Fox Soccer declared Slovakia's victory over Belgium the "greatest upset in Euros history. Credit: FS1
By Sam Neumann on

Don’t get us wrong—what Slovakia accomplished on Monday is nothing short of historic. But categorizing it as the greatest upset in European Championship history might just be a bit too much.

But Fox has doubled down on the claim that announcer Jacqui Oatley boasted during the final seconds of Slovakia’s group stage upset in the 2024 UEFA Euro. Oatley called it the greatest upset in European Championship history, and so did Fox Soccer’s official X account. And yes, with the teams ranked No. 3 and No. 48, respectively, in the FIFA rankings, that would constitute one.

But there’s a little more to it than meets the eye.

FIFA rankings matter for World Cup and Euro seeding pots, but some teams might game the system. Let’s look at Belgium, for example. It was ranked No. 1 in the FIFA rankings from 2018-21. They were arguably the best team in the world, despite reaching one semifinal in a major tournament with world players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, and Romelu Lukaku.

Though still strong, its dominance seems to have waned, with Monday’s upset proving that Belgium is no longer the powerhouse force on the international stage it once was.

Let’s not diminish Slovakia’s impressive win, but some might argue it wasn’t the most historic upset ever. Iceland defeating England, Greece’s surprising Euro 2004 victory or Denmark’s 1992 triumph come to mind. In fact, Greece conquered the entire tournament in 2004, beating teams like France with Zinedine Zidane, the Czech Republic with Pavel Nedvěd, and Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo twice, which stands out as a more monumental upset for many fans.

Only time will tell if Slovakia’s victory enters the pantheon of greatest Euro upsets, but for now, it’s a moment etched in footballing history. And with Iceland (2016) and Greece (2004) in mind, Slovakia’s win might not be the sole champion of upsets, but it’s a victory the country and its supporters will forever cherish.

[Fox Soccer]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann