FIFA World Cup 2018: Top 5 Opening day upsets in the history of the tournament

#4 Brazil 0-0 Yugoslavia (1974)

The 1974 Brazil team wasn't as good as the earlier ones

Undoubtedly, the best team of its era, Brazil were riding high with confidence as they headed to West Germany in 1974, having won three of the previous four world cups. Pele who had starred in all three world cup wins had retired in 1971.

Without their talisman, the Selecao were no longer a force that they used to be, yet with the likes of Rivellino and Jairzinho still present, they headed into West Germany as favourites.

Yet things quickly came undone as they were held to a 0-0 draw by a stubborn Yugoslavia defence on the opening day. The Brazilians, especially Jairzinho was guilty of missing a flurry of chances as he shot wide a couple of times from inside the six-yard box.

In the end, the Brazilians were almost made to rue for their missed chances as the Yugoslavs missed a sitter late on to win the tie.

The Selecao were again held to a 0-0 draw by Scotland in their next game, as they huffed and puffed into the second round ahead of that day’s rivals on goal difference.

Similar to West Germany four years later, Brazil’s title defence also ended in the second round of group stages after losing the must-win match against the Dutch.