Which is the best soccer game of all time and why is it the best?

Every soccer match, from street games to local and major leagues, is accompanied by high tension and tingling nerves. However, throughout history, several games have stood out as the sporting events that changed everything. Dig in here and discover the top 10 best soccer games of all time.

Factors such as players' on-pitch intelligence, physical fitness, and the mindset to win can play a role in creating a remarkable game. For historians, the Manchester United vs Bayern Munich Euro Cup match in 1999 is one of the best soccer games of all time after United ended their treble with a 2-1 win in the 90th minute. Scroll down and discover some of the greatest matches in football history.

What is considered the best soccer game of all time?

Over recent history, women's soccer matches have become the most-watched soccer games ever. On the 5th of July, 2015, a FIFA Women’s World Cup clash between the United States and Japan recorded over 26.7 million television viewers on FOX and Telemundo. Similarly, Forbes revealed that in 2023, the FIFA Women's World Cup recorded never-seen-before numbers as television's most-watched shows.

Additionally, FIFA recorded the most viewed soccer game of all time during a 2022 clash between Japan and Costa Rica in the Group E stage at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Qatar. According to official statistics, the match was watched by over 36.3 million viewers in Japan.

Which are the most thrilling matches in football history?

The world of soccer is marked by tense, nail-biting events and ordinary matches that do not rouse emotive feelings in fans or players. What are the best soccer games of all time? This article will dive into the history of association football and list some of soccer's best games ever.

10. The Battle of Santiago

The 1962 FIFA World Cup game between Chile and Italy was one of the most painful matches to watch. Regarded as the most violent soccer game in history, a red card marked the first twelve seconds for Italy's defensive midfielder and a police intervention. What followed was a mixture of football, kicks and punches that resulted in a second red card for Italy and a 2-0 win for Chile.

In a highlights commentary, BBC's David Coleman introduced the match that became known as 'The Battle of Santiago' in an oddly befitting fashion, saying,

9. Disgrace of Gijón

The 1982 West Germany vs Austria World Cup match has become known as the Anschluss of Gijón, the Disgrace of Gijón or Nichtangriffspakt von Gijón. The events of June 25th, 1982, remain seared in the memories of historians and Algerian fans.

After dominating West Germany 2-1, the Algerian side expected to proceed to the final stages. However, the non-aggressive pact of Gijón, which can better be described as a match-fixing deal between Germany and Austria, dashed their hopes. On a positive note, the 1982 fiasco influenced changes in scheduling the FIFA World Cup group-stage final matches.

8. The day football died

The 1982 match between Italy and Brazil was one of the biggest World Cup upsets. Prior to the España 82 tumble, Brazil had won three World Cup tournaments and was confident for a fourth.

However, five minutes into the game, Italy's Paolo Rossi scored the first goal, with the second and third coming in the twenty-fifth and the seventy-fourth minute. While some remember the match as the Sarria Tragedy, Paul Rossi chose to immortalise the event in his autobiography, I Made Brazil Cry.

7. The Zambian triumph

On the 4th of July 1993, Zambia made a miraculous appearance in a World Cup qualifier finals match against Morocco in Casablanca. The Chipolopolos were forced to rebuild their team after suffering a tragedy in April 1993 after a plane full of the team's players died in a plane crash. A year later, the Zambian team made it through all stages of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations before being outed by Nigeria in the final stage.

6. The Miracle of Berne

Although the 1954 World Cup game between the Mighty Magyars and West Germany was not the most watched soccer game in the world, over 400,000 people turned up to receive the team. The match carried a hefty historical significance that inspired dissatisfaction that led to the 1956 Hungarian uprising against the Stalinist government and confidence in the victorious underdogs.

According to historian Joachim Fest, the game marked the true re-birth of the country. Additionally, in an excerpt from German novelist Friedrich Christian Delius, the game had a profound effect on the country. He said,

5. The Qatari tournament

The first-ever global football tournament held in the Middle East in 2022 became known as the second most controversial FIFA World Cup. However, the tournament proved to be the most-watched FIFA World Cup, with nearly five billion people engaged in social media platforms and a cumulative reach of over 260 billion.

The tournament hosted the most-watched soccer games ever, featuring Argentina and France and their tussle became known as the best FIFA World Cup final in history. With 88,966 spectators at Lusail Stadium, the match was viewed by nearly 1.5 billion fans all over the world.

4. Again 1966

The 2002 game between South Korea and Italy was one of the most entertaining football matches to watch for North and South Korean fans. History repeated itself after South Korea defeated Italy 2 - 1 in 2002, a goal more than their North Korean neighbours did in 1966.

3. The Hand of God

The 1982 Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom preceded the World Cup Quarter-final match Argentina against England by four years. England lost the 1986 match after Diego Maradona scored two goals around the 50th minute. In the 81st minute, England's Gary Lineker scored his side's sole goal.

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Maradona's first goal went down in history as the 'Hand of God' after he punched the ball into the net. According to Gary Lineker, the icon's second goal could only be described as an act of brilliance and is the greatest goal that has ever been scored.

2. First Maracanazo, then Mineirazo

One of the biggest wins in soccer history was recorded in 2014 following a World Cup semi-final match between Brazil and Germany. Brazil, who were still nursing the wounds of defeat after losing to Uruguay at the Maracanã stadium in 1950, were hit by a second loss after Germany got the better of them by seven goals.

1. Africa’s first World Cup semi-finalists

Although African players make up a significant part of the world's top-tier clubs, African national teams seldom made it close to the World Cup semi-finals. In 2022, Morocco stunned the world with their performance with a 1- 0 win against Portugal which became one of the most celebrated football wins in the world.

Wrapping up

The best soccer games of all time have several factors in common, including a common goal, a mutual desire to win and bragging rights. While victories make matches joyous and memorable, losing adds an element of heightened emotion and a tinge of danger.

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