Top 5 forgotten upsets in World Cup history

2. Bulgaria 2-1 Germany: 1994

Hristo Stoichkov celebrates Bulgaria's equalizer against Germany in 1994

The German football team is the synonym for cold efficiency - Since 2005, never has it tasted defeat in a decisive match against a so-called underdog. However, the well-oiled German machine that we see today was the result of some magnificent work done by the German Football Federation who were alarmed by the rot it detected in the first team for a ten year period beginning in the mid-nineties.

During that period, Germany suffered embarrassing group stage exits at Euro 2000 and 2004 along with a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of underdogs Croatia in the 1998 World Cup. However, the Germans make this list for the match that started it all - the 2-1 elimination at the hands of the unfancied Bulgarians in the 1994 World Cup quarterfinals.

Germany had arrived at USA '94 as defending Champions and they seemed to be straining in each of their matches. En route to the quarters, Germany would never win a game other than by a one-goal margin. But the team comprising of Klinsmann, Voller and Matthaus was still considered good enough to eliminate Bulgaria to move into the semi-finals.

Bulgaria had started the tournament with a 0-3 hammering at the hands of Nigeria, but they had gone from strength to strength - boosted by an upset win over Mardaona-less Argentina. They still needed penalties to get past a dogged Mexico in the second round before setting up the Germany match.

When the match got underway, the Germans gained the ascendancy and Lother Matthaus put the World Champions ahead just minutes into the second half. But Bulgaria refused to give up and German resilience was broken twice in three minutes - first by tournament topscorer Hristo Stoichkov and then by Yordan Letchkov. The match would finish 2-1 to the Bulgarians and Germany would be sent packing,

Bulgaria would be beaten by Italy in the semifinals and then thrashed 4-0 by Sweden in the third-place playoff, but the Eastern Europeans had already made history by that point.