Very few things in football are as thrilling as witnessing a team defying the odds and completing a famous comeback.
The round-leather game has produced some mind-blowing comebacks that prove nothing is impossible in football.
These unforgettable comebacks encapsulate the unpredictable, passionate, and often miraculous nature of football. They are the reason fans stay glued to the television until the final whistle.
In this article, TOP SOCCER BLOG brings you the top 10 greatest comebacks in football history.
1. Barcelona 6-1 PSG (6-5 on aggregate) – Champions League, 2017
Barcelona overcame a four-goal deficit in the second leg of their 2016/17 UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie against PSG.
Barca had been written off in the first leg after being totally outplayed at Parc des Princes, where they were beaten 4-0.
Barca had moved into a 3-0 lead after 50 minutes, but Edinson Cavani seemed to have quelled any prospect of a recovery with an away goal, meaning that the hosts needed three more of their own to qualify.
On 87 minutes, this seemed an insurmountable challenge, yet Neymar brought them back into the game with a free kick and, in the first minute of stoppage time, scored a penalty.
With PSG in disarray, Sergi Roberto stuck after 95 minutes to send the home side through in impossible circumstances.
Eventually, Barca won 6-5 on aggregate, making it the largest comeback in Champions League history — which became known as “Remontada” (the comeback).
To date, the match is remembered as one of the greatest soccer matches ever.
2. AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool (Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties) – Champions League, 2005
Dubbed the “Miracle of Istanbul,” Liverpool produced the greatest comeback in a Champions League FINAL.
Trailing 3-0 at half-time against a much-superior AC Milan team, Liverpool managed to level the score in a thrilling six-minute spell in the second half.
The Reds eventually won their 5th Champions League trophy on penalties, marking one of the most memorable comebacks in football history.
The incredible game is regarded as one of the greatest ever Champions League finals.
3. Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (4-3 agg) – Champions League, 2019
Liverpool are the kings of comebacks in European competitions, and this follows the “Miracle of Istanbul.”
Liverpool lost the first leg of the 2019 Champions League semi-final 3-0 vs Barcelona at the Camp Nou, with it seeming almost certain that Barca would progress to that year’s final.
With injuries to both Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s chances looked even slimmer, but The Reds were able to blow the Spanish away giants away at Anfield with a shocking 4-0 win.
Jurgen Klopp’s side went on to win that year’s Champions League for their 6th title in the competition.
4. West Germany 3-2 Hungary – World Cup final, 1954
This FIFA World Cup final comeback was so shocking it has even gained its own nickname: the “Miracle of Bern.”
Facing a Hungary side unbeaten in 31 matches, including an 8-3 victory over themselves just weeks earlier, West Germany entered the final of the 1954 World Cup as underdogs.
And it didn’t look like any surprises were likely to be sprung as the great Ferenc Puskas opened the scoring in the 6th minute, followed by a goal just two minutes later from Zoltan Czibor.
But West Germany were not about to roll over for Hungary’s ‘Magical Magyars,’ closing the deficit in only the 10th minute with a goal from Max Morlock before Helmut Rahn scored in the 18th minute to level the scores.
It took until the 84th minute of the match for any team to budge, and it was Rahn who once again scored the winner to claim victory for the West German side in one of the greatest World Cup comebacks in history.
5. Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich – Champions League final, 1999
Manchester United did the unthinkable in the very dramatic 1999 UEFA Champions League final.
United’s treble dreams looked to be dead and buried, but two substitutes produced the comeback of comebacks in “the greatest moment” of Sir Alex Ferguson’s life.
Bayern seized control early on through a Mario Basler free-kick, and the one-way traffic continued thereafter as the Bavarians held sway.
Bayern still led by a single goal as the final whistle loomed.
Having already brought on Teddy Sheringham, Alex Ferguson introduced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with less than ten minutes to go.
The Red Devils rallied, and sweeping in from Ryan Giggs’ mis-hit attempt, Sheringham equalised in the 91st minute.
