The 6 Best Underdog Title Wins in History
Who doesn't love an underdog story? The crowning pinnacle of footballing fandom, why we put ourselves through the endless losses and disappointment, is the hope that one day our plucky team of underachievers can lift the championship against all the odds.
Now, your team may well have never have done this, but here are six of the best who have.
VfB Stuttgart - Bundesliga 2006/07
Sandra Behne/GettyImages
Armed with the league's youngest team and little hope, VfB Stuttgart stunned rivals, pundits and the wider German public alike by winning the Bundesliga title in 2006/07.
Propelled by the youthful vigour of homegrown talents such as Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez, Die Roten left it till the final day to pip Schalke to the post. Having gone down 1-0 early on to their opponents Energie Cottbus, they fought back to claw a 2-1 victory and secure an unlikely title.
Montpellier - Ligue 1 2011/12
PASCAL GUYOT/GettyImages
Led by the goalscoring exploits of a certain Olivier Giroud, who netted 21 times domestically, Rene Ginard's Montpellier side rode to victory in 2010/11, securing the title by three points.
It was the club's first ever Ligue 1 triumph, having won the Coupe de France in 1990 and 1929.
Atletico Madrid - La Liga 2013/14
CURTO DE LA TORRE/GettyImages
Who can forget Atletico Madrid's spectacular title triumph in 2014? The Rojiblancos had no right to upset the Real Madrid/Barcelona axis, operating on a comparatively shoe-string budget.
But with Diego Costa firing in 27 goals, many of which were provided by Koke, who had 13 assists, Diego Simeone's side clinched their first title since 1996 with a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou on the last day of the season. It was the first time in 10 years that neither of Spain's two leading teams earned La Liga's top spot.
Greece - Euro 2004
Alex Livesey/GettyImages
Switching a gear to international football, Greece's triumph in Euro 2004 is one of the most unforgettable and unlikely victories in recent memory.
Beating tournament hosts and favourites Portugal twice - once in the group stage and once in the final - the Galanolefki won their first (and last) international trophy. Indeed, it was only the fourth time they had qualified for the tournament, and save for that success they've never been beyond the quarter-finals.
Once Caldas - Copa Libertadores
LUIS ACOSTA/GettyImages
Having previously won the Colombian league just twice in their history, Once Caldas' Copa Libertadores triumph in 2004 was a massive turn up for the books.
It was only the second time a Colombian team had won the competition in it's 44-year existence. Aided by the form of Jhon Viafara - who would later enjoy a sojourn in England with Portsmouth & Southampton - Los Albos beat out Boca Juniors in the final via penalties to make history.
Leicester - Premier League 2015/16
Michael Regan/GettyImages
What list like this could be complete without Leicester's inimitable achievement from 2015/16? Having narrowly avoided relegation the season before, the Foxes brought in Claudio Ranieri in the summer, prompting plenty of skepticism about their ability to survive relegation once again.
However, the Italian's genial approach, combined with the incredible form of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N'Golo Kante and co, pushed the 5000-1 underdogs to a shocking Premier League title win with two games to spare. They would end the season with 10 more points than their nearest rivals, etching their names into the history books forever.
This article is brought to you by Creed II, in cinemas soon. Check out the trailer below:
