7 potential destination for Lionel Messi

The 35-year-old, Lionel Messi still has plenty left in the tank and with 20 goals and 19 assists for PSG this season

7 potential destination for Lionel Messi

The 35-year-old, Lionel Messi still has plenty left in the tank and with 20 goals and 19 assists for PSG this season, his output still ranks him as one of the best players in the world.

We've had a look into the rumour mill and have come up with seven potential destinations for Messi in the summer.

Barcelona

The most obvious place for Messi to end up would be back at his old stomping ground. Considering he is the club's greatest-ever player, he surely deserves more of a send-off than he got last time.

Barcelona themselves have been eyeballing a move for the Argentine wizard for quite some time. As Messi still holds close ties to the area, this seems like the most feasible option for him.

Lionel Messi | Sportz Point.
Messi would love to reunite with his former teammate Xavi (Image- Planet Football)

However, Barcelona's financial situation would need to be ironed out before any deal can take place. The club need to reduce their wage bill by around ยฃ177million before they can even think of adding Messi into the mix.

Xavi himself would be open to Messi's return. "About Leo, I think it generates great enthusiasm," he told Spanish reporters last month.

"The fans have chanted his name a couple of times now and the fact that he could come back to the club generates a great deal of excitement, but we will see how that goes and we just need to focus on the upcoming games and winning la Liga."

Al-Hilal

Lionel Messi is a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia and the contract on the table from Al-Hilal is absolutely bonkers. The Saudi club are reportedly willing to pay the 35-year-old more than ยฃ350million a year.

Not even PSG or Man City can offer those kind of wages โ€“ it'll be his most lucrative offer by some distance, and it may well be that the money wins out in the end.

Plenty of fans will be hoping that he continues in Europe, but rekindling his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo would be spectacular to say the least.

Also Read: https://sportzpoint.com/web-stories/messi-life-and-career-of-argentinas-superstar/

Inter Miami

Plenty of MLS clubs will be interested in Messi, but his links with David Beckham's Inter Miami have been the most prevalent. The Argentine superstar has close ties to the area and even owns an apartment in the city.

"I've always said I want the best players in our club and playing in our shirt because there's a certain expectation," Beckham told Miami Herald last year.

The Inter Miami owner even made a trip to PSG the other week to meet Messi and the rest of the squad. He'll have surely put in a good word for his club, won't he?

Manchester City

Prior to Messi's move to PSG, Pep Guardiola had discussed the possibility of bringing the playmaker to the Premier League. As Jack Grealish had just been signed for ยฃ100million before Messi became available, the move didn't materialise at the time.

Fast forward a couple of years and City could be back in the race. After all, they are one of the few European clubs that could afford to sign the 35-year-old on a lucrative contract.

As Bernardo Silva's long-term future is still up in the air, City might be in need of another creative outlet come the summer.

Chelsea

Alright, we can't see this one happening either, but we're pretty sure that Todd Boehly would happily snap Lionel Messi up on a 10-year contract which would see him play into his mid-forties.

Chelsea have also been linked with a move with his fellow PSG teammate Neymar. It would be fun to see them both in the Premier League, as unlikely as it is.

Newcastle

Given their new financial muscle and the lure of Champions League football next season, why not? Newcastle are a side on the up and this is the sort of signing that would propel the club into worldwide stardom.

Sport have reported that Newcastle are interested and it would make for a hell of a story. Seeing Messi linking up with the likes of Dan Burn and Joelinton would be plenty of fun.

There's also the Saudi connection, and unlike with Cristiano Ronaldo, a move to Tyneside would allow Messi to keep going at the top of the European game.

From a tactical point of view, Eddie Howe's intense-pressing, all-action Magpies would give the 35-year-old a platform to make a difference โ€“ which was the successful blueprint for Argentina at the World Cup. At this stage of his career he needs his team-mates to do his running for him, and Newcastle could certainly offer that.

Newell's Old Boys

Perhaps a move back to where it all started. Lionel Messi spent five years with the Argentine club in his formative years and they still hold a special place in Messi's heart.

In 2017, Messi told TyC Sports: "I've said many times that my dream is to play at Newell's but I don't know what will happen." Perhaps he's not at that stage now, but it would be a great way to cap off his illustrious career.

