The excitement of major tournaments like the Euros, or Copa America can be unmatched. Both those competitions will be coming to our screens in the summer, with Germany hosting the European Championships and the United States hosting the South American showpiece, just as they did back in 2016. However, sometimes soccer history surprises us with unexpected champions that defy all odds and leave a lasting impact on the sport’s memory.
That has been the case with the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, which has provided shock after shock. In fact, for the first time in the history of any major international tournament, not a single team that made it to the quarterfinals in 2021 managed to return to the last eight this year. Heavyweights such as Ghana, Algeria, and Tunisia all fell in the group stages, and the stunners didn’t stop there. World Cup semifinalists Morocco was eliminated in the second round at the hands of South Africa while record champions Egypt were eliminated at the same stage by DR Congo.
Two heavyweights still remain with the hosts Ivory Coast and Nigeria both, through to the semifinals, and are expected to face off against each other in the final. However, even the former of those two has surprised many as they only scraped through to the knockout stage after finishing as the third lowest-ranked third-place team and squeezing through with one win and two defeats. Despite that, a prominent online sportsbook makes them the +300 second favorite for glory.
But shockers on the continental stage aren’t unexpected. In fact, they’re more common than you might imagine. And a shock winner has come from the continent of Africa before. Here are the most surprising continental champions in soccer history.
Zambia win the 2012 African Cup of Nations
The Zambian national team was not among the favorites to win Equatorial Guinea and Gabon held Africa Cup of Nations 12 years ago. However, they managed to progress as group winners after knocking off one of the hosts as well as the heavy-hitting Senegal. That set up a quarterfinal against lowly Sudan, who were duly brushed aside in a resounding 3-0 victory.
However, a semifinal against 2010 runners-up Ghana was expected to be the end of the road for the underdogs. Despite the Black Stars featuring stars such as Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew, it was Zambia who picked up a shocking 1-0 victory thanks to substitute Emmanuel Mayuka’s late winner. Finally, a Didier Drogba-powered Ivory Coast would surely have too much for them to handle in the final, wouldn’t they?
Well, no. The Zambians managed to keep the lethal Elephants at bay, holding out for a 0-0 draw before winning on penalties, with captain Christopher Katongo scoring the crucial final spot kick to secure a historic victory for his country. The triumph was particularly poignant as it came 19 years after Zambia’s entire squad perished in a plane crash off Libreville, Gabon.
Greece win Euro 2004
The Greek national team was considered one of the weakest in Europe when they entered the Euro 2004 tournament held in Portugal. However, they shocked everyone by defeating the continent’s finest football nations en route to glory. Despite losing to Russia, they still progressed to the knockout round as runners-up to Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. and booked their spot against reigning champions France in the quarterfinals.
Despite Les Bleus having the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry in their starting eleven, it was the lowly Greeks that knocked out the favorites thanks to Angelos Charisteas’ 65th-minute goal. Centre-back Traianos Dellas then scored the only silver goal in the history of professional football with his headed winner in the dying embers of the first half of extra time. They then met the hosts in the final, a team they had already defeated in the opening game of the tournament.
Despite losing the initial encounter, Portugal was expected to get their revenge and their hands on the trophy. But Greece went on to prove that lightning does indeed strike twice as the favorites could find no reply to Charisteas’ first-half header. Their disciplined defensive style of play combined with counter-attacking tactics proved deadly against more fancied opponents.
Iraq win the 2007 Asian Cup
The Iraqi national team had faced enormous difficulties due to war-torn circumstances before entering the 2007 Asian Cup hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Despite being ranked lowly among participating nations and facing strong opposition from countries like Australia and South Korea, they managed to reach their first-ever final by winning all their knockout games on penalties.
In an emotional final played in Jakarta against Saudi Arabia – who were strong favorites- Iraq won thanks to a goal from substitute Younis Mahmoud. The triumph brought joy to an entire nation that had suffered from conflict and instability for years.
Chile win Copa America in 2015 & 2016
Chile’s national team has always been considered a strong force in South America but has struggled to win a major trophy for many years. In the 2015 Copa America held on to home turf, the hosts managed to beat Argentina on penalties in the final, securing their first-ever continental championship. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was the star of the show, saving from Gonzalo Higuain and Ever Banega to secure the victory.
Just a year later, they repeated the feat by defeating the Albiceleste again in the final of the 2016 edition held in the United States. Bravo again starred, watching Lionel Messi sky his spot kick in the shootout and handing the Barcelona icon his third major international final defeat in just two years.
