10 Biggest World Cup Upsets Of All Time
3. Uruguay 2 - 1 Brazil (1950)
The most embarrassing moment in Brazilian World Cup history (before a certain semi-final in 2014). So infamous is the defeat in the country that the term Maracanazo was coined to refer to the stadium that the match took place in.
Uniquely in World Cup history, the 1950 edition of the tournament didn't actually feature a final, or any knockout stages. Instead, the teams played in group stages, with the top team in each group qualifying for the final round that would be contested in a round-robin format.
Coincidentally, the last game to be played at the tournament would serve as a de facto final. Brazil needed a draw to win their first-ever World Cup, having swept aside the other teams in the final group. Uruguay however, needed to win to lift the Jules Rimet trophy for the second time.
It seemed like Brazil would secure the tournament on home soil, with forward Friaça scoring at the start of the second half. A common criticism levied against Brazil is that they are top-heavy, with defensive players not of the same quality as their forwards. This would prove to be especially true in this game as Uruguay overpowered the Brazilians and scored twice to clinch victory in front of nearly 200,000 fans.