Biggest upsets in international tournament history

[koyvoo]

The France-Switzerland Euro 2020 round of 16 game day thread sparked this discussion.

Historically, as far as a single game result goes, and holding historical significance, I feel the the finals of the 1950 and 1954 World Cup (although the last match played in 1950 wasn’t technically a final, it was) are justifiably rated very high on this list.

In terms of a tournament winning side side shocker, Denmark is a candidate I suppose, but it definitely has to go to Greece?

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[Savi]

Homer vote: Belgium beating reigning World Champions Argentina 1-0 in front of 100.000 at the Nou Camp in the opener of the 1982 WC

In reality though this was really only an upset on paper, because Belgium went to the 1980 EURO final and the 1986 WC semi's, but still.

 

[koyvoo]

Homer vote: Belgium beating reigning World Champions Argentina 1-0 in front of 100.000 at the Nou Camp in the opener of the 1982 WC

In reality though this was really only an upset on paper, because Belgium went to the 1980 EURO final and the 1986 WC semi's, but still.

Ya, Belgium was definitely good in that era, before fizzing out hard for a decade and half. Can’t say it’s a historical upset outside of Belgium maybe, which you did concede in a homer vote.

 

[Live in the Now]

I already mentioned Cameroon beating Argentina in 90.

There were quite a few in 94 too. Saudi Arabia beating Belgium, USA beating Colombia. If you don't have context the Bulgaria and Sweden runs look like upsets too but they weren't. Kostadinov, Letchkov, Sirakov, and Stoichkov were great. Sweden had a great team, no point mentioning everyone because someone surely will.

 

[cgf]

The miracle of Bern for me. A group of amateurs...german football wouldn't professionalize until 1963 & wasn't admitted by FIFA until 1950...beating the GOAT international team in the final after having lost to them in the group stages by a score of 8-3, has to be up there.

1954 FIFA World Cup Final - Wikipedia

 

[Havre]

Denmark weren't even qualified

Norway beat Brazil in 1998. Brazil were already through, but they played Cafu, Carlos, Dunga, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Bebeto etc. Not the biggest of course, but quite crazy.

 

[Lambo]

Denmark weren't even qualified

Norway beat Brazil in 1998. Brazil were already through, but they played Cafu, Carlos, Dunga, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Bebeto etc. Not the biggest of course, but quite crazy.

But it was a friendship game! That does not count.

 

[Suiteness]

Senegal France in 2002 was massive. It's the context that matters, France had been winning every single tournament since 1998, they had the top strikers and players in all the different leagues and everyone had them winning the WC running away that year. Players were massively overconfident as well, I remember Desailly bragging that his family wouldn't make the trip to Japan/Korea until the semi-finals.

Senegal, at the time, was not the side that would routinely qualify for the WC, hell, I'm not 100% sure but it might have even been their first WC appearance ever. NOBODY gave Senegal a chance in the game.

What I remember from the match, Zidane was out injured and Henry hit a bunch of posts.

 

[Lambo]

Greece 2004 and Denmark 92

 

[Fear the Wushu]

USA beating Spain during their run as the best international team of all time has to be up there in the Confederations Cup. I guess that their will always be a debate but 2007- 2013ish Spain was an unstoppable force. (This only applies if were talking about single matches)

 

[Havre]

But it was a friendship game! That does not count.

Not sure if I consider the final group stage match in a World Cup a friendship game - even if we Norwegians do love Brazilians.

 

[lud]

Switzerland vs Spain 1-0 WC 10
Senegal vs France 1-0 WC 02
S. Korea vs Germany 2-0 WC 18
Greece vs France, Czech and Portugal EURO 04

 

[Savi]

Greece vs France, Czech and Portugal EURO 04

Is it really an upset if you beat the same team, twice?

 

[QuietContrarian]

Denmark beating raigning Copa America Champions Uruguay 6-1 in 86 WC, also Denmark loosing 5-1 in the round of 16 to Spain in the same tournament, after demolishing their group.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Germany beating Argentina

 

[cgf]

Germany beating Argentina

or

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

All of them

 

[Rob]

Certainly the biggest upset at the Euros since 2004 with Greece winning

 

[Rob]

What makes this the biggest upset in Euro history for me is the way it happened. France with a two goal lead with under 10 minutes left.

 

[Lambo]

Not sure if I consider the final group stage match in a World Cup a friendship game - even if we Norwegians do love Brazilians.

Oh yes this was a 2:1 for Norway vs Brazil in Group stage. This was an upset, but Norway was strong in the 90s.

 

[bluesfan94]

USA beating Spain during their run as the best international team of all time has to be up there in the Confederations Cup. I guess that their will always be a debate but 2007- 2013ish Spain was an unstoppable force. (This only applies if were talking about single matches)

Yeah, even though the Confederations Cup doesn't mean much, this is still a good shout.

On the other end, T&T keeping America out of the WC was a pretty big upset.

 

[Savant]

It’s Greece

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Switzerland are a solid team they can beat a better team on their day imo and people were talking of France like they were 2012 Spain when France doesn't exactly dominate teams with Deschamps. I don't think that's the biggest upset at all especially once it went to penalties.

I guess Greece would have to be it but that was a tournament as a whole, not one game.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeah, even though the Confederations Cup doesn't mean much, this is still a good shout.

On the other end, T&T keeping America out of the WC was a pretty big upset.

Was it? We’ve lost before on the road in CONCACAF. The big upset was not making the World Cup, not losing one game.

 

[bluesfan94]

Was it? We’ve lost before on the road in CONCACAF. The big upset was not making the World Cup, not losing one game.

Sure, but to T&T and in a game that was so obviously meaningful makes it a bigger upset.