Top 10 biggest wins in football history

Football fans have witnessed some of the biggest win margins in sports history.

Throughout the course of its history, the beautiful game of football has showcased some of the most high-octane matches. Some edge-of-the-seat thrillers have been etched in the profound memories of passionate worldwide fans forever.

There have been certain unbelievable matches with ground-breaking scorelines that have booked their well-deserved spot in the record books of the sport. With that said, here are the top 10 biggest wins in football history.

10. China 19-0 Guam

Heading into this one-sided match during the 2000 Asian Cup qualification, China were already ranked 112 places above minnows Guam. With former Newcastle United goalkeeper Willie McFaul at the helm of affairs, the inexperienced Guam team primarily consisted of amateur players in the form of teachers, bankers and students.

Asian giants China ran out 19-0 winners against Guam at the end of the contest. In that year, China reached the Asian Cup semifinals and also qualified for their first-ever World Cup in 2002.

9. Iran 19-0 Guam

Just less than a year after suffering a humiliating 19-0 defeat at the hands of China, the Guam national football team faced the same fate against heavyweights Iran during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.

It was still Willie McFaul, the manager of Guam, who had to experience this not-so-pleasant feeling yet again. Iran recorded a thumping 19-0 win against a hapless Guam, with Karim Bagheri bagging a double hattrick by scoring a stellar six goals in the game.

8. Kuwait 20-0 Bhutan

Prior to their match against Kuwait during the 2000 Asian Cup qualifiers, the remote nation of Bhutan had only participated in its first official football match just a few days earlier.

Despite the contest being goalless for nearly the opening 20 minutes, Bhutan finally crumbled under pressure owing to their inexperience as they conceded the first of four penalties for a blatant foul in the penalty area.

Following the opener, Kuwait were rampant in attack as they scored a further 19 goals in the remainder of the match to win the fixture by an unbelievable scoreline of 20-0 against Bhutan. Bashar Abdullah was Kuwait’s top scorer of the game with an astounding eight goals.

7. Guam 0-21 North Korea

Making this list for the third time already are minnows Guam, who suffered an even heavier defeat, this time at the hands of North Korea during the 2005 East Asian Football Championships.

In their attempt to boost their goal difference, North Korea completely dismantled a clueless Guam team as they averaged a goal almost every four minutes of the match. At the end of the one-sided affair, North Korea recorded a stunning 21-0 win over Guam, with Kim Kwang-hyok netting a total of seven goals.

6. Tonga 0-22 Australia

Despite facing one of the worst teams in international football in the form of Tonga, Australia manager Frank Farina decided not to take any chances as he fielded a strong lineup against them during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.

The Socceroos were ruthless in attack throughout the match. They registered a record-breaking 22-0 scoreline win over Tonga. Coventry City forward John Aliosi was the star of the show for Australia as he bagged an incredible six goals.

5. Preston North End 26-0 Hyde

English side Preston North End were one of the dominant teams in the world during the 1880s. Heading into their match against minnows Hyde, William Sudell’s Preston team was on a stellar 41-match unbeaten streak. Hyde had officially become a professional football club only two years prior to this fixture.

In this one-sided FA Cup game, Preston showcased their utter dominance over Hyde as they took the lead inside the opening two minutes. With Jimmy Ross netting seven goals, Preston North End emerged clear winners over a hapless Hyde by a scoreline of 26-0.

4. Tahiti 30-0 Cook Islands

During the 1971 South Pacific Games, Tahiti recorded one of the biggest wins in football history against the Cook Islands.

Having suffered a heavy 16-1 defeat in the hands of Papua New Guinea just a few days earlier, the Cook Islands headed into the match against Tahiti as massive underdogs. The final result proved to be no different, as hosts Tahiti scored a staggering 30 goals without reply in front of their fans against the Cook Islands.

3. Australia 31-0 American Samoa

For the second time on this list, the Australia national football team have recorded one of the biggest wins in all of football. During the 2002 World Cup qualifiers, the Socceroos went all guns blazing against the tournament minnows, American Samoa, as they scored an incredible 31 goals.

Australia dominated proceedings from the first whistle, with Archie Thompson netting a world-record 13 goals in the match as they registered a stunning 31-0 win against American Samoa.

2. Dundee Harp 35-0 Aberdeen Rovers

The second biggest win in football history was recorded when Dundee Harp faced Aberdeen Rovers in the 1885 Scottish Cup.

The match was outlandish not just for its eye-popping scoreline but also for the fact that Aberdeen Rovers fielded only ten players on the pitch. This ultimately proved to be a significant disadvantage for Aberdeen, as they suffered a soul-crushing defeat in that game.

By halftime, Dundee had already amassed an unbelievable 16-0 lead in the contest. The second half proved to be even better for Dundee Harp, as they scored a further 19 goals to record a famous 35-0 triumph over Aberdeen Rovers. Captain D’Arcy Junior led the team from the front as he bagged ten goals himself.

1. Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord

The crown for the biggest win in football history to date goes to Scottish side Arbroath, which recorded a historic 36-0 win against Bon Accord in the 1885 Scottish Cup. Arbroath broke the world record on the very same day when Dundee Harp scored 35 goals without reply against Aberdeen Rovers.

The scoreline of this record-breaking win margin could have been even more in the favour of Arbroath, as they had a total of seven goals ruled out for narrow offside calls by the referee in charge.

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