Soccer is the most popular game around the world, but how many of us know the greatest victories in soccer history?
During his two-decade career, Edson Arantesdo Nascimento, popularly known as Pelé, scored 1,279 goals – the most goals ever by a soccer player.
Football is also known as soccer in most parts of the world.
Every day there is a football game somewhere in the world.
Still, there are some records in football that have stood for ages.
This is about the biggest victories in football history, broken down by international, first division and club games.
Greatest international victories
Australia def.
It’s the biggest win of all time in an international football game.
On April 11, 2001, Australia destroyed American Samoa in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier by netting 31 goals.
Australia’s Archie Thompson scored a record 13 goals for his team while David Zdrilic scored 8.
Brazil def.
This was a match at the 1975 Pan American Games.
On October 17, in a Group D match, Brazil beat Nicaragua by 14 goals to top their pool.
In the first 5 minutes itself, Brazil was 3 goals ahead, and at the end of the game Luís Alberto was the top scorer with 4 goals.
Germany def.
This match was played on 6 September 2006 in Serravalle, San Marino as a Euro 2008 qualifier.
It became a record win for any team at the European Championship.
Lukas Podolski scored the best goal with 4 goals and San Marino was eliminated from the tournament.
The game was played on October 15, 1962 in Blantyre, Malawi.
Known as the ‘Soccer Massacre’, this dozen goals is Ghana’s biggest victory in an international game.
Mfum scored 5 goals while Edward Acquah scored 4 goals for the winner.
Ghana defeated.
Ghana defeated.
In a match played on December 12, 1965 in Nairobi, Kenya, Ghana defeated the hapless Kenya by 13 goals to 2.
The unbelievable thing was that Kenya took the lead in the 3rd minute of the game.
Osei Kofi and Kofi Pare scored the top goals with 4 goals each.
In a UEFA Euro 1984 Group 7 qualifier, played on 21 December 1983 in Seville, Spain, Spain scored a dozen goals into the opposition’s net and conceded just one goal themselves.
Carlos Alonso González, also known as Santillana, was the top scorer with 4 goals and helped Spain win the group.
Netherlands def.
This was a Euro 2012 qualifier played on September 2, 2011 in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Robin van Persie scored the best goal for the winner with 4 goals in the game.
France def.
This encounter was a Euro 1996 qualifier played on 7 September 1995 at the Stade Abbé Deschamps, France.
No single player dominated the game and there were 8 different players from France who found the opponent’s net in this 10 to nothing smash.
Bahrain def.
Bahrain faced Indonesia in a qualifying match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on February 29, 2012 in Riffa, Bahrain.
FIFA conducted an investigation into this match as Indonesia fielded a weak team in this match.
Despite this, Latif and Dhiya each scored 3 goals while Al Alawi and Abdulrahman each scored 2 goals for the winners.
New Zealand def.
This was an Oceania Football Confederation game played on June 4, 2004 in Adelaide, Australia where New Zealand defeated the Tahitians by 10 goals.
Brent Fisher and Vaughan Coveny both scored hat-tricks, with 5 goals in each half of the game for New Zealand.
Yugoslavia def.
This was a Group 3 match played on June 14, 1972 in the Brazil Independence Cup.
The star of the game was Dušan Bajević, who scored 5 goals for Yugoslavia.
5 other players each scored a goal to push Yugoslavia’s tally into double digits.
Spain def.
Spain def.
In that Confederations Cup game on June 20, 2013, world champions Spain played around with the Tahitians on their way to 10 goals.
Surprisingly, Tahiti held out for half an hour before Spain opened the floodgates and ran away with the match.
David Villa scored a hat trick for Spain.
Biggest Premier League wins
Manchester United defeated.
This Premier League game was played on March 4, 1995 at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Man U were reigning champions while Ipswich narrowly made it into the First Division.
Andy Cole scored a Premier League record 5 goals for Manchester United.
Tottenham Hotspur re.
Spurs’ biggest win of all time in the Premier League came at Tottenham, London in that game that was played on November 21, 2009.
For Spurs, Jermain Defoe scored 5 goals to give his team a resounding victory.
Newcastle United re.
This Premier League game, played at St James Park on September 19, 1999, gave Newcastle United their biggest win of all time.
Alan Shearer was the star for Newcastle United, scoring 5 goals in the opposition net.
Aaron Hughes, Kieron Dyer and Gary Speed completed the tally with a goal each.
This Premier League game was played on May 9, 2010 at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea clinched the Premier League title after beating Wigan by 8 goals.
This title ended Manchester United’s three-year reign as champions.
Drogba scored 3 for Chelsea.
Chelsea defeated.
Chelsea defeated.
On December 23, 2012, Stamford Bridge, London witnessed the brilliant Blues crush an in-form Aston Villa by 8 goals.
With two-thirds of possession and more than 3 shots on goal compared to their opponents, Chelsea handed Aston Villa their worst-ever defeat in Premier League history.
Biggest club wins
AS Adema defeated.
On 31 October 2002 in Madagascar, AS Adema defeated arch-rivals Stade Olympique de l’Emyrne (SOE) in a Champions League playoff by a world record margin of 149 goals without having to do anything.
SOE coach Zaka Be instructed his team to score self-goals in protest of a refereeing decision affecting SOE in a previous playoff.
Nevertheless, this is in the Guinness record, but saw the suspension of the coach and 4 players from the team for some time.
Arbroath def.
When it comes to true club game records, this one should be at the top of the list.
In a match played in Arbroath, Scotland on September 12, 1885, 3 dozen goals were scored by Arbroath against Bon Accord.
John Petrie scored 13 goals, which still stands as a club record as we speak.
Dundee defeated.
Result: 35 – 0
Result: 35 – 0
Result: 35 – 0
Result: 35 – 0
Result: 35 – 0
Result: 35 – 0
Result: 35 – 0
Result: 35 – 0
On the same day as the above game, 12 September 1885, Dundee scored 35 goals against Aberdeen Rovers.
This could have been a record as the referee had awarded 37 goals but Dundee honestly insisted they had only scored 35 goals.
Records are there to be broken, although such milestones are not so easy to topple.
Feel free to write down any amazing soccer facts or records you like in the comments below.
Goal!