Sometimes in soccer, the team everyone expects to lose ends up making history! It’s moments like these when the underdog proves everyone wrong, that makes the game so exciting to watch. True fans of the sport know that all the money and fame in the world doesn’t guarantee a win in the big leagues. Sometimes it’s the team with the smaller stadium, lower budget, and smallest odds that walk away champions. Underdogs ending up on top prove that no matter how uneven the playing field may seem, the power of teamwork can change everything. Over the years, there have been a few standout moments that have had fans on the edge of their seats, in complete disbelief at the outcome of the match. Here’s a list of the most inspiring underdog triumphs in soccer history and what makes them so memorable!
Leicester City's Premier League win is one of the most inspirational moments in soccer history! At the beginning of the 2015-16 season, Leicester City had very modest ambitions after narrowly avoiding relegation the previous season. Bookmakers gave them 5000-to-1 odds to win the title, so the odds were definitely not in their favour. But with the guidance of their manager, Cladio Ranieri, the team played better than they ever had before. With players like Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante leading the charge and becoming legends in the process, they continued to prove people wrong every match. When Tottenham drew with Chelsea, Leicester was officially crowned Premier League champions in a shocking turn of events. This was a true reminder that anything is possible in the world of soccer!
Another classic underdog story in the world of soccer is Greece’s win at Euro 2004! Up until this point, Greece had never won a major tournament and went into the competition as underdogs with 150-to-1 odds against them. With the help from their mastermind coach, Otto Rehhagel, the team focused on strong defense and shocked everyone by beating hosts Portugal in the opening match. They then went on to beat France and the Czech Republic, who had far higher odds going into the competition. In the final, they went head-to-head with Portugal a second time and beat them 1-0 thanks to a goal by Angelos Charisteas. This was a classic example of how discipline and guidance are key for success.
For Zambia, the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations was about so much more than soccer! In 1993, a plane crash near Gabon claimed the lives of the entire national team in a devastating tragedy. Nearly two decades later, the Zambian team was back at Gabon for the first time since playing in the final against Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup tournament. The match was an extremely difficult match as no one seemed to be able to score, and it ended up going to penalties. Zambia didn’t let this deter them from their goal and they ended up winning the trophy 8-7 in one of the most emotional and sentimental moments in soccer history!
A fun fact about Iceland is they have a population of just over 300,000, which is smaller than most European nations. They miraculously qualified for the Euro 2016, but this was not the end to their inspiring underdog story – it was just the beginning. In the Round of 16, they beat England 2-1, shocking soccer fans around the world and creating one of the tournament’s most watched moments in history. The ‘Viking Clap’ became a symbol of their fearlessness, and despite not winning the Euro 2016 tournament, they made it as far as the quarterfinals which was a huge win in itself. Their performance throughout the Euro 2016 made them national heroes and proved that size doesn’t always matter!
Finally, one of the most inspiring and well-known underdog triumphs in the history of soccer is none other than FC Porto’s Champions League achievement. Although Porto had a longstanding history of being one of three clubs to dominate Portuguese football, they weren’t considered among Europe's elite until the 2004 triumph. FC Porto entered the 2003-04 UEFA Champions League as underdogs, led by charismatic coach José Mourinho, who helped them create a campaign that outsmarted the more established clubs in the tournament. After leading to Manchester United's downfall, beating Lyon, and standing strong against Deportivo La Coruña of Spain, Porto miraculously reached the final against another fellow underdog, Monaco. Goals from players like Carlos Alberto and Dimitri Alenichev lead to their 3-0 win, proving that a strong strategy can beat Europe’s giants!
Now that you know our favourite underdog triumph stories, which one do you like to rewatch over and over again? These victories are so much more than winning a game, they’re a reminder to all of us that no matter the odds, believing in yourself can change everything!
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