Home of football statistics and historyIt is one of the most exciting times in all of sports, as the FIFA World Cup has brought together the 64 greatest teams on the planet for the chance to be named as the greatest team on earth. For many countries, this is the single most important event of any four-year period.
Many fans are incredibly passionate about their country’s team. They are willing to stay awake all hours to see their beloved football club battle for world supremacy. It is truly an event like no other on earth.
Great moments that live forever!
One of the things that makes the FIFA World Cup such a spectacular event is those stunning upsets or legacy defining moments. These are the very moments that defy the odds. Generally, sportsbooks like Bovada manage to predict the outcomes of the matches, but in certain circumstances, one fully appreciates the fact that any team can win on any given day.
Here are some of those moments that have helped to make the World Cup the greatest event in sports:
French team falls to Senegal
France has long established themselves as one of the powerhouse nations. So, when they lose any match, it is always big news. However, this 2002 defeat to Senegal was one of the most stunning upsets of all time. With star player Zinedine Zidane out with an injury, the defending World Cup champion French simply could not find a way to break the Senegal defense, losing 1-0.
This gave Senegal their first ever trip to the Round of 16, and they would eventually reach the quarterfinals before falling to Turkey. It was truly an epic upset, living long in World Cup lore.
France stuns Brazil
Four years earlier, it was France pulling off a tremendous upset, winning the 1998 World Cup title. Brazil entered as prohibitive favorites, as virtually everyone expected them to come away with the FIFA World Cup title. However, Zidane had other ideas, scoring two clutch goals in the first 45 minutes of the match, leading France to a 3-0 victory over Brazil and the title.
Zidane was named as the “Man of the Match,” solidifying his place as a legend on the pitch. In 2004, he was named as the best European soccer player of the last 50 years and was included in the FIFA 100 greatest players of all time.
Cameroon shocks Argentina
In 1990, Diego Maradona was leading the Argentinians, and has established himself as one of the greatest players on the planet. Argentina entered the World Cup as one of the favorites. Cameroon had appeared in five previous World Cups but had done nothing to stand out and African football was often viewed with a high degree of disdain.
However, Cameron would shock Argentina and the football world in general, earning a 1-0 victory. François Omam-Biyik scored the lone goal of the contest, but the biggest moment of the game was when Benjamin Massing drilled Caniggia with two minutes left in the match, causing the Argentinian to lose his shoe while bodychecked to the ground. It drew Cameroon their second red card of the match but was not enough to help the Argentinians to earn the victory.
Costa Rica proves their worth
In 2014, Costa Rica was placed into what many viewed as the group of death, with three former world champions included in their grouping. However, Costa Rica knocked off Uruguay before downing Italy, ensuring that they would advance to the next round. They would eventually lose to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. It was the greatest performance by Costa Rica in any World Cup.
USA shocks England
In 1950, England was viewed as one of the greatest football programs on the earth, as they had established themselves as one of the best teams on the planet. That year, they would face the United States, who had placed third in the first ever World Cup (1930) but had done very little since. This was considered a foregone conclusion that the English team would win, but the United States was able to pull off a 1-0 victory, as neither team would advance from their group.
Algeria defeats West Germany
Back when there was a West Germany, the German team had established themselves as a powerhouse as well. Football was a big sport in the divided country, while Algeria was one of a group of African nations to have teams, but not be viewed with much respect.
In 1982, Algeria got themselves and the continent on the map, earning a 2-1 victory over the West German team. Algeria would not get out of their group while West Germany would make it all the way to the finals, where they lost to Italy.
Who will bring the upset?
These are just a few of the great upsets that it happened and World Cup history. Africa has risen to become far more respected than in previous World Cups, but one can see that the odds were still steep for their teams. Maybe one nation will rise to shock the world sometime in the future.
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