5 times big players missed easy chances in finals

Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich - UEFA Champions League Final
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich - UEFA Champions League Final

More often than not, sport is defined by singular moments. Those singular moments could be the difference between collective ecstasy or collective grief.

Football is no different, as we have so often seen how a singular moment of inspiration or madness could be the difference between victory and defeat on the biggest of days.

Take your mind back to the 2002 UEFA Champions League final, when Zinedine Zidane's incredible left-footed volley proved to be the winner for Real Madrid on the night against Bayer Leverkusen.

Zidane himself was the beneficiary of some madness 16 years later in the same tournament, now as the manager of Real Madrid. Liverpool's Loris Karius lived out a nightmare in Kyiv, and Los Blancos had won their third consecutive title, beating the Reds 3-1 in the final.

But, there have been several big games in football that have turned on the back of a glaring miss from an attacking player, which has come back to bite teams in the backside.

We take a look at five such misses, which were pivotal in swinging the outcome of some big games the other way.


#5 Andriy Shevchenko | AC Milan v Liverpool, 2005

UEFA Champions League Final - AC Milan v Liverpool
UEFA Champions League Final - AC Milan v Liverpool

AC Milan were crusing at half-time of the 2005 UEFA Champions League against Liverpool at Istanbul. Carlo Ancelotti's side were 3-0 up at the break and even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans might have told you a comeback was well beyond Rafa Benitez's side that day.

But somehow Liverpool summoned up all their reserves of character and spirit and quality, to produce a maddening five-minute spell early in the second half to tie the game at 3-3.

Milan eventually took control of the game, and kept creating some very decent chances, only to not finish them off. In the second half of extra-time though, Shevchenko had the chance to seal the final, but he just couldn't, perhaps an indication that the trophy was just destined to go to Liverpool that night.

After a cross from Serginho, the Ukrainian superstar powered a header on goal, which Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek managed to parry, but Shevchenko pounced on the rebound, and was just a yard away from goal.

He powered a shot on target, but somehow Dudek put his hands in the right place, and the ball deflected over the bar for a corner to Milan.

The game eventually went to a penalty shootout, where Shevchenko had his decisive penalty saved by Dudek, as Liverpool won their fifth UEFA Champions League title.


#4 Arjen Robben | Netherlands v Spain, 2010

Netherlands v Spain: 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
Netherlands v Spain: 2010 FIFA World Cup Final

The Netherlands and Spain locked horns in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, with both nations looking to win their first ever world title, at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

It was mostly a very cagey final, with both teams understandably not willing to be too expansive at the risk of leaving things open a the back, for the likes of David Villa and Arjen Robben to exploit.

Even so, Robben had two big one-on-one opportunities with Casillas in that game. The first one was saved by the onrushing Spanish 'keeper's leg and the ball squirted wide of the net.

When Robben got another similar chance, you would have banked on him burying the opportunity, but this team he took a slightly heavy touch, and Casillas was again able to rush out and smother the shot before any damage could be done.

Eventually, the game went into extra-time, and two minutes before the end of that, Andres Iniesta popped up to score one of the most significant goals in Spanish Football history.

Robben was left to rue his misses on a night of would-haves and could-haves for Dutch Football.

#3 Kylian Mbappe | Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich, 2020

Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich - UEFA Champions League Final
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich - UEFA Champions League Final

In the Champions League final of 2020, PSG faced Bayern Munich hoping to end their drought in the UEFA Champions League with their first title in their 50-year history.

Especially in the first half of the game, PSG had their fair share of big chances, which they didn't take. Neymar and Kylian Mbappe both fired early warnings to the German champions, with the Brazilian having a shot saved by Manuel Neuer, and the French speedster being denied by a block from Joshua Kimmich.

However, just as the first half was drawing to a close, Mbappe was presented with an opportunity that he would back himself to bury nine out of ten times. Unfortunately for him, the big day wasn't one of those nine.

After being gifted the ball by David Alaba on the edge of the penalty area, Mbappe exchanged passes with Ander Herrera, and found himself face-to-face with Neuer, but his shot lacked any sort of power or conviction and dribbled into Neuer's arms.

Eventually, PSG would rue those misses, as Kingsley Coman's header midway through the second half proved to be enough for Bayern to celebrate their sixth success in Europe's premier club competition.

As for PSG and Mbappe, the wait to end the drought goes on.


#2 Arjen Robben | Bayern Munich v Chelsea, 2012

FC Bayern Muenchen v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League Final
FC Bayern Muenchen v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League Final

This was supposed to be the greatest night in the history of Bayern Munich. They were playing a European final at their home - at the Allianz Arena. It was all going to plan, as Thomas Muller put them ahead with a header in the 83rd-minute.

They just had to see out a few minutes to lift the Champions League title in their own backyard. But Didier Drogba's header off a Juan Mata corner in the 88th minute took the game into extra-time.

Drogba nearly went from hero to villain in extra-time though, as he fouled Franck Ribery inside the box, and gave Robben the opportunity to convert a penalty and put Bayern in front.

Instead, the Dutchman's spot-kick was tamely struck, and rather easy for Petr Cech to get behind and save.

Eventually, the game went to a penalty shootout, where Chelsea won 4-3, after Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger missed for the Bavarians, to offset Juan Mata missing the first spot kick for the London club.


#1 Gonzalo Higuain | Argentina v Germany, 2014

Germany v Argentina: 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final
Germany v Argentina: 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final

On the night of all nights - the World Cup final in 2014 - Gonzalo Higuain was the unfortunate party, as Argentina were eventually made to pay for his profligacy in front of goal.

Very early in the game, Higuain latched on to an absolutely awful back header from Toni Kroos, and was straight through on goal up against Neuer. But, his approach to the ball was slow and lethargic, and allowed the German defenders some time to get close to him.

By the time Higuain pulled the trigger, Mats Hummels eventually was almost by his side. That forced the Argentine to panic slightly, and his shot was eventually dragged well wide of the target.

A few minutes later, Higuain had the ball in the back of the net, but it was disallowed due to him being offside. He had no more real opportunities to make amends for his early miss, as Germany eventually won the game in extra-time.

Mario Gotze's finish off an Andre Schurrle cross in the second period of extra-time was enough to give Germany the World Cup title, and left Higuain, Lionel Messi and Argentina to wait longer if they had to bury the ghosts of past international tournaments for La Albiceleste.

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