Top 8 Most Shocking Matches in World Cup History: Cape Verde Draws with Spain, Five Major Nations Defeated
On 16 June 2026, The Athletic, a leading UK media outlet, revealed 8 of the most shocking matches in World Cup history after Cape Verde, ranked 67th globally, stunned the football world by holding Spain, the world number 2 and former World Cup champion, to a 0-0 draw.
Although Cape Verde's entire population is under 530,000—less than Thailand's Chanthaburi province—they shocked everyone in the opening group stage of the 2026 World Cup Group H. Spain dominated possession with 74%, launching 27 shots.
But Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper, delivered seven exceptional saves, and Cape Verde committed only one foul throughout the 90 minutes, compared to Spain’s 10 fouls. Cape Verde earned their first-ever World Cup point in their debut appearance.
Recently, The Athletic compiled the 8 biggest upsets in World Cup history, including the Cape Verde-Spain draw, and highlighted 5 major nations who suffered defeats: England, Italy, Germany (including West Germany), Argentina, and France.
1950: United States 1-0 England (Group Stage)
1966: North Korea 1-0 Italy (Group Stage)
1982: Algeria 2-1 West Germany (First Group Stage)
1990: Cameroon 1-0 Argentina (Group Stage)
1994: Bulgaria 2-1 Germany (Quarterfinals)
2002: Senegal 1-0 France (Group Stage)
2022: Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina (Group Stage)
2026: Cape Verde 0-0 Spain (Group Stage)
