Which National Teams Have "Blown It" Most Often?

[Satchmo Distel]

I think Italy and Netherlands have the worst reputation for going out of tournaments to sides they should have beaten, often having looked comfortable in the first half (at least) of their fatal encounters. Is this reputation deserved? Italy still have four World Cups and Netherlands won the 1988 Euros title.

The other aspect of this is you have to be a decent side in the first place before you can choke on something you should have won. When England blow tournaments, it's because they finish second in groups they should have won and thus play teams in the last 16 or QFs they didn't need to face. I'm not sure they "blew it" against Iceland in 2016 because they never looked like they were anywhere near safe in that one. The loss to Croatia in 2018 was a case of the opposition getting its act together after a half-time rethink.

Denmark perhaps blew it in 1986 (as did USSR, maybe also Brazil) but those were arguably one-offs with mitigating circumstances.

Brazil in 1982 is mythical. Watch the game objectively and Italy were just better.

Scotland's various fuck-ups: I can only really think of the fatal error of letting NZ score twice in 1982 that came back to bite them on the arse. They weren't playing well enough against Peru and Iran in 1978 to feel they were in enough control that the subsequent conceded goals were choke jobs or unforced errors.

[Jumbo McGinnis]

England didn’t blow anything in 2016. A 90+2 minute equaliser from Russia, limping past Wales in injury time and a 0-0 draw with the footballing giants of Slovakia sort of paved the way to be beaten by the first organised nation they faced, which happened to be Iceland. 2-1 flattered England that night.

[Flynnie]

How is this anyone besides Holland? Their record of underachievement is spectacular. To have the same number of international trophies as Denmark or Greece is absurd.

Euro 2000 is probably my choice here, with the two penalty misses in normal time. West Germany were better in the 1974 final, but they were reeling until they realised the Netherlands weren't actually trying to score a second goal. 1990 deserves an honourable mention for having an incredibly talented squad that did nothing but bicker amongst themselves.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

France arguably choked against West Germany in the two World Cup semi-finals in the 80s. The first in the context of the match itself (3-1 up in extra time and unable to close the game out) and then four years later when they simply froze as favourites against a German side who had big names but ones who were either still youngsters, on the verge of retiring, or were injured.

France also share the distinction of losing the final of the Euros at home with the team that had done it before, Portugal. For France, the choke applies because Ronaldo limped off after about five minutes iirc and really Portugal should have been despatched without him. Portugal lost their final at home to Greece, on the day that their “Golden Generation” completely forgot to turn up.

[Patrick Thistle]

Wales have choked even getting to tournaments. Bodin's miss in 93 being one such occasion.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

England’s biggest “chokes” are probably the 1970 World Cup quarter final that they lost from 2-0 up, and the 1973 qualifier where Poland (who admittedly would go on to finish third in the finals) got the draw at Wembley that took them there. There was also 1988, when they went to the finals among the favourites (arguably the top favourites, as West Germany, whilst hosts, were in transition and no-one really knew yet how good Holland’s young side was) but lost all three games including infamously to Ireland, and 1982, when all they had to do was defeat an already eliminated Spanish side to set up a semi-final against a French team they’d already beaten in the groups, but were unable to do so.

[elguapo4]

Ireland managed to lose play offs against Spain in 1966, the Netherlands in 1996, Belgium in 1998, Turkey in 2000 and France in 2010, though we beat Iran in 2002 and Estonia in 2008.

[Foot of Astaire's]

I cant see past England for this. In the 70s when our club sides were dominant in Europe we couldn't qualify for the World cup. We've now the richest domestic game in the world, a large population to call on but still look miles away from having a tournament winning side.

[matt j]

France, as mentioned above. That wasn't even including the 2010 debacle, or making the finals in 2006 and not finishing off a pretty average Italian side.

In recent years, considering the quality of their players, and their ability to call on one the greatest players in history, surely Argentina have a shout?

But yeah, England. Hard to see past it.

[1974ddr]

England’s biggest “chokes” are probably the 1970 World Cup quarter final that they lost from 2-0 up, and the 1973 qualifier where Poland (who admittedly would go on to finish third in the finals) got the draw at Wembley that took them there. There was also 1988, when they went to the finals among the favourites (arguably the top favourites, as West Germany, whilst hosts, were in transition and no-one really knew yet how good Holland’s young side was) but lost all three games including infamously to Ireland, and 1982, when all they had to do was defeat an already eliminated Spanish side to set up a semi-final against a French team they’d already beaten in the groups, but were unable to do so.

Can't agree for two reasons- first, it's the Netherlands, 0 for 3 in World Cup Finals before you even look at Euros, 1990 and so on. Second, England were pretty unlucky in 1970, and destroyed Poland 1-1 in 1973 when they could have played for another 90 minutes and were fated not to score. Is my memory correct that Ramsey brought Kevin Hector on in injury time and he had a shot cleared off the line? Anyway, I think Poland had two shots, one of which Shilton inexplicably dived over, and as you say, that was a very good, if unheralded, Poland side that went on to finish third in the '74 finals. In 1982 we were reliant on players who were perhaps past their best / injured (Keegan, Brooking, presumably Robson was injured at some point) and overlooked some of the form players- Mortimer, Cowans, Shaw and Morley from Villa (European Champions and the previous season's League Champions), Osman and possibly Gates from Ipswich (UEFA Cup winners 1981- and Greenwood took Steve Foster!), maybe Statham, Cunningham and Regis from WBA. No doubt others that don't spring to mind. And don't forget that we have this strange sense of entitlement that leads us to think we're among the favourites for nearly every tournament. Maybe we're just not that good? So the Netherlands, definitely.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The Dutch weren't expected to win any of thos finals, though. Two were against very strong hosts and the 2010 Dutch team were huge underdogs against Spain.

