7 Substitute Players who Changed World Cup History
by Spencer Toth / May 11, 2026Every player from the Sunday league to the World Cup wants to start the match, but sometimes they have to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench. Some players can take that personally and let it ruin their careers, while others use it as fuel when they get their moment to shine. Over the last century, the World Cup has produced some of the most legendary substitute appearances of all-time.