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Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP Award - Presented to him by his family

Lionel Messi continues to win laurels in the football industry with his latest addition being the MVP of the MLS. This award will cast more spotlight on Inter Miami and attract more players to the team.

Muojindu Francis

Dec 6, 2024, 8:03 PM

Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP Award - sportzpoint.com

In his first full season in the MLS, Argentine forward Lionel Messi claimed the prestigious MVP award, which is given to the best-performing player in the League for that season.

Despite missing 15 matches due to injuries and international commitments, Messi led MLS in goal contributions with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 appearances. He became the third player in the league's history to record at least 20 goals and 15 assists in a single season, following Carlos Vela (2019) and Sebastian Giovinco (2015). This achievement also marks the first time an Inter Miami player has won the award.

Read Also| Marc Guehi will receive no formal action by FA over his message on the armband issue

Lionel Messi Secures Prestigious Honor for the First Time in His Career

Inter Miami had a dominant MLS regular season, setting a record with 74 points, but was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Atlanta United. Messi joined the team in June 2023 after departing Paris Saint-Germain.

Read AlsoFIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

Messi secured 38.4% of the average vote, edging out Hernandez, who received 33.7%. The top five was completed by Portland Timbers midfielder Evander (9.2%), DC United's Christian Benteke (7.1%), and Messi's Inter Miami teammate Luis Suรกrez (2.2%).

Read Also| Saudi Arabia in talks to participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025

How the MVP Voting Looked Like?

Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP Award - sportzpoint.com

  1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) --> 38.4%
  2. Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew) --> 33.7%
  3. Evander (Portland Timbers) --> 9.24%
  4. Christian Benteke (DC United) --> 7.10%
  5. Luis Suarez (Inter Miami) --> 2.17%

Messi, Busquets, and Alba led Inter Miami to victory in the Leagues Cup, a competition featuring MLS teams against Mexico's Liga MX, earning the club its first-ever trophy.

Read AlsoAC Milan unveil stunning special 125th anniversary kit

In the 2024 season, Inter Miami excelled during the regular season, claiming the Supporters' Shield as the team with the highest points across both conferences. All these achievements helped propel Messi to win this award.

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FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

Real Madrid were drawn against Al Hilal, CF Pachuca and FC Salzburg while Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was placed in the same group with FC Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw on Thursday. Here are all the details.

Muojindu Francis

Dec 5, 2024, 9:12 PM

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule - sportzpoint.com

Set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025, the restructured global club football competition will bring together 32 teams from across the world to vie for the title of world champions.

The draw, held on Thursday, December 5, 2024, in Miami, showcased an impressive lineup of continental and domestic champions from every corner of the globe.

Among the standout contenders are Spain's Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League winners, Brazil's Botafogo, the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores champions, and Egypt's Al Ahly, who are consecutive CAF Champions League winners.

New Format

New FIFA Club World Cup Trophy - sportzpoint.com
New FIFA Club World Cup Trophy. Image | FIFA

Traditionally featuring six to eight teams, the FIFA Club World Cup will now adopt a new format, hosting the largest number of participants in its history. Teams earned qualification by winning their respective continental club tournaments, such as the UEFA Champions League, and based on the confederations' four-year rankings.

South America (CONMEBOL) includes six teams, whereas Europe (whose confederation is UEFA) has twelve, making up the largest representation of the 32 teams.

There are four teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), Africa (AFC), and Asia (AFC).

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was given a spot, as the domestic champions of the host country, Oceania (OFC) got one spot as well. The top two from each of the 8 groups will advance to the knockout stages after a round-robin group stage.

The final will take place at the iconic MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on 13 July.

Read Also | Substitutions that changed the football history

FIFA Club World Cup Groups

Group Teams
Group A
  • Palmeiras
  • Porto
  • Ah-Ahly
  • Inter Miami
Group B
  • Paris St German
  • Atletico Madrid
  • Botafago
  • Seattle Sounders
Group C
  • Bayern Munich
  • Auckland City
  • Boca Juniors
  • Benfica
Group D
  • Flamengo
  • El Tunis
  • Chelsea
  • Club Leon
Group E
  • River Plate
  • Urawa Red Diamonds
  • Monterrey
  • Inter Milan
Group F
  • Fluminese
  • Borussia Dortmund
  • Ulsan HD FC
  • Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G
  • Manchester City
  • Wydad
  • Al Ain
  • Juventus
Group H
  • Real Madrid
  • Al Hilal
  • Pachuca
  • FC Salzburg

When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, in the United States of America.

