Football is an unpredictable sport. Each game is full of surprises, shining with moments that leave the world, fans, and experts speechless. Over the years, a handful of clubs have dominated the leagues, but that isn’t always the case. 

Underdogs are now toppling giants, proving that anything is possible. But these aren't just about winning a match, as each win is a sign of resilience and passion. Relive some of the biggest upsets in football history—the stories that defied logic, silenced haters, and became iconic.

Leicester City’s 2015-16 EPL miracle 

The Premier League is one of the toughest football leagues in the world. It’s a battlefield for giants like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United. Yet, in the 2015�6 season, Leicester City—one of the least likely contenders—defied all odds. They finished top of the league, winning their first-ever Premier League title in their 132-year history.

At the start of the season, the Foxes had 5,000:1 odds to win the title. Instead of giving in to doubt, they used it as fuel to go further. Under Claudio Ranieri, their solid defence and deadly counterattacks became their strengths. Star player Jamie Vardy led the charge for the Foxes, headlined by an EPL record of scoring goals in 11 straight matches, while Riyad Mahrez's creativity on the wings also stood out. It was a magical season that led to one of football's greatest miracles.

Greece’s Euro 2004 victory

Before Euro 2004, Greece had never won any major football trophy. They had only qualified twice in the Euro 1980 and the 1994 World Cup, which is why no one expected them to bid for the title, let alone win it. 

They shocked France in the quarterfinals, edged past the Czech Republic in the semis, and beat a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal 1-0 in the Final with an Angelos Charisteas winner. The Greeks' win proved that strategy and teamwork can exceed expectations.

Uruguay’s 1950 World Cup final win over Brazil

Brazil saw the 1950 World Cup as its crowning moment. As the final host and a dominating club across the season, Uruguay just had to step in. The championship was at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, where about 173,850 fans expected a Brazilian triumph.

Brazil scored first, but Uruguay fought back. Goals from Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia stunned the crowd, and Uruguay won 2-1. The match remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Fans even call it the ‘El Maracanazo�or ‘The Maracanã Smash�to describe the tragedy Brazil faced in the season.

Wimbledon’s 1988 FA Cup win against Liverpool

Liverpool was English football’s most successful team in the 1980s. They had won several major trophies during that decade, so everyone expected they would win the 1988 FA Cup Final by crushing Wimbledon, who only finished in seventh place in the 1987�8 First Division season.

As classic as this Cinderella story gets, the underdogs turned the odds in their favour. Thanks to Lawrie Sanchez’s only goal of the match and a nerve-wracking penalty save by captain Dave Beasant, the Crazy Gang secured a 1-0 win.

Bradford City’s 2015 FA Cup upset over Chelsea

Chelsea FC was on fire under José Mourinho for the 2015 FA Cup. They were Premier League leaders at the time, filled with top-notch players. Chelsea were favourites to win the FA Cup title as well until the ‘giant killersâ€?arrived. 

Bradford City was only a third-tier team from League One, and when Chelsea took a 2-0 lead in the fourth-round match, their winning bid seemed over. However, a historic comeback unfolded at Stamford Bridge when Jon Stead, Filipe Morais, Andy Halliday, and Mark Yeates sealed Bradford’s 4-2 triumph. 

The upset became one of the biggest FA Cup shockers, where Bradford earned the nickname giant killers for knocking Chelsea over.

Saudi Arabia’s 2022 World Cup victory against Argentina

Argentina was a tournament favourite in the 2022 World Cup. The iconic Lionel Messi captained a confident and talented Argentina team. They wanted to start the World Cup with a win, but Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the World Cup’s biggest shocks.

The Green Falcons, who barely made it past the group stage, could have been done in the match when Messi slotted a penalty goal just 10 minutes into the match. Yet, the team never backed down. By the second half, Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari scored two goals for Saudi Arabia, leading the team to a shock 2-1 victory over Argentina. 

Saudi Arabia was the first Asian team to ever beat Argentina in the history of the FIFA World Cup. They were also the first non-European team to defeat said country since Cameroon in 1990.

Slovakia’s massive upset over Belgium in Euro 2024

Belgium’s attacking power made them one of Euro 2024’s top contenders, but Slovakia just launched their perfect game plan. In the opening Group E match, no one expected the 45th-ranked Slovakia to even score a goal, they proved everyone wrong by scoring one anyway.

Ivan Schranz's goal was Slovakia’s quickest of the competition, scoring seven minutes into the match. Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku thought he had equalised in the 86th minute of the second half, but the VAR ruled it out for a handball by teammate Loïs Openda in the build-up. 

Despite Belgium’s high possession control, Slovakia held their ground and secured a 1-0 win. The Slovakians' upset win surprised Group E wide open, whereas Belgium faced another bitter loss after their surprise exit from the 2022 World Cup group stage.

Defying the football odds

These iconic upsets are the biggest reminder of why football is so thrilling. No matter the odds, a team’s passion, belief, and teamwork can turn their dreams into history. A small club can lift a trophy, and a single goal can rewrite football history.

