The staggering loss for Lionel Messi and Argentina in opposition to Saudi Arabia on the World Cup is true up there with the largest upsets in event historical past.
Messi, who had given Argentina the lead earlier than the Saudis got here again to win 2-1, is enjoying at what doubtless is his final World Cup and chasing the one main title that’s eluded him.
Messi and his extremely rated crew, one of many favorites in Qatar, now have an undesirable place on a really totally different listing after shedding to a crew ranked 48 locations beneath them. Saudi Arabia had gained solely three video games beforehand on the World Cup, and just one within the final 28 years earlier than Tuesday’s shocker over the two-time champions.
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Here’s a have a look at among the different main World Cup surprises via the years:
CAMEROON 1, ARGENTINA 0 (1990)
Diego Maradona, one other Argentina nice, led his nation to the 1990 World Cup event in Italy because the defending champion. Maradona was established as the very best participant on the planet and Argentina was favored to retain the title.
A bit of-known Cameroon crew that was enjoying at solely its second World Cup had different concepts within the event’s opening match in opposition to Argentina. Francois Omam-Biyik scored with a second-half header for the African crew, which was additionally all the way down to 10 males on the time after a purple card. Cameroon finally completed the sport with 9 males after one other sending off however saved Argentina and Maradona out.
Argentina did get well to succeed in the ultimate — one thing that will elevate Messi’s spirits barely in Qatar — however misplaced to West Germany in that deciding recreation.
SENEGAL 1, FRANCE 0 (2002)
France was additionally World Cup champion when it got here up in opposition to one other African underdog at first of the 2002 event in South Korea and Japan.
France’s crew was filled with among the finest gamers on the planet and nobody thought they might lose the sport. However Papa Bouba Diop bundled in a purpose within the thirtieth minute and Senegal saved its nerve for a well-known win on its World Cup debut.
France ended up exiting within the group stage. Senegal went on to succeed in the quarterfinals, simply as Cameroon did in 1990.
SOUTH KOREA 2, ITALY 1 (2002)
The 2002 World Cup threw up one other eye-opener when co-host South Korea made a run to the semi-finals.
South Korea had overwhelmed Portugal within the group stage however bettered that upset with a 2-1 win in additional time over Italy within the final 16. Italy was a three-time champion on the time whereas South Korea had by no means gained a World Cup recreation earlier than the event.
Ahn Jung-hwan, who was enjoying his membership soccer in Italy on the time, headed in a golden purpose three minutes from the top of additional time to ship the Italians dwelling and reward a fanatical dwelling crowd with an enduring World Cup reminiscence.
UNITED STATES 1, ENGLAND 0 (1950)
Haitian-born Joe Gaetjens was the unlikely hero for the US in a 1-0 upset over England at 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
The American crew was principally made up of part-timers and the consequence reverberated throughout the sport as one of many first massive World Cup upsets.
NORTH KOREA 1, ITALY 0 (1966)
Italy was on the mistaken finish of one other upset in 1966 in England, when North Korea beat the Azzurri 1-0 within the first World Cup it ever performed in. The consequence eradicated the Italians and despatched the North Koreans to the quarterfinals.
North Korea wasn’t even anticipated to qualify for the event and didn’t play at one other World Cup till 2010.