Is there anything better than a comeback in football? Arguably not. Seeing your team go from being down and out of a contest to then somehow snatching a result late in the day is one of the beautiful thing to see as a football fun.
Be it an extraordinary result in the Champions League, or one of several Premier League games where late drama was at hand, the emotional rollercoaster that the sport takes you on draws parallels to Hollywood blockbusters. In some cases, they can be even more surprising.
Over the years, this beautiful game has gifted us with some mind-blowing comebacks and results that prove nothing is impossible in football. But what have been some of the best? Well,
We have paid attention to just how big a challenge teams faced, thinking about how many goals they needed to score and how much time they had left, while also thinking about the stage where the game took place. Got all that? Let's jump into the rankings then.
11. Deportivo vs AC Milan - 2004
Holders of the Champions League AC Milan were hoping to retain their crown in Europe, and looked on track to do so after being drawn in the 2004 quarter-finals against Deportivo La Coruna. The Italian giants were utterly dominant in the first leg after going behind in the 11th minute, with a brace from Kaka and goals from Andriy Shevchenko and Andrea Pirlo putting them 4-1 up.
It seemed like the tie was over, but Deportivo fans had a night to remember at home in the second leg. Walter Pandiani, the Spanish side's sole goalscorer in the first leg, got another goal in the second leg after just five minutes, before Juan Carlos Valeron doubled their lead. Albert Luque put his side ahead on away goals, and Gonzalez Fran then guaranteed his side's progression. Overturning a three-goal deficit against a team whose backline included Cafu, Alessandro Nesta, and Paolo Maldini takes some doing.
10. Reading VS Arsenal - 2012
In one of the most remarkable games in League Cup history, Arsenal arrived at the Madejski Stadium as heavy favourites for their fourth round tie against Reading. But the night quickly became a nightmare for the visitors, as the Royals stormed into a 4-0 lead before the half-time whistle went.
Arsene Wenger must have given his team the hairdryer treatment at break, because Arsenal returned to the pitch looking like a different side. Goals from Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and a Theo Walcott brace took the game to extra-time, with the latter scoring in the 96th minute to save his team. Marouane Chamakh's goal was cancelled out by Pavel Pogrebnyak, before Walcott and Chamakh both then scored again after the 120th minute to clinch the game.
9. Tottenham VS Man United - 2001
If there was ever a game to summarise the definition of being 'Spursy', then this one is right up there. Tottenham were hoping to cause an upset against a Man United juggernaut that contained the likes of Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Andy Cole. And at one point, they looked as if they were on course for a famous win.
Goals from Dean Richards, Les Ferdinand, and Christian Ziege put Spurs in the driving seat at half-time, but the game then turned on it's head. Cole, Laurent Blanc and Van Nistelrooy powered Sir Alex Ferguson's team back into the tie, before Juan Sebastian Veron and Beckham secured a win.
8. AS Roma vs FC Barcelona - 2018
Before this match, Barcelona was seen as one of the best teams in football history. Naturally, they affirmed this idea when they demolished AS Roma 4-1 at the Camp Nou in the first leg of this Champions League quarter-final. Nobody thought the team capable of losing a three goal advantage against Roma.
Although Roma wasn’t a bad team, Barcelona looked so much stronger. However, the second leg of this quarter-final turned into a nightmare for the Spanish team. It started with a quick goal from Edin Dzeko in the 6th minute.
The second goal came after the referee awarded Roma with a penalty in the second half. Roma’s third goal, which knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League season came in the 82nd minute. This game is remembered as one of Barcelona’s worst performances in modern history.
7.Tottenham vs Ajax – 2019
In the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League season, Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Ajax proved to be two of the tournament’s dark horses. Nobody was really expecting either of the teams to make it to the semi-finals.
Tottenham performed amazingly against country rivals Manchester City in the quarter-finals. Ajax played beautiful football en route to the game, eliminating both Real Madrid and Juventus.
Overall, going into the game, the Dutch side looked more confident and were playing better football. Few could dispute this as Ajax won the first game 1-0 in London. So, they had the advantage going into the second leg.
It all started very well for Ajax; they were up 1-0 in the fifth minute. Then, they nabbed a second goal in the 35th minute. For a good 20 minutes, it looked like Ajax was heading to the final for the first time in 24 years.
But Tottenham winger Lucas Moura had something to say about that. With two swift goals in the 55th and 59th minutes, he put Spurs back in the game. For the next two hours, the two teams were in a stalemate, but in the final minute of injury time, Tottenham’s hero of the night, Moura, struck one final time to give his team the win.
