What are the top ten greatest comebacks in World Cup history? Learn about the miracle results from over the years and which nations have risen from presumed-dead!
The World Cup is the biggest international tournament in football and has brought us some absolute classics over the years. Some of the best games in the sport’s history have occurred at the tournament, with levels of drama that can hardly be believed. Whether it’s goal fests or late action, the global tournament always delivers.
So, let’s look at the greatest World Cup comebacks of all time! Learn about some of the best games in World Cup history and what teams have managed to return from the brink of elimination or defeat.
Overview of the greatest World Cup comebacks
To give you a brief overview of ten of the most spectacular turnarounds in the World Cup’s history, here’s a rundown of the best games:
Year | Game | Final score | Round | Deficit |
1954 | Austria vs Switzerland | 7-5 | Quarter-final | 0-3 |
1954 | West Germany vs Hungary | 3-2 | Final | 0-2 |
1966 | Portugal vs North Korea | 5-3 | Quarter-final | 0-3 |
1970 | Italy vs West Germany | 4-3 | Semi-final | 1-2 |
1982 | West Germany vs France | 3-3 (5-4 penalties) | Semi-final | 1-3 |
1990 | England vs Cameroon | 3-2 | Quarter-final | 1-2 |
1998 | France vs Croatia | 2-1 | Semi-final | 0-1 |
2002 | Brazil vs England | 2-1 | Quarter-final | 0-1 |
2018 | Belgium vs Japan | 3-2 | Round of 16 | 0-2 |
2022 | Japan vs Spain | 2-1 | Group stage | 0-1 |
Honourable mention
There have been some nearly comebacks that almost made history but couldn’t quite come to fruition. Since it would feel harsh not to mention one in particular, here’s a quick look at the most high-profile case:
Argentina 3-3 France (4-2 on penalties)
One of the greatest games to have ever been played at the World Cup, Argentina vs France had it all. Whether it was late goals, top saves, or dramatic fightbacks, it lacked nothing. Argentina stormed into a 2-0 lead by the 36th minute – courtesy of a penalty from Lionel Messi and a fantastic team goal finished off by Angel Di Maria. France looked down and out as Argentina controlled the proceedings, but they weren’t done.
In the 80th minute, they pulled one back through a Kylian Mbappe penalty, before levelling the game in next to no time. Only one minute after getting his first of the match, Mbappe pulled off a stunning volley from the left-hand side of the penalty area to get a second for Les Bleus.
Taking the game to extra-time, France fell behind again. Messi bundled the ball over the line to put the Albiceleste in front again in the 108th minute. For the second time, though, France came back. Another penalty from Mbappe completed his hat-trick and led to a second comeback!
France even almost won the game in the dying moments but for a wonder save from Argentina’s goalkeeper Emi Martinez. Unfortunately for Les Bleus, the job couldn’t be completed as they failed to win the match on penalties, losing 4-2 in the shootout.
A look back at some of the greatest World Cup comebacks in history
It’s now time to delve into the most stunning scoreline reversals in the history of the World Cup. Below is an in-depth description of each game and how the matches unfolded:
Austria 7-5 Switzerland (1954) – Quarter-final
Kicking things off, we have one of the biggest comebacks in World Cup history…
Neighbouring countries Austria and Switzerland were placed head-to-head in the World Cup’s fifth edition during the quarter-final. This action-packed thriller provided us a record number of goals in a World Cup finals match, with Switzerland quickly racing into what looked to be a comfortable lead.
Inside the first 20 minutes, a Robert Ballaman strike and Josef Hügi double put Switzerland three goals in front. The game looked like it had already been decided, but Austria weren’t ready to exit the tournament yet. Between the 25th and 27th minute, Theodore Wagner scored twice and Alfred Körner found the net too, levelling the tie in a flash.
Stunned by the sudden response, Switzerland couldn’t stop the onslaught. Only five minutes later Ernst Ockwirk put Austria into the lead for the first time, with Körner scoring again in the 34th minute to further put them clear.
It wasn’t until the 39th minute when Switzerland finally responded, with Ballaman stepping up yet again to close the ever-extending gap. Austria wasted no time in the second half as they grabbed a sixth through Wagner in the 53rd minute, completing his hat-trick. Hügi managed a fifth for Switzerland, but Austria then put the game beyond doubt. Erich Probst netted their seventh and final goal of the game 76 minutes in, sealing what was an unbelievable fightback.
West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954) – Final
Nicknamed ‘The Miracle of Bern’, the fightback that West Germany achieved in the 1954 final against Hungary is one of the greatest to have ever been achieved. Considering the gap in expectations each team had prior to the game, it makes the feat all the more impressive.
Prior to the match, Hungary had beaten West Germany 8-3 in the group stage, so many thought that a similar result would occur. It also appeared to be going that way when Hungary leapt into a two-goal lead inside eight minutes. Ferenc Puskás got the first in the sixth minute and Zoltán Czibor grabbed another only two minutes later.
West Germany didn’t wait long to respond, though, finding the net in the tenth minute through Max Morlock. Then within ten minutes of Hungary going 2-0 up, Helmut Rahn levelled the game miraculously!
