Cuba 3-2 Romania (1938)
France 1938 | First round

Argentina and Brazil were among those who had tried, but no team from outside Europe had beaten one from it on the Old Continent in the World Cup when Cuba became the sixth nation to give it a shot. A Hector Socorro double earned them a Romania replay. One-nil down at half-time, goals from Socorro and Spain-born Tomas Fernandez claimed Los Leones del Caribe victory.

USA 1-0 England
Brazil 1950 | Group stage

England had run riot since football’s return from World War II. They had thumped the Netherlands 8-2 in Huddersfield, Ireland 9-2 in Manchester, Switzerland 6-0 in London, Italy 4-0 in Turin and Portugal 10-0 in Lisbon. USA had been whitewashed 5-0 by Northern Ireland and 11-0 by Norway. It was gods of the game in Billy Wright, Tom Finney, Wilf Mannion and Stan Mortensen against a dishwasher, a dock worker, a hearse driver, a milkman, a postman and fellow amateurs. Odds on the Americans beating the English, who were at their first World Cup and confident of conquering it, were a staggering 500/1.

“We have no chance,” said newly-named US coach Bill Jeffrey pre-game. “We’re sheep ready to be slaughtered.” Jeffrey then shepherded USA to a sport-shaking upset. Goalkeeper Frank Borghi had the game of his life, the woodwork proved his BFF, and a high-school teacher set up a student for the only goal of ‘The Miracle of Belo Horizonte’.

Mexico 3-1 Czechoslovakia
Chile 1962 | Group stage

Czechoslovakia, bronze-medallists at UEFA EURO 1960, were a frightening force. At its heartbeat was Josef Masopust, a palatial midfielder who was named European Footballer of the Year for 1962, and he had outstanding players such as Svatopluk Pluskal, Jan Popluhar, Ladislav Novak, Andrej Kvasnak, Adolf Scherer and Jozef Adamec for company. Czechoslovakia sunk Spain and drew with Brazil, but still needed a result in their final Group 3 game to be sure of going through.

They were 1-0 up within 14 seconds – Vaclav Masek smashed the record for the fastest goal in World Cup history – but they didn’t get it. Isidoro Diaz equalised following an exquisite, end-to-end break in which Alfredo del Aguila, Hector Hernandez and Salvador Reyes featured prominently. Del Aguila then robbed the great Masopust, played a one-two with Pedro Najera, swivelled and scored. Antonio Carbajal flexed his still-rapid reflexes to deny Scherer, and Mexico, with Reyes and Del Aguila unplayable, got the game’s fourth goal through a Hernandez penalty. It was unable to write them a ticket to the next round, but their maiden World Cup win was in the books.

Honduras 1-1 Spain
Spain 1982 | Group stage

If Hungary had pummelled El Salvador 10-1 – it remains the biggest victory in FIFA World Cup™ history – the day before, what would Spain, boasting an all-star cast and home advantage, do to fellow Central Americans Honduras? Chelato Ucles and his Catrachos had an emphatic response. They soon silenced Valencia, Porfirio Betancourt outmuscling his marker and diverting the ball to Hector Zelaya, who held off his man and altered the scoreboard.

Betancourt’s blend of brawn and brilliance bothered the Spaniards incessantly, while the Hondurans defensive display was nothing short of heroic, with opposition coach Jose Santamaria – one of the greatest centre-backs of all time – labelling Allan Anthony Costly’s as “exceptional”. Spain managed an equaliser from the spot, but Honduras finished up the talk of the sport and three of their players were immediately signed by Spanish clubs.

Belgium 1-2 Mexico
Mexico 1986 | Group stage

El Tri edged Les Diables Rouges 1-0 to reach the knockout phase in 1970, but while that Belgium team was Paul Van Himst-dependant, this one was awash with outstanding players. Guy Thys’ side, who finished runners-up at the EURO in 1980, boasted Jean-Marie Pfaff, Eric Gerets, Franky Van der Elst, Enzo Scifo, Jan Ceulemans and Erwin Vandenbergh.

