What Are the Biggest Wins in Football History?

What Are the Biggest Wins in Football History?

When people talk about the biggest wins in football, they usually mean an amazing comeback, a dominant display in a title-deciding match, or even a statement win in a continental competition.

But there is another side to this phrase.

Lopsided results, 10s of goals, the kind of match you’d expect to see chalked up in a schoolyard rather than etched into football’s record books.

This is not your regular thrashing. Manchester United’s 9-0 wins against Ipswich and Southampton may be impressive, but these results make them look puny in comparison.

From protests to pure mismatches of ability, these results have not just become part of football folklore; they symbolise the extremism of the game.

AS Adema 149–0 SO l'Emyrne

Halloween, 2002. Two sides from the Madagascan league get ready to face each other in a match that could have defined who the league winners were.

SO I’Emyrne were the league champions, but in their previous match they had drawn 3-3 to DSA Antananarivo. This draw put them out of contention to win the league.

But the players and fans were fuming. In their 3-3 draw, the referee in charge of the match gave a last-minute contentious penalty to DSA Antananarivo.

So what happened in this 149-goal ‘thriller’?

Simple. SO I’Emyrne decided to score nearly 150 own goals.

Reports from the stadium suggest that the players would take the kick-off, pass back to the goalkeeper, who would either let the ball roll in or finish the job himself.

There was public outcry after the match, and just four years later, SO I’Emyrne were dissolved.

The biggest win margins in football history.

A Thread 🧵

1. AS Adema 149-0 SOE Antananarivo_ (2002) - Madagascar's top division pic.twitter.com/JFOMCS2GOM

— LSPN_FC (@LSPN__FC) January 27, 2025

Arbroath F.C. 36–0 Bon Accord F.C

For 117 years, Arboath F.C. held the record for the biggest win in football history.

On the 12th September, 1885, Arbroath played Bon Accord. For context, at this point in history, Jack the Ripper had not been heard of, the English Football League system had not been set up, and X-rays had not been invented.

The match was set up for disaster before it even started. Not only did Bon Accord show up without a kit, but their keeper, Jimmie Grant, declared himself injured, which forced half-back, an olden-day midfielder, Andrew Lornie, in goal.

By halftime, Arbroath were 15-0 up.

The Scottish Athletic Journal commented on the match, stating, “The leather was landed between the posts 41 times, but five of the times were disallowed. Here and there, enthusiasts would be seen scoring sheet and pencil in hand, taking note of the goals as one would score runs at a cricket match.”

This match remains the biggest scoreline for a football match that was not thrown.

18-year-old John Petrie scored 13 goals that day, a record that still stands (though it is equaled by somebody on this list).

135 years ago today!

Arbroath 36 Bon Accord 0 pic.twitter.com/Bfv2qvBQnY

— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) September 12, 2020

Dundee Harp 35-0 Aberdeen Rovers

What could make a 36-0 win and a 35-0 win even crazier?

That they were both Scottish? Correct, but not the angle we are looking for.

That they were both in the first round of the Scottish Cup? Getting warmer

That they were played on the same day? Bingo!

Just 18 miles away from Gayfield Park, Arbroath’s stadium, Dundee Harp defeated Aberdeen Rovers 35-0, meaning that in the space of 90 minutes, 71 goals had been scored between two matches of football.

Both sides would make it to the fourth round of the cup, where Arbroath were defeated 5-3 against Hibernian, and Dundee Harp were shown a little taste of their own medicine as they fell victim to a 6-0 defeat against Vale of Leven.

3. Dundee Harp 35-0 Aberdeen Rovers_ (1885) - Scottish Cup pic.twitter.com/ESONJd0TgU

— Manuel (@manuel__UtD) November 29, 2024

Australia 31–0 American Samoa

A year before the infamous 149-0, Australia tore American Samoa to pieces in the 2002 World Cup qualification.

The qualification for the World Cup got off to a rough start for American Samoa. In their first two matches, they shipped a combined 21 goals to Fiji and Samoa.

Australia, on the other hand, were cruising past their competition as they beat Tonga 22-0.

Incoming: one of the biggest mismatches in football history.

Just like the Arbroath match, this match was over before it even started.

Due to a passport problem, only one of the original 20-man squad was eligible to play. To make matters worse, they could not call in U20 players as they were going through high school exams.

This forced the federation to form a haphazard squad, which included three 15-year-olds. According to Tony Langkilde, the American Samoa manager, many of these players had never played a professional 90-minute match in their lives.

So it is no surprise Australia beat them 31-0, with Archie Thompson scoring 13 goals, equalling Petrie’s record mentioned earlier.

Flashback to this casual 13-goal haul from Australian striker Archie Thompson 😱pic.twitter.com/zk4ZiGvIhm

— GOAL (@goal) October 23, 2020

FC Barcelona Women C 30–0 FC Cerdanyola del Vallès

There was no way this match would have ever been fair.

FC Barcelona Women’s C side was set up in 2022. Having to register at the bottom of the Spanish pyramid.

Up until this match, they had played 78 games, won 77, and drawn just one. In that time, they scored over 600 goals and conceded just over 20.

So it is no surprise that when they took on FC Cerdanyola del Vallès, who were bottom of the table and had not earned a single point and scored just nine goals, a 30-0 win took place.

10 separate scorers, five players scoring a hat trick, and Noa Ortega scored nine herself.

Barca Femeni C menang dengan skor 30-0 vs Cerdanyola Valles FC A.

Pelan-pelan atuh teteh-teteh 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/Ki356dlxlI

— All About La Masia (@LaMasia_idn) March 22, 2025

Preston North End F.C. 26–0 Hyde F.C.

Let's head from 2025 all the way back to 1887. A match between Preston North End and Hyde Park took place in the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Preston were one of the most feared teams in England. A little over a year after this game, they would win the inaugural English Football League unbeaten, and also win the FA Cup.

With matches then decided by location, mismatches were bound to happen. Preston attempted to buy off Hyde not to compete, as the match would be useless for both sets of players. Everybody in the country knew Preston would easily beat Hyde.

Naturally, though, Hyde refused, which enraged the Preston team and manager, who vowed to break the all-time English record, which stood at 23-0.

By halftime, the scoreline read 12-0, and Hyde were playing with 10 men after one of their own went off injured.

The second half followed the same script. 14 goals were scored, and Hyde managed just one shot.

The end scoreline read 26-0.

4. Preston North End 26-0 Hyde_ (1887) - FA Cup pic.twitter.com/9n5cqdMVX1

— Manuel (@manuel__UtD) November 29, 2024