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In the great spectacle of football, there is nothing quite like watching an underdogs win. From local amateur leagues to the biggest global competitions, there is something extraordinary and compelling about seeing teams that are not favored rise up to beat the best. The experiences that create that magic and keep millions glued to the game are few, and today we will recap some memorable underdog victories in football and draw some parallels to today’s champions who we feel are in the past the torch from the underdogs. Let’s appreciate what makes this game beautiful.Underdog WinsIn the great spectacle of football, there is nothing quite like watching an underdogs win. From local amateur leagues to the biggest global competitions, there is something extraordinary and compelling about seeing teams that are not favored rise up to beat the best. The experiences that create that magic and keep millions glued to the game are few, and today we will recap some memorable underdog victories in football and draw some parallels to today’s champions who we feel are in the past the torch from the underdogs. Let’s appreciate what makes this game beautiful.
Why Underdogs Wins in Football Inspire Us All
In football, everything is usually about powerhouses, but it’s the underdog’s victories, the stories of resolve, courage, and sheer belief are the ones that will be remembered the most.
Underdog wins in football remind us that anything is possible: budgets don’t always overtake bravery, history does not always tell us what tomorrow holds, and heroes arrived from the unlikeliest of places.
Leicester City: The Fairytale that Changed Premier League Football
In the 2015-16 season. Leicester City shocked the world of football to win the English Premier League. They did so at odds of 5000 to 1 overcoming football giants Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal.
This season’s current Premier League champions (202425) Manchester City, are a behemoth of a club, compared to Leicester’s miracle, and yet both clubs have the will to succeed that characterizes the world of football.
Greece at Euro 2004: The Greek Gods of Football
Greece winning UEFA Euro 2004 was probably the most incredible national underdog triumph. They came into the tournament as an outside chance but first beat the home team Portugal and then France and the Czech Republic convincingly.
As of today, the current European champions are Italy after winning UEFA Euro 2024, but the memory of Greece’s victory reminds the footballing world that tactics and belief can defeat teams with star players.
Porto’s Champions League Shock: A Portuguese Football Masterpiece
In 2003 04, FC Porto shocked European football by winning the UEFA Champions League with José Mourinho in charge. Porto had limited resources yet beat the likes of Manchester United and Monaco in the final.
Today, the Champions League champions are Paris Saint Germain (2024 25), who won their title for the first time in history proving that underdogs can still rise to great heights, even in the super club era.
Denmark at Euro 1992: Called from the Beach to Football History
Denmark did not qualify for UEFA Euro 1992. In fact, Denmark replaced the disqualified Yugoslavia just days before kick-off. Playing freely and with brotherhood, they won the title against reigning champions, the Netherlands and final adversaries, Germany.
Today, the European crown has returned to Italy. Denmark’s surprise victory should serve as a reminder that, in football, anything can happen even if not expected.
Montpellier’s Ligue 1 Miracle: Humbling French Football’s Elite
Montpellier HSC shocked the French football world in 2011 12 by winning Ligue 1 and finishing ahead of the big budgeted, oil-backed Paris Saint Germain. They provided cheer for fans looking for something besides oil-based clubs, with top scorer Olivier Giroud taking the lead.
As of now, the champs of Ligue 1 are Paris Saint Germain (2024 25), but Montpellier’s win continues to have a presence in French football as hope for Champagne teams.
Nottingham Forest: From Promotion to Football Kings
The narrative of Nottingham Forest in the late 1970s is part of folklore in European football. They were promoted to England’s top tier in 1977 and immediately won the First Division (now Premier League) in 1978 and then won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 back-to-back. At the same time, today’s Champions League champions Paris Saint Germain represent the other end of the football spectrum. Nonetheless, Forest’s story is still a timeless source of inspiration for clubs up from nowhere.
Kaiserslautern’s Bundesliga Win: A German Football Shock
1. FC Kaiserslautern was the first newly promoted team to win the Bundesliga when they did so in 1997 98, shocking German football with their consummate discipline and fearless attitude.
Currently, Bayer Leverkusen are the Bundesliga champions (2024 25) but Kaiserslautern’s accomplishment will always remain one of the most romantic underdogs wins in the history of the league.
Iceland at Euro 2016: The Viking Thunder in Football
Iceland, a country of just over 300,000 people, made it to the quarter finals of Euro 2016 and famously beat England on the way. When they do their Viking clap, they were made a symbol for belief and unity in football worldwide.
Today, it is Italy that wears the crown over Europe, but history cannot keep heart down like Iceland’s story shows.
Underdogs Wins in Football Aren’t Always Trophies
Although many stories are based on championship wins, some moments of being the underdog are single matches:
• Alcorcón defeating Real Madrid 4 0 in 2009 (Copa del Rey)
• Bradford City reaching the 2013 English League Cup Final from League Two
• Sheriff Tiraspol beating Real Madrid at Bernabéu in the 2021 Champions League
These moments remind fans why football matters beyond silverware.
Current Champions Who Were Once Underdogs in Football
Some of today’s champions have been underdogs in the past:
• Paris Saint Germain (Champions League 2025) spent many years without European titles.
• Italy (Euro 2024) missed the World Cup in 2018 but came back strong.
• Chelsea (FA Cup 2025) were facing a financial storm before Abramovich arrived.
Football is always changing, and today’s underdog can be tomorrow’s giant.
New Football Season: Waiting for the Next Underdog
As the 2025-26 season unfolds across all leagues, fans are wondering who could be next?
Could a newly promoted club manage to pull a surprise in the Premier League? Could an average Spanish club upend Real Madrid and Barcelona? Could a club from Belgium or Austria pull off something in the Champions League?
Conclusion:
While money, numbers, and projections dominate modern football, surprises are still a part of the program, year after year. Understood by all football fans, from Greece to Leicester, from Porto to Kaiserslautern, underdog victories in football are the livelihood of the sport. They remind everyone what we watch, everyone what we cheer, and everyone why we believe. As new champions carry a trophy, fans around the world continue hoping for the next unlikely leg story, because in football, the price on our dreams tag is zero.