[1974ddr]

True, but did anyone expect England to win in 1974, or 1982 in our first finals for twelve years? And while West Germany and Argentina were certainly strong hosts, the Netherlands were at least their equals in both tournaments. West Germany famously lost the local derby with the East Germans in '74, and Argentina didn't exactly walk away with the '78 title. We all remember the fans and the ticker tape, but there were other controversial issues including the convenient drubbing of (already eliminated) Peru amid rumours of 'government intervention'..

[Satchmo Distel]

In 1978, Italy ought to have put the Netherlands out. They were arguably a better side over the tournament, had already beaten Argentina, and were 1-0 up v Netherlands. Infact they were arguably consistently better in 1978 than 1982.

[Foot of Astaire's]

Easy to forget how disastrous many of Spain's campaigns were, prior to their golden generation.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Wales have choked even getting to tournaments. Bodin's miss in 93 being one such occasion.

Don't - I still get flashbacks.

[Arturo]

Wales have choked even getting to tournaments. Bodin's miss in 93 being one such occasion.

I once had on tape a feature from Football Focus in the late eighties which documented all the Welsh near misses over the previous decade. They were robbed in 1977 with the Joe Jordan handball,.but blew key games in 1981 (Iceland) 1983 (Yugoslavia) 1984 (Iceland again) and 1987 (Denmark and Czechoslovakia). That's before we get to the Romania and Russia games in the years to come.

They did have some terrible luck though, notably Yugoslavia's stoppage time winner against Bulgaria in the final group match, preventing a trip to Euro 84..

[3 Colours Red]

The Russia game was more a consequence and continuation of us spontaneously combusting halfway through qualifying - four wins out of four, then one point from twelve. We were arguably lucky to hang on to the play-off spot in the end.

Well, that and the whole Egor Titov thing which ended up making no-one look good out of it.

[Flynnie]

The Dutch weren't expected to win any of thos finals, though. Two were against very strong hosts and the 2010 Dutch team were huge underdogs against Spain.

The Dutch were absolutely expected to win in 1974 versus a West German side that had done nothing but bicker and fight with each other in the world’s arse (as Sepp Mäier called Malente) and lose to the Ossis. Argentina were no great shakes in 1978 either, needing a fixed game with Peru to make the final, although the sceptre of the junta hung over everything. I wonder if Rensenbrink’s shot would have been waved off for something had it not taken a mysterious left turn on its way to the goal, going off the post instead. Yes to 2010, although if I may go off on a small tangent here, as somebody who was in NL for the final the retconning of that team as an aberration is laughable. I saw a dozen people in Howard Webb, Spanse Scheidsrechter t-shirts during the enormously well attended parade in Amsterdam.

But the 1998 and 2000 teams going out on penalties, the 1990 team collapsing into infighting, the 2012 team completely failing to show up after making the final in 2010, the 2014 team also going out on penalties... it’s not a short list.

[Sporting]

Argentina were no great shakes in 1978

I don't think that's true. Kempes was a consistent goalscorer throughout his career and had a great world cup, as did Luque. Then there was Ardiles, Bertoni and Passarella, among others. And the keeper Filiol was no slouch.

[Flynnie]

I don't think that's true. Kempes was a consistent goalscorer throughout his career and had a great world cup, as did Luque. Then there was Ardiles, Bertoni and Passarella, among others. And the keeper Filiol was no slouch.

They lost to Italy in the group and needed the fuckery of the Peru game to make the final, which they also had tilted in their favour by lobbying for Abraham Klein to be denied the final he rightfully deserved as the world's best referee. Of course they had good players, no team except for maybe Argentina in 1990* makes the final without some very good players. Kempes was great but they'd scored six goals in the five games played on the level before the final; meanwhile the Dutch had dispatched the enormously talented Italy side in a semifinal in all but name.

* I've watched the Brazil and Italy games in the past few weeks and my goodness were they jammy. Almost admirable in how little they had going for them -- even DAM was a shadow of his former self -- to get to a final.

[Sporting]

Flynnie : Fair and valid points although I'd make a couple of caveats: the Argentina - Italy game was a dead rubber, with both teams already qualified. And an odd thing about the Peru match was that Peru hit the post twice in the first half.

[Foot of Astaire's]

Could a case not be made for several world cup winners that they were jammy, weren't that great etc?

Germany in 2014 and Brazil in 1970 were pretty impressive throughout but several previous winners have had the rub of the green, or a turning point that allowed them to go on and win the tournament;

England in 66, West Germany in 74, Argentina in 78 and especially Italy in 82 spring to mind.

[Sporting]

I'm not sure England were so lucky.

[Satchmo Distel]

Flynnie : Fair and valid points although I'd make a couple of caveats: the Argentina - Italy game was a dead rubber, with both teams already qualified. And an odd thing about the Peru match was that Peru hit the post twice in the first half.

Argentina wanted to win that game because the winner stayed in Buenos Aries. I think Italy were the best side in 1978, as I have said above.

England had around the same amount of luck that all winners need to have. I would say the main one was Nobby Stiles being allowed to kick all his opponents up in the air without any punishment. But can you name any winner that didn't have luck somewhere along the way? Cup wins are by nature reliant on some luck.

[Sporting]

Argentina wanted to win that game because the winner stayed in Buenos Aries

Yes, I remember that now. Bit strange really given that Rosario is less than 300 km away.