Summary of the biggest win in football history

When Sweden led 5-0 against Cuba at the 1938 World Cup, respected journalist Emmanuel Gambardella turned off his typewriter. Anything beyond five goals was just “statistics” in the eyes of the future president of the French Football Federation. Several sides throughout the history of the beautiful game have shared the same moral compass when it comes to going up. Germany famously made a pact midway through their demolition of Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals to spare the hosts further humiliation. Not everyone is so forgiving. Here are some of biggest win in football history on record, as compiled by Premiumsoccertips. This list only considers senior men’s matches at the highest level, while results that were later erased from the record books are also excluded.

10 biggest wins in football history

10. China 19-0 Guam

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Willie McFaul faced the daunting task of taking on Asian giants China in his first game as manager of the tiny US territory of Guam. China were ranked 112 places higher than the visitors and had more people serving in the military than the entire population of Guam in 2000. The huge gap was made clear in qualifying for that year’s Asian Cup, but McFaul tried to look on the bright side.

McFaul called on only amateurs, doing his best to coax competitive performances from teachers, bankers and students who had not yet transferred to US universities. By comparison, China were in the early stages of a golden generation. The continental giants reached the semi-finals of the Asian Cup that year and qualified for their first World Cup in 2002.

9. Iran 19-0 Guam

At the turn of the millennium, it was not easy to be a fan of the Guam men’s national team. Admitted to FIFA in 1996, Guam had a difficult start to international football. “When we first started playing football, we were like punching bags,” said Guam National Football Association President Valentino San Gil, reflecting the fact that the team had no chance of competing with the big boys.

Less than a year after their 19-0 defeat to China, Guam suffered another disaster when they faced Iran in a 2002 World Cup qualifier. Iran scored the same scoreline, with Farhad Majidi scoring the 18th goal on an embarrassing night, leaving Guam with no chance of avoiding defeat. Majidi even chased the ball into the net to win it back, ensuring the team’s best goal difference. Guam coach Willie McFaul admitted it was a “not very pleasant” experience.

8. Kuwait 20-0 Bhutan

The tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan had only played its first competitive international match two days earlier, when it faced Kuwait in a 2000 Asian Cup qualifier. The team made a promising start, holding their own for the first 18 minutes, but were unable to hold their own as they conceded the first of four penalties in the game after a foul in the box.

Kuwait goalkeeper Ahmad Jassem had little to do as he saw a Bhutan shot sent his way, and he converted a penalty shortly afterwards to make it 19-0. Bashar Abdullah finished the match with his eighth goal in the 89th minute. The result was so lopsided that Asian Football Confederation (AFC) General Secretary Peter Velappan threatened to restructure the entire qualifying process to avoid such lopsided matches in the future.

7. Guam 0-21 North Korea

In the penultimate qualifying match of the 2005 East Asian Football Championship, North Korea went into their match against Guam with a goal difference that they needed to improve in order to compete with Hong Kong, who were on a goal difference of +26. With a goal difference of just +8, North Korea knew that a big win was crucial to their chances of overcoming their opponents. Facing a weak Guam, the team became the unwanted victim in a match that was predicted to be a high-scoring affair, with North Korea not letting up.

The game quickly picked up pace, and after just six minutes, Hong Yong-jo opened the scoring, setting up an unexpected nightmare for Guam goalkeeper Joseph Laanan. North Korea maintained tremendous pressure and scored at a dizzying rate, with each goal coming every 252 seconds on average. The match ended in a devastating scoreline, allowing North Korea to improve their goal difference and overtake Hong Kong to qualify for the next round, where they finished third, ahead of South Korea.

6. Tonga 0-22 Australia

Australia coach Frank Farina took no chances in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers, deciding to call up eight overseas-based players, including striker John Aliosi from Coventry City. Aliosi scored six goals in a record 22-0 win over Tonga, a result that reflected the huge gulf in quality between the teams. Tonga coach Gary Phillips also acknowledged the significant gap between his side and their opponents, which only served to highlight Australia’s dominance in that match.

Despite the difficulties, Farina maintained his view of the strength of his squad. Club teams lost players for these friendlies, which took place outside an official international window, causing problems for many coaches. Rangers manager Dick Advocaat, for example, was without two Australian defenders, and he was critical of the situation. Farina, however, was undeterred, asserting his freedom to select players and vowing to push the team relentlessly with the aim of never-ending attack.

