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May 25, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

Biggest FIFA World Cup upsets in history

AI Summary
The FIFA World Cup has a long history of producing stunning upsets. From Saudi Arabia's win over Argentina in 2022 to the USA's 1-0 win over England in 1950, these shocks have become an integral part of the tournament's lore.

The Lead

The FIFA World Cup is known for its unpredictability, with many underdog teams causing major upsets throughout its history. These shocks have become an integral part of the tournament's lore, with many fans relishing the opportunity for minnows to down giants.

Major Upsets in World Cup History

One of the most famous upsets in World Cup history is the USA's 1-0 win over England in 1950. The Americans, a group of part-timers, defeated a strong English side that included the likes of Alf Ramsey, Tom Finney, and Billy Wright.

USA 1-0 England (1950)

The post-war England team was among the favourites to lift the trophy as it made its World Cup debut. The Americans, meanwhile, put together a group of part-timers, including a dishwasher, a letter carrier, and a teacher. Joe Gaetjens scored a 38th-minute header to put the USA ahead, and England's attack was unable to score an equaliser.

West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954)

In another major upset, West Germany came from behind to defeat Hungary 3-2 in the 1954 World Cup final. Hungary had been favourites to win, having thrashed West Germany 8-3 in an earlier match.

North Korea 1-0 Italy (1966)

North Korea's 1-0 win over Italy in 1966 was a major upset, with the Italian side being held together by midfielder Giacomo Bulgarelli, who was injured during the match. Pak Doo Ik scored the winning goal, which knocked out the two-time world champions.

Algeria 2-1 West Germany (1982)

Algeria's 2-1 win over West Germany in 1982 was another major upset, with the German side being favourites to win. The Algerian team, made up of little-known names, scored two goals in the second half to stun the Germans.

Cameroon 1-0 Argentina (1990)

Cameroon's 1-0 win over Argentina in 1990 was a major upset, with Argentina being the holders and favourites to win. Francois Omam-Biyik scored the winning goal, which handed Cameroon a famous victory.

France 0-1 Senegal (2002)

Senegal's 1-0 win over France in 2002 was a major upset, with France being the holders and favourites to win. Papa Bouba Diop scored the winning goal, which sent Senegal through to the quarterfinals.

Germany 7-1 Brazil (2014)

Germany's 7-1 win over Brazil in 2014 was a major upset, with Brazil being the favourites to win. The German side scored seven goals in a stunning performance, which handed Brazil their biggest defeat since 1920.

Netherlands 5-1 Spain (2014)

The Netherlands' 5-1 win over Spain in 2014 was a major upset, with Spain being the favourites to win. Robin van Persie scored a stunning header, which set the tone for a dominant Dutch performance.

South Korea 2-0 Germany (2018)

South Korea's 2-0 win over Germany in 2018 was a major upset, with Germany being the favourites to win. The South Korean side scored two goals in injury time to hand Germany their first-ever defeat against an Asian country in a World Cup match.

Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina (2022)

Saudi Arabia's 2-1 win over Argentina in 2022 was a major upset, with Argentina being the favourites to win. Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari scored the winning goals, which sent Saudi fans into raptures.