6. Liverpool VS Barcelona - 2019
You all knew it was going to make the list, but you might be surprised to see it so far down this list, given just how revered the game is nowadays. Liverpool lost the first leg of the 2019 Champions League semi-final 3-0 at the Camp Nou, mainly thanks to the brilliance of Lionel Messi.
It seemed almost certain that Barcelona would progress to that year's final, and injuries to both Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah made Liverpool's chances of progressing look even bleaker. But, thanks to goals Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum, the Reds were able to blow the Spanish giants away at Anfield with a shocking 4-0 win. Jurgen Klopp's outfit then went on to win that year's Champions League for the sixth time, a record for an English club in the competition.
5. Newcastle VS Arsenal - 2011
This comeback didn't end in a win, but the 4-4 draw between these two sides remains one of the great games in Premier League history. We simply couldn't leave it out.
Arsenal arrived in Newcastle as the favourites and wasted no time stamping their authority on the game. Theo Walcott put them in front within 44 seconds, before Johan Djourou added another two minutes later.
Robin van Persie was on hand to score twice to put Arsenal four up after 26 minutes, with Newcastle fans all expecting the worst in the second half. Nobody could have called what happened next, though. With Abou Diaby sent off, the Magpies woke up and made the visitors pay. Joey Barton scored twice from the penalty spot either side of a Leon Best effort, before the late Cheick Tiote completed the iconic turnaround. A game that is still talked about to this day.
4. Man United VS Bayern Munich - 1999
This list wouldn't be complete without one of the most dramatic endings to a Champions League Final ever. Manchester United looked down and out, trailing by one goal in stoppage time thanks to Mario Basler's sixth-minute strike for Bayern.
Despite enjoying more possession in the game, United just couldn't find a way through, and it looked as if it just wasn't going to be their night. But in added time, the Red Devils equalised through Teddy Sheringham, sparking pandemonium inside the Camp Nou. But even those scenes paled in comparison to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring the winner just two minutes later, ensuring that United completed the treble in the process. The late Sir Bobby Charlton described the moment as, "what paradise is all about." and we're inclined to agree.
3. Liverpool VS AC Milan - 2005
Despite United's heroics in Barcelona that night, it isn't the best comeback in Champions League final history. That title was always going to the 'Miracle of Istanbul'.
Liverpool's Champions League final against AC Milan unravelled within the first minute, as Paolo Maldini opened the scoring for the Italian side. Things went from bad to worse just before half-time when Hernan Crespo put Milan three up on the night.
Supporters who made their way to the final looked despondent when the interval came, but their disappointment turned to joy within seven minutes. Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer, and Xabi Alonso flipped the tie on its head, and Liverpool clung on to take the game to penalties. Thanks to the heroics of Jerzy Dudek and three misses from Seginho, Andrea Pirlo, and Andriy Shevchenko, Rafa Benitez's side beat arguably the best side in the world at the time to lift the Champions League, marking one of the most memorable comebacks in football history.
2. Man City vs QPR - 2012
The greatest comeback in Premier League history secured Man City their first Premier League title back in 2012. Going into the final day of the season, they needed to win to ensure a title win over their city rivals Man United, but Roberto Mancini's men were 2-1 down against QPR in stoppage time.
To make matters even worse, United had secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland, ensuring that they had done everything they could to get their hands on the trophy. But Roberto Mancini's side mounted an extraordinary last-minute comeback. First, a goal from Edin Dzeko in the 92nd minute tied the game, before the unthinkable happened and Sergio Aguero smashed the ball home with seconds to spare, sparking chaos inside the Etihad.
1. Barcelona vs PSG - 2017
At the zenith of football comebacks, though, stands the 'Remontada'. There's not been a game quite like this one, with Barcelona 4-0 down to PSG after the first leg and in need of a miracle to overturn the deficit.
With a team which included Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar, however, there was always a chance. Suarez opened the scoring inside three minutes, and an own goal in the 40th minute from Layvin Kurzawa meant that the Catalan side had a chance.
But, after a penalty from Lionel Messi, disaster struck as Edison Cavani got one goal for the away side, which meant that Barcelona needed three more goals to progress. The scoreline never changed until the 88th minute, when a brace from Neymar meant only away goals were stopping Barcelona from progressing. Piling forward, pressure told, and Sergi Roberto poked the ball past Kevin Trapp to send his team into the quarter-finals. The epitome of the phrase "It's not over until it's over."