Bayern buckled under pressure, and two minutes later, Sheringham flicked on David Beckham’s corner for Solskjær to prod into the roof of the net, capping an utterly remarkable turnaround.
6. Angola 4-4 Mali – African Cup of Nations, 2010
Mali made a miraculous recovery to pull back from a four-goal deficit to hold tournament hosts Angola to a 4-4 draw in the opening game of the 2010 African Cup of Nations.
Angola made the best possible start when a first-half double from Flavio Armado and penalties from Gilberto and Manucho had them celebrating a famous victory.
With only 16 minutes on the clock, Mali looked down and out.
But a double from Seydou Keita and goals apiece from Frederic Kanoute and Mustapha Yattabare gave them an improbable draw.
That match is considered one of the greatest comebacks in African football history.
7. Newcastle United 4-4 Arsenal – English Premier League, 2011
Newcastle did something that no other Premier League club has ever done by winning a point from a four-goal deficit against Arsenal in February 2011.
Things started badly for Alan Pardew’s side as Theo Walcott struck inside the first minute after Andrey Arshavin sent him through.
Two minutes later, Johan Djourou headed in an Arshavin free-kick to double Arsenal’s advantage.
Robin Van Persie added his first in the 10th minute when he guided his shot past Steven Harper.
The Dutch striker then ghosted between Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini to make it 4-0 just 26 minutes into the match.
Things started to change for Newcastle after the break, though.
Centre-back Djourou limped off after 48 minutes, while Abou Diaby was sent off for putting his hand on Joey Barton’s neck and pushing him to the floor.
The home side reduced the deficit when Laurent Koscielny brought down Leon Best in the box, and Barton converted the penalty.
Best made it 4-2 and gave Newcastle hope when he shot beyond Szczesny.
A second penalty from Barton, after another Koscielny foul, made the comeback even closer with seven minutes of the match to play.
Then Cheick Tiote famously smashed the ball into the bottom corner after Arsenal failed to clear a free-kick to make it 4-4 and send the Newcastle fans wild.
8. Manchester City 3-2 QPR – English Premier League 2012
The greatest comeback in Premier League history secured Manchester City their first EPL title back in 2012.
Going into the final day of the season, City needed a win to ensure a title win over arch-rivals Manchester United.
But going into stoppage time against QPR, Roberto Mancini’s men were 2-1 down.
However, a goal from Edin Dzeko in the 92nd minute and an incredible goal from Sergio Aguero two minutes later sealed the breathtaking comeback, winning City their first-ever Premier League title.
9. Ajax 2-3 Tottenham (3-3 agg) – UEFA Champions League semi-final, 2019
Aiming to reach their first-ever Champions League final, Tottenham Hotspurs seemed to have come to the end of the road.
A 1-0 home defeat to Erik ten Hag’s well-assembled Ajax side left Spurs with a mountain to climb in Amsterdam – one that seemed impossible with star striker Harry Kane out injured.
Moreso, Ajax had lost just once in their previous 24 home games and were fresh from winning the Dutch Cup.
Ajax extended their aggregate advantage as early as the fifth minute when captain Matthijs de Ligt headed in a corner, and ten minutes before half-time, it was 2-0, with Hakim Ziyech on target.
Spurs refused to give up, and Lucas Moura struck twice in the space of five second-half minutes to level the score on the night.
Ajax retained the aggregate lead, and with both sides committed to attack, chances continued to flow at both ends, Ziyech’s 20-metre shot coming back off the post before Jan Vertonghen struck the crossbar.
Just as it looked as if Ajax would resist, however, Moura swept into the net in the final seconds of added time, completing his hat-trick and a comeback for the ages.
10. Germany 4-4 Sweden – FIFA World Cup qualifier, 2012
In 2012, Sweden staged an extraordinary comeback in their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier with Germany, fighting back from 4-0 down with 30 minutes left to draw 4-4.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mikael Lustig, and Johan Elmander scored in the space of 14 minutes before Rasmus Elm’s 93rd-minute strike completed an unlikely fightback.
It meant Germany failed to secure victory after holding a four-goal lead for the first time in their history.