Though it was a cagey affair throughout, Rahn managed to find the winner for West Germany, striking the ball with venom into the bottom corner. Following the final whistle, the underdogs had accomplished a result that sent shockwaves through the footballing world!
Portugal 5-3 North Korea (1966) – Quarter-final
Beating Italy 1-0 in the group stage, North Korea had already gotten a big result under their belts and were hungry for another. Coming up against hot-shot debutants Portugal in the quarter-final, they were up for the challenge and ready to achieve another surprise victory.
Just 55 seconds into the game, Seung Zin Pak launched his side into the lead, with his teammate Dong Woon Li doubling their advantage in the 22nd minute. Riding their goalscoring wave, Seung Kook Yang found the net for a third time only three minutes later, slotting home from close range and putting them 3-0 up. It seemed like the game was only going to end one way – a North Korea win.
Portugal then rolled up their sleeves and made the most of their attacking options. Legend Eusebio responded in the 27th minute, latching onto a through ball and smashing it into the top corner. Though seeming like a consolation at the time, his 43rd minute penalty sparked some hope into his side before half-time, leaving the teams separated by just one goal.
Carrying the momentum into the second-half, Eusebio completed his hat-trick after only 11 minutes, equalising the game at 3-3. Even then, however, he was still hungry for more. In the 59th minute, Eusebio then converted another penalty to give Portugal the lead for the first time in the tie!
To put the final nail in the coffin, Jose Augusto scored a close-range header ten minutes from the final whistle, completing a special turnaround.
Italy 4-3 West Germany (1970) – Semi-final
Arguably one of the greatest semi-finals of all time, Italy facing off against West Germany in Mexico became a game for the ages. Dubbed ‘Game of the Century’ it’s remembered by many as one of the most iconic matches in World Cup history.
The Italian national team started strongly, with Roberto Boninsegna firing a low driven volley into the bottom left corner after only eight minutes. They then showed an elite display of defensive prowess, keeping the West Germans at bay. Maintaining the lead for 82 minutes, it seemed like the singular strike would be enough to get them over the line, but this was far from the case.
In the 90th minute, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger was left open to tap one home after making a darting run into the penalty area. Snatching the victory away from Italy, the game now level at 1-1, it went into extra-time. Only four minutes into the extra period, Gerd Muller latched onto a defensive mishap and nudged the ball into the net to put Germany in front. Italy were then 2-1 down and up against it.
Quickly responding, they drew level again in the 98th minute through Tarcisio Burgnich, who reacted quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area. Italy then retook the lead only six minutes later, with a counterattack ending in Gigi Riva’s rolling shot finding the bottom right corner. Though already containing five goals, the game still had more drama to come. West Germany managed to pull level again! Muller was the goalscorer for the second time, netting from a close-range header and changing the momentum.
Italy’s inventive and quick kick-off caught their opposition off guard, however, with a low cross being fired home by Gianni Rivera to give Italy the win! Despite a constant back and forth between the sides and Italy falling behind in extra-time, they were resilient and powered through to get the victory.
West Germany 3-3 France (5-4 on penalties) (1982) – Semi-final
Nicknamed the ‘Night of Seville’, West Germany’s clash with France in the 1982 semi-final was one for the history books. With the teams’ head-to-head record having five wins apiece and four draws, the contest was expected to be a close clash. The West Germans struck first after only 17 minutes to take the lead, with midfielder Pierre Littbarski smashing his shot low and hard past a helpless Jean-Luc Ettori in goal. France only took nine minutes to respond though, with Michel Platini slotting his penalty calmly and sending Harald Schumacher the wrong way to make it 1-1.
This scoreline stayed level for the remainder of the 90 minutes and left the space for an extra-time thriller to occur. The first eight minutes of extra-time were dominated by Les Bleus, as both Marius Tresor and Alain Giresse found the net. At the time, this appeared to seal the win for France, with the score being 3-1 in their favour.
West Germany weren’t ready to accept defeat, however, as Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored a fantastic headed goal before the end of the first period of extra-time. Then three minutes into the second period, Klaus Fischer revived his team from the dead. His delicate touch met the end of a cross, beating the French shot stopper and making it 3-3! Heading to penalties, West Germany were victorious, winning 5-4. After being two goals down in extra-time, they managed to accomplish what looked to be an impossible fightback.
England 3-2 Cameroon (1990) – Quarter-final
Cameroon entered the game against England with a reputation for upsetting some of the best teams in the tournament. After they beat the reigning champions, Argentina, in the opening match and managed another win over Romania, England’s first meeting with Cameroon was set up to be an intriguing matchup.
Only 25 minutes into the game, a floated cross from Stuart Pearce found David Platt at the back post and his powerful header found the target. From here, it seemed like it would be a comfortable outing for the Three Lions, but this was far from the case. After Roger Milla was substituted on at half-time, the 61st minute saw him dance through England’s defence and earn a penalty from a careless tackle from Paul Gascoigne. Emmanuel Kunde then proceeded to step up and score from the spot to level the game.
