People like the story of the plucky underdog. Anyone who has ever seen the Rocky movies will know the tropes. An against-the-odds story is one that can usually captivate audiences. Rocky was fiction but there have been a lot of examples throughout history that have really occurred and left audiences stunned at the outcome. We’re not just talking about one-offs like single fixtures either. Teams win whole tournaments and seasonal achievements in spite of coming from nowhere to do so.
Esports has given even more opportunities for underdogs. Team OG is an example from the world of esports gambling. People who look at esports markets on Thunderpick will know that there is regularly Team OG representation in esports. The team is famous for its specific Dota 2 team who won The International 2018 and 2019 tournaments but it really came out of relative obscurity to start winning huge tournaments and the newcomers in the team were able to prove themselves as some top gamers. Team OG is one of many esports teams that has now branched out into a lot of different areas of esports and different games like Valorant.
Esports are constantly changing and there are often new patches and updates that can boost the abilities of some players. Somebody playing in their room at home may have a shot at becoming the best if they keep up to date with the latest software updates and tailor their skills to the game. A Valorant update made some fundamental tweaks to the way the game was played.
Leicester Won the Premier League
You may have guessed this would be on the list. Premier League folklore in action was Leicester City’s 2015-16 Premier League triumph. A 5000-1 outsider to win the title (a bet some people even took). “Lestah” (as a local band and Leicester City fans Kasabian has renamed the city) had barely escaped relegation the previous year and few expected them to even finish in the top half of the table. Cult hero and then manager Claudio Ranieri Leicester defied the odds to claim their first-ever top-flight title.
Leicester’s success was modeled on a solid defence and of course the remarkable goal-scoring form of Jamie Vardy. The team consistently outperformed bigger clubs with much larger budgets. Week after week Leicester’s success became more real. It was hard to believe that the team would finish the job but they won the Premier League – culminating in an unforgettable moment of football history.
Even more money has changed hands as teams in the Premier League try to buy their way to success. Manchester City’s amazing team has now won three Premier League titles in a row so Leicester has been nowhere near. Nobody can take away this unbelievable achievement from 2016.
The New York Giants: Super Bowl XLII
American football has had its share of underdog stories. Few are as memorable as the New York Giants’ stunning win over the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots entered the game with a perfect 18-0 record, having dominated the regular season and playoffs. They were heavily favored to win the title and complete a perfect season.
Led by quarterback Eli Manning the Giants had other ideas. Their defense stifled Tom Brady and the potent Patriots’ offense and a last-minute touchdown drive including the famous “Helmet Catch” by David Tyree, sealed a 17-14 victory for the Giants.
This incredible upset shocked the NFL world and is still considered one of the greatest underdog victories in Super Bowl history.
Denmark: Euro 1992 Champions
Denmark’s win at the 1992 European Championship is another underdog story. People who don’t like football or know about European international football may not realize what a coup this was. Denmark hadn’t even qualified for the tournament initially but was called up as a last-minute replacement after Yugoslavia was disqualified.
Denmark defied expectations. They went on to win the tournament by playing with freedom and determination despite not being considered serious contenders. Denmark faced the reigning champions in the final and it looked like they would lose out to the fancied Germany. Not to be; they secured a stunning 2-0 win.
For a team that wasn’t even supposed to be in the tournament Denmark’s triumph remains one of the greatest football shocks.
In 2004 there was a similar feat achieved by Greece. A very much unfancied team that managed to some how battle to victory through the tournament.
Conclusion
People tend to enjoy these stories once in a while. People have their own teams that they follow but when this actually happens to them they are given unforgettable moments that will last a lifetime. Leicester and Denmark were two of football’s top examples but there have also been remarkable stories from other sports. Boxing would need its own list of underdog tales so we’ve stuck to the team achievements above!
