Ranked! The 10 best World Cup comebacks
Argentina came back from two goals down Egypt to book their place in the quarter-finals of World Cup 2026.
It was perhaps the most climactic comeback of this summer’s edition of the tournament, with La Albiceleste’s first goal not plundered until the 79th minute, at which point Lionel Messi got involved, before Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez completed the heist.
That got us thinking about the greatest-ever World Cup comebacks – below are some of the best…
10. Belgium 3-2 Japan (2018)
In 2018, Belgium were still at the peak of their Golden Generation powers: Thibaut Courtois in net, a star-studded Premier League defence, Kevin De Bruyne in the middle, Eden Hazard out wide and Romelu Lukaku up top.
So, to go 2-0 down to Japan in the first hour was something of a red-face inducer, and it remained that way until there were only around 20 or so minutes left on the clock.
Jan Vertonghen kicked the round-of-16 comeback off, with perhaps one of the longest-range headers we’ll ever see, before Marouane Fellaini nodded in the equaliser. The fact the winner was scored deep in stoppage time by Nacer Chadli, and thanks in part to a smart Lukaku dummy, made this redemption even sweeter.
9. Argentina 3-2 Egypt (2026)
Forgive us for what could be a dose of recency bias here, but it feels like Argentina’s comeback does deserve a mention here, purely based on how late the three goals.
The game is also not harmed by Messi, who at 39 years old has still been his talismanic best, and came up trumps once again, crashing in the equaliser off the crossbar for his eighth goal of the tournament with a spectacular half-volley.
Much like Belgium, Fernandez then finished the job in stoppage time. Some more distance from this game, with the additional context of how Argentina finish this tournament, will likely determine how the match stands the test of time.
8. Portugal 5-3 Korea DPR (1966)
We’re not going to pretend we remember this game firsthand, but the story is remarkable, with it being only one of two 3+ goal comebacks in World Cup history.
The momentous game occurred at Goodison Park, where what is now known as North Korea surprisingly went three goals up in the first half an hour of the quarter-final.
Eusebio decided he was having none of it, and slammed home four goals on his own before the hour mark, with Jose Augusto capping off the spectacle.
We’re pretty sure they didn’t go on to win that year though…
7. England 3-2 Cameroon (AET) (1990)
This could have included as a Cameroon comeback in another life, the Indomitable Lions netting two after David Platt’s early opener – having stunned Argentina in the Italia 90’s first game.
It wasn’t to be, however, with crisp-loving marksman Gary Lineker on target from the spot once to send the game to extra time, and again to prevent it going to penalties.
“Before the Cameroon game, when a lot of the press were at training, I deliberately practised a penalty I wouldn’t take. And the Cameroon goalkeeper went exactly that direction!” the cunning former Barca man later said.
6. West Germany 3-2 England (AET) (1970)
A win against the defending champions is something, but coming back after they’ve gone ahead is an even greater hurdle to clear.
That’s exactly what West Germany managed, in a re-run of the final four years earlier.
They failed to win it once again despite dumping the Three Lions out in the quarter-final, but at least they had some revenge to bring home with them this time.
6. Austria 7-5 Switzerland (1954)
A 12-goal thriller is rightly remembered for the number of times the ball was in the back of the net – holding the record for the most goals scored in a World Cup finals game – but nestled in that chaos was also a top comeback.
Switzerland must have thought they had the game wrapped up with 24 minutes on the clock, with a 3-0 lead already established.
Incredibly, however, the next five goals came from Austria. Josef Hugi pulled one back for his hat-trick, making it 5-4 at the hour mark.
Austria scored twice more, meaning Swizerland’s Robert Ballaman’s final goal was merely a consolation, in game unlikely to be shifted from the history books for some time.
5. England 1-2 Brazil (2002)
Having experienced their own comeback story 12 years early, it was time for the Three Lions to taste their own medicine.
A young Michael Owen gave England the lead against a star-studded Brazil attack that, in the end, proved irrepressible.
Ronaldinho was the headline-grabber, setting up Rivaldo before converting a perhaps fortunate free-kick of his own and, as if he didn’t have the attention already, getting himself sent off seven minutes later, albeit with some controversy over the decision.
It was a vital comeback, given the Selecao memorably went on to lift the trophy that year, a feat they haven’t repeated since.
3. France 2-1 Croatia (1998)
Croatia only held the lead for a single minute in this contest, but it’s impossible not to give props to a comeback so important, with Les Bleus going on to win the trophy for the first time in their history after this semi-final victory.
Greater credit is due for the fact they held on to their Lilian Thuram-inspired lead for over 10 minutes after Laurent Blanc’s dismissal.
It’d be the second-most important meeting between these two nations, with France once again winning in the 2018 final, but was a notable feat in comeback terms.
2. Italy 4-3 West Germany (AET) (1970)
Tennis fans would have been proud of the back-and-forth in this match-up, nicknamed the Game of the Century.
Italy went one up in the first 10 minutes and weren’t answered until added time of the second half of this semi-final, where the real action started.
A total of five goals were scored in extra time, a World Cup record, with the lead changing hands like it was a hot potato.
The nature of it means this could have gone down as a comeback wherever the ref ended it, but it’s a game too juicy not to include.
1. West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954)
Context for a comeback is everything, and occasions don’t come much bigger than a World Cup final.
Hungary went into the game heavy favourites with the firepower of Ferenc Puskas, the team having scored an average of 6.25 goals on route to the final. He netted the opener, before team-mate Zoltan Czibor made it two with eight minutes gone.
But there’s a reason this game is known as the Miracle of Bern – Max Morlock pulled one back two minutes later for West Germany, before Helmut Rahn equalised.
The goalmouth action took a break for the rest of the first half and well into the second period, when Rahn sealed what would go down as one of the game’s greatest underdog stories.
