Top 5 greatest upsets in FIFA World Cup history

Which are the greatest upsets in FIFA World Cup history? The name tells the story itself. The grandest stage them of all and its coming closer. We have alreadyseen some brilliant and unforgettable moments in the past World Cups with big teams earning the crown of being World champions.Giants of world footballare expected to go through easilybut to give the underdogs their due,few of them also achieved the milestone andwrotetheir names in the history of this iconic competition bydefeating the fancied teams.Here are some of the biggest upsets in the FIFA World Cup

#1 North Korea 1-0 Italy World Cup, group phase, 19 July 1966

Middlesbrough’s old home Ayresome Park played host to a major upset in the 1966 World Cup, as the mighty Italy were caught out by the debutants, North Korea.

Doo-Ik Pak scored the solitary goal after 41 minutes. It is a result that is still fondly remembered by North Koreans and one that the Italians still painfully get reminded of.

#2 Cameroon 1-0 Argentina World Cup, Group B, 8 June 1990

Italia 90 was a tournament where defenses ruled and negative football was the order of the competition.

However, there was an amazing result in the very first match, when holders Argentina fell to a surprising defeat to ‘The Indomitable Lions’ of Cameroon.

Cameroon’s physical approach did seem to backfire, when Andrea Kana Biyik saw red early in the second half, for a bad challenge on Claudio Cannigia.

Moments later, Francois Oman Biyik escaped his marker from a free-kick and guided a header past Nery Pumpido.

With Diego Maradona well marked out of the game, the Africans held on for an amazing result, despite Benjamin Massing’s brutal tackle on Cannigia which earned him a blatant red card in the closing stages.

This was the day that Argentina found out that Italia 90 wasn't going to be all about style and substance.

#3 Costa Rica 1-0 Scotland World Cup Group C, 11 June 1990

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Scotland’s record in major tournament football is pretty disastrous but everyone expected them to beat novices in the World Cup, Costa Rica.

In typical Scottish fashion, they blew it again and fell victim to a surprising upset in their Italia 90 opener.

The Central Americans were managed by Bora Milutonivic, who had guided Mexico to the quarter-finals in 1986.

They defended brilliantly and shortly after the interval, took the lead through striker Juan Arnaldo Cayasso.

The Scots failed to materialize a severe rampage afterwards and were humiliated on the world stage again.

They made their traditional exit at the group stage, whilst the Costa Ricans made the knockout rounds, before losing 4-1 to Czechoslovakia.

#4 Germany 1-2 Bulgaria, World Cup, Quarter-final, 10 July 1994

Before the World Cup in 1994, Bulgaria had never won a match in the finals.

Having already knocked out Mexico and beaten Argentina in the group stages, they met world champions Germany in the last eight. When Iordan Letchkov gave away a penalty which was dispatched by Lothar Matthaus, the game was going by the form-book.

The Eastern Europeans showed great character and were level through their talisman figure, Hristo Stoichkov. Then against the odds, Letchov sneaked in front of his marker to power a header past Bodo Illgner.

The holders were out in a World Cup that provided plenty of surprising results in humid conditions.

#5 France 0-1 Senegal, World Cup, Group A, 31 May 2002

African newcomers to the World Cup, Senegal, shocked world and European champions France, to win the first game of the 2002 World Cup in Seoul.

A defensive mix-up between Emmanuel Petit and Fabien Barthez, allowed Papa Boupa Diop to score the only goal on the half hour.

This was one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, as the decline of this great dynasty of French players started in the most unceremonious of ways.