The World Cup is a showcase of what makes football great. There is no better place to see the majesty of great soccer nations like Brazil or Italy put on a masterclass in their discipline. Yet even more exciting is when things do not go to plan. Every World Cup has its upsets, and it increases the excitement when David nations beat their Goliath.
So far, there have been several upsets at Qatar 2022. Japan bettered Germany and Saudi Arabia took down Argentina. Yet they are far from the first and will not be the last. Below, we discuss the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Brazil v Norway, France 1998
As one of the biggest footballing nations, it could be considered an upset when anyone beats Brazil. Yet in the last game of the group stage at France 98, Norway managed to beat the country 2-1.
The group games saw Brazil win both their matches and Norway draw theirs. It would only be the second win from the nation in a World Cup. While Brazil may have been upset, anyone with a bet on Norway certainly was not.
The joy of a World Cup is in these moments, and with modern in-play betting and odds, you can make wagers for the underdogs as games play out. With the bet9ja bonus code, you can make your bankroll go even further and it may even see you through to the final. However, hope your luck is better than Norway’s. They have not qualified for a World Cup since.
Part of their push during this time was due to a buoyant squad, filled with players who were riding high in the English Premier League at the time. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would come on as a sub, a player who would have a long association with Manchester United and even go on to manage them. Goal scorer Tore Andre Flo would also play in England for Chelsea.
North Korea v Italy, England 1966
For many, 1966 is known as the only time the footballing nation England won the World Cup. Yet it was also remarkable for another factor in that twice winners Italy crashed out at the group stages. A single goal by Pak Doo-Ik for North Korea took them to 1-0 up, which closed the contest, dumping Italy out of the cup.
North Korea would be absent from the competition for some time until they returned to South Africa in 2010. However, in 1966 they won their group easily. In 2010, they lost all their group-stage games to Brazil, Ivory Coast, and Portugal.
France v Senegal, South Korea/Japan 2002
For this World Cup, hosting duties were shared between South Korea and Japan. France returned as defending World and European champions, with a team that looked even better than the one fielded four years before. Yet pressure got to them and a goal from Papa Bouba Diop of Senegal saw them lose the match 1 -0.
It would continue to get worse for France, as a draw with Uruguay and a defeat to Denmark saw them drop out at the group stage. Senegal managed to make it to the quarter-final where they would lose to Turkey. They would not make a return until Russia 2018.
