Brits love an underdog story more than many other nations, with countries such as the States and China, to name just two, preferring to back the winning horse every time. Some fans will naturally gravitate to the best teams, players or horses and always want the top dog – even if said dog is a golfer or thoroughbred racehorse – to triumph. However, this attitude is less typical in the UK.
This notion was accurately summed up in a BBC article about Alistair and Jonny Brownlee’s success at the 2012 Olympics. It noted that Alistair was different to other kids when he was young and watched sport on TV, saying “something set him apart from most other British kids: he always wanted the favourite to win.”
While the older Brownlee brother – and no doubt younger too – were cheering on the sports stars with main character energy, much of the rest of the UK was hoping the underdog would spring a surprise. There is something so appealing about the person or team that “shouldn’t win” causing an upset.
So much of life, be it in business, sport, politics or anything else, favours the “bigger”, “better” party. That might mean richer, more established, stronger, faster, better looking, slicker, quicker or just simply superior, depending what area we are talking about. When the underdog triumphs, be it David with his slingshot, Cinderella rising above her mistreatment, or even Wigan beating Man City in the final of the FA Cup, it gives people a reason to hope and dream. It shows them that while Goliath will very probably rip their heads off, there is a chance, just a chance, that they might sock him in the eye.
Classic Underdog Wins
Over the years there have been no end of underdog stories. The classic and original one (though probably untrue unless you believe in nine-foot giants) now lends its name to the concept. David v Goliath is the Biblical tale of a young shepherd overcoming a mighty, giant warrior, but now that phrase is used to describe any clash between opponents of seemingly different size, wealth or calibre.
In the Book of Samuel, David prevailed thanks to an accurate shot with a sling. The reality, however, is that more often than not, it is Goliath, in the shape of Real Madrid, Tiger Woods, Jannik Sinner or the horse at the shortest odds trained by Willie Mullins that prevails. But “more often than not” is very different from all the time, and upsets happen very frequently in sport.
There is a difference between a sporting upset and a true underdog story though. The team in 18th in the Premier League beating the side in second is the former. A horse that was bought for peanuts by a consortium of everyday racing fans going on to win at the Cheltenham Festival is very much the latter.
We have looked at some of the greatest underdog triumphs in sport in more detail elsewhere on the site. Those include John Daly’s amazing win at the 1991 US PGA Championship and the incredible story of Massachusetts golfer Frances Ouimet. We will add more in time, but such hard-to-believe tales are not limited to golf – though there are plenty more golfing ones too.
There are far too many to go into detail about them all, especially if we broaden the scope to cover all sports. However, here is a short selection of some of the most amazing ones from a range of different events.
Denmark Won the 1992 Euros
The Danes did not even qualify initially, only gaining entry to the tournament 10 days before it started after Yugoslavia were kicked out.
Greece’s 2004 Euros Win
150/1 before the tournament began, Greece beat hosts Portugal in the final.
Leicester City’s 2015/16 Premier League Win
The Foxes were 5,000/1 and somehow overcame those odds and the Premier League’s football giants to win the title.
Emma Raducanu Wins the 2021 US Open
The Brit was just 18 but somehow came through qualifying to win a Grand Slam. She won 10 matches in all, without dropping a single set!
Douglas Busts Tyson
Mike Tyson was seen as invincible but huge outsider Buster Douglas fulfilled a promise to his dead mother and knocked him out.
Foinavon Wins the National
Other 100/1 shots have won the Grand National but Foinavon’s amazing win in 1967 is probably the most famous.
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit’s whole career was a triumph for small, unloved underdogs everywhere. The 1938 American Horse of the Year beat War Admiral, a Triple Crown winner, and gave Americans hope at the end of the Great Depression.
Goran Ivanišević Wins Wimbledon
In 2001, Croatian Ivanišević became the first, and still only, man to win a Slam as a wild card. He was ranked 125 in the world and had lost the final at SW19 in 1992, 1994 and 1998.
The Miracle on Ice
At the 1980 Winter Olympics, hosts USA beat the Soviet Union to ice hockey gold. The home side were a rag-tag collection of young amateurs, while their opponents had won gold at the last four Games and were amateur in name only.
Sri Lanka Win the Cricket World Cup
Co-hosts Sri Lanka beat strong favourites Australia to claim the 1996 World Cup against the odds. Sri Lanka revolutionised the game by using “pinch-hitters” at the top of the order.
Japan Stun Springboks
Japan’s amazing 2015 win over South Africa is perhaps the greatest upset in rugby union history. South Africa have won the World Cup a record four times, while this win, thanks to a last-minute try, was Japan’s first at the tournament in 24 years!
Joe Johnson Shocks Dominant Davis
In the 1980s Steve Davis dominated snooker, winning all six of his world titles and making two further finals. 1986 was one of his losses, world number 16 and 150/1 outsider Johnson beating him 18-12 in the final.
What Makes a True Underdog Story?
We have noted that not all upsets are underdog stories worth getting excited about. We have also, largely through example, hinted at what makes for a compelling against-the-odds triumph. But what are the exact components? Well, the best underdog stories have a mix of all the following, albeit in different ratios:
- Unexpected – An underdog story must always be a surprise at least, and ideally a complete shock.
- Romance – There should be some romance involved, be it due to history, the back story of one or more parties, problems overcome or some other aspect of the wider picture.
- Scale of the Event – An unfancied boxer who almost died in a car crash a year earlier beating a strong opponent is a great story. However, to be a real underdog tale of glory, the bout needs to be for a title – the bigger the better.
- Likeable and Relatable – Ideally the underdog should be one we can all relate to and who offers charm. An unlikely champion who is easy to support and played fair rather than one with no personality who cheated.
- Legacy – The greatest stories leave a lasting mark on the sport or event in question.