Top 10 football conspiracy theories

2. Brazil and the 1998 World Cup theory

As mentioned earlier, Brazil’s toothless show at the 1998 World Cup finals had raised numerous eyebrows. While some believe that Nike and Ronaldo were at fault, others believe that Brazil had intentionally lost that game, in exchange for cash (and I mean BIG amounts), a relatively easier run in the subsequent World Cup (which they won) and an opportunity to host the World Cup in the near future (surprise surprise, 2014 World Cup is in, yes, you guessed it!).

This theory may or may not be correct, but the evidence that is stacked up against Brazil does appear to be quite solid.

Verdict: Evidence suggests it’s true, but nothing definitive.