5 Game-changing Goalkeeping Mistakes in the final of a tournament

#1 Moacir Barbosa Nascimento: Brazil 1-2 Uruguay - 1950 World Cup Final

"In Brazil, the most you get for any crime is 30 years. For 50 years I’ve been paying for a crime I did not commit. Even a criminal when he has paid his debt is forgiven. But I have never been forgiven,” this statement was reportedly made by the Brazilian goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa Nascimento few days prior to his death.

Voted by the journalists as the best keeper of the 1950 World Cup, Barbosa was regarded as one of the greatest of that generation. Before the final game against Uruguay, Brazil needed only a draw to lift the trophy, thanks to the bizarre final group format at that time.

Rio newspaper O Mundo had declared the team ‘World Champions’, tournament founder Jules Rimet had prepared a congratulatory speech in Portuguese, and the team members were even presented with gold watches in the changing room. But then, disaster struck.

The game was an evenly contested affair right till the 78th minute, with the scoreline reading 1-1. 'Los Charrua' went 2-1 up and sealed the fate of the match, thanks to the weak anticipation made by the Brazilian shot-stopper.

He took a step to his right and was hoping for Alcides Ghiggia to make a cross. Instead, he shot low towards the near post. Despite making a valiant effort, the shot crept in, and the 200,000 people at the newly built Maracana were in utter disbelief. Barbosa had cost Brazil their first World Cup.

Brazilians still call it 'el Maracanaço' (The Maracana blow), and Barbosa suffered for the rest 50 years of his life. He was never forgiven and was known to the future generations as 'The Man who made all of Brazil cry'. Once, he was not even allowed to enter Brazil’s training camp as he was considered to be a bad omen.