World Football: 25 Worst Misses of 2010
Phil Shore@@PShore15Correspondent IDecember 20, 2010World Football: 25 Worst Misses of 2010
Everyone loves watching blooper reels. In 2010, people flocked to YouTube to see the latest “Worst Miss Ever” by a soccer player.
Field players, goalies and referees all had a hand, or in the keepers’ cases a lack of hands, in the matter: missing the shot, missing the ball, missing the save and missing the call.
The worst happened to players of all skill levels in all different leagues. Some of these even occurred in the World Cup, which should house the best of what soccer has to offer.
What were the biggest blunders of 2010?
Premature Celebration at Morocco Cup
The goalkeeper makes a good save, but is way too quick to celebrate. As a kid, you’re always told to play to the whistle, to the end of the play. Askri didn’t make sure he wrapped things up completely.
Spinning Penalty Kick Saved
This Michael Jackson wannabe fools the goalie at first, but hits it right at him while he’s on the ground. Wonder what went through his head when he saw that he missed.
Spain-Paraguay Missed PKs
The misses weren’t terrible, but the fact that they came within a minute of each other makes them worse. On the world’s biggest stage, in what was a nil-nil match, someone needs to convert.
Asamoah Gyan Missed Penalty
The best part of this kick was watching Gyan’s eyes follow the ball as it soared over after it hit the crossbar.
Robert Green Lets Down an Entire Nation
For the World Cup, Nike ran those “Write the Future” ads. Green did just that, except his story is more infamous than it is glorious.
Brazil Butt Goal
The defender misses the ball as he attempts to clear it and then pops it into the net with his butt. This is just classic blooper material.
Real Sociedad Sitter
One more touch, and all he would have to do is tap it in. He had plenty of time, but he tried to look fancy.
Bicycle Kick to the Face
Martin Caceres misses the ball on this attempted bicycle kick, but he doesn’t miss Demy De Zeeuw’s face.
Dani's Skyrocket in Flight
Why does he lean back on his shot? That always means the ball is going to go over.
Ibrahimo-Miss
It’s an awkward touch on the ball, and it looks worse because he didn’t hit it over, he didn’t hit it wide to the far post, and he kept the ball rolling in the same direction it came in.
Wambach Misses the Net, But Not the Guy Carrying the Hot Dogs
One of the funnier errors on this list. Its lightheartedness stems from the fact that it was in warmups. Hopefully someone paid for this guy’s replacement hot dog.
Tevez Airing out His Frustration
You don’t help your transfer request with a shot like this, especially when you lose the game 1-0.
Henry Hand Ball
This is a case where no one missed the ball or the shot, but the referees dreadfully missed the call. So instead of a grateful Ireland team in the World Cup, we had France, who disgraced themselves.
Villa is Vulnerable
Villa has become one of the best goal scorers in the world, so how he misses this goal-line sitter is pretty unbelievable.
Orebro Miss Times Two
He has a bad first touch, misses the open net, and trips over the ball when he goes in for the rebound. Then instead of trying to win the ball back, he just lays there thinking “This is going to be all over YouTube.”
Algeria Goalkeeper Looks Clueless
What was Chaouchi looking at? How did he miss this ball?
Jakub Blaszczykowski Lifts Off
The goalie fell/was tripped. No one was even close to him. Why do players with such a sure thing still try to kill the ball?
Kei Kamara's Infamous Whiff
Why does Kamara slide? He doesn’t even have to kick it. All he has to do is run into it. Surprisingly, there’s still worse.
World-Class World Cup Blunder
The announcer starts the clip saying “unmissable.” Apparently Yakubu had to prove him wrong.
Bumpy Pitch Conspiracy?
This match was Sander Boschker’s first Champions League game. I felt the breeze all the way from here.
Three-For-All
The goalkeeper misses the ball, Qatar’s Fahad Khalfan has the miss of the century, and then the follow-up on a wide-open net is missed. Khalfan’s whiff is the most outrageous, though. He could’ve dribbled it in. Instead, he uses the outside of his foot, and the ball takes a bad angle hitting the post. Historically bad finishing here.