Which FIFA World Cup winner was the most unlikely? A list of the most unexpected winners
The FIFA World Cup is the most popular and celebrated sports event worldwide. The sports event takes place after every four years. Some countries almost effortlessly win their matches, leaving many fans in awe. So, which FIFA World Cup winner was the most unlikely among those that have competed in the tournament?
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Countries like Argentina and Brazil easily qualify for the World Cup and have won it several times. It is important to note that in the history of the World Cup, no football-disadvantaged nation or underdog has won the tournament. However, West Germany and Hungary surprised many in the 1954 FIFA World Cup final with the unprecedented result that was recorded eventually.
Which FIFA World Cup winner was the most unlikely?
Not so many countries have great football history. However, some have won against football giants in unlikely cases. Here is a list of some of the surprising cases
West Germany - 1954
Winning the world trophy by West Germany in 1954 was one of the greatest comebacks and upsetting in the World Cup. The country was with Turkey, Hungary, and South Korea from the group stage before the team won their first match against Turkey. Later, the mighty Hungarian team dealt them a blow of eight goals to three.
A huge win was needed to get past the group stage, which came to pass after West Germany beat Turkey again seven goals to two. West Germany easily passed in the quarter and semi-final games and arch-opponent Hungary also passed, allowing the two to meet in the final. The match was intense in Switzerland, and Hungary was favoured to win with a lead of two goals.
West Germany had equalised when the first half ended, and the second half was more intense than ever. In the 84th minute, the Germans scored again, winning the trophy at the end of the game. The match was epic as it ushered in an era for West Germany after World War II.
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France - 1998
The France national team was all steaming as they won all their group stage matches even when they were ranked 18th in the world soccer ranking. They scored only one goal in open play in the knockout stages and won against Italy on penalties. In the semi-final, France was against Croatia, who had an early lead in the first half.
However, they came from behind to score two goals knocking off the Croatians to advance to the final stage, where they had to face Brazil, a highly-ranked football nation.
As the better side, Brazil was more tipped and favoured to win globally. But things turned around when the game started as France easily routed the Brazilians, scoring three goals to which the Brazilian team could not reply.
Italy - 2006
The 2006 FIFA World Cup final was an interesting and intense one for both finalists. The Italian team was among the toughest teams in the World Cup competition. The matches that led to the finals were tough, even when Italy beat Germany, the host nation, by two goals to nothing on their turf.
France had an early lead in the final game, courtesy of Zinedine Zidane, shortly after the Italian team bounced back and equalised. After battling for a full time, the match proceeded to extra time. An altercation ensued between two major players, Zidane and Marco Materazzi, resulting in Zidane head-butting Materazzi. Eventually, Zidane got a red card.
Both teams later went into a penalty shootout after the extra time. Italy managed to find the net in all their five attempts taking the trophy home with them.
Which country has won the most World Cup titles?
Brazil has won the most World Cup titles. It has won five times. But then, needful to note is that the World Cup has transformed over the years and improved as FIFA.
Long ago, it was easier for a team to qualify for the World Cup with few matches played during that time. For example, the number of participating countries in the 1930 and 1950 editions was 13. Subsequently, the number increased to 15, 16, 24, and 32.
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What is the biggest loss in World Cup history?
The most significant loss in World Cup history is probably Brazil's defeat to Germany in 2014. It was the tournament's semi-final, and Brazil was confident of winning. Still, the unexpected happened, and the German machines dealt the Brazilians a massive blow with seven goals, to which they could reply only once.
Other big losses include:
- South Korea's nine-to-nil loss to Hungary in 1954;
- El Salvador's 10-to-nil loss to Hungary;
- North Korea's seven-to-nil loss to Portugal.
Why was there no 1942 World Cup?
1942 was the peak of the Second World War, and there was no way that countries engrossed in the war could come together to play football. Therefore, as a result of the war, the World Cup of 1942 and 1946 were cancelled.
Who is the most likely to win the World Cup?
This is a difficult one to answer. All teams in the 2022 World Cup are prepared while aiming to take the trophy home. It is unlikely that any team will not put up a tough fight, as seen in the 11 November 2022 match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia. Argentina was the favourite to win, but Saudi Arabia outplayed the team and won two goals to one.
So, who is most likely to win the FIFA World Cup 2022? Brazil may win the 2022 World Cup, given the crop of players in their squad. Having noted that, no team should be disparaged. The 2022 World Cup is a keenly contested edition of the global tournament; the unexpected always happens in football.
Many teams in the competition have a crop of players that play in highly competitive leagues and would want to make their home nation proud by bringing the World Cup home.
Which FIFA World Cup winner was the most unlikely? Countries like Costa Rica and Bulgaria have exceeded expectations and changed the narratives of speculating who wins in matches. The expected outcomes of World Cup matches have often been overturned, with the underdog triumphing over the football giants. Consequently, in football, victory can tilt to any side.
How well are you catching up with the latest matches as the World Cup progresses? Do you know there are streaming platforms where you can watch on the go? Yen.com.gh shared some of the best platforms where you can easily connect.
Platforms like NBC Sports and Fox Sports stream the matches live for free, and you can connect without struggle. So, check out the post to find out about other platforms.
Source: YEN.com.gh
