Top 10 Unbelievable Football Comebacks

In light of Spurs' late comeback from 4-1 down recently, we take a look through the football archives to present our take on the greatest (and craziest) comebacks of recent times.

10. Charlton 7 Huddersfield 6 - 1957
Not so recent, but why not start with an absolutely astonishing comeback? When your team is 5-1 up against a team with 10 men, and only 30 minutes on the clock, it's game over isn't it? Try again. Johnny Summers bagged an incredible 5 goals for Charlton, only for John Hewie's own goal to level the scores. However, John Ryan scores to complete a truly stupendous return.

9. Manchester United 5-3 Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League - 2001
The first of 2 in our list where Spurs are on the wrong end of a classic. After establishing a 3 goal lead at half-time, Alex Ferguson's classic hairdryer must have been on full power, as his side came out and lashed 5 goals past the hapless Tottenham team. One of the few comebacks that was won comfortably.

8. Heart of Midlothian 4-4 Hibernian - SPL - 2003
In this particular Edinburgh Derby, Hearts had already come from 2 behind when the game entered injury time, the score poised at 2-2. Enter James and Brebner, who scored in the 1st 2 minutes of added time to give Hibs a 4-2 lead. However, two incredible late goals from Hearts striker Graham Weir pulled off one of the quickest comebacks of all time.

7. Tranmere Rovers 4-3 Southampton - FA Cup - 2001
Languishing at the bottom of Division One (now the Championship), Rovers weren't given a hope in hell against their Premier League visitors. And things looked all over after the Saints went 3-0 at half time. However, a Paul Rideout sensationally levelled matters, before Stuart Barlow scored the winner.

6. Middlesbrough 4-3 Steaua Bucharest - UEFA Cup Semi Final - 2006
Over 2 legs, Middlesbrough found themselves 3-0 down on aggregate in the 2nd leg after just 24 minutes. However, Massimo Maccarone pulled one back before half-time, and then Viduka, Riggott and an 89th minute winner from Maccarone sealed their passage to the final. What's remarkable about this, is that they completed a similar feat in the quarter final, coming from 3-0 down on aggregate to beat FC Basle 4-3, again with a last minute goal from Maccarone.

5. Manchester City 4-3 Tottenham Hotspur - FA Cup Fourth Round - 2004The second of our Spurs collapses. At home, 3-0 up, the other team hasn't had a sniff at goal and their down to ten men. Job done, right? This was truly a game of 2 halves, and one where clearly Man City didn't read the script. Distin, Bosvelt, Wright-Phillips, and a last-gasp header from John Mackem sealed an incredible turnaround.

4. Deportivo De La Coruna 5-4 AC Milan - Champions League Quarter Final - 2004
Earlier that season, Deportivo had been thrashed 8-3 by Monaco, and went into their second leg trailing against an impressive looking Milan team. The Spanish club were not about to let that get in their way of a semi-final berth, as they thrashed the Italians 4-0. Goals from Pandiani, Valeron, Luque (yes, that Luque) and Fran sealed an amazing comeback.

3. Bayer Uerdingen 7-5 Dynamo Dresden - German Cup Quarter Final - 1986
This was over 20 years ago, but too incredible to miss out. Into the 2nd leg, Dynamo Dresden were leading 5-1 on aggregate at half-time, they could afford to concede 4 goals and still go through. They didn't, they conceded 6. Incredibly, 2 penalties, an own goal, and 45 minutes later, Bayer Uerdingen had beaten Dresden by 2 clear goals. One of the turnarounds of the century. The fact that it's only displaced from top spot by 2 Champions League finals is testament to that.

2. Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties) - Champions League Final - 2005
Where were you when Liverpool upset the odds against Italian Giants AC Milan? The favourites dominated the game from start to finish, scoring 3 first half goals in the process... except for 7 minutes in the 2nd half when Gerrard, Smicer and Alonso incredibly equalised for the Reds. Milan's Shevchenko missed from 2 yards out in extra-time, before his penalty was saved in the shoot-out by Liverpool hero Jerzy Dudek to hand his team the trophy. Simply unbelievable.

1. Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich - Champions League Final - 1999
While it may not be the comeback with the most goals, this remains the most memorable in football history. In a game which Bayern have dominated, scoring early on and hitting the woodwork twice, the clock strikes 89 minutes when Beckham places the ball for a corner kick. Goalie Schmeichel even goes up for the set piece. It's whipped in, but only half cleared to Giggs outside the box. His scuffed shot reaches Sheringham unmarked who turns it in to equalise, sparking wild celebrations inside the Nou Camp.

Moments after the restart, Man Utd win yet another corner, again whipped in by Beckham. Sheringham rises highest to flick it to the back post, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer incredibly prods it in. Bayern defender Sammy Kuffour collapses to the ground in tears, Schmeichel at the other end performs cartwheels. It is the most sensational end to a European Cup final ever.



Have we missed any out? Is the order wrong? What's your best memory of a comeback? Feel free to share your thoughts with the comments form below.