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Losing at home can be dramatic – especially when it is in the final of a cup or a major tournament.
A stadium packed full of anxious fans can create added tension, drama and expectation. Sometimes, all of that is just too much for the players.
On other occasions, the team at home are simply beaten by a better side. Buoyed by the warmth of their support through a tournament, perhaps getting to the final has been a success in itself.
Here is a look at some of the men’s national teams and club sides that lost major finals at home…
32. Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers lost 2-0 to Atlanta United in the 2018 MLS Cup final, but the Oregon outfit were at home for the 2021 showpiece against New York City FC.
And when Felipe Mora levelled deep into added time at Providence Park, it looked like it might be their year. The Chilean was one of two Portland players who failed to convert in the shootout, however, as the Timbers lost 4-2 on penalties.
31. Young Boys
The Swiss Cup final has regularly been played at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, which has been home to capital club Young Boys since 2005.
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Cup winners at their home ground in 2020 and 2023, Young Boys have also lost several finals at the Wankdorf (grow up), where they were beaten by Sion in the 2006 and 2009 matches and by FC Zürich in 2018.
30. New England Revolution
New England Revolution lost five MLS Cup finals between 2002 and 2014, including three in a row from 2005 to 2007.
The first of those five defeats was a 1-0 extra-time loss to LA Galaxy at their brand new Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts in October 2002, with Guatemalan icon Carlos Ruiz netting the only goal in the 113th minute.
29. Bursaspor
Opened in 1950, the Bursa Atatürk Stadium was replaced by a new ground in December 2015 and demolished the following year.
But before that, the stadium hosted the Turkish cup final in June 2015, which saw tenants Bursaspor take on Galatasaray. The Green Crocodiles competed well, but were edged out in a 3-2 loss as Burak Yılmaz hit a hat-trick to win the cup for the Istanbul giants.
28. Olympiacos
What’s worse than losing a cup final? Losing a cup final at home. To your fierce rivals. On the toss of a coin.
Unbelievably, that’s exactly what happened to Olympiacos in the Greek Cup final in 1969. After a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes, extra time failed to produce a winner and with no penalties back then, the game was decided by a coin toss. Panathinaikos captain Mimis Domazos guessed right and his side left the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus with the cup.
27. Libya
Libya hosted the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations and went all the way to the final of the tournament after topping their group and beating Zambia 2-1 in the last four.
In the final against Ghana in Tripoli, Libya went behind in the first half but levelled with 20 minutes left. The game ultimately went to penalties and the hosts were edged out 7-6 by the Black Stars in a thrilling shootout.
26. Tunisia
Tunisia hosted the African Cup of Nations in 1965 and advanced to the final of the six-team tournament after edging out Senegal on goals scored in Group A.
In the final, Tunisia led Ghana 2-1 but conceded an equaliser 11 minutes from the end and went on to lose 3-2 in extra time to the Black Stars in Tunis.
25. Dundee
Dundee are three-time winners and three-time runners-up of the Scottish League Cup and in 1980/81, the Dark Blues met local rivals Dundee United in the final.
The match was played at Dundee’s Dens Park, but home advantage counted for little as Dundee United – based just across the road – ran out 3-0 winners in a one-sided contest.
24. Celtic
The Scottish Cup final was due to be played at Ibrox Park in 1902, but a new venue had to be found after a stand collapsed at Rangers’ stadium, leaving 25 fans dead and 500 injured.
So Celtic Park was chosen to host the match instead, even though Celtic were in the final. And home advantage didn’t help the Hoops as they were beaten 1-0 by Hibernian in April 1902.
23. United Arab Emirates
The 1996 Asian Cup took place in the United Arab Emirates and the tournament hosts produced a strong showing, topping their group and advancing to the final thanks to narrow wins over Iraq and Kuwait.
There were no goals in the final against Saudi Arabia in Abu Dhabi as the two teams could not be separated over 120 minutes of football, but the visitors converted four of their five penalties to win 4-2 in the shootout.
22. Saudi Arabia
The Confederations Cup began life as the King Fahd Cup in 1992 and in the inaugural final, hosts Saudi Arabia were beaten 3-1 by Argentina.
Leonardo Rodríguez, Claudio Caniggia and Diego Simeone scored the goals for Argentina, with Saeed Al-Owairan on target to grab a consolation for the Saudis at the King Fahd Sports City in Riyadh.
