Home / Sports / USA Shocks England in 1950 World Cup Upset
USA Shocks England in 1950 World Cup Upset
17 Mar
Summary
- United States stunned heavily-favored England 1-0 in 1950.
- Joe Gaetjens scored the winning goal with a diving header.
- This remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
The 1950 FIFA World Cup witnessed one of the most significant upsets in its history when the United States defeated the heavily favored England team. England, considered favorites to win the tournament, faced a U.S. squad composed of amateur players. The U.S. team had experienced a string of losses prior to this match, making their victory even more remarkable.
In the 37th minute of the game held in Belo Horizonte, Joe Gaetjens scored the sole goal with a diving header, stunning England's goalkeeper. Despite relentless pressure from England to equalize, they were unable to find the net. This unexpected result was widely condemned in England as a historic underperformance.
