World Cup Soccer Stars Who Dragged Weak Teams Too Far

by Spencer Toth - 6/9/2026

World Cup stars who dragged weak teams far Tim Howard USA

Complete teams usually win the World Cup. However, every once in a while, a superstar decides to drag an underdog further than anyone thought possible. These players covered up flaws while carrying limited attacks or saving shaky defenses. Sometimes it is a striker catching fire for an unforgettable month, and other times it is a goalkeeper standing on his head. The World Cup is famous for creating folk heroes overnight, and these names will never be forgotten among their respective nations. The last century of World Cups has created unlikely heroes, and these superstars dragged their teams much further than they had any business going.

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#1 Diego Forlan: Uruguay, 2010

As one of the eight nations to win a World Cup, Uruguay is always among the most talked-about teams heading into any tournament. However, their 2010 side had several flaws, and they were seen as a major underdog heading into the tournament. They had not reached a semifinal in the last 40 years and needed a playoff just to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. However, once the tournament got going, Diego Forlan took over.

He scored five goals and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's top player. His heroic efforts carried Uruguay to a fourth-place finish, scoring against South Africa, Ghana, the Netherlands, and Germany. His long-range efforts with the historic Jabulani soccer ball became iconic moments of the tournament. The controversy surrounding Luis Suarez in the quarterfinals took some of the allure away from Forlan, but you cannot deny his impact on the tournament. He was the engine, leader, and finisher for one of the most historic teams and gave Uruguay something to cheer about after decades of World Cup disappointments.

#2 James Rodriguez: Colombia, 2014

James Rodriguez became an overnight superstar. He used his historic 2014 World Cup performance to fuel his move to Real Madrid, and remained one of the top names in international football for the next decade. Colombia had talent heading into the 2014 tournament, but without longtime leader Radamel Falcao, the expectations were limited. Instead, Rodriguez turned into the tournament’s breakout star and carried Colombia to their first-ever quarterfinal appearance.

He scored in every match Colombia played, including his Puskas Award-winning volley against Uruguay. Rodriguez won the Golden Boot with six goals, but that moment alone transformed him into a household name. Colombia eventually lost to Brazil in the quarterfinals, but Rodriguez had already changed the country’s World Cup identity and history. Rodriguez looked like the best player in the world for that iconic month, turning an average Colombian side into a legitimate threat.

#3: Hristo Stoichkov: Bulgaria, 1994

There is no international performance better than what Hristo Stoichkov did for Bulgaria in 1994. Bulgaria had played in five World Cups before 1994, but had failed to win a single game with a 0-6-10 record across the previous three decades. However, all that changed when Stoichkov stepped onto the pitch.

It looked like more of the same for Bulgaria when they lost 3-0 to Nigeria in their group stage opener, but they then shocked the world with a 4-0 win over Greece, followed by a 2-0 win over Argentina to book a spot in the knockout stage. Stoichkov scored the opening goal in both matches and added a second against Greece. The country had already erupted thanks to a knockout stage berth, and then went on to beat Mexico on penalties after the round of 16 affair finished 1-1 with a Stoichkov goal. Bulgaria followed it up with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Germany, where Stoichkov got the crucial 75th-minute equaliser in the quarterfinals. Bulgaria had to settle for a fourth-place finish, but it still went down as one of the most remarkable World Cup showings of all-time.

Stoichkov finished as the joint top scorer with six goals and became the face of one of the greatest carry jobs in World Cup history. Bulgaria went from a minnow to a giant overnight, and it was thanks to Stoichkov’s lethal finishing up front. They haven’t won a World Cup game since 1994 and haven’t qualified since 1998, further emphasizing how incredible Stoichkov was at this tournament.

#4 Keylor Navas: Costa Rica, 2014

Costa Rica’s 2014 World Cup run still makes absolutely no sense. They were drawn into the clear ‘Group of Death’ alongside Uruguay, Italy, and England. A large majority of people expected them to finish dead last in the group, and the attention was on which of the trio of footballing powerhouses would also be eliminated in third place. Instead, Costa Rica won the group, reached the quarterfinals, and went unbeaten in regulation across the entire tournament. The reason why? Keylor Navas between the sticks.

