FIFA World Cup upsets: Biggest shock results in history
After Morocco's stunning victory over Spain and Portugal in the last knockout phase, what are some of the other big upsets in men's FIFA World Cup history? We take a look at seven of the most surprising results.
Football
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has already seen some surprising results.
Morocco's 1-0 win against Portugal in the quarter-finals was the latest stunner. The Atlas Lions have reached the semi-finals as the first African country in the history of the tournament, after having beaten Spain 3-0 on penalties in the round of 16.
Do you remember Wednesday 23 November when the Samurai Blue of Japan claimed a famous victory over one of the pre-tournament favourites Germany?
That came just a day after another of the favourites, Argentina, saw their 36-match unbeaten run come to an end at the hands of Saudi Arabia.
Belgium, who finished third in the last World Cup in 2018, crashed out in the group stage in Qatar after a shock 2-0 loss to Morocco and a 0-0 draw with Croatia, while Germany's misery was compounded as they failed to make it our of their group for a second World Cup in succession.
The FIFA World Cup has seen many big upsets in its 92-year history, often involving countries that would be considered footballing "minnows" scoring an unexpected result against a powerhouse from the sport's traditional heartlands of Europe and South America.
In reverse chronological order, here are seven of the most unexpected reverses in World Cup history.
Morocco 2 Belgium 0, Qatar 2022
On Sunday 27 November, Belgium faced Morocco in the sides' second Group F game of the World Cup in Qatar. Belgium, ranked second in the world, had entered the tournament as one of the favourites having finished third in the World Cup in Russia four years earlier, while Morocco stood 22nd in the FIFA Men's World Ranking.
After a scoreless first half, Morocco's Romain Saiss found the net in the 73rd minute to give his country the lead. Then in the 92nd minute of the match, Toulouse striker Zakaria Aboukhlal made it 2-0 to the North African nation to secure a vital three points for Morocco.
Just four days later Belgium were out of the World Cup, after a 0-0 draw with Croatia left them third in the table on four points, behind first-place Morocco and group runners-up Croatia. But the damage had been done in the shock defeat to Morocco who secured their place in the last 16 with a 2-1 victory over Canada in their final group stage game.
Japan 2 Germany 1, Qatar 2022
Four-time World Cup winners Germany's loss against Japan in their first Group E match of Qatar 2022 may well go down as one of the most significant results in the nation's history. Having fallen at the first hurdle of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, going out in the group stage of a second consecutive World Cup was unthinkable.
While a matchup against Japan wasn't seen as an easy game, Germany's 2-1 loss and subsequent exit from the tournament before the round of 16 sent shockwaves around the country, with Chelsea forward Kai Havertz saying: "Now we've been knocked out twice in the group stage. I don't think we're a tournament team anymore."
The first half against Japan went largely to plan for the Germans who went ahead through a 33rd-minute penalty from İlkay Gündoğan. But the men in white had no answer to Japan's verve and energy in the second half, as goals from Doan Ritsu and Asano Takuma left the 2014 world champions on the ropes.
Despite rallying to secure a 1-1 draw in their second match with Spain and a 4-2 victory in the final group stage game against Costa Rica, Germany crashed out of the tournament on goal difference, with Japan and Spain finishing first and second in the group.
Argentina 1 Saudi Arabia 2, Qatar 2022
Argentina's loss on Tuesday (22 November) will likely rank near the top for the most unlikely final results. The world number three team, on paper, should have had no trouble dealing with the world number 51 Saudis.
But instead, the Albiceleste suffered their first defeat in over three years, having last lost to Brazil in the 2019 Copa América semi-finals.
Lionel Messi scored from the penalty spot – his seventh World Cup goal from 20 matches – to become the first player from his country to net at four tournaments (2006, 2014, 2018, 2022) – as Argentina threatened to run rampant in the first half.
But three disallowed goals for the Argentinians set them back, and a 10-minute attacking spell in the second half from Saudi Arabia produced the unlikely turnaround.
As the final whistle went in Lusail, Messi and his counterparts looked absolutely shell-shocked and crestfallen. Saudi Arabia had produced perhaps the most iconic upset in modern World Cup history.
France 0 Senegal 1, Republic of Korea/Japan 2002
The one all French football fans would like to be forgotten. Papa Bouba Diop's first-half goal for Senegal was enough to condemn France to defeat in the opening match of the 2002 tournament in Seoul.
It was a remarkable result considering Senegal – then ranked 68th in the world – were taking part in their maiden World Cup, and would go on to qualify for the knockout stages.
Defending champions France, meanwhile, finished bottom of the group and were eliminated at the first stage – something that had not happened to the reigning holders since 1966.
The French – who were also European champions having triumphed at EURO 2000 – did not score a single goal in their three games.
Senegal would go on to reach the quarter-finals, losing to Turkey in golden-goal extra time.
Argentina 0 Cameroon 1, Italy 1990
Before France, there was Argentina. The 1986 World Cup winners entered the 1990 tournament in Italy as heavy favourites, given they were defending champions.
But just as France would 12 years later, Argentina lost the opening match of the competition as nine-man Cameroon clinched a 1–0 win against Diego Maradona's Albiceleste.
Despite the shock defeat, Argentina qualified for the knockout stages – with only 24 teams in the tournament, just eight were eliminated in the group stage.
Argentina reached the final in Rome, eventually losing to the Federal Republic of Germany.
DPR Korea 1 Italy 0, England 1966
One of the most famous results in World Cup history came in 1966. No, we're not talking about the final which England won in extra time over the FRG.
This match took place 11 days prior, in the north-east of England at Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park.
It featured the Democratic People's Republic of Korea – in their first World Cup appearance – and the 1934 and 1938 champions Italy.
The DPRK had lost their opening game to the Soviet Union before eking out a 1-1 draw against Chile with a late equaliser.
It meant a win over Italy in their final group game would likely see them through to the quarter-finals.
And they did exactly that, with Pak Doo-ik writing his name into the World Cup history books through a first-half winner.
The DPRK lost their quarter-final to Eusébio's Portugal and wouldn't return to a FIFA World Cup until 2010, while Italy were eliminated in the group stage. They would reach the final four years later, losing to Brazil.
USA 1 England 0, Brazil 1950
In 1950, England were playing their maiden World Cup having sat out all three before the Second World War.
The first-ever meeting between the USA and England came at the 1950 World Cup held in Brazil.
After beating Chile in their first game, England were expected to easily defeat their American opponents, but a first-half goal from Joe Gaetjens produced a stunning shock that remains one of the biggest World Cup upsets to this day.
With only the group winners making the round-robin final stage, neither England nor USA qualified for the final round.
And, since that first meeting, things have overwhelmingly gone in England's favour in meetings between the two sides, with England having won 8 of their 11 meetings prior to the 2022 World Cup.