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association football

The 27 Best Association Football Matches of All Time

From the 1950 World Cup decider to Liverpool’s 2019 comeback, these 27 association football matches stand out for stakes, quality, drama and legacy.

By VGSources Team 7 min read
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Here, “football games” means association football matches—not video games. This is an editorial selection spanning international tournaments and club competitions, chosen for drama, quality, stakes, individual performances and lasting legacy. Those criteria are a way to compare very different matches, not a universally accepted ranking; no authoritative list covers every competition and era. The selection also cannot claim to represent the full global history of the women’s game.

How this list defines “best”

A great scoreline is not enough on its own. A match can earn its place through the quality of the football, the stakes involved, a defining individual performance, an extraordinary swing in momentum or the mark it left on the sport. The 27 matches below are grouped by competition and era for context, not ranked against one another.

World Cup landmarks

1. Uruguay 2–1 Brazil — 1950 World Cup decisive match

Brazil’s defeat at the Maracanã is remembered as one of the World Cup’s defining shocks. It was not a conventional knockout final: FIFA describes it as the last match of the final group, with the result deciding the tournament. That distinction matters, even as the match’s stakes and legacy explain why it is often discussed alongside finals. FIFA’s World Cup history retrospective places it among the landmark matches in the competition’s story.

2. Brazil 5–2 Sweden — 1958 World Cup final

Brazil’s first World Cup title came with a commanding performance in the final. FIFA includes the match in its account of finals that made history, a reminder that a classic need not depend on a late comeback: dominance on the sport’s biggest stage can be memorable in its own right. FIFA’s retrospective.

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3. England 4–2 West Germany — 1966 World Cup final

Extra time turned a tense final into one of the tournament’s most enduring matches. Its title stakes, dramatic finish and place in the host nation’s football memory give it a lasting claim among World Cup classics. FIFA’s history of landmark finals provides the wider context.

4. Italy 4–3 West Germany — 1970 World Cup semi-final

This extra-time semi-final is remembered for its succession of goals and shifting advantage. The stage and quality of the opposing teams raised the stakes; the open, unpredictable finish supplied the drama. It is a useful counterpoint to finals-only lists: some of the tournament’s most famous matches happen before the final.

5. Argentina 3–2 West Germany — 1986 World Cup final

Argentina’s victory in Mexico City completed a memorable championship run, while West Germany’s late response made the final competitive to the finish. The match’s significance comes from both the title at stake and the decisive contributions that shaped Argentina’s campaign. FIFA’s finals retrospective includes it among the landmark title matches.

6. Brazil 1–1 Italy (Brazil won 3–2 on penalties) — 1994 World Cup final

A final without a goal in open play still became a landmark: the title was decided by a penalty shoot-out after extra time. The pressure of a World Cup final made each kick consequential, and the outcome gave Brazil another championship. FIFA’s history of notable finals includes the match.

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7. France 3–0 Brazil — 1998 World Cup final

France’s first men’s World Cup title arrived with a decisive final performance against the defending champions. Its place in football memory rests on the scale of the occasion and the clarity of the result, not a late twist. See FIFA’s retrospective on finals that made history.

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8. Italy 1–1 France (Italy won 5–3 on penalties) — 2006 World Cup final

The final’s extra-time drama and penalty finish made it one of the most discussed championship matches of the modern era. The result settled the title, but the match’s legacy also reflects the tension of a contest that remained level through extra time. FIFA includes it in its landmark-finals history.

9. Spain 1–0 Netherlands — 2010 World Cup final

With the score still level late in extra time, Spain’s goal decided a first World Cup title for the country. The match was a high-stakes test of patience and nerve rather than a goal-filled spectacle, showing how a single moment can define a final. FIFA’s retrospective discusses it in the context of historic finals.

10. Germany 1–0 Argentina — 2014 World Cup final

Germany’s extra-time winner secured the championship after a closely fought final. Its appeal lies in the sustained contest and the pressure of a match decided by one late breakthrough. FIFA’s account of landmark finals places it among the tournament’s defining conclusions.

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European Championship classics

UEFA’s archive of classic EURO matches is a curated set, not a definitive ranking. It identifies these fixtures as notable examples from the tournament’s history. UEFA says selected classic EURO games are available in full and free on UEFA.tv; check the individual match page, since archive availability can change.

11. Soviet Union 0–2 Netherlands — EURO 1988 final

The Netherlands won its first European Championship with a final performance that has become central to the tournament’s history. The match is one of the classic finals in UEFA’s archive selection.