Navas was truly brilliant in the group stage to ignite the run, and his marquee moment came against Greece in the Round of 16. Costa Rica was sent down to ten men, but they managed to hold on through extra time to force a penalty shootout. Navas was a world-class wall in goal, and saved Theofanis Gekas’ penalty to send the country into a frenzy. Navas sent Costa Rica to their first-ever quarterfinal appearance in a tournament many thought they wouldn’t even get a point. There were many moving parts and clutch moments, but Costa Rica played fearless football, knowing they had Navas protecting their goal.

#5 Luka Modric: Croatia, 2018

Croatia had more talent than many people saw in 2018, but no one could have predicted their run to the World Cup Final. Luka Modric was the heartbeat in midfield, stringing together passes, making crucial tackles, all while giving Croatia calm amidst the chaos.

His ability to control matches earned him the Golden Ball as the tournament’s most valuable player, but he will always be remembered for how he elevated his teammates to give Croatia a World Cup Final appearance. Modric helped his side survive three straight extra-time knockout games; he scored key penalties in shootouts and carried the emotional weight of the side. His time at Real Madrid allowed him to thrive when others wilted, giving Croatia their best tournament of all-time. Was Croatia as weak as Colombia or Costa Rica? Certainly not. But they still outlasted everyone aside from eventual winners France, thanks to Modric in the midfield.

#6 Eusebio: Portugal, 1966

Before Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s World Cup history belonged to Eusebio. In 1966, Eusebio took a nation making their World Cup debut all the way to third place. He scored nine goals to win the tournament’s top scorer award, and that total remains the fourth most in a single tournament. His most famous performance came against North Korea in the quarterfinals, when Portugal fell behind 3-0 in the first half. Eusebio single-handedly turned things around, scoring four goals to give Portugal the lead before Jose Augusto added a fifth to make it a 5-3 final score.

There was no denying Portugal had talent, but they were still not on the level of Brazil, England, or West Germany. Eusebio’s superstar performances gave them the ability to beat anyone on any given day, taking over matches along the way to the semifinals. They eventually lost to England in the semifinals before beating the Soviet Union for third place. Eusebio didn’t just carry Portugal further than anyone thought possible, but he wrote the first chapter of the country's now historic World Cup identity.

#7 Tim Howard: United States, 2014

The United States did not make a deep run in 2014, but Tim Howard absolutely deserves a spot on this list. Belgium and the United States faced off in the Round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup, and while Belgium advanced, Tim Howard kept the Americans in the game far longer than they should have been. Belgium dominated the match on both ends of the pitch, peppering the American goal all night long. Howard made 16 saves, setting a World Cup record for the most saves in a single game. Belgium eventually broke the deadlock in extra time, but Howard’s heroic effort has not been forgotten. He nearly created one of the great modern upsets, and while the United States couldn’t help him out on the other end of the field, Howard still gave them 30 extra minutes of World Cup time they certainly did not deserve.

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Pick:	Germany -3.5 (-120)
Start:	June 14, 2026 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free World Cup Soccer Play from Doc’s Sports. Take Germany -3.5 (-120) over Curacao (1 p.m. EST, Sunday June 14) The expanded World Cup has 16 more sides at 48 compared to the 32 that competed in the past. Therefore, there will be a major talent disparity in some matchups. This is one of those matchups. A major change is that goal differential is not the main tiebreaker for the knockout stage. If two teams are tied on points, the first tiebreaker will be head-to- head matchups. This eliminates the need for clubs to run up the score, so we think there will be a lack of blowouts in this tournament. However, we do think this one will be ugly, as even the German subs will be taking target practice late against Curacao. The tiny island nation is playing in its first World Cup and is just happy to be here. This is the smallest nation ever to qualify for the big tournament. They will likely be embarrassed here, however. They will have a better chance for a little national pride in matches against Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E matches, but that probably means just scoring a goal, which is unlikely here against the German giants. Curacao looked horrible in their World Cup warmups, as they lost to China, Australia and Scotland with a goal differential of -9 (as of this writing, with one more warm up match). Germany is head and shoulders above those sides, and they should win this one by four or five goals without much effort. Read More Read Less

World Cup Soccer Stars Who Dragged Weak Teams Too Far

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