5. Preston North End 26-0 Hyde

Preston North End, the dominant side of the 1880s, were regarded as the first Galacticos in football history. Under the guidance of manager William Sudell, the team attracted top talent from Scotland thanks to attractive positions at Sudell’s factory. At a time when player wages were not yet legal, Preston North End still succeeded in building a strong squad and dominating English football. Their excellence was not only in tactics but also in attracting stars, making them an icon of the early professional era.

When Preston North End hosted Hyde at Deepdale in the FA Cup, Sudell’s side were on a 42-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Hyde, fortunate to have the chance to play them, were unable to cope with their superior strength. After just two minutes, Preston North End took the lead, and the score continued to increase as Hyde were completely helpless against the overwhelming power of this elite team. The match became a devastating one, affirming Preston’s superiority in early football.

4. Tahiti 30-0 Cook Islands

The 1971 South Pacific Games, held in Tahiti, attracted 14 island nations to compete in a variety of sports, from discus to decathlon. Although the region is predominantly rugby-dominated, football was one of the most popular and prominent events of the summer. The jubilant crowd witnessed a magical spectacle as the hosts Tahiti scored 30 goals without conceding in their match against the Cook Islands, setting a record that will never be forgotten in the history of the tournament.

For the Cook Islands, a nation that had only recently formed a national team, it was a painful start. The match against Tahiti had come after a humiliating 16-1 defeat to Papua New Guinea just two days earlier. The 15-1 defeat to Fiji that ended their tournament was not a surprise, but a mercy compared to previous disastrous defeats.

3. Australia 31-0 American Samoa

American Samoa would have been the underdogs against Australia in any event. But the tiny Pacific island had everything stacked against them before conceding 31 goals. FIFA ruled 19 of their 20-man squad were born in neighbouring Samoa on the eve of the game ineligible. The under-20 squad could not be selected because they would miss their school exams, forcing American Samoa to call up younger amateur players, including a pair of 15-year-olds.

Head coach Tunoa Lui warned: “We are praying to God to help keep the score low.” No divine entity could stop Archie Thompson from scoring a world record 13 goals. The striker echoed the sentiments of many at the time when he called the exercise “a waste of time”. Australian goalkeeper Michael Petkovic had 86 minutes to kill before he touched the ball for the first time.

2. Dundee Harp 35-0 Aberdeen Rovers

Before we get into the shocking details of Dundee Harp’s 35-0 win over Aberdeen Rovers in the Scottish Cup, it’s worth understanding the context. Aberdeen, in their second game, fielded just 10 players – a serious omission that was strangely overlooked in contemporary reports. This was a significant handicap, and one that prevented the team from playing effectively, especially given the club’s early development.

Dundee Harp, a club six years into their existence, did not miss the opportunity to show their strength, leading 16-0 at half-time. Captain D’Arcy Junior scored 10 goals, including five in quick succession in the second half. The goals came so quickly that the referee is said to have lost count, initially giving a 37-0 win, but then the Dundee Harp secretary confirmed the score as 35-0. The victory, though minor, left a lasting mark on Scottish football history.

1. Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord

In the history of football, no one has suffered such a crushing defeat as the Scots. They even have a special word for such a painfully and comically one-sided game: gubbing. On the same day that Dundee Harp recorded their shocking 35 (or 37)-0 win over Aberdeen Rovers, Arbroath FC also produced a storm of goals by beating Bon Accord 36-0, without conceding a single goal. It was a truly uneven game, demonstrating Arbroath’s complete superiority.

Dundee Harp and Arbroath were powerful clubs, with a feud between the two clubs sparked by the transfer of Tom O’Kane, an Arbroath-born player, to Dundee in 1885. After Dundee Harp’s great victory, O’Kane did not forget to send a telegram boasting about Arbroath’s defeat. However, he was soon informed that Arbroath had won in more impressive fashion. Had it not been for a narrow offside call that ruled out seven goals, the scoreline could have been even higher, and Arbroath’s victory would have been an unbeatable record.

Conclusion

At the end of football history, record wins such as Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord or Dundee Harp 35-0 Aberdeen Rovers have become legends. However, none of them can match the “biggest win in football history” when Arbroath defeated Bon Accord with an unbelievable score of 36-0. These results are not only a testament to technical superiority but also a reflection of the incredible disparity between teams in the early days of football. These disastrous defeats remain landmarks in history, making us unable to forget the matches full of surprises and records.

See more: Who is faster Messi or Ronaldo? A Comprehensive Analysis