The world’s greatest athletes are those who can prove their worth when everyone else has counted them out. The strength to come from a position where all seems lost to win their game marks out the best sports stars from the also-rans.
Over history, we’ve seen many teams and individuals record incredible comebacks. From the point of no return, they’ve summoned all of their quality to win against the odds.
The list covers several sports, but each entry can genuinely be considered among the greatest comebacks of all time.
1. 2012 Ryder Cup and the Miracle of Medinah
American golf fans won’t want to be reminded of this, but few could argue that it isn’t one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time. With the European team trailing 10-6 going into the final day’s singles matches, they certainly did need a miracle to retain the Ryder Cup.
Singles games are, traditionally, the US team’s strongest hand, but they couldn’t capitalize on their advantage. A run of brilliant performances from Europe clawed back the huge deficit, and they won the Ryder Cup by 14.5 points to 13.5.
2. Super Bowl LI: Tom Brady Inspires the Patriots
Numerically, the 51st Super Bowl in 2017 marks the biggest comeback in the game’s history. With quarterback Tom Brady pulling the strings, most expected the New England Patriots to have an easy ride against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons hadn’t read that script and led by 28-3 in the third quarter. It had been a subdued game for New England, but Brady inspired the comeback. Atlanta didn’t register another point as the Patriots leveled at 28-28 before landing the winning touchdown in overtime.
3. 2005 Champions League Final: Liverpool’s Amazing Comeback
At halftime in the 2005 Champions League Final, the result appeared to be a foregone conclusion. Italian giants AC Milan scored in the first minute of the game and continued to take a 3-0 advantage into the break.
Liverpool’s chances were written off, but the second half marked the biggest comeback in the history of the final. Goals from Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer, and Xabi Alonso leveled the scores, before Liverpool completed the remarkable turnaround, winning the match on penalties.
4. 2022: Rich Strike Upsets the Odds at the Kentucky Derby
It was another great comeback for an unlikely underdog. Ahead of the 2022 running of the Kentucky Derby, there were few takers on Rich Strike at odds of around +8000 and when the horse started at the back of the pack, his chances drifted even further.
In an event where the frontrunners often hold onto their early advantage, Rich Strike emerged from the rear, avoiding other horses to claim the lead. He held on to become the second-biggest longshot in Kentucky Derby history.
5. 1960 World Series: Pirates Shock the Yankees
Pittsburgh Pirates’ 1960 World Series win over the New York Yankees was one of the biggest underdog victories of all time. It also involved an outstanding comeback as the Pirates recovered from 2-1 down.
The Yankees were the dominant force in baseball at the time, with some of the greatest players in the history of baseball. As the heavy outsiders, Pittsburgh’s response to going 2-1 behind was remarkable, as they snatched victory by 10-9 in the seventh and final game.
6. 2009 US Open Tennis: Del Potro Stuns Federer
Swiss tennis star Roger Federer was entering a period of dominance when he took to the court for the final of the 2009 US Open. As the number one seed, he was expected to ease past Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro, who was ranked sixth.
Federer dropped a set but was coasting at 2-1 before Del Potro responded in unexpected fashion. The sixth seed took the fourth set on a tie break, before claiming the decider 6-2 for the only Grand Slam win of his career.
7. 1985 Snooker Stunner
Not every reader will be familiar with snooker, but if we’re talking about the greatest sporting comebacks, we have to include the 1985 World Championship final. After the first session, underdog Dennis Taylor trailed the favorite Steve Davis by eight frames to nil.
Davis had already won three world titles and was cruising to victory before Taylor fought back. It all went down to a memorable decider in the 35th frame as Dennis Taylor won on the final black. Around a third of the UK population tuned in to watch the drama unfold.
8. 1976: Niki Lauda Returns to Formula One
Some comebacks aren’t about one single game. Some of the greatest achievements by athletes have been secured by those who return after adversity. That was the case with Austrian racing driver Niki Lauda who came back to Formula One after a horrific accident.
At the 1976 German Grand Prix, Lauda received life-threatening injuries after his car crashed and burst into flames. Incredibly, he was back racing before the end of the season, and the comeback was complete when he won the F1 Drivers Championship the following year.
9. Cricket: Botham’s Ashes
Cricket may be seen as a niche sport by some, but it is growing across the world. Major League Cricket and the joint hosting of the 2024 T20 World Cup have seen interest increase in America.
For the biggest comeback in the sport’s history, we have to go back to 1981. England were on the verge of going 2-0 down in the Ashes Series against Australia before Ian Botham and Bob Willis inspired a remarkable recovery. England eventually won the series 3-1, and the feat marked a personal comeback for Botham who conceded the captaincy after the second test match.
10. 2019 US Masters: Tiger Rolls Back the Years
You should never write off the world’s best, as Tiger Woods proved in 2019. Having suffered a catalog of injuries, few gave him a chance of success at the US Masters in Augusta. Some so-called experts may have even felt it an achievement if he made the cut.
Tiger defied those expectations on one of his favorite courses. At the age of 43, he led at the end of round three and held off late charges from Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele to win his fifth Green Jacket by one shot.
11. 1995: Michael Jordan Returns to the NBA
In 1993, disillusioned by basketball and shocked by the murder of his father, Michael Jordan turned his back on the sport. At the age of just 30, he had lost his desire to compete.
Jordan turned out in Minor League Baseball, before making a surprise return to the Chicago Bulls during the 1995/96 campaign. Fans were concerned that he might have lost his edge, but they needn’t have worried. MJ was back to his best, and his return inspired the Bulls to three straight NBA titles between 1996 and 1998.
12. 1999 French Open Tennis: Agassi Grinds Out a Win
As he approached the final of the 1999 French Open Men’s Tennis competition, Andre Agassi would have been aware that this was his last shot at a clean sweep of Grand Slams. This was the only tournament of the “big four” to elude him, but a catalog of injuries was catching up with the American.
The size of the task increased when Agassi lost the first set 6-1 against Andrei Medvedev. He lost the second 6-2, before summoning arguably tennis’ greatest-ever comeback to win in five sets.
13. 2004 MLB American League Championship Series: Boston Red Sox Achieves the Impossible
At 3-0 down in the 2004 American League Championship, the Boston Red Sox knew that history was against them. At that time in MLB history, no team had come back to win from that position in a seven-game series.
With the New York Yankees seemingly cruising toward the pennant, the Red Sox somehow dug deep and achieved the impossible. At 3-3 and with the New York franchise stunned, Boston took advantage, winning by a colossal scoreline of 10-3 in the decider.
Twenty years later, the Red Sox remain the only team to turn 0-3 into 4-3.
14. 1977: Gordon Banks Wins NASL Goalkeeper of the Year Award
Legendary goalkeeper Gordon Banks was part of the England side that won the 1966 World Cup. Six years later, his professional soccer career seemed to be over when he lost sight in one eye following a car crash.
In 1977, Banks was persuaded to make a return as a named superstar in the developing North American Soccer League. Despite the issue with his vision, he helped the Fort Lauderdale Strikers return the best defensive record across the season, and Banks deservedly won the Goalkeeper of the Year Award.