There’s almost nothing better than watching a favourite team being pushed to the edge, only to make a completely unforeseen comeback in the last few minutes, allowing them to win the match against their opponents. It doesn’t happen that often in any sport – especially not football – but when it does, it’s usually surprising enough to be remembered for years afterward.
With that in mind, these are some of the greatest football match comebacks of all time.
Liverpool vs. AC Milan
Set during the 2005 Champions League, Liverpool’s incredible turnaround pushed them into legendary status. It was the final of one of the biggest competitions in the world, and Liverpool’s opposition, AC Milan, was considered the best team in the world at the time, meaning that they entered their match with a clear advantage in terms of sheer skill. By the time that the half-time point got called, AC Milan was already three goals ahead, with no indication of slowing down. But somehow, within the last six minutes of the game, Liverpool’s Gerrard, Alonso, and Smicer were able to muster three goals, allowing the teams to finish as equals.
Portugal vs. North Korea
Portugal’s victory against North Korea was not much of a surprise to many, but what was shocking was how they were able to achieve that win after coming back from 3-0 behind their competitors after only 25 minutes into the match. North Korea wasn’t exactly the highlighted team of the year during 1966, but after beating Italy during the group states, even Portugal owed them some respect. And by 25 minutes in, that respect had undoubtedly grown as the team were able to land three goals, right up until Eusebio stepped in and was able to capture 4 goals of his own.
Charlton vs. Huddersfield
With a total of 13 goals by the end of a match, the Charlton vs. Huddersfield game is something of a true legend among football fans, becoming an instant classic by the time the final score was set in stone, not to mention being truly fun for all to watch. Huddersfield were 5-1 in the lead, and there was less than half an hour left in the game before things started to change. Johnny Summers proved his mettle by scoring another four goals, pushing his team up to 6-5 ahead in a move that absolutely no one saw coming at the time, and by the time the ref called the match, Charlton finished at 7-6.
Hungary vs. West Germany
Compared to the previous entry, this less 3-2 game may not quite as exciting, but looks can be deceiving. During the 1954 World Cup final, West Germany made a comeback so great that it’s been known as “Miracle of Bern” ever since, and is considered the best comeback of all time. Hungary had won against Germany 8-3 during the group stages, and had not been beaten in over five years. They were the leading favourites by a huge margin. But what really sold the game was that by just 18 minutes in, they were on par with Hungary, before taking a one point lead six minutes later.
