XtraTime Web Desk: FIFA World Cup has so many histories in its 88 years of journey. Only eight teams managed to win the World cups.
That obviously means there’s some predictability in who can be expected to win the tournament in any given year. But that doesn’t mean that there can’t be some stunning results along the way. With the start of the 2018 World Cup just a few days away, here’s a look back at six of the greatest shock results in the tournament’s history.
1950: USA 1 England 0
England had a star-studded side including Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Tom Finney and Billy Wright faced the USA featuring a teacher, a hearse driver and a postman in their team.USA defeated mighty England by a goal scored by Joe Gaetjens. England dominated the rest of the game but failed to equalise
1966: North Korea 1 Italy 0
Pak Doo-ik, The North Korean army corporal scored the goal. His strike from 12 yards out-earned his nation a famous victory at Ayresome Park. North Korea became the first nation from outside Europe or the Americas to qualify for the second stage of a World Cup.
1982: Algeria 2 West Germany 1
Lakhdar Belloumi claimed the winning goal to enact one of the most staggering win in the World Cup history.
1990: Cameroon 1 Argentina 0
It was very much unexpected that the defending champions lost to 9 men Cameroon by a goal scored by Francois Oman-Biyik. Later Oman Biyik’s brother, Andre, and Benjamin Massing were sent off. despite having their star player Maradona in their side.
2002: France 0 Senegal 1
France was expected to rock up and notch an opening day win against a talented Senegalese side. But with an air of complacency, despite having their star players Zinedine Zidane and Robert Pires out injured, the lacklustre holders were defeated by a solitary goal from Papa Bouba Diop. They never recovered and fell out of the tournament at the group stage.
2014: Brazil 1 Germany 7
Germany toyed with hosts Brazil to hand them a crushing 7-1 defeat in the first semi-final of the 2014 Fifa World Cup
Without their injured talisman Neymar, on whose shoulders all hopes had been pinned by their public and media, Brazil’s players lost their heads. In the space of six first-half minutes, Brazil conceded four, eventually leaving them 5-0 down with less than half an hour played as Germany passed, moved, shot and scored in their opponent’s penalty area at will. Chief among the culprits was roaming defender David Luiz, accurately carrying out Gary Neville’s description of his playing style – ‘like being controlled by a 10-year-old on a Playstation’ – to the letter. His fellow centre-back, Dante – replacing the suspended captain Thiago Silva – fared little better