Surprises can be lurking around the corner.
This Sunday, the stage is set at MetLife Stadium in New York for a showdown between Spain and Argentina for the coveted world title.
This final is touted as a nail-biter, but the history of World Cup finals is peppered with unexpected twists and turns.
To highlight this, we’ve compiled a list of the five most shocking moments in World Cup final history.
Interestingly, one of the biggest surprises is also a unique instance, as this “final” actually concluded the group stage.
The match was pivotal, determining the ultimate title winner.
Going into it, Brazil was the favorite with four points compared to Uruguay’s three, needing just a draw to clinch the championship.
This seemed even more likely when Brazil scored early in the second half. However, Uruguay stunned everyone with goals at the 66th and 79th minutes.
Thus, before almost 200,000 fans at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Uruguay secured their second world title.
📸 STAFF – 2011 AFP
West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954)
West Germany’s victory in this final was a seismic shock in football history.
Hungary, unbeaten in 31 matches prior to this match, entered as the overwhelming favorites.
They took an early 2-0 lead within the first eight minutes, but West Germany equalized just ten minutes later.
The match was closely contested until Helmut Rahn netted the decisive goal in the 84th minute, securing the title for West Germany.
📸 STAFF – 2013 AFP
Embracing the striking “total football” philosophy of Johan Cruyff, the Netherlands entered the final as the favorites, while West Germany opted for a more pragmatic approach.
However, only days before the match, Dutch players were spotted by a German journalist enjoying themselves at the hotel pool with female company, leading to a scandal that stirred tensions among the players’ wives.
While it’s difficult to assess how much this affected the Dutch team’s preparations, they underperformed in the final, despite taking an early lead within just two minutes, without Germany even having touched the ball!
However, West Germany reversed the score before halftime and held onto their lead, marking a painful loss for Cruyff and the Netherlands.
📸 STF
West Germany 1-0 Argentina (1990)
This clash marked the first final to conclude with just a single goal, serving as a rematch from the prior tournament.
As the defending champions, Argentina entered under chaotic circumstances, eager to repeat their previous triumph.
However, they faced a determined West Germany team that, after pressuring Argentina relentlessly, earned a penalty in the 85th minute. Andreas Brehme confidently converted, securing West Germany’s third world title.
📸 Bongarts – Getty Images
France 3-0 Brazil (1998)
While it’s true France enjoyed the home advantage for this final, it soon came to light that Ronaldo had experienced a serious medical episode just a day before the match.
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As the defending champions and clear favorites, Brazil faced a collapse of unprecedented proportions against Les Bleus and a masterfully inspired Zinedine Zidane.
This stunning 3-0 defeat remains one of the most significant losses in Brazilian football history, while marking a foundational moment for the France national team.
📸 Bongarts – Bongarts
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.