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Newcastle United suffered a shocking defeat in the fifth round of the FA Cup to Brighton at St. Jamesâ€?Park on Sunday, March 2. It was one of the worst results of the season, considering the FA Cup is wide open this season with England’s two best teams, Liverpool and Arsenal, getting knocked out early. 

It would have been a great result for Newcastle, but Brighton had different plans with Danny Welbeck scoring a late winner. That was a big blow, and manager Eddie Howe also had to deal with the squad's depth ahead of the League Cup Final against Liverpool.

Newcastle is shorthanded for the Final

During the match against Brighton, winger Anthony Gordon was shown a red card. That ruled him out for the League Cup Final against Liverpool, which will be played at Wembley on the 16th of March. 

There are also concerns with injuries as left-back Lewis Hall does not have a timescale for his return date. At the same time, centre-back Sven Botman is still not at 100%, so Howe is concerned about what can happen for this team in the final few months of the season. 

With less than two weeks before the League Cup Final, the Magpies are heavy underdogs. Liverpool have been rolling, and aside from their embarrassing loss to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, they have been nearly flawless this season. It makes for a tough matchup because Newcastle could pull off the upset, but their squad might be too thin.

Newcastle must succeed this season for their future

Getting into the Champions League spots is an important goal for the Magpies. They want to retain the money they are getting from UEFA, which could help them retain some of their players. Due to the profit and sustainability rules, they might not be able to afford this squad next season if they don’t qualify for the UCL. 

The biggest name is Isak, who will fetch over £100 million in the transfer market. That could resolve the PSR issues, but they do not want to let go of the Swedish striker since he has been the superstar for this club.

Getting into the UCL is also appealing to players outside the club. They might consider going to the northeast region of England if they see Newcastle playing well enough to reach the Champions League again. It will be a challenging few months, but Newcastle has enough high-level players. 

They need to get healthy soon if they want to secure a spot in the Champions League. Both Nottingham Forest and Chelsea have surprised everyone by their quality this season, but Newcastle must qualify as they are the most talented team out of the three.

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In an attempt to defend their position, Manchester United is now out of the competition as Fulham FC settled a penalty shootout with a 3-4 in Old Trafford stadium on Sunday, March 2, 2025. 

Fulham was leading the game in the first half as defender Calvin Bassey secured a goal for the team with the help of midfielder Andreas Pereira and forward Rodrigo Muniz. The team defended their point well and tried several attacks on their opponent. 

As the game progressed and Man Utd failed to deliver points, the team brought on forward Alejandro Garnacho to replace midfielder Manuel Ugarte in the 53rd minute. Multiple plays were attempted, but in the second half, a play by Garnacho and defender Diogo Dalot led the midfielder, Bruno Fernandes, to score a goal in the 71st minute. 

Pressure was put on both teams as the game neared completion and the points remained tied. Fansâ€?chants are drowning out the Old Trafford stadium as both the home and away teams are fighting to best each other. 

The penalty shoot-out

In the end, the match concluded in a tie that led to a penalty shootout. Both teams are now desperate to end the game in their win. 

The penalty started with Fernandes, which ended in a goal. In return, Fulham’s Raul Jimenez kicked a goal. Dalot scored another point for the Red Devils, and Fulham’s Sander Berge did too. 

The shootout was too intense due to both teams catching up on each other for every kick. For the following, Man Utd did not disappoint with another goal by Casemiro, but it was quickly equalised by Fulham’s Willian. Everyone is on equal terms, which puts players in a bind. 

The time for Utd came again with Victor Lindelof shooting the ball, but it was saved by Fulham’s keeper, Bernd Leno. The stalemate has been broken. 

Fulham’s Antonee Robinson scored another goal, which took his team towards the lead. As the Red Devils craved to at least tie the penalties, Man Utd’s Joshua Zirkzee failed to settle the score as Leno blocked the attack once again. The penalty shootout ended in 3-4 in favour of the visiting team. 

The man of the game, Bernd Leno

As both teams were trying hard to win the penalty shootout, Leno emerged as the standout. The stalemate between Manchester United and Fulham FC has shaken both teams to desperation, but in the end, the two saves of the hero goalkeeper led Fulham to victory. 

This win eliminated Manchester United in the FA Cup and gave Fulham the chance to advance into the league. 

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Ruben Amorim responded to Wayne Rooney after Manchester United was eliminated from the FA Cup on March 2, 2025. He argued that being Man Utd’s head coach at 40 shows he is not naive. Rooney, Man Utd's all-time top scorer, called Amorim naive for stating that the team's goal is to win the Premier League after their loss to Fulham in penalties.

‘That is the goal. Being naive is to think we are going to do it this season or be the best contender next season. So I know that at this moment everybody knows everything. I know that and it’s really easy �I was a pundit when I finished my career. I know it’s really easy� Amorim said when asked about Rooney’s comments.

Amorim shared that the club’s main goal is to win the Premier League, though he noted that it might not happen under his coaching. He mentioned the club's desire to replicate past successes and acknowledged the tough times. 

Meanwhile, Rooney, a former Man Utd scorer and now a pundit, suggested that it seems unrealistic to claim they are aiming for the Premier League title, given their current position. 

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