Ten more mind-boggling football facts you won’t believe are true!
Football has always been a game full of fascinating stories, where the lines between legend and reality often blur. But some tales are so strange, so outlandish, that they feel more like something from the realms of fiction than the sport we know and love. From managerial chaos and bizarre transfers to the intersection of football with history’s darkest moments, the beautiful game is constantly surprising us.
Some facts have been hidden in the annals of history, while others remain little-known gems, tucked away in the corners of the footballing world. Whether it’s a star player caught in a whirlwind of managerial changes or a captain whose fate was forever altered by the global turmoil of war, football’s surprises are never in short supply. In this article, we uncover ten unbelievable football facts that will make you look at the sport in a whole new light. Buckle up for some of the most bizarre, thrilling, and tragic moments the football world has to offer.
Crazy Football Facts
Rangers manager Alex McLeish attempted to loan Messi from Barcelona after his sons scouted him in a Championship Manager game.
Long before Lionel Messi became a household name, Alex McLeish, then manager of Rangers FC, attempted to bring the young prodigy to Scotland after his sons discovered him on the popular football simulation game Championship Manager.
After spotting Messi’s remarkable virtual potential, McLeish tried to negotiate a loan deal from Barcelona. Of course, that move never materialized, and Messi’s rise to superstardom was only beginning. Yet they did offer Rangers another player, a youngster called Andres Iniesta…
Imagine how different football might have been had McLeish succeeded!
Manchester City won the League Title in the 1936/37 season and were the divisional top scorers. In the 1937/38 season, they again scored the most goals of any team in the top flight, but got relegated!
In one of the most bizarre seasons in Manchester City’s history, the 1937-38 season saw them score more goals than any other team in the top flight of English football. Despite this incredible attacking prowess, City were relegated. They had scored a total of 80 goals but somehow still found themselves dropping into the second tier due to a string of defensive lapses and inconsistency. It’s one of those strange football anomalies where attacking brilliance wasn’t enough to stave off relegation.
The 2010 volcanic explosion in Eyjafjallajökull stopped Robert Lewandowski from joining Blackburn Rovers.
In 2010, Robert Lewandowski was all set to move to Blackburn Rovers from Lech Poznań, but a volcanic eruption in Iceland (the infamous Eyjafjallajökull) disrupted European air traffic, preventing Lewandowski from completing the transfer.
As a result, the move never went through, and the Polish striker eventually ended up at Borussia Dortmund, where he would go on to become one of the best strikers of his generation. Imagine how different his career—and Blackburn’s—could have been if not for a volcanic eruption!
Carlos Kaiser had a 12-year career playing for 10 teams, signing for Flamengo twice. He even made the Brazil national team. Yet he made zero appearances in his career and received one red card for punching a fan.
Carlos “Kaiser” Raposo is a footballing legend for all the wrong reasons. Over a career that spanned 12 years, Raposo signed for 10 different teams, including Flamengo, and even earned a place in the Brazil national team—without ever stepping onto the pitch.
His career was marked by constant transfers, feigning injuries, and even punching a fan to get a red card that ensured he was removed from the pitch, avoiding the need to actually play. Kaiser became infamous for his ability to keep playing without ever having to perform, making him a true footballing enigma.
Wolverhampton Wanderers once won the American top division.
While Wolverhampton Wanderers are best known for their successes in English football, many might not realize that the club once won a top-tier American football championship. In 1967, the Los Angeles Wolves, a team composed of Wolves players, triumphed in the inaugural USA Final of the United Soccer Association (USA). In a thrilling encounter at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Wolves defeated the Washington Whips (a team made up of Aberdeen FC players) 6-5 in a dramatic sudden-death overtime.
Despite having to settle for a title in the U.S. league, the Wolves made history with a 3-2 goal lead during regular play, followed by an intense extra time period. The final was dubbed “the greatest final ever played on American soil” due to its incredible drama and high-scoring action, cementing the Wolves’ place in both American and English football history.
Ipswich Town have never lost a European game at home, this includes wins over Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan among other top teams. They won the UEFA Cup in 1981.
Ipswich Town may not be a club you immediately think of when it comes to European glory, but they hold a remarkable record—they’ve never lost a home European match. This includes incredible victories over Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan. Their proudest achievement came in 1981 when they won the UEFA Cup, cementing their place in European football lore. Ipswich’s ability to consistently overcome some of Europe’s biggest clubs at home remains one of the most impressive feats in football history.
In 2021/22, N’Golo Kanté played four consecutive matches under four different managers
In an extraordinary twist to his career, N’Golo Kanté played four consecutive matches under four different managers during the 2022/23 season at Chelsea. This bizarre managerial merry-go-round began under Thomas Tuchel, but after Kanté was sidelined with an injury, his season took an unpredictable turn. Tuchel was dismissed, and Graham Potter took over, only for Kanté to be sidelined again by injury.
After Potter’s sacking, Bruno Saltor, Potter’s assistant, was appointed interim manager, before the club brought in Frank Lampard as a caretaker manager. Kanté remained a constant presence on the pitch, but the revolving door of managers marked a surreal chapter in his career at Stamford Bridge. The fact that Kanté managed to stay integral to the squad amidst this chaos only highlights his value and versatility as one of football’s most dependable midfielders.
Casemiros real name is Casimiro but in one of his early appearances, they misspelled it. They offered to change it next game but he’s superstitious and wanted to keep it because he won that game so it’s stuck.
Brazilian defensive midfielder Casemiro is now a household name, but his moniker is a result of a small error that occurred early in his career. His real name is Casimiro, but during one of his first appearances, the team misspelled his name as “Casemiro” on the matchday sheet. The club offered to correct it in subsequent matches, but Casemiro, being superstitious, insisted on keeping the error. It’s stuck ever since, and now “Casemiro” is a name synonymous with success at the highest levels of football.
Guy Roux was the manager of Auxerre for 44 years. He took them from being an amateur club to French League champions!
Guy Roux holds the extraordinary record of managing Auxerre for 44 years, an almost unheard-of feat in modern football. Under his guidance, the French club was transformed from a lowly amateur side into one of France’s top teams, winning Ligue 1 in 1996 and consistently competing in European competitions. Roux’s longevity and ability to adapt to changing footballing eras make him one of the most respected managers in history.
France’s captain at the 1930 World Cup was later shot in 1944 for being a Nazi collaborator
Alexandre Villaplane, who captained France at the 1930 World Cup, met a tragic and controversial end. Villaplane was a talented player who led his country during the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay, but his later life took a dark turn. During World War II, Villaplane was arrested for collaborating with the Nazis and was implicated in various pro-Nazi activities. After being arrested by the French Resistance, he was executed by firing squad in 1944. His story is a stark reminder of how the paths of footballers can sometimes intersect with the turbulent events of history in unforeseen and tragic ways.
By Nicky Helfgott – NickyHelfgott1 on X (Twitter)
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