How many teams will take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?

A total of 32 teams from 6 continents will take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

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Mallorca 1-5 FC Barcelona: Barcelona are back to winning ways in La Liga after three games

Raphinha scored a brace while Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor scored a goal each to help Barcelona return to winning ways in La Liga after three games against Mallorca.

Koushik Biswas

Dec 3, 2024, 11:13 PM

Mallorca 1-5 FC Barcelona: Barcelona are back to winning ways in La Liga after three games - sportzpoint.com

Raphinha scored a brace while Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor scored a goal each to help FC Barcelona return to winning ways in La Liga after three games against Mallorca at the Son Moix Stadium on Tuesday. With this win, Hansi Flick's men extended their lead at the points table to four points.

Torres at the top for Barcelona

After three winless games, Hansi Flick changed his playing eleven for the away fixture. He included Ferran Torres in the most advanced role while benching Robert Lewandowski for the match. Inaki Peรฑa, Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsรญ, Inigo Martinez, and Alejandro Balde formed the defensive lineup for the Catalan club while Pedri, Marc Casadรณ, and Dani Olmo were given the responsibility of controlling the midfield.

Captain Raphinha and Lamine Yamal continued as the offensive players for Flick.

Mallorca 1-5 FC Barcelona: Barcelona are back to winning ways in La Liga after three games - sportzpoint.com
Ferran Torres after the first goal of the night. Image | FC Barcelona

Barcelona looked into control from the minute go by trapping the home side offside quite a few times before scoring in the first real opportunity they got. In the 11th minute of the match, Ferran Torres took advantage of a mix-up in defence between Valjent and Mojica and scored the first goal of the night for Barcelona.

Eight minutes later, Torres could have doubled the lead, but Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman stopped the Spaniard's efforts from a great ball by Balde.

Read Also | Celebrating Leap Day: Seven footballers born on February 29

Yamal and Raphinha ripped through the defence in second half

However, after the goal, the Mallorcan defence tightened up to block countless attacks from the visitors and frustrate them till they found their way back right before the first half. In the 44th minute of the match, Pablo Maffeo got behind the Barcelona defence and found Vedat Muriqi with a great pass. The Kosovan striker did the rest to level the scoreboard.

Right after the second-half break, Barcelona looked at their best with both Lamine Yamal and Raphinha causing a few problems for the opponent's defenders. In the 53rd minute, Olmo found Lamine Yamal inside the box and Mojica fouled the Spaniard to hand Barcelona a penalty. Raphinha stepped up and restored the lead for his team in the 55th minute.

Mallorca 1-5 FC Barcelona: Barcelona are back to winning ways in La Liga after three games - Raphinha scores a brace - sportzpoint.com
Raphinha after scoring his second goal of the night. Image | FC Barcelona

In the 74th minute, Lamine Yamal made a picture-perfect assist from right to find Raphinha in the far post for Barcelona's third goal of the night; his 11 of the season in 16 league games. With the game nearly in the pocket, Flick made a few substitutions and Frenkie de Jong found the net coming off from the bench. He scored Barca's fourth goal from a rebound ball in the 79th minute.

Mallorca 1-5 FC Barcelona: Barcelona are back to winning ways in La Liga after three games - sportzpoint.com
Pau Victor scored the fifth goal for Barcelona. Image | FC Barcelona

Pau Victor, another sub for the La Liga table topper, rounded off the score line after an interception. With this win, Barcelona returned to winning ways in the Spanish league after three games.

Barcelona are currently leading the league table with 37 points after 16 games while Real Madrid are following them with 33 points after 14 games.
 

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Substitutions that changed the football history

From Gareth Bale to Mario Gotze, there have been many instances of substitutions that changed football history. In this article, Sportzpoint explores those legendary substitutions.

Substitutions that changed the football history

Players who earn a place in the starting eleven crash into the headlines mostly, but those who come off the bench are never insignificant. Depending on the situation and for various other tactical and strategic moves, substitute players can make huge differences when things start getting tough on the pitch. 

