If you’re a fan of US sports, then you’ll likely have seen some pretty massive score lines in your time. However, if you’re familiar with soccer, you’ll know that it’s a completely different ball game – quite literally. Soccer games usually come with score lines around 2-1, 1-1, etc… sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. In fact, when betting on soccer (or betting on football as they say in Europe), when you bet on over/unders (totals), the line is usually set at 2.5, which is because that’s about the average number of goals scored per match.
However, sometimes things happen – and by that, we mean complete mismatches, where there are some seriously jaw-dropping (and embarrassing) scorelines. So, with that being said, let’s take a look at some of those teams who probably wished they’d stayed at home that day!
1) AS Adema 149-0 SO l’Emyrne – 2002, Madagascar
Let’s start with the biggest of all – and a scoreline that would even shock basketball fans! Indeed, such a big deal was it, that this match holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest win in soccer history.
AS Adema won by a massive 149-0 against SO l’Emyrne – but, in all fairness, this was after they intentionally started to score their own goals in protest against the refereeing decisions that had been made against them in previous games. Fun though it is, it was more of a bizarre and controversial match rather than a real display of soccer dominance.
2) Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord – 1885, Scotland
Next, we have Arbroath’s 36-0 thrashing of Bon Accord, which, to this day, remains one of the most dominant competitive soccer performances ever. This Scottish Cup match was a completely one-sided affair, with John Petrie scoring 13 goals for Arbroath – and setting a record that still stands.
3) Dundee Harp 35-0 Aberdeen Rovers – 1885, Scotland
On the very same day as Arbroath’s record-breaking win, another annihilation was in progress, with Dundee Harp crushing the Aberdeen Rovers 35-0. However, although they might have expected all the glory, they were probably shocked to learn their victory had been overshadowed by Arbroath’s even bigger win.
That being said, had goal-counting been more accurate, Dundee Harp’s total might have been even higher!
4) Australia 31-0 American Samoa – 2001, FIFA World Cup Qualifier
Another massive scoreline difference came when Australia demolished American Samoa in one of the most infamous World Cup qualifying matches ever. Archie Thompson scored a record-breaking 13 goals in the match – and David Zdrilic added another eight to the tally. This game only served to highlight the huge gap between the top teams and the smaller nations.
5) Tahiti 30-0 Cook Islands – 1971, South Pacific Games
During the South Pacific Games, the nation of Tahiti completely humiliated the Cook Islands when they notched up a 30-0 scoreline. This was the perfect example of the ridiculously uneven competition levels in the tournament – with Tahiti attacking from the moment the game kicked off til the final whistle.
6) Villarreal 27-0 Navata – 2009, Friendly Match
The big Spanish club Villarreal racked up a pretty overwhelming 27-0 win when they went up against amateur side Navata in a friendly match. This pre-season fixture just goes to show the huge difference between the top professionals and amateur footballers.
7) Preston North End 26-0 Hyde – 1887, FA Cup
Preston North End’s very impressive 26-0 victory over Hyde in the FA Cup is still one of the biggest wins ever in English football history. This match was played when Preston was a dominant force and they were one of the strongest teams in England (a very long time ago!).
8) Germany 16-0 Russia – 1912, Olympics
Over 100 years ago, at the 1912 Olympics, Germany completely humiliated Russia when they walked away with a massive 16-0 win. Gottfried Fuchs scored a whopping 10 goals, which made him one of the highest individual scorers in one single international match.
9) England 13-0 Ireland – 1882, British Home Championship
It may have been over 100 years ago, but England’s 13-0 thrashing of Ireland in 1882 is still the country’s biggest win ever. The match just goes to show how dominant England was in the early days of international football (alas, not so much these days!)
10) Spain 13-0 Bulgaria – 1933, Friendly Match
Spain set a record for their biggest win in history back in 1933 with a 13-0 hammering of Bulgaria in a friendly match. The Spanish attack was anything but friendly – and only served to expose Bulgaria’s weak defence.
So, if you think soccer is a boring, low-scoring game… think again!