Soccer, or football, is one of the most popular sports around the world. It’s a game filled with memorable moments. However, the game of soccer has also had its fair share of bizarre and unusual happenings. Let’s take a closer look at some of those unbelievable occurrences:
A Foggy Farce
In 1945, a soccer game between Arsenal and Dynamo Moscow became a complete farce due to heavy fog. Despite the fog, the referee did not suspend play, causing the players to throw all rules out the window. Dynamo Moscow even made a substitution without first taking a player off! An Arsenal player also sneaked back onto the pitch after being sent off. A goalkeeper also ran into a goalpost which he couldn’t see in the fog, knocking himself out with a spectator even taking his place. Good thing the match was a friendly!
A Goal By Someone Else
In September 2006, during a Brazilian match between Atletico Sorocaba and Santacruzense a ball boy managed to score a goal. The ball boy, who was tasked with bringing the ball on to the pitch, within the final minutes of the match, sneakily side footed the ball into the goal. Brazilian’s first national championship referee, Silvia Regina de Oliveira, as well as her linesman, didn’t see the ball boy’s move and scored the goal, assuming it was the result of one of the players. The game finished in a draw and the result was upheld by the authorities although the referee and linesman were suspended.
A Doomed Match
While soccer games being called off or postponed due to inclement weather is not an uncommon occurrence, in the 1962/63 season, a match between Lincoln City and Coventry City had to be postponed a total of 15 times. While it seemed the weather had it out for these two teams, they finally managed to face off sixty six days later, with Coventry City beating out Lincoln City 5-1 in a match as exciting as playing at mobile gaming sites.
A Drunken Referee
The actions of a Referee are often called into question, however one particular Ref was indeed drunk at a game. Sergei Shmolik, who was the referee in a match between Vitebsk and Naftan during the Belarusian Premier Division was seen staggering around the field, unable to keep up with gameplay. He also didn’t issue any cards in the match whatsoever and had to be helped off the field at the end of the match. Blood alcohol tests at the end of the game revealed high levels of alcohol in his system, however official statements put the incident down to a bad back.
A Minute Of Silence
In 1993, the Congleton team was partaking in a minute of silence for their oldest fan, who reportedly died the week before. However, during the minute of silence the fan in question happened to make an appearance, causing the team to have to embarrassingly call off the heartfelt moment. Now that is quite the mistake from the team’s public relations department.
