Soccer remains the most popular sport around and one that entertains billions of fans worldwide on a daily basis. From top domestic leagues like the Premier League or the MLS to awesome international tournaments like the World Cup, there is so much to like about watching soccer.
From the superstar players to thrilling goals and crunching tackles, it is a sport that always delivers for supporters.
Soccer is also a good sport to bet on and this helps it appeal to a wider audience. With sports betting now legal in many US states and in other countries globally, wagering on matches is a fun activity for many. There are a lot of ways you can do this, but for many, betting on the public underdog is the preferred approach. This basically has you betting that the team who are not expected to win will pull off a shocking victory.
While this might seem unlikely, surprising results and matches which pan out differently to how you think they might are not uncommon in this beautiful game.
This can be seen in the many thrilling comebacks which teams have pulled off over the years. But which have been the best examples of this?
Table of Contents
- #1.) Liverpool vs AC Milan – Champions League Final 2005
- #2.) Barcelona vs Metz – Cup Winners Cup 1984
- #3.) Barcelona vs PSG – Champions League 2017
#1.) Liverpool vs AC Milan – Champions League Final 2005
The UEFA Champions League is one of the top domestic trophies in European soccer.
In 2005, the final in this competition had Liverpool taking on the Italian giants AC Milan. Although Liverpool were not exactly heavy underdogs, the AC Milan team for the 2005 Champion’s League Final boasted many elite level players, including Pirlo, Crespo, Seedorf, Gattuso and Maldini.
At half time, Liverpool was 3-0 down and looking well out of it. During the second half though, they switched formations to push Steven Gerrard further up the field and pulled it back to 3-3 by the end of extra time. This had the match go into a penalty shoot-out, which Liverpool won to grab the cup.
#2.) Barcelona vs Metz – Cup Winners Cup 1984
One of the most famous old competitions in European soccer was the Cup Winners Cup. In 1984, this tournament led to a huge comeback win for small French team Metz against the mighty Barcelona from Spain.
No one really expected Metz to do well, and they confirmed this by being down 5-2 on aggregate with only 57 minutes left to play of the second leg.
Although it seemed impossible to start off with, Metz managed to score four goals without reply in this period to notch a much-talked-about win. Although they got knocked out in the next round, this rousing comeback was a real shock.
#3.) Barcelona vs PSG – Champions League 2017
When we are talking about comeback wins, this Champions League tie from 2017 deserves a mention. It really is one of the most remarkable comeback tales in all of soccer history!
After the first leg of the tie, PSG were up 4-0. This left Barca with a mountain to climb in the second leg, as they were essentially 4-0 down before they even kicked a ball. Although there seemed no hope for Barca fans, a Luis Suarez goal in only the third minute got them believing.
Barca then managed to score a couple more goals before disaster seemed to strike in the form of an Edison Cavani goal for PSG. This left Barca needing to score three goals to qualify overall, which seemed impossible.
Three goals in the final few moments though led to an impressive 6-1 win for Barca, which saw them qualify with a 6-5 aggregate score overall.
Soccer Comebacks Are Always a Thrill
Although checking out the biggest EPL upsets of all-time or results in Serie A which shocked people is always fun, there is nothing quite like enjoying the best comeback victories in soccer.
Whether it is the underdog coming back to win or a top team upping their level in-game to score a victory, wins from losing positions are always exciting to see.
There is just nothing like watching a team who seems to be out of a game or tie suddenly finding what they need to pull themselves back into it. This is really one of the best things about soccer and why so many people love to follow it.
t is just so unpredictable at times and matches can unfold in ways which you might not always expect.
As the above shows, there have been plenty of huge comebacks over the years which prove this to be true. It is never over until the final whistle blows and this is why soccer can offer up the most thrilling victories from losing positions.
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