Can North Macedonia do it again? Rank the biggest international shocks
- Published
If North Macedonia were to beat England in their Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday, there would be a case to call it one of the biggest shocks in international football history.
While they did make their senior international tournament debut at the European Championships two years ago, North Macedonia are not expected to cause Gareth Southgate's men too much trouble at Wembley - although they do have history of upsetting the Three Lions on their own turf.
In qualifying for Euro 2004, FYR Macedonia - as the country was then known - led England twice at St Mary's before earning a 2-2 draw, including Artim Sakiri beating David Seaman direct from a corner. The nations were also drawn together in Euro 2008 qualifying, when the Macedonians held Steve McClaren's side to a goalless draw at Old Trafford - a result which played a part in England's failure to reach the final tournament.
Here are some of the biggest upsets in international football this century, and you have the chance to rank them in order of the biggest surprise at the bottom of this page.
Brazil 0-2 Honduras, 23 July 2001, Copa America quarter-finals
Underdogs Honduras were only invited to take part in the 2001 Copa America as last-minute replacements for Argentina, but an own goal from Juliano Belletti and a late effort from Saul Martinez booked the Central Americans' place in the semi-finals, where they lost 2-0 to hosts - and eventual winners - Colombia.
France 0-1 Senegal - 31 May 2002, World Cup group stage
Reigning champions France came into the tournament in South Korea and Japan as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, but Roger Lemerre's team made the worst possible start as debutants Senegal claimed a magnificent victory thanks to Papa Bouba Diop's first-half strike. The Lions of Teranga made it all the way to the quarter-finals, while Les Bleus bowed out in the group stage.
South Korea 2-1 Italy - 18 June 2002, World Cup last 16
Co-hosts South Korea produced one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history by knocking much-fancied Italy out of the tournament at the last-16 stage. Christian Vieri put the Azzurri in front after Ahn Jung-hwan had missed a penalty, but Seol Ki-hyeon's strike sent the game into extra time. Perugia striker Ahn made made amends for his penalty miss with the all-important golden goal, sending Guus Hiddink's team into the quarter-finals.
Latvia 0-0 Germany - 19 June 2004, European Championship group stage
Germany laboured to a goalless draw against European Championship debutants Latvia in Porto. It could have been worse for Rudi Voller's side as Maris Verpakovskis had two penalty appeals turned down and had a goal-bound shot saved by Oliver Kahn. Neither team made it out of a group that also featured the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
Portugal 0-1 Greece - 4 July 2004, European Championship final
Otto Rehhagel's workmanlike Greece side had defied all expectations by reaching the Euro 2004 final, where they faced a Portugal side featuring a young Cristiano Ronaldo. Angelos Charisteas broke the deadlock as Greece - inspired by centre-back Traianos Dellas - kept Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Deco at bay to complete one of the biggest fairy tales in the history of the game.
Bolivia 6-1 Argentina - 1 April 2009, World Cup qualifier
Another major upset in South America as an Argentina side managed by Diego Maradona suffered their heaviest defeat in more than 60 years. Bolivia striker Joaquin Botero scored a hat-trick, while Marcelo Martins, Didi Torrico and Alex da Rosa also scored in the rout. Angel di Maria's sending off - seven minutes after coming on as a substitute - capped a miserable day for the Albiceleste.
Italy 1-1 New Zealand - 20 June 2010, World Cup group stage
Minnows New Zealand exited the tournament after drawing all three group games in South Africa, but the stalemate with holders Italy will live long in the memory of football fans the world over. It would prove to be Italy's only point of the competition as they finished bottom of their group behind New Zealand, Slovakia and Paraguay.
Brazil 1-7 Germany - 8 June 2014, World Cup semi-finals
A result that sent shockwaves through the football world. Hosts Brazil were without Neymar because of injury, but none of the home fans packed inside the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte were expecting their World Cup campaign to end in such brutal and humiliating fashion. Eventual winners Germany were at their ruthless best, scoring five times in the first half - including four in six minutes - to inflict Brazil's heaviest-ever defeat.
England 1-2 Iceland - 28 June 2016, European Championship last 16
Arguably England's most humiliating defeat since 1950, when they were beaten by the USA at the World Cup. Wayne Rooney put Roy Hodgson's team ahead with an early penalty, but goals from Ragnar Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson sent the Three Lions crashing out of the tournament in France and resulted in Hodgson handing in his resignation.
Germany 0-2 South Korea - 27 June 2018, World Cup group stage
Sixteen years after beating Italy, the Taegeuk Warriors were involved in another monumental World Cup shock in Russia, defeating holders Germany 2-0 to knock Joachim Low's team out of the competition in the group stage. The game is perhaps best remembered for Son Heung-min's late second goal, which came after Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had lost possession inside the opponents' half. Ju Se-jong released Son, who tapped into an empty net to spark wild celebrations in the South Korea dugout.
Italy 0-1 North Macedonia - 24 March 2022, World Cup qualifying
England beware, this Macedonian side has claimed some major scalps in recent years. European champions Italy were widely expected to cruise through this first round of the World Cup play-offs and set up a blockbuster match with Portugal for a place in Qatar. Instead, Aleksandar Trajkovski's sensational 92nd-minute drive from distance damned the Azzurri to a second successive failure to qualify for a World Cup.
Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia - 22 November 2022, World Cup group stage
It all worked out well in the end for Lionel Messi and co, however, their triumph in Qatar will always be remembered alongside the immense upset they suffered in their opening fixture. Ranked 51st in the world, Saudi Arabia held on in the first half as Messi scored a penalty before Argentina had three goals ruled out for offside. Then, in a stunning 10 minutes after half-time, Saleh al Shehri and Salem al Dawsari scored to spark the 2022 World Cup into life and cause one of the competition's greatest upsets.
'The hardest thing I've ever done': Can Robbie Savage turn Macclesfield F.C into a club the community can be proud of?
Outlaws: Stephen Merchant and Christopher Walken star in community payback comedy