IT'S just over two weeks until World Cup 2022 kicks off in Qatar and the team at MFT have decided to share 5 of the biggest world cup shocks in history.
The World Cup is the greatest show on earth because it mixes moments of breathtaking quality with tales of the unexpected. With each country's best players taking to the pitch, It's certain to create some exciting world cup betting experiences.
While we’ve marvelled at the skills of Pele, Cruyff, Maradona and Messi, it’s sometimes a complete unknown who provides one of the defining images of the tournament.
Every World Cup throws up its fair share of surprises and here’s a look at some of the greatest shocks in history.
The Miracle of Belo Horizonte: England 0, USA 1, 1950.
England headed to Brazil as one of the predicted World Cup betting favourites, with the legendary Stanley Matthews at the peak of his powers, but returned home in disgrace after losing to 500-1 outsiders.
Walter Winterbottom rested Matthews for what he thought would be a walkover but it proved a deadly mistake against an American team with a hearse driver in goal.
Frank Borghi managed to shut out the Three Lions and Joe Gaetjens, a Haitian student who cleaned dishes to make ends meet, netted a shock winner for the USA.
The Italian Sob: North Korea 1 Italy 0, 1966
Italy’s World Cup hall of shame also includes chapters against South Korea and New Zealand but nothing can top their loss to North Korea back in 1966. Needing just a draw to go through, Edmondo Fabbri’s side crashed to defeat at Ayresome Park after losing Giacomo Bulgarelli to a knee injury.
With no subs in those days, it left them with 10 men and Pak Doo-Ik fired a famous winner, although North Korean history books probably credited the goal to Kim Jong-il. The shocks troops then led Portugal 3-0 in their quarter-final, only for Eusebio to inspire a 5-3 comeback win.
Indomitable Lions Roar: Argentina 0 Cameroon 1, 1990
The 1990 World Cup started with a bang as holders Argentina slumped to a shock defeat against a Cameroon side who would go on to light up the tournament. Nery Pumpido gifted the Indomitable Lions victory when a header from Francois Omam-Biyick squirmed past him.
Cameroon then held on with nine men, with the second red card an artwork called “GBH in three pieces” as Claudio Cannigia eluded two desperate challenges before eventually being felled by Benjamin Massing.
Senegal from Grace: France 0 Senegal 1, 2002
The first Asian World Cup threw up plenty of surprises with co-hosts South Korea blazing a trail to the semi-finals and a poor Germany side coming within 90 minutes of lifting the trophy. The opening game set the tone as Senegal shocked a star-studded French side strongly fancied for a successful title defence.
Papa Boupa Diop scrambled home the winner and it provided the platform for Senegal to reach the last eight while France crashed out without even scoring a goal.
Seven and Hell: Brazil 1, Germany 7, 2010
Brazil were hosts in 2010, with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side tasked with exorcising the demons of their shock loss to Uruguay at the Maracana in the 1950 final.
Instead, they slumped to a defeat that left an even deeper scar on the national psyche as Germany ran riot in the semi-final. Without the injured Neymar and Thiago Silva, the Brazilians fell apart as Joachim Low’s side filled their boots en route to a win over Argentina in the showpiece.
Who do you think will provide us with a world cup betting shock this year? Let us know in the comment section below.
As always, expect a whole host of World Cup related content, betting offers, and previews for all the group and knockout stage matches.
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I'm a sports journalist, football tipster and author from Dundee, who is now working in Glasgow. I've covered games at every level, from Junior football to internationals, and still love football even though it has clearly sold its soul. I've been in football tipping since 2018 with the MFT site.
You forgot the Maracanazo in 1950
Uruguay 2 , Brazil 1
There are only 5 listed above, what is number 6 ???
For me the biggest shock in my 58 years on this planet is Algeria beating west Germany in france 1982 at a time when African sides were an irrelevance.
Algeria took a shock lead then the germans equalised through Karl heinz rummenigge and the cocky germans thought the inevitable winner would come.
But hey ho lakhtar belloumi who was African player of the year at that time scored on the break for the Africans in what for me was the breakthrough win for an African nation.
They didn’t qualify as west Germany and Austria played out a disgraceful 0-0 draw in a stitch up game to make sure they both qualified, but that’s another story.
East Germany beating west Germany on their own turf in 1974 was a huge shock at the time but alas west Germany went on to win the trophy largely thanks to one of the greatest predators of all time in gerd Muller.
These games are all on YouTube but you can’t leave links on this site anymore as they go into moderation never to be seen again for some strange reason
Elvis bro i remember that Algerian game’ German arrogance at its best reminds of that goal was it Moeller scored at Wembley euros’ 96′ and he strut his stuff like the Kaiser’.
Ultimately do not take the picture out your mind’ remember the german keeper and the knock flying take out of that french player. These days that would get a 5 match ban at least. Those memories of my second world cup’ still fresh in my mind’.
That was Harold Schumacher decapitating Patrick battiston 20 yards outside his box then protesting his innocence to the referee, OUCH !!!
Croatia to win it and England to go out in the group stages. The all time ultimate shock would need to be Scotland winning it, especially this year 😂
Brazil v Argentina final, Brazil to win.
Best placed European team, Denmark.
Surprise package Iran, they will progress at the expense of Wales and usa