The 10 Greatest Football Matches Of the Decade

If you’re a football fan, then I’m sure you can recall a few memorable moments and football matches that will go down in history as the greatest expression of human potential. Most legendary football matches happen during the World Cup final or semi-finals, as well as in the UEFA Cup, Afcon Cup, Copa America, EURO and Premier League finals.

That’s because these events create a high-pressure situation where the winner takes all, so each team fights tooth and nail for the glory of claiming the ultimate prize. It’s also the best time to take advantage of great betting odds while having fun.

If you’re looking to relive these legendary moments in history, read on for our list of the greatest football matches of the decade.

1. Chelsea vs Barcelona- 2005 Champions League knockout round one

For many fans, this era in Barcelona’s history will go down as the team’s Golden Age.  It’s that glorious time when Barcelona had the ultimate “dream team” in Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o, Xavi Hernandez, Henrik Laarson and a budding Lionel Messi.

But, they were matched pound for pound by the Chelsea squad, which consisted of such superstars as Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Miachael Essien, John Terry and Joe Cole all in their prime. Talk about squad goals! Those were the days!

Out of all the memorable matches between those teams in this era, one game stands out in particular and that’s the 2005 Champion’s League knockout round one match. This was the second leg of the match and as fate would have it, Chelsea was in rare form that night.

While Barcelona played confidently with their signature poetic style, Chelsea doubled down on their mechanical grind to cinch a hard-won 4-2 win.

2. Spain vs Yugoslavia: 2000 EURO Cup

This was a high-pressure match for Spain, who although not the underdog in this situation, were under immense pressure to secure a win due to losing 1-0 to Norway in their previous game. Unfortunately, they were facing a formidable opponent in Yugoslavia that day, as star winger Ljubinko Drulovic scored the first goal within the first half. Spain equalized immediately thanks to Alfonso’s quick feet.

But, Yogoslavia were obviously unhappy with the prospect of a tie so they made quick work of getting the upper hand as soon as the second half started, to which Spain responded with their own goal moments later.

Again, Yugoslavia got the upper hand thanks to a spectacular volley by Slobodan Komlejnovic. With only 15 minutes left in the game, it seemed as though Yugoslavia had this one in the bag. But, in football it’s never over until the last whistle rings, and so within five minutes Span equalized and prevailed to secure the win.

3. Milan vs Liverpool- Champions League final 2005

Paolo Maldini made history in 2005 when he scored the fastest goal in a final 52 seconds into the game. Milan was in rare form that night, as they went on to score an additional two goals in the first half alone. But, for the second half the Brits weren’t having it, and after receiving a much-needed half-time pep talk from Coach Rafael Benitez, the team came back strong and delivered a number of goals that quickly squared things between the two teams.

It all happened so fast that Milan was taken by surprise and from then on it was a stand-off until the match ended in a draw, which meant it had to be decided by penalties. Liverpool eventually won the match with a 3-2 win on penalties.

4. Holland vs Czech Republic- 2004 EURO Cup

Nineteen minutes into the game, Holland had the upper hand with two goals courtesy of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wilfred Bouma. But, CR evened the playing field (excuse the pun) in the second half, while Smicer delivered the final blow from close-range to net the Czech Republic a spectacular 3-2 win.

5. Valencia vs Barcelona- 2000 Champions League semi final

This semifinal match-up between these two Spanish giants was one of the most exciting matches of this decade. Although Valencia beat Barcelona 4-1, there was no shortage of nail-biting moments throughout the match, and it honesty could’ve ended either way.

6. Barcelona vs Paris St Germain- 2017 Champions League 16^th round

The 2017 Champions League season saw one of the most remarkable comebacks in history as Barcelona came back from the trenches to net a 4-0 win against PSG.

7. Manchester City vs QOR- 2012 Premier League Final

This match was a classic case of underestimating the enemy, as Manchester City showed a complete disregard for their opponent from the get-go. This would cost them, as QPR started strong with a 2-1 lead, but Manchester City managed a quick recovery and the game ended 3-2 in their favor.

8. Italy vs France- 2006 World Cup Final

Although this match ended in a 1-1 draw, Italy prevailed with a 5-3 win in the penalties. This was a bittersweet moment for fans on both sides because one of the greatest players this generation had ever seen was retiring that night and was unfortunately going out on a low. This game will forever be remember as one of the most epic matches of all time.

9. Barcelona vs Real Madrid- 2010/2011 La Liga

When Barcelona claimed this 5-0 victory against Real Madrid, fans saw a magnificent spectacle that reminded many of why football is one of the greatest games ever invented. While Jose Mourinho entered Camp Nou thinking his R.M squad would continue their winning streak from earlier in the season, he faced an eager Barcelona team that showed fans why Pep Guardiola was chosen to lead the Catalans instead of “the special one.”

10. Zambia vs Ivory Coast- 2012 Afcon Final

After suffering a plane crash that claimed much of their team and staff, Zambia had more to play for than just glory. Although they came into the game as underdogs, the Chipolopolo gave Les Elephants such a hard time that neither team had scored a goal at the final bell.

Zambia ended up winning 8-7 on penalties. This was truly one of the most inspirational matches that we’ve ever witnessed.