The 5 BIGGEST and best shocks in WC history
When Argentina, a team that hadn’t been defeated in over 3 years, lost to Saudi Arabia, the world was gobsmacked. Buy why? It’s not as if fairytales and shocks don’t make a habit of presenting themselves regularly on the BIGGEST stage. Just ask Germany about Japan.
Argentina lost their opening match as defending champions back in 1990 and France befell the same fate in 2002. Among the most prominent giant-killers down the years have been Cameroon, Senegal, the USA, Norway and even Costa Rica.
Let’s dig into archives and see what treasures we find. David vs Goliath stories are part of what make live sports so fascinating and keep us coming back for more.
France 0-1 Senegal (2002)
Lions of Teranga roar on WC debut
This was the defending European and world champions coming up against a team playing in their very first World Cup match. Talk about a mismatch. Senegal went all the way to the quarter-finals that year, where they eventually lost to Turkey.
This Lions of Teranga side contained cult heroes like ex-Liverpool bad boy El Hadji Diouf, the late, great Papa Bouba Diop (match-winner on the day) and current coach Aliou Cisse. On the opposite side? Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Marcel Desailly.
Opening day shocks of this magnitude are what major tournaments are all about, and this might just have been the BIGGEST of them all.
Argentina 0-1 Cameroon (1990)
The start of a heroic run
This was defending champions Argentina, led by Diego Maradona in his number 10 jersey, defeated by a Cameroon side which featured men playing their club football in the lower divisions of France, including goalscorer François Omam-Biyik. What a story.
The Indomitable Lions achieved their victory without starting Roger Milla, who would go on to score 4 goals as they reached the quarter-finals in Italy. They also had players sent off either side of Omam-Biyik’s 67th-minute winner, the first being his brother André Kana-Biyik.
South Korea 2-1 Italy (2002)
A refereeing display that lives in infamy
This one had just about everything. Giant-killing exploits by an underdog? Check. A referee whose display is still dissected by conspiracy theorists? Check. Flailing (unpunished) elbows from both sets of players? Check. A boot to Paolo Maldini’s head that the referee also missed? Check. A 117th-minute winner for the outsiders? Also check.
To rub salt into Italian wounds, Roma legend Francesco Totti had been dismissed earlier in extra time, receiving a second yellow for diving, and match-winner Ahn Jung-hwan was on loan with Italian side Perugia at the time. A round of 16 battle that will never be forgotten.
Spain 2-3 Nigeria (1998)
Jay-Jay in his heyday
Sunday Oliseh and Jay-Jay Okocha were the standout names when Nigeria stunned Spain in an entertaining 1998 Group D match. This was a Super Eagles side appearing at just their second finals, and they were up against Real Madrid icons Fernando Hierro and Raul, as well as current coach Luis Enrique.
We’ll find absolutely any excuse to watch the great Jay-Jay Okocha strutting his stuff.
Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia (2022)
36-match unbeaten streak snapped by the Saudis
This one is still very fresh in the memory, and it’s probably too soon to text your Argentinian friends reminding them. Coming into the tournament as one of the favourites, Argentina hadn’t lost a football match since the Copa América semi-final in 2019.
You know what happened next. The occasion has been immortalised forever, with the following day declared as a public holiday for all employees and students in Saudi Arabia.
What other surprises are lurking around the corner at WC22? We can’t wait to watch and find out.
