Should the United States surprisingly take down England in the two teams’ massive showdown in their first game of the 2010 World Cup (Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ABC), it will come 60 years after the greatest World Cup win in U.S. soccer history. The 1950 victory over England could stand with any list of the tournament’s most notable upsets:
10. 1950: Uruguay 2, Brazil 1
Think Brazil is a perennial juggernaut now, leading all nations with five titles? Imagine if they had held on in the final after taking a 1-0 lead over their South American neighbors in front of an estimated 200,000 at the famed Maracanã Stadium in Rio. Alas, Uruguay remains the team most forget when asked to name countries with more than one title. They have two (1930).
9. 2002: S. Korea 2, Italy 1; S. Korea 0, Spain 0 (PK)
Wait a sec, where was Tim Donaghy during the summer of 2002? He would’ve had the line on the host Koreans, who advanced to the semifinals on the back of consecutive matches mired in controversy. Italy was denied a goal on a botched offside and had Francesco Totti sent off when he himself was fouled, and Spain had two seemingly legitimate goals disallowed.
8. 1974: West Germany 2, Holland 1
The sublime “Total Football” of the Dutch should’ve resulted in total domination of the Germans. Holland didn’t even let their opponents touch the ball in the first 80 seconds of the final en route to the game’s first goal, which came via penalty kick when Johan Cruyff was taken down in the box. But the Dutch took their foot off the gas. And they blew the 1978 final, too.
7. 1990: Cameroon 1, Argentina 0
Speaking of 1978, that was the year the Argentinians won their first World Cup. After Diego Maradona lifted them to their second in 1986, there was no way they’d open group play in the 1990 World Cup in Italy with a loss, right? Wrong. Led by ageless Roger Milla, the Indomitable Lions shocked everyone, eventually reaching the quarterfinals before falling to England.
6. 2002: Senegal 1, France 0
See No. 7, but substitute defending Cup champion France for Argentina, and West African representative Senegal for Cameroon. France went home after the first round with one point and no goals.
5. 1994: USA 2, Colombia 1
To the educated fan, Ireland’s plucky 1-0 triumph over Italy at Giants Stadium might’ve been the bigger upset. But it was Andres Escobar’s ill-fated own goal that truly transformed the host nation into a true Cinderella by paving the way for U.S. advancement into the knockout round.
4. 1966: North Korea 1, Italy 0
This result seems as ridiculous as the idea of the North Koreans trying to bring an extra forward to South Africa by listing him as a goalkeeper. Oh right, that happened, too.
3. 1982: Algeria 2, West Germany 1
Pay attention U.S. fans, because the Desert Foxes won’t be in uncharted territory when they face the Americans on June 23. In fact, Algeria’s best upset came in their first-ever appearance in the World Cup.
2. 1954: West Germany 3, Hungary 2
Does anyone get the feeling that we’re picking on the Germans a little too much? Well, they get their revenge right here. There was no way they were supposed to beat Ferenc Puskas’ uber-favorited side. Hungary had won 32 straight, including an 8-3 victory over the West Germans in the opening round. Instead, after falling behind 2-0, West Germany produced “The Miracle of Bern,” nearly the best World Cup upset of all time. Nearly.
1. 1950: USA 1, England 0
The U.S. wasn’t supposed to have a chance with its roster full of glorified amateurs against one of the best teams in the world. But when Haitian-born Joe Gaetjen’s famous goal held up for the stunning result in Belo Horizonte, jubilant Brazilians hoisted him on their shoulders and carried him off the field in celebration.
