penalties to secure a position in the semifinals.
Croatia 2, England 1 – 2018 Semi-Finals
England, led by Golden Boot winner Harry Kane for 2018, advanced to the semifinals with strong expectations of replicating their triumph from 1966. But while England showed a lot of tenacity during their World Cup run, Croatia had been the tournament’s dominant power.
Croatia 2, England 1 – 2018 Semi-Finals
After giving up an early goal, Croatia fought back thanks to an Ivan Perii goal before Mario Manduki’s extra-time winner advanced the Croats to the championship game.
Mexico 2, France 0 – 2010 Group Stage
France understood that a victory over Mexico would be necessary to advance to the knockout stages after a scoreless draw with top contenders Uruguay. However, Mexico was only interested in advancing itself and had no intention of helping the French.
Mexico 2, France 0 – 2010 Group Stage
Mexico’s perseverance paid off in the second half as they scored twice to take second place in their group and send France home.
Chile 2, Spain 0 – 2014 Group Stage
Chile was largely regarded as an underdog on the international scene prior to being named the 2015 Copa American champions, especially when contrasted to teams like the incumbent world champions Spain. But the Spanish had no idea that Chilean rule was about to start.
Chile 2, Spain 0 – 2014 Group Stage
The South Americans secured their place in the next round with two goals in the first half from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz, while Spain’s tournament was abruptly over.
Bulgaria 2, Argentina 0 – 1994 Group Stage
Argentina had high aspirations of winning another World Cup after finishing as runners-up in 1990 and victors in 1986, especially with Diego Simeone and Gabriel Batistuta in their ranks. They had no idea that Bulgaria was preparing to be the tournament’s biggest surprise.
Bulgaria 2, Argentina 0 – 1994 Group Stage
Two late goals gave Bulgaria the victory after the game was tied, allowing them to supplant Argentina in second place in the group.
Serbia 1, Germany 0 – 2010 Group Stage
Few expected Serbia, a newcomer, to cause Germany any trouble as they looked to improve on their third-place performance in 2006. Germany had recently trounced Australia by a score of 4-0, while Serbia had fallen to Ghana by a score of 1-0. Form, unfortunately, had little bearing on the result of this game.
Serbia 1, Germany 0 – 2010 Group Stage
Serbia’s 1-0 triumph over Germany was arguably the underdogs’ most satisfying moment of the competition, despite them finishing last in their group.
United States 2, Portugal 2 – 2014 Group Stage
Portugal needed to win against the Americans in order to have any chance of surviving after being blanked 4-0 by Germany. Sadly for the Portuguese, the Americans got the game going quickly with Clint Dempsey scoring right after kickoff.
United States 2, Portugal 2 – 2014 Group Stage
Portugal was able to save a draw in the dying seconds of the game, but they were still eliminated from the group stage.
Germany 4, Argentina 0 – 2010 Quarterfinals
While there is no denying that Germany’s World Cup team was brilliant, many would have anticipated that a team of Argentina’s caliber would at the very least make Germany’s title challenge more difficult. In the end, the game wasn’t quite as evenly distributed as it had seemed on paper.
Germany 4, Argentina 0 – 2010 Quarterfinals
Germany ran riot, scoring four goals against Argentina to knock them out of the competition after Thomas Müller gave them the lead in the third minute.
Switzerland 2, Italy 1 – 1954 Group Stage
Italy was already regarded as a football powerhouse due to its victories in the 1934 and 1938 World Cups, especially when compared to a less advanced squad like Switzerland. Unfortunately, the Italians’ first group game did not go as they had hoped.
Switzerland 2, Italy 1 – 1954 Group Stage
The Azzurri’s World Cup run was cut short by their defeat against Switzerland; had they lost, they would have been eliminated in the first round.
Saudi Arabia 2, Argentina 1 – 2022 Group Stage
Argentina was the clear favorite to win the 2022 World Cup when it began in November in Qatar. They were on pace to surpass Italy’s record for the longest unbeaten streak when they faced Saudi Arabia in their World Cup debut.
Saudi Arabia 2, Argentina 1 – 2022 Group Stage
When Lionel Messi converted a penalty early on, everything appeared good. However, the Saudi defense stood strong, and they stunned everyone by scoring two goals in the second half.
Morocco 2, Spain 2 – 2018 Group Stage
Spain knew that a victory in their final group match was crucial after drawing 3-3 with Portugal and winning by a slim margin of 1-0 over Iran. Even though Morocco appeared to be the stronger team on paper, they would test Spain to the limit.
Morocco 2, Spain 2 – 2018 Group Stage
Spain ultimately had to rely on a last-second goal from Iago Aspas to salvage a point and advance to the knockout rounds by a single point.
Uruguay 2, Portugal 1 – 2018 Round of 16
Many predicted that Portugal would compete all the way to the end of the 2018 World Cup after their Euro 2016 victory. With stars like Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez among their ranks and a fourth-place finish in 2010, Uruguay was still a team not to be taken lightly.
Uruguay 2, Portugal 1 – 2018 Round Of 16
Despite having the majority of the possession, Portugal was unable to stop Uruguay’s quick counterattack, failing to repeat their triumph in the European Championship.
Morocco 2, Portugal 1 – 1986 Group Stage
Portugal just needed to defeat Morocco, who were competing in their second World Cup, to advance from their group after already defeating England. However, the Portuguese would find this mission to be more difficult than anticipated.
Morocco 2, Portugal 1 – 1986 Group Stage
Portugal was easily defeated by Morocco, who quickly built a three-goal advantage to advance to the next round while Portugal was eliminated.
Denmark 2, France 0 – 2002 Group Stage
With players like Patrick Viera and Zinedine Zidane in their ranks, France, the 1998 world champions, appeared ready to begin their championship defense. However, they had not anticipated the tenacity that Denmark was about to show.
Denmark 2, France 0 – 2002 Group Stage
In order to defeat France and win the group, Denmark scored two goals, while France prematurely exited the competition without scoring.
Sweden’s 1958 World Cup Run
Sweden started a cup run in 1958 that is deserving of mention, even though they may not be one of the World Cup’s more successful teams. Sweden, the tournament’s host, won over their home crowd with one of their best World Cup performances.
Sweden’s 1958 World Cup Run
Before falling to Brazil in the championship game, Sweden won their group and defeated teams like West Germany and the Soviet Union.