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Football
Since the first World Cup in 1930, several record-breaking victories have marked the tournament, including Germany's 7-1 win over Brazil in 2014.
Over the course of 22 editions, the World Cup has witnessed numerous historic victories that remain vivid in the memories of football fans worldwide.
The upcoming tournament may set a new record for the number of overwhelming wins, especially with the expansion to 48 participating teams for the first time. Several of these teams lack experience in major tournaments, potentially leading to unexpected results.
Below is a review of the largest victories in World Cup history, from its inception in 1930 in Uruguay to the present.
Hungary dominated South Korea with a 9-0 scoreline in the 1954 World Cup. The team was led by the icon Puskás, who scored two goals. Sandor Kocsis netted three, Péter Palotás scored twice, while Mihály Lantos and Zoltán Czibor each added a goal.
Representing Africa as the sole participant, Zaire—now the Democratic Republic of Congo—lost 0-2 to Scotland in their opening match but suffered a heavy 0-9 defeat to Yugoslavia in their second game, marking one of the largest margins in World Cup history.
Hungary's qualification for the 1982 World Cup was considered a miracle. The team left a historic mark by defeating El Salvador 10-1 in the group stage. Despite this, Hungary did not advance to the knockout rounds, finishing third in Group 3 behind Belgium with five points and Argentina with four, while Hungary had three points.
The first 8-0 score in World Cup finals history occurred during the 1938 quarterfinals in France. Cuba had reached this stage but faced Sweden, who secured an 8-0 victory.
In the first World Cup held after World War II, Uruguay played only one group stage match due to France's withdrawal. Uruguay defeated Bolivia 8-0 in this encounter.
This match remains memorable for fans born in the 1980s and 1990s, who believed such extraordinary results were a thing of the past. Germany, led by World Cup all-time top scorer Miroslav Klose, scored eight goals against Saudi Arabia's goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Deayea in what critics in Saudi Arabia consider the worst defeat in their national team's history during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
The 1954 Swiss World Cup was notable for high scoring, with 32 goals across four matches involving Turkey, South Korea, Germany, and Hungary in Group 2. Turkey secured a 7-0 win over South Korea.
In the same 1954 World Cup, Uruguay, then defending champions, defeated Scotland 7-0. Scotland participated with 13 senior players, but this victory was insufficient for Uruguay to retain the title, as they finished fourth overall.
North Korea, isolated since the 1950s, qualified for their second World Cup in South Africa 2010. After a respectable 1-2 loss to Brazil in their opening match of Group 7, North Korea suffered a catastrophic 0-7 defeat to Portugal in their next game, with Portugal scoring six goals in that match.
In one of the most remarkable matches in football history, Germany inflicted a humiliating 7-1 defeat on Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semifinal held in Brazil. Toni Kroos and André Schürrle each scored twice, while Thomas Müller, Miroslav Klose, and Sami Khedira added one goal apiece. This victory propelled Germany to the final, where they defeated Argentina to claim their fourth World Cup title.
