There are so many weird and wonderful moments in the long history of football. Not only do fans buy memorabilia from big games, but they also tell stories about the events that have occurred in football.

Strange Rules Cause Chaos

During the 1994 Caribbean Cup, there was a strange rule that stated if a goal was made in overtime, it would be worth double the points. Given the standings prior to the game, Barbados needed a two-goal margin to continue in the tournament, while Grenada could afford to lose by just one point to progress. Barbados were leading 2–1 when the 90 minutes were up, but they needed to get another goal. Since the clock was running out, they needed to force overtime by making an equalizer. Thus, they deliberately conceded a goal to themselves, tying the game. In overtime, they then scored again against Grenada and thus gained a two-point lead, thanks to the crazy rule, with just one goal. And guess what? It worked perfectly.

However, chaos erupted after that. Grenada discovered they could qualify either way (winning by one or losing by one), and thus Barbados were forced to defend both their own and Grenada’s goal simultaneously! Miraculously, they managed to do just that and scored the winning goal in overtime to book their place in the next round. Grenada’s coach was furious and pretty much told the organizers they were mad.

Big-Headline Fiasco and Translation Debacles

In 1963, SKA Rostov were set to play the Malian National Team. Mali’s keeper had a good luck charm—a live monkey that attended every game. After the photo shoot, the monkey sat on the goal cross bar. At this point, Soviet striker Viktor Ponedelnik takes a shot, misses by a hair, and knocks the monkey right dead center! The crowd erupts thinking their mascot is a goner, and the Russian player who made the shot is going to get lynched. However, the monkey gets up and shakes itself off.

Meanwhile, a French journalist had sent in a report, claiming “Russian soccer player kills monkey-goalkeeper of Mali national team.” Even after the monkey came back to life, the Frenchman wouldn’t pull the story as it was too hot. Therefore, the world headlines read: “According to French Press, Soviet Soccer Player Kills Monkey-Goalkeeper of Mali National Team.”

The Boss is Always Right — Or Else Your Coach Will Get Fired

During a Madagascar League Tournament, L’Emyrne (not Adema) felt cheated by some shady officiating and lost a key game. Their appeal fell on deaf ears. When it looked like they had no chance at the championship, they decided to send a message in their next game: every time they touched the ball it went directly into their own net. The result? 149-0 and a new entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

L’Emyrne – nyt.com

Fans were not pleased and wanted refunds. The players paid dearly for their antics — the coach received a three-year ban and the captain and goalkeeper were banned from attending matches as spectators for three years.

Penalty Kicks for the Ages

Littleton and Stortes Hall, two of England’s smaller teams, were tied 2-2 after regulation and had to go to penalty kicks to determine the winner. However, neither goalie allowed a shot to slip through the net! Each saved 17 shots! The teams finally agreed to schedule a replay, as the conditions were not ideal – they were shooting penalty kicks under the light of the fans’ car headlights, as stadium lighting did not exist at the time.

Tunisian Miracle

It was the 1967 season and during a match, a referee made a decision that ticked off a player to the max. That player had been mute since birth, therefore he could presumably yell obscenities to his heart’s content without anyone hearing him. His anger boiled over and voila! He started speaking! The referee wasn’t impressed with the creative cursing he heard and ejected him. However, the player was ecstatic.

Creativity Can Solve Any Problem

Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough – shutterstock.com

The rivalry between Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough has been around for centuries. On the day of a 1940 game, the players arrived to find their shin guards missing from their luggage. Their coach thought nothing of it and popped into a nearby newsstand and bought 22 paperback romances for women. Using the soft covers as makeshift shin guards, the teams were able to take to the field.

Basketball Gets Its Start

In the late 1800s, football was played strictly on streets. One physical education teacher, tired of having bored students, hung two hoops at opposite ends of the field and handed them a soccer ball. The rest is history. Basketball was born in 1891.

Being a Referee Can Be a Hazardous Business

Jacques Baie, Spanish prosecutor has a rather interesting collection of items thrown at referees on the pitch. Think fire crackers, smoke bombs; golf balls; cell phones; nuts; door handles; sticks etc.

People sneak this type of trash onto the field or into the stands. Or, they put it in their sock under their shorts. Referee David Brower quit after showing a red card and being struck in the back by a corner flag ripped out of a player’s hand. In another incident, a 4 kg chunk of salt was hurled at the coach of Argentina’s Estudiantes. He found the humor in it and said it would come in handy at home – especially for salads. The French even established a fund to help referees pay for damaged vehicles caused by enraged football hooligans.