Sportzpoint explores the greatest substitutions that changed the football history and remained folkloric.

Mario Gotze

(Germany vs Argentina, FIFA World Cup Final 2014)

Substitutions that changed the football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image Credit | Wikipedia)

Mario Gotze lived the dream of every footballer back in 2014 when he scored the only goal against Argentina in the Final to take Germany to their fourth World Cup glory

Gotze came off the bench replacing the legendary Miroslav Klose, only two minutes before the full-time whistle but the game ended goalless. However, in the 113 minute of AET, Gotze received Schurrle's pass on the left and from a close range to the goal; and his left-footed strike fooled Argentina keeper Romero to end up in the goal. 

Argentina could not bounce back from this late setback and Germany lifted the World Cup 2014. Mario Gotze's substitution remained one of the most impactful in the history of football. 

Gareth Bale

(Real Madrid vs Liverpool, UCL Final 2017-18)

Substitutions that changed the football history-sportzpoint.com

Gareth Bale admitted in an interview with FourFourTwo that he was very frustrated after not getting a start for Real Madrid in the 2017-18 UCL Final against Liverpool. However, Bale's fallout with Real Madrid's then-manager Zinedine Zidane led us to experience one of the greatest substitutions in the Champions League's history.

After a goalless first half, Karim Benzema opened the scoring in the 51st minute; but Sadio Mane only took 4 minutes to equalize for Liverpool. In the 61st minute, Bale replaced Isco but who would have thought that the Welshman was going to rewrite history and all by himself? 

Only 3 minutes after Bale came on, Marcelo's cross found him in the box and Bale produced an acrobatic overhead volley, and the ball ended up in the net. Bale sealed the victory for Madrid in the 83rd minute with a rocketed strike which made Liverpool keeper Karius fumble and the ball went inside. Coming off the bench, Gareth Bale scored this heroic brace to lead Real Madrid to win their third consecutive UCL title.

Eder

(Portugal vs France, EURO 2016 Final)

Substitutions that changed the football history-sportzpoint.com

Eder became an overnight sensation after slotting a late strike to win Portugal the EURO 2016, their first-ever major trophy in history

France and Portugal both wasted opportunities in the full-time but things became very wrong for Portugal way before. In the 25th minute, the talisman Cristiano Ronaldo faced a rough challenge from Dimitri Payet, and he was subbed off injured. However, Eder came off the bench in the 79th minute of the Final but the 90-minute of play ended in a stalemate of a 0-0 scoreline.

But it was Eder, who only played 13 minutes in the tournament, stepped up and broke the deadlock to score the only goal in the final in the 109th minute. France could not produce a comeback as Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo lifted their first-ever major international trophy.

Ilkay Gundogan

(Manchester City vs Aston Villa, 2021-22 Premier League)

Substitutions that changed the football history-sportzpoint.com

It was a neck-to-neck battle between Manchester City and Liverpool in the 2021-22 Premier League title race. Before heading into the last matchday on 22 May 2022, Manchester City was atop the table with 90 points in 37 matches and Liverpool was positioned just behind with 89 points in the same number of games.

Manchester City was set to face Aston Villa in the last match of the season and a win would ensure their fourth consecutive PL title. However, things did not go as planned for Pep Guardiola's men as Matty Cash scored for Villa in the 37th minute, and Philippe Coutinho extended the lead in the 69th minute. Coincidentally, Ilkay Gundogan replaced Bernardo Silva just one minute before Villa's second goal. Man City's title contender Liverpool was playing Wolves at the same time and they were held to a 1-1 draw after 70 minutes.

What happened afterward will always be written in golden words in the Premier League's history. It was Ilkay Gundogan who scored City's first goal in the 76th minute as his powerful header went in. Just two minutes later, Rodri placed a powerful strike to level the scoreline by 2-2 and City was back on top of the table.

It did not take much time for Gundogan to score his second and City's third as he put the ball inside with a close-range tap-in to almost win the league for City! The match eventually ended as City won the game by 3-2 and clinched their fourth consecutive PL title, all thanks to the German's magic after coming off the bench. 

Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 

(Manchester United vs Bayern Munich, 1998-99 UCL Final)

Substitutions that changed the football history-sportzpoint.com

The world witnessed one of the greatest UCL finals ever on 27 May 1999 when Manchester United and Bayern Munich faced off for the coveted glory. Manchester United won the game by 2-1 in such an otherworldly manner that it still mesmerizes the next generation, and everything happened because of two substitute players, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Bayern Munich took an early by scoring in the 6th minute of the match. Manchester United could not break the deadlock and headed into the break trailing 0-1. Teddy Sheringham replaced Jesper Blomqvist in the 67th minute and Solskjaer was brought in by Sir Alex Ferguson to replace Andy Cole in the 81st minute. 

The game was in favour of Bayern even after 90 minutes but Sheringham slotted the ball home in just one minute into the injury time to equalize for the Red Devils. Solskjaer achieved the final glory with a simple tap-in only after two minutes, and thus the two substitutes led United to the Champions League victory.

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The most shocking goal misses in Football history

From legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the new superstars of football, there have been many distressing goal misses that remain iconic and unforgettable. Sportzpoint explores the most shocking goal misses in Football history.

The most shocking goal misses in Football history

Football is a sport full of drama, distress, excitement, and unforgettable moments that are cherished from generation to generation. Goals are the highlighting factor that decides the fate of a team and that is why the near-misses leave the fans in agony and sometimes change the course of football's history.

These fumbles in front of the goal are surprising and unexpected at the same moment. In this article, we delve into the most shocking misses in football history.

Erling Haaland 

(Manchester City vs Liverpool, 2022 FA Community Shield Final)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com

The Norwegian goal-machine emerged as an absolute cheat-code for Manchester City since his move to Man City in 2022. However, he came to England as and promising youngster but faced criticism from fans after his open goal miss in his very first match for Manchester City in the FA Community Shield Final on 30 July 2022 against Liverpool.

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com

Phil Foden unleashed a left-footed strike in the seventh minute of injury time and it was denied by Liverpool keeper Adrian, but Erling Haaland wasted an open chance to score from the second ball as he hit the crossbar from a close range to the goal. Liverpool won the game by 3-1.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

(PSG vs Strasbourg, Ligue 1 2018-19)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image Credit | Squawka Live)

The Cameroonian International featured for teams such as Bayern Munich and Paris-Saint Germain, and he was a part of the PSG squad who were runner-ups in the UCL 2019-20. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting also scored the winner in injury time against Atalanta in the quarter-final of the same UCL campaign.

However, Choupo-Moting got down in history for a bizarre instance in a 2-2 draw against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 during his first season with the French side. Christopher Nkunku successfully chipped the opponent keeper with a shot that was about to go in, but Choupo-Moting somehow stopped the shot on the line in an attempt to tap it in, but his intervention led the threat to get cleared. 

Neal Maupay

(Brentford vs Cardiff City, EFL Championship 2017-18)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image Credit | Wales Online)

Neal Maupay, the French forward who spent most of his career in England, joined Brentford in 2017 and went on to be a headline for his incredible open-goal miss against Cardiff City in the 2017-18 EFL Championship. 

The golden opportunity emerged as Ollie Watkins won the possession in front of the box by beating Sean Morrison in a duel and he fooled the keeper to pass it to Maupay, who only had an open goal in front of him.

However, Maupay took some time to slot it home as defender Sol Bamba ran onto the goal-line to stop the shot. Surprisingly, Maupay did not let Bamba do anything as he fired it inches off the post. Brentford eventually lost the game by 0-2.

Cristiano Ronaldo

(Manchester United vs Sheffield United, Premier League 2006-07)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image Credit | Sheffield Star)

Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the greatest footballer ever, also finds himself on this unfortunate list. The dreaded Portuguese netted the most goals in football history, although his unbelievable miss came in his early days at Old Trafford. Ronaldo wasted this open-scoring chance during a Premier League game against Sheffield United in 2006.

A sublime backheel by Wayne Rooney opened a space in front of the box for the Red Devils as Ryan Giggs intercepted the pass before cutting a grounder through Sheffield's defence. The ball comfortably found Cristiano Ronaldo but his strike flew over the crossbar from a very close distance to the goal.

