Top 10 Surprising Football Moments You May Not Be Aware Of
- The Maracanazo: The 1950 FIFA World Cup final saw hosts Brazil take on Uruguay in front of a capacity crowd of over 200,000 at the Maracanã Stadium. Brazil only needed a draw to lift the trophy, but a shock 2-1 defeat to Uruguay sent the entire nation into mourning.
- The Munich Air Disaster: In 1958, a plane carrying the Manchester United football team crashed on takeoff in Munich, killing 23 people including eight players. The tragedy shocked the football world and changed the course of English football history.
- Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” Goal: In the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England, Diego Maradona scored one of the most controversial goals in football history. He punched the ball into the net with his left hand, and the goal was allowed to stand despite protests from the English players.
- Hillsborough Disaster: In 1989, 96 Liverpool fans were killed in a crush at Hillsborough Stadium during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest. The tragedy led to significant changes in stadium safety regulations in the UK.
- Zinedine Zidane’s Headbutt: In the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy, French captain Zinedine Zidane headbutted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest after an altercation. Zidane was sent off, and France went on to lose the match on penalties.
- Luis Suarez Bites Opponent: In the 2014 World Cup group stage match between Uruguay and Italy, Uruguay’s star striker Luis Suarez bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder. Suarez was banned for four months and fined $100,000 for the incident.
- Leicester City’s Premier League Title Win: In the 2015-16 Premier League season, Leicester City, a team that had narrowly avoided relegation the previous year, won the league title against all odds. The feat was one of the greatest upsets in football history.
- Barcelona’s 6-1 Comeback Against PSG: In the 2016-17 Champions League round of 16, Barcelona faced a 4-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain after the first leg. However, they managed to pull off an incredible 6-1 win in the second leg to progress to the quarter-finals.
- Germany’s 7-1 Demolition of Brazil: In the 2014 World Cup semi-final, Germany shocked the world by thrashing Brazil 7-1 in front of their home crowd. The result remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
- Sergio Ramos’ Injury Time Equalizer: In the 2014 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Sergio Ramos scored an injury-time equalizer to send the game to extra time. Real Madrid went on to win the match 4-1, securing their tenth European Cup/Champions League trophy.
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