Normally last weekend I’d have had my eyes glued to the television screen watching the Ryder Cup in Wisconsin on Sky Sports sadly postponed until next year. However today I’ve just watched Miracle at Medinah, the story of how Europe under captain Jose Maria Olazabal led his team to victory on the final day against the USA from 6-10 down to win the 2012 Ryder Cup. This got me wondering if there have been greater comebacks in sport especially with the team wearing motifs in remembrance of Seve Ballesteros on their shirt sleeves and the emotion of the occasion. No doubt others will choose the Headingley cricket tests against Australia in 1981 or again the one last year. Going back in time to the Football World Cup in 1954 I had always thought that West Germany beating Hungary 3-2 from 0-2 down in the Final was a great comeback, not solely because of that one particular match, but because the Germans had suffered a 3-8 defeat to the Magyars in the group stages, but now am torn between Medinah and Headingley.
I would be interested to read the thoughts of members on this forum with their thoughts or perhaps other suggestions.
Don’t forget Steaua, Ken!
Liverpool fans will point to Istanbul but that was only a three goal deficit. All too easy to come back from really!
Barcelona’s 6-5 comeback against PSG a couple of years ago was pretty special as well.
The England cricket team have found a nice habit of coming back to win of late, but perhaps nothing of the sort noted above.
Aside from Boro, one of my favourite comebacks was Carl Froch v Jermaine Taylor in 2009, where Froch retained his WBC Super Middleweight title with a 12th and final round knockout having trailed on the scorecards. Only a knockout would do and Froch duly delivered.
On the boxing front, perhaps Tyson Fury’s return to the ring is the greatest recent comeback overall, though of course Muhammad Ali might take the all-time crown.
Or when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was asked by a female reporter about a picture of him with Gerard Pique questioning his sexuality he replied....
” Come to my place on Friday night and find out....and bring your sister with you”
Peter Crouch’s interview comeback remains the best. Asked what he would have been had he not become a footballer, he replied “a virgin”.