Lionel Messi 

(Argentina vs Trinidad and Tobago, Friendly, 2014)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com

Lionel Messi, the other footballer who is arguably considered the greatest footballer of all-time, has also entered this fateful list due to his unbelievable blunder for Argentina against Trinidad and Tobago on 4 June 2014, prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

Angel Di Maria fired into the opponent box and released a comfortable pass before the ball could cross the goal-line, but Messi failed to respond quickly as the defender cleared the ball from in front of an open goal before even Messi could intercept.

Randal Kolo Muani

(France vs Argentina, 2022 FIFA World Cup Final)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com

This wasted scoring opportunity changed Argentina's football history as Argentina lifted the 2022 FIFA World Cup by beating France in penalties, following an unnerving 3-3 draw after extra time. 

The 120-minute Final showcased a brilliant display of football ending in a 3-3 draw between France and Argentina, before going down to penalties to decide the world champion. However, France could have snatched the World Cup if Randal Kolo Muani was not denied by Emiliano Martinez in the last minute of the game.

A lobbed pass was intercepted by Kolo Muani in front of Argentina's box as Nicolas Otamendi failed to intercept, but Kolo Muani's first-touch attempt was denied by Argentina keeper Emiliano Martine who stretched his leg to stop the shot. Only 47 seconds were left before the final whistle! This miss will remain iconic for the heroic save by Emi rather than the blunder by Kolo Muani.

Fernando Torres 

(Chelsea vs Manchester United, Premier League 2011-12)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image Credit | Footy Accumulators)

Fernando Torres was arguably the top striker in the world in and around 2007 to 2010. Chelsea broke the British transfer record to acquire the Spaniard from Liverpool in January 2011. Somehow, 'El Nino' failed to replicate his Liverpool performance at Stamford Bridge, and his disappointing tenure with the Blues was highlighted by a moment during a match against Manchester United in September 2011.

Torres already scored the only goal for his team but Chelsea was behind 3-1. In the 83rd minute, Ramires played a beautiful through that cut the United defense open in half. Torres intercepted the ball and managed to ease past David de Gea with a skillful feint, having an open goal in front of him.

However, Torres surprisingly shot the ball wide of the post and missed the golden chance which went down as one of the worst misses in the Premier League history.

Yakubu Ayegbeni

(Nigeria vs South Korea, FIFA World Cup 2010)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image Credit | Afrosport)

Nigeria faced South Korea in a do-or-die match after two consecutive defeats in the Group stage of FIFA World Cup 2010, and Yakubu Ayegbeni crashed the headlines but not quite for the right reasons.

Midfielder Yusuf Ayila delivered a ball right into the six-yard box where Ayegbeni received the pass, but he missed the absolute sitter from inches close to the goal. The match eventually ended in a 2-2 draw and Nigeria finished at the bottom of the group.

Ilija Sivonjic

(Dinamo Zagreb vs Cibalia Vinkovci, HNK 2006)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image Credit | Vecernji)

Croatian footballer Ilija Sivonjic's open miss in 2006 for Dinamo Zagreb against Cibalia is widely considered one of the worst misses in football history. 

In the 33rd minute of the game, one of his Dinamo teammates slotted the ball on target. Although it went past the opposition keeper, it was stopped by Sivonjic who attempted a backheel to tap it in. The ball inexplicably bounced off the goal line and one of the Cibalia defenders sent it out of play. 

Ronny Rosenthal

(Liverpool vs Aston Villa, 1996)

The most shocking goal misses in Football history-sportzpoint.com
(Image credit | Birmingham Live)

Ronny Rosenthal started his Liverpool career very well, scoring 7 goals in his first 8 games. He even scored a hat-trick in his first game against Charlton. However, he couldn't keep up this great form later.

In 1992 during Pool's PL encounter against Aston Villa, Rosenthal wasted a golden opportunity to score. Rosenthal intercepted a long ball from David James and dribbled past the goalkeeper, but misfired his left-footed strike to hit the crossbar. This miss is still remembered as one of the worst misses in Premier League history.

Rosenthal later joked about this famous miss and said:

"Does it bother me? No it doesn't matter now. I'm glad it happened!

"I'm glad I missed because I'm still on the map [because of it]."

via Birmingham Live

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