Those greats were nonetheless outheaded by Bora Milutinovic’s gladiators in front of 110,000 at the Azteca. Fernando Quirarte and Hugo Sanchez nodded into the net for Mexico, with Vandenbergh responding for Belgium. The result was fundamental to the North Americans topping Group B and duly getting a more navigable last-16 tie against Bulgaria, which they won.

Sweden 1-2 Costa Rica
Italy 1990 | Group stage

At 10:30pm, Los Ticos were en route to finishing – as had been foreseen on their World Cup bow – bottom of Group C. Fifteen minutes later, they had snatched second and reached the knockout phase, sparking wild scenes from the ear-splitting Costa Ricans inside the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. After Gabelo Conejo made two brilliant stops to keep Milutinovic’s men in the game, Roger Flores equalised with a glancing header before substitute Hernan Medford raced on to a clearance and slotted the ball into the bottom corner of Thomas Ravelli’s net.

Japan 1-2 Jamaica
France 1998 | Group stage

It was a showdown between sides wrestling for their first World Cup win. Japan were the clear favourites. Twelfth on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, they had deserved more from 1-0 losses to Argentina and Croatia, whereas Jamaica had been soundly beaten 5-0 and 3-1. A show was expected from superstar Hidetoshi Nakata. One was delivered from little-known Theodore Whitmore. ‘Tappa’ got one cutting inside on to his right foot, and the other doing the same on to his left, rendering Masashi Nakayama’s strike a mere consolation. Ricardo Gardner and Fitzroy Simpson also illuminated Lyon with their engrossing gifts as the Reggae Boyz became the first Caribbean team in 60 years to triumph at the global finals.

USA 3-2 Portugal
Korea/Japan 2002 | Group stage

Was it time for Vitor Baia, Fernando Couto, Manuel Rui Costa, Luis Figo, Joao Pinto and Co to go all the way? Thirty-six curtain-raising minutes in Suwon ultimately collapsed that dream. After Brian McBride’s header almost snapped Baia’s wrist, John O’Brien thwacked USA in front. Eddie Pope almost made it two. Landon Donovan, albeit with a stroke of luck, did. Then Tony Sanneh turned David Beckham and delivered one of the greatest crosses ever witnessed at the global finals. Given McBride was the man on the end of it, the outcome was inevitable. It mattered not that Portugal pulled two back – the second via a fortuitous own-goal – USA had written a chapter into the most shock-saturated World Cup of all time.

Uruguay 1-3 Costa Rica
Brazil 2014 | Group stage

Lip-readers caught Jorge Luis Pinto swearing when the draw for Brazil 2014 left Costa Rica swimming in a pool of sharks with former world champions England, Italy and Uruguay. First up for Los Ticos was La Celeste, who they had never beaten in 10 attempts. A meliorated model of the side that finished fourth at South Africa 2010 went ahead via an Edinson Cavani spot-kick, before Keylor Navas kept the underdogs in it with a stunning save from Diego Forlan.

If the first half had gone to script, the second shattered it to smithereens, with Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell outplaying their illustrious opponents. The latter stylishly half-volleyed home the equaliser, and Oscar Duarte combined considerable courage, planting his head in the way of Cristhian Stuani’s flying studs, and mathematical precision to somehow head home the go-ahead goal. Marco Urena killed the contest following a defence-chopping through-ball. It was the men in sky-blue swearing at the final whistle.

Germany 0-1 Mexico
Russia 2018 | Group stage

No nation had successfully defended the World Cup crown in 56 years, but Germany were optimistic of emulating the exploits of Vittorio Pozzo’s Italy and Brazil of Garrincha and Pele. They suffered a gaping wound first time out. Mexico had already tested the hands of Manuel Neuer before they finally overcame him. Javier Hernandez played a one-two with Andres Guardado and fed Hirving Lozano, who cut inside Mesut Ozil and found the bottom corner. Hector Herrera’s burglary thereafter put him top of Moscow City Police’s most-wanted list and, despite Germany registering 25 shots, Mexico held on for a famous scalp.