5 Contenders for the Highest-Scoring Football Game Title

Image source: Pixabay

What is the highest-scoring football game that has ever been played? We’ll break down the five matches from the modern football era, and some from years gone by, to find the one with the most memorable score. 

Are you looking for more interesting facts about football? Check our list of the best English clubs in the pre-EPL era. Meanwhile, let’s get back to finding the highest-scoring football game of all time.

The All-Time Record

The AS Adema v SO l’Emyrne match is considered the all-time record match by the number of goals. Played during the 2002 Madagascar Premier League, the game ended with a total score of… 149-0! It’s a shame that 20BET didn’t exist back then – we’d like to see the odds!

How is a score that big even possible? AS Adema had already secured the Madagascar league title with a draw against SO Emyrne in the previous match. The latter, no longer contenders for the championship, were furious, attributing their loss to a disputed refereeing decision. In an unusual protest, during the final game of the season, SO Emyrne players intentionally scored their own goals immediately after the referee’s whistle. They relentlessly netted 149 own goals in 90 minutes, averaging more than one per minute. 

As a result, AS Adema emerged as 149–0 victors, and severe consequences followed for their opponents. The coach and four players lost their positions and received three-year bans, preventing them from joining other teams. Despite the unconventional circumstances, as the referee allowed the game to continue, the result stands, securing the record for the highest-scoring football game of all time.

The oldest highest-scoring football game

Played during the 1887 FA Cup, Preston North End v Hyde United is one of the very first matches, with an impressive 26-0 score. Preston North End were a dominant force in English football, consistently ranking among the top teams in the country. The noteworthy result occurred in a match against Hyde United, where Preston North End, a formidable First Division team, encountered a lower league opponent in Hyde FC. Emerging triumphant with a scoreline of 26-0 in the First Round of the FA Cup, Preston North End orchestrated the largest victory in the history of the competition. 

What is the highest-scoring match at the World Cup ever?

Austria and Switzerland engaged in a goal-filled spectacle during the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, producing a total of 12 goals. This match stands as the highest-scoring game in World Cup history. Bet on the next tournament to beat this record at online sportsbooks in Germany.

In the quarter-finals held in Lausanne, two players, Theodor Wagner from Austria and Switzerland’s Josef Hugi, each scored twice in the first half. Despite the hosts taking a 3-0 lead within the initial 20 minutes, Austria responded with five goals in the next 15 minutes, leading 5-4 at halftime. The second half, marked by high temperatures of 40°C, was a more subdued affair, witnessing just three goals as both Wagner and Hugi completed their hat-tricks. 

Austria ultimately emerged victorious with a 7-5 win. The scoreline could have been even more remarkable if Robert Korner of Austria hadn’t missed a penalty in the 42nd minute.

The highest-scoring football game at EURO

The 4-5 game between France and Yugoslavia took place in 1960, but is still the highest-scoring match in European Championship history. 

The first match of the inaugural tournament delivered a level of excitement rarely equaled since. Both teams exchanged early blows before France took a 2-1 lead just before halftime, with little indication of the goal onslaught that would follow. “Les Bleus” extended their lead twice, sandwiched around Ante Žanetic’s 55th-minute goal, reaching a 4-2 advantage with fifteen minutes remaining. However, a remarkable turn of events resulted in three goals in five minutes, completely changing the course of the match.

What about the Champions League?

The Signal Iduna Park hosted the highest-scoring match in Champions League history during the 2017/18 Group stage, featuring the home team Dortmund and Legia Warszawa. The astonishing game concluded with an 8-4 victory for Dortmund, setting a new record for the tournament. 

Shinji Kagawa and Marco Reus both scored twice for the home side, while Alexander Prejovic netted two goals for Legia, making these three players standout performers in this frenzied Champions League encounter. Can Borussia repeat this moment of glory again? Bet at online gambling sites in Germany.

This memorable match occurred during the 2016/17 campaign’s group stage, with Dortmund finishing at the top of their group ahead of eventual tournament winners Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Warsaw secured the third spot in the group, relegating them to the Europa League. 

Click here to visit the 20BET Sportsbook