The biggest shocks ever witnessed at the football World Cup

The football World Cup 2022 is the most eagerly awaited sports event of the year.

Fans are gearing up to see which team wins the coveted trophy, who scores the most goals, and who are the biggest performers on the grand stage, Qazet.az reports.

But while there is great anticipation to see who ends up being the best, another aspect of the tournament that always leaves the spectators in awe is upsets on the field.

In some shock results at the World Cup, defending champions have been knocked out in the group stages, minnows have thrashed historical giants of the game and, on some occasions, the shock has not been at the result but at the sheer lack of effort, and the resulting score.

Here are some of the biggest upsets in the World Cup’s history:

USA 1-0 England (1950)

The post-war England team, comprising the likes of Alf Ramsey, Tom Finney and Billy Wright, 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. The mixed bunch practised together for one day and set off on a boat to Brazil.

Joe Gaetjens scored a 38th-minute header to put the USA ahead. In the second half, England’s attack was relentless but USA’s goalkeeper Frank Borghi prevented them from scoring an equaliser and etched his team’s name into the history books.