Only four minutes later, Cameroon carried on with their new-found momentum. Eugene Ekeke was slipped in by Milla, and his dinked finish lifted up and over Peter Shilton into the back of the net. England were shockingly now losing 2-1! After surviving a wave of Cameroon attacks, England managed to earn a penalty in the 83rd minute with Benjamin Massing fouling Gary Lineker on the edge of the box. Sending Thomas N’Kono the wrong way, Lineker smashed the ball home and sent the game into extra-time.
England then pushed on, earning another penalty after the 105th minute, with Lineker again being brought down, this time by the goalkeeper. Ending in a similar way to the first one, Lineker again fooled the keeper, this time shooting to his left. So, after the shock of falling behind, England were able to impressively maintain composure and grind out the win against a high-flying opponent.
France 2-1 Croatia (1998) – Semi-final
Though France were the eventual champions of the 1998 World Cup, they certainly came close to being knocked out in the semi-final against Croatia. Being somewhat of a surprise package at the tournament, Croatia were a new challenger to more established nations, having already disposed of Germany in the quarter-final.
Despite a dominant first-half performance from Les Bleus, Croatia stayed true to their playstyle, and it paid off. In the 47th minute, Aljosa Asanovic’s ball found Davor Suker running in behind the French defence. His composed strike beat an onrushing Fabien Barthez to put Croatia in front just after half-time. Even with of all their control, France were losing 1-0!
Shaken but undeterred, France immediately pushed for an equaliser, as one minute later right-back Lilian Thuram scored to make it 1-1. Running into the box, he lashed the ball into the net, lifting French spirits. Making another darting run forwards, the ball ended up with Thuram outside the box after he hassled the defence. His left-footed strike then curled past the keeper Drazen Ladic and gave France the lead!
With Laurent Blanc receiving a red card 13 minutes from time, the final part of the game was tense for France. Seeing out the result, though, they achieved a much-needed comeback on home soil, with Thuram becoming the surprise hero of the game. Making the result even more special, Thuram had never scored for his nation before this match!
Brazil 2-1 England (2002) – Quarter-final
Brazil may have gone on to win the 2002 World Cup, but England gave them more than a scare during their quarter-final encounter. Though the Selecao enjoyed lots of possession during the early stages of the game, England managed to keep Brazil’s stacked attacking options at bay. Then in the 23rd minute Michael Owen capitalised on a poor touch from Lucio and lifted the ball past Marcos in goal to give England the lead.
The Three Lions almost saw their advantage through to half-time, but Rivaldo managed an injury-time equaliser. After an incredible run from Ronaldinho, his left-footed shot was whipped into the bottom left corner and made it 1-1.
It was only five minutes into the second half when David Seaman misjudged Ronaldinho’s free-kick, conceding the goal that gave Brazil the lead. Despite Ronaldinho then being sent off only seven minutes later following a tackle on Danny Mills, Brazil kept their lead.
Especially as they went on to win the World Cup in the same tournament – adding a fifth to their cabinet – this was an extraordinary comeback.
Belgium 3-2 Japan (2018) – Round of 16
One of the more recent special fightbacks at the World Cup occurred in the round of 16 during a meeting between Belgium and Japan. The Red Devils had somewhat of a ‘golden generation’ – containing players like Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, and Romelu Lukaku – meaning they were one of the tournament favourites. This made their struggles against the Japanese underdogs a real surprise.
The first half lacked any goal-mouth action, but Japan’s two goals in four minutes during the second half stunned Roberto Martinez’s team. Genki Haraguchi shot Japan into the lead in the 48th minute, striking the ball low and hard across the goal and into the corner. The 52nd minute then saw a piledriver from Takashi Inui propel them further ahead and put them in dreamland.
Japan kept their advantage for 17 minutes, before Jan Vertonghen pulled one back with a stunning looping header. Sparking belief throughout Belgium’s team, five minutes later Eden Hazard’s cross into a crowded penalty area saw Marouane Fellaini rise highest to meet it, scoring a second. The game was somehow level at 2-2!
It looked like it was going to reach extra-time, but with the final kick of the match, Chadli finished off a swift counterattack at the back post, winning the game 3-2!
Japan 2-1 Spain (2022) – Group stage
Another recent fixture involving Japan, the group stage in Qatar treated us to some exceptional football matches. Their clash with Spain looked to be one they’d lose, but they shocked the world.
Spain did grab the first goal of the affair through a header by Alvaro Morata, though. Finding space in the box between the Japanese defenders, Morata was able to meet a cross from the right flank by Cesar Azpilicueta in the 11th minute. Maintaining their dominance in the first half, Spain kept their lead after the first 45 minutes.
Two minutes into the second half, however, the game began to change. The 47th minute saw Ritsu Doan’s powerful shot from the edge of the box prove to be too much for Unai Simon to keep out of the net. Despite getting a hand to it, the Spanish keeper wasn’t able to protect his team’s lead.
Only three minutes later, Ao Tanaka finished off the next chance for Japan, getting to the ball first to help it over the line. Despite VAR controversy, it was ruled that Kaoru Mitoma had kept the ball in-play beforehand, and the goal was given. Japan now led 2-1! Despite more chances for Spain, the Japanese national team stayed resolute and kept their win intact, making for an incredible upset.