21. Belenenses
Belenenses are one of just five Portuguese clubs to have won the Iberian nation’s league title in men’s football – although that triumph came way back in 1945/46.
The Lisbon outfit are also three-time winners of the Portuguese Cup (Taça de Portugal) – in 1942, 1960 and 1989. A year before that first triumph, Belenenses were beaten 4-1 by Sporting CP at their old Campo das Salésias home.
20. Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos are the second-most successful side in the Greek Cup, after rivals Olympiacos, having secured their 20th title with a 1-0 win over Aris in May 2024.
The Athens outfit have also finished as runners-up on 10 occasions and with the final previously played regularly at their Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, a couple of those losses have come at home. Panathinaikos lost 2-1 there in a replay in the 1949 final and went down 1-0 in their stadium to Olympiacos in the 1968 showpiece.
19. Inter
The Coppa Italia was mostly played at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in a one-off match in the 1970s, but when AC Milan and Inter met in the 1977 final, the venue was switched.
So Milan and Inter met in their shared stadium, the San Siro. Goals from Aldo Maldera and Giorgio Braglia gave the Rossoneri a 2-0 victory. Inter also lost 4-1 to Juventus at San Siro in the 1959 Coppa final.
18. Lazio
The Coppa Italia final has been played as a one-off fixture at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, which is home to both Roma and Lazio, since the 2007/08 season.
Playing in familiar surroundings, Lazio took the title in 2009, 2013 and 2019, beating fierce rivals Roma by a single goal in the latter. But the Eagles have also lost two finals at their home ground, going down 2-1 to Juventus in 2015 and 2-0 to the Bianconeri again in 2017.
17. China
Hosts China met Japan at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing in the final of the 2004 Asian Cup, with over 60,000 fans in attendance.
But the Japanese upset the party in a 3-1 win which featured a Man of the Match display from former Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura and sealed a third Asian Cup title for the Samurai Blue.
16. Feyenoord
The Dutch Cup (KNVB Cup) final is usually played at Feyenoord’s De Kuip home and the Rotterdam club have won 12 of their 14 titles in the competition at their famous stadium, most recently in 2024.
But Feyenoord have also lost a couple of finals at home, going down 4-2 to Fortuna ’54 in the 1957 final and 4-1 to FC Utrecht in the 2003 showpiece. Feyenoord also lost to Ajax in 2010, but that final was played over two legs home and away.
15. Japan
Japan topped their group in the 2001 Confederations Cup and advanced to the final thanks to a 1-0 win over Australia in the last four.
But the Samurai Blue were second best to defending world and European champions France in the final, losing out to a Patrick Vieira goal in a fairly one-sided contest in Yokohama which was not really reflected by the narrow scoreline.
14. United States
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is played predominantly in the United States and the USMNT has won the trophy seven times – all of those as tournament hosts.
But the USA have also lost five finals at home, with each of those defeats coming against fierce rivals Mexico – in 1993, 1998, 2009, 2011 and 2019.
13. Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain won four Coupe de France titles at their Parc des Princes home, which was the venue for the cup final between 1972 and 1997.
But PSG also lost a final at the Parc, going down to Monaco in a 1-0 defeat in June 1985 as Bernard Genghini netted the game’s only goal after 14 minutes.
12. Porto
Four Portuguese Cup (Taça de Portugal) finals were played at Porto’s old Estádio das Antas and the Dragons played in three of them.
Porto beat Braga 1-0 in the 1977 final, but lost 2-0 to Leixões in the 1961 showpiece and went down 1-0 to Benfica in the 1983 edition. The Estádio das Antas was replaced by the Estádio do Dragão in 2003 and demolished the following year.
11. Nigeria
Ghana and Nigeria were joint hosts of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and the Super Eagles advanced to the final, which was played in Lagos.
In it, Nigeria came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Cameroon and after a period of extra time failed to produce a winner, the match was decided by a penalty shootout. Cameroon won it 4-3, but not without controversy as Victor Ikpeba’s kick was not counted as it rebounded off the crossbar and out, even though it had clearly crossed the line.
10. Bolivia
Bolivia’s impressive results in La Paz can be put down to more than the presence of their home fans, with La Verde accustomed to playing at an altitude of 3,637 metres (11,932 feet) – unlike their opponents.
