France 2002
As reigning world and European champions, much was expected of France in Japan and South Korea. However, a team featuring Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira, Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thuram and Thierry Henry got off to the worst possible start, losing 1-0 to Senegal in one of the biggest opening-game upsets in World Cup history.
A goalless draw with Uruguay followed, meaning the holders had to beat Denmark in their final match to stand any chance of progression to the knockout rounds. They lost 2-0, goals from Dennis Rommedahl and Jon Dahl Tomasson sending Les Bleus home early.
Italy 1966
Italy may have crashed out in the group stage in 1962, when they were involved in one of the most infamous World Cup games of all time, the so-called Battle of Santiago against Chile. Yet despite that early exit they were expected to go deep in the competition four years later, with manager Edmondo Fabbri able to call upon the likes of Sandro Mazzola, Gianni Rivera and Tarcisio Burgnich.
The Azzurri enacted revenge on Chile with a 2-0 win in Sunderland, but a 1-0 defeat by the Soviet Union three days later saw them slip to second in the Group 4 standings. A draw against North Korea would probably have been enough to secure progression, but the Italians suffered a stunning 1-0 loss thanks to Pak Doo-ik’s first-half goal.
Netherlands 1990
The 1970s and 1980s could hardly have been different for the Netherlands as far as World Cup campaigns are concerned: having reached the final twice in the first decade, they failed to even qualify in 1982 and 1986.
The latter competition in Mexico proved to be nadir, though, because the Dutch were crowned continental kings at Euro 1988. They were therefore expected to mount a strong challenge in Italy two years later, but Leo Beenhakker’s charges having squeezed through to the knockout stage without winning a game.
Colombia 1994
Colombia may have been participating in only their third World Cup finals in 1994, but that did not stop them being labelled as potential victors in the build-up. Brazilian legend Pele even considered los Cafeteros favourites, a view no doubt strongly influenced by their astonishing 5-0 away victory over Argentina during the qualification campaign.
But for one reason or another Colombia did not deliver in the United States, finishing bottom of Group A after losing to the hosts and Romania. Their on-field failure was overshadowed by the tragic killing of captain Andres Escobar a few weeks later.
Italy 2010
Italy were surprise winners in 2006, distancing themselves from the Calciopoli scandal back home to take the trophy in Germany. They were again dark horses rather than favourites to triumph four years later, but no one expected Marcello Lippi’s men to fall at the first hurdle – particularly after they were handed a kind group stage draw.
Yet that is exactly what they did, drawing 1-1 with both Paraguay and New Zealand before suffering elimination at the hands of Slovakia, who ran out 3-2 winners in Johannesburg.