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12. Netherlands 2–2 Denmark (Denmark won 5–4 on penalties) — EURO 1992 semi-final

A semi-final settled by penalties offers a different kind of tension from a final decided in regulation time. UEFA’s classic-match archive includes the contest, reflecting its lasting place in the story of Denmark’s tournament.

13. England 1–1 Germany (Germany won 6–5 on penalties) — EURO 1996 semi-final

The hosts’ run ended in a penalty shoot-out against Germany. The match is remembered for the weight of its occasion as much as its ending, and UEFA includes it among its EURO classics.

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14. France 2–1 Italy — EURO 2000 final

Italy led deep into the match before France equalised in stoppage time and won in extra time. That abrupt change of fortune made the final one of the most dramatic conclusions in European Championship history; it is among UEFA’s archive selections.

15. Netherlands 2–3 Czech Republic — EURO 2004 group stage

Five goals and a changing lead made this group-stage match one of the tournament’s most entertaining contests. UEFA’s archive includes it as a classic, demonstrating that a match need not be a knockout tie to become part of a tournament’s defining memories.

16. Germany 1–2 Italy — EURO 2012 semi-final

Italy’s win over Germany sent it to the final and made this semi-final a defining match of the tournament. UEFA’s archive selection recognizes its stakes and lasting significance.

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17. Wales 3–1 Belgium — EURO 2016 quarter-final

Wales came from behind to beat Belgium and reach the semi-finals in its first European Championship. The upset, comeback and historic consequence combine to make it a standout modern EURO match in UEFA’s archive.

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Champions League nights

European club football has produced classics shaped by two-legged ties as well as finals. FourFourTwo’s feature, updated 29 April 2026, is one publication’s editorial ranking rather than an official all-time verdict. Its selected examples include the following matches.

18. Barcelona 3–1 Manchester United — 2010/11 Champions League final

Barcelona’s victory in the final is remembered for the team’s control of a high-profile contest and the quality of its performance on the biggest club stage. FourFourTwo includes it among its candidate classics.

19. Manchester City 4–3 Tottenham — 2018/19 quarter-final, second leg

Tottenham advanced on away goals after a chaotic second leg in which both sides scored repeatedly and a late Manchester City goal was ruled out following a video review. The tie’s decisive swing in the closing moments made it an unusually sharp example of how a two-legged contest can turn on a single decision. FourFourTwo lists it among its Champions League greats.

20. Liverpool 4–0 Barcelona — 2018/19 semi-final, second leg

After losing the first leg 3–0, Liverpool overturned the deficit at Anfield to reach the final. The scale of the comeback, the stakes and the speed with which the tie changed make it one of the competition’s defining modern nights. FourFourTwo’s updated feature includes it in its ranking.

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21. Liverpool 3–3 AC Milan (Liverpool won 3–2 on penalties) — 2005 final

AC Milan led 3–0 at half-time before Liverpool scored three times in the second half and won the shoot-out. The comeback turned a final that appeared decided into one of the Champions League’s most enduring matches.

22. Manchester United 2–1 Bayern Munich — 1999 final

Bayern led until stoppage time, when Manchester United scored twice to win the trophy. The timing of the reversal, with the title still in play to the final moments, is the match’s defining legacy.

23. Chelsea 4–1 Barcelona — 2004/05 round of 16, second leg

Chelsea’s attacking performance settled a high-pressure knockout tie against Barcelona. The match’s place among club classics comes from the quality and stakes of the opposition as well as the decisive result.

24. Real Madrid 4–0 Borussia Dortmund — 2013/14 semi-final, first leg

Real Madrid’s emphatic first-leg win set the tone in a Champions League semi-final against the previous season’s finalists. Its significance is tied to the quality of the teams and the stage, even without the last-minute drama that defines other entries.

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25. Deportivo La Coruña 4–0 AC Milan — 2003/04 quarter-final, second leg

Deportivo overturned a three-goal first-leg deficit to eliminate the defending champions. The scale of the turnaround and the magnitude of the opponent made it a landmark European comeback.

26. Ajax 2–0 Juventus — 1995 final

Ajax’s young side defeated Juventus to win the Champions League, producing a final remembered for both the result and the team’s place in the competition’s history.

27. Real Madrid 4–1 Atlético Madrid — 2013/14 final

Atlético were minutes from the title before Real Madrid equalised in stoppage time and took control in extra time. The city rivalry, the final’s stakes and the late reversal made it a particularly dramatic end to the season. FourFourTwo’s Champions League feature offers a wider editorial selection of competition classics.

Where to watch classic EURO matches

UEFA’s archive announcement says selected classic European Championship matches can be watched in full and free on UEFA.tv. Availability may vary by match and over time, so use UEFA’s official archive and confirm that the specific replay is currently available before planning to watch.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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