In the 1997 Copa América, the hosts beat Venezuela, Peru and Uruguay to top their group before victories over Colombia and Mexico in the knockout stages. Bolivia also competed well in the final against Brazil, striking the woodwork on a number of occasions before late goals from Ronaldo and Zé Roberto sealed a 3-1 win for the Seleção in La Paz.
9. Roma
Roma reached the European Cup final for the first time in 1984 and the Giallorossi faced Liverpool in the final at their Stadio Olimpico home.
The two teams drew 1-1 in 90 minutes and the match went to penalties, with the Reds prevailing 4-2 in the shootout. Roma’s captain that day, Agostino Di Bartolomei, suffered from clinical depression and committed suicide on the 10th anniversary of the match. Roma also lost to city rivals Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in the 2013 Coppa Italia final.
8. Sweden
Sweden beat Mexico, Hungary, the Soviet Union and West Germany en route to the 1958 World Cup final on home soil.
The Swedes also took the lead in the final against Brazil, but were well beaten in the end by Pelé, Garrincha et al. The home fans applauded Brazil after their 6-2 win and the Brazilians responded by parading the Swedish flag on the pitch following the final whistle.
7. Sporting CP
Sporting CP reached the final of the UEFA Cup in 2005 and with the match taking place at their José Alvalade stadium, chances of a first European trophy in over 40 years for the Lisbon side looked good – especially after Rogério’s 29th-minute opener.
But CSKA Moscow roared back in the second half with goals from Aleksei Berezutski, Yuri Zhirkov and Vágner Love to take the title, leaving players and fans of Sporting stunned on what was supposed to be a night of celebration for the Portuguese club.
6. Real Madrid
Real Madrid turned 100 years of age on March 6, 2002 and victory in the Copa del Rey final on that very day in front of their own fans at a packed Santiago Bernabéu seemed like the perfect centenary celebration.
But Deportivo La Coruña had other ideas, leaving Los Blancos stunned with a 2-0 win which saw the cup head to Galicia instead. Madrid also lost 2-1 to Atlético at the Bernabéu after extra time in the 2013 Copa final, having previously been beaten by the Rojiblancos in their stadium in the 1960, 1961 and 1992 editions. In the 1958 final, Real also went down to Athletic Club at the Bernabéu.
5. Bayern Munich
The 2012 Champions League final took place at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena home and the Bavarians were expected to beat a Chelsea side outside the Premier League’s top four.
Bayern were on top for most of the match, but Jupp Heynckes’ side had to wait until the 83rd minute for the breakthrough, when Thomas Müller scored. But Didier Drogba levelled with two minutes left and after a goalless period of extra time, the Blues won 4-3 on penalties to silence the home support. A year later, though, Bayern won the treble.
4. Portugal
Portugal lost to Greece in their opening match of Euro 2004, but there was hope that the hosts would fare better as the two teams met again in the final.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo, Deco et al were unable to find a way through against a stubborn Greek side and lost out to an Angelos Charisteas header in the second half. Drama, tears and heartbreak for the hosts, but they did finally win the trophy 12 years later with an upset of their own…
3. France
France were up against Portugal at home in the final of Euro 2016 and Didier Deschamps’ side were big favourites – especially after Cristiano Ronaldo limped off in the first half.
But Les Bleus were unable to find a breakthrough and Portugal sealed a shock win at the Stade de France thanks to Éder’s strike in extra time.
2. England
England’s only major trophy in men’s football came at the 1966 World Cup, when the Three Lions beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley.
Back at Wembley for the final of the delayed Euro 2020 tournament in July 2021, England took the lead against Italy, but Gareth Southgate’s side were pegged back and ended up losing in a penalty shootout to the Azzurri.
The game was marred by crowd trouble before kick-off and racist abuse of England players in the aftermath.
1. Brazil
It wasn’t a final, but Brazil vs Uruguay at the Maracanã in Rio de janeiro was the World Cup’s decider at the 1950 tournament and the hosts only needed a draw to lift the trophy for the first time.
Brazil’s newspapers had already announced the impending victory and all appeared to be going to plan when the Seleção took the lead early in the second half, but Uruguay scored twice to stun the locals and silence then Maracanã. Defeat was a national tragedy and became known by one word: Maracanaço. More recently, Brazil lost the 2021 Copa América at home to fierce rivals Argentina as Lionel Messi won his first major international trophy with the Albiceleste’s senior side.
