If you love soccer, chances are most games you watch end 1–0 or 2–1. That’s normal. But now and then, a game turns into pure chaos on the scoreboard. We’re talking about scores so big they almost look like typos.

This blog looks at the most goals ever scored in a soccer game and the most significant real competitive win.

It also covers record-breaking games by single players, a top 10 list of the highest scoring matches, and why some games get so out of control.

By the end, it becomes clear which records truly matter and what these wild scorelines say about the beautiful game.

Most Goals Scored in a Soccer Game

Soccer is known as a low-scoring sport. Most games end with just a few goals. But every once in a while, something absolutely wild happens on the pitch.

We’re talking about matches with jaw-dropping scorelines that make you do a double-take.

So, what’s the most goals ever scored in a soccer game? The answer depends on how you look at it:

• Unofficial record: AS Adema beat SO l’Emyrne 149–0 in Madagascar (2002)
• Widely accepted legitimate record: Arbroath defeated Bon Accord 36–0 in Scotland (1885)

The big difference? One was a protest match filled with deliberate own goals, while the other was a genuine competitive blowout.

Let’s go into these incredible stories and see the wildest high-scoring matches in soccer history.

Top Highest Scoring Soccer Games in History

Below is a countdown of the wildest scorelines ever recorded, from absurd protest matches to real competitive blowouts that rewrote soccer’s record books forever worldwide.

1. AS Adema 149–0 SO l’Emyrne (2002, Madagascar)

This bizarre match holds the world record, but not for the right reasons. SO l’Emyrne’s coach was furious about a referee’s decision in their previous game.

As a form of protest, he instructed his players to score own goals continuously. For 90 minutes, they kicked the ball into their own net repeatedly, creating the most lopsided scoreline in recorded soccer history.

• The match was part of Madagascar’s THB Champions League (domestic competition)
• The coach received a 3-year suspension and four players were banned
• Guinness World Records officially recognizes it despite the controversial circumstances

2. Plateau United Founders 79–0 Akurba (2013, Nigeria)

Nigeria’s lower leagues witnessed one of soccer’s darkest days when this suspicious 79–0 result emerged during a promotion battle. The scoreline was so absurd that authorities immediately launched an investigation.

Evidence of match-fixing was overwhelming, as both teams needed specific results to gain promotion. The Nigerian Football Federation came down hard with severe punishments to send a message.

• Both teams were relegated and banned from Nigerian football indefinitely
• Club officials received lifetime bans from any football-related activities
• The match happened on the final day of the season when promotion spots were decided

3. Police Machine FC 67–0 Bubayaro FC (2013, Nigeria)

On the exact same day as the 79–0 scandal, another Nigerian match ended 67–0 in equally suspicious circumstances.

Police Machine and Bubayaro were involved in the same promotion race, making the timing impossible to ignore.

Investigators found both matches were orchestrated attempts to manipulate goal difference for promotion qualification. The scandal rocked Nigerian football and led to major reforms.

• The match took place just hours after the Plateau United scandal
• Multiple officials and referees received life bans for their involvement
• This double scandal led to stricter oversight in Nigerian lower division football

4. Vanuatu 46–0 Micronesia (2015, Pacific Games)

The Pacific Games Under-23 tournament featured this shocking mismatch between established Pacific soccer nation Vanuatu and newcomers Micronesia.

The Micronesian team consisted mainly of inexperienced teenagers who had barely played competitive international football.

Vanuatu showed no mercy, scoring at will throughout the match. This was just one of several heavy defeats Micronesia suffered during the tournament.

• Micronesia conceded 114 goals total across the entire tournament
• This remains the highest score in Pacific Games football history
• Vanuatu went on to win the tournament gold medal

5. Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord (1885, Scottish Cup)

This Victorian-era match stands as the most legitimate high-scoring game ever recorded in competitive football.

Bon Accord was actually a cricket club invited to participate in the Scottish Cup, and they had minimal soccer experience.

Arbroath dominated from kickoff, with some historians suggesting the actual score might have been even higher but goals weren’t counted properly. Nearly 140 years later, this record still stands.

• Bon Accord failed to register a single shot on target the entire match
• On the same day, Dundee Harp beat Aberdeen Rovers 35–0 in another Scottish Cup match
• The referee reportedly lost count of the exact number of goals scored

6. Australia 31–0 American Samoa (2001, World Cup Qualifier)

This World Cup qualifier produced the biggest winning margin in international football history and made Archie Thompson a legend.

American Samoa arrived with a severely weakened squad, including several 15-year-olds, after visa issues prevented their regular players from competing.

Australia treated it like a training session, with Thompson personally scoring 13 goals to set an individual international record that still stands today.

• The match was played in Coffs Harbour, Australia
• Con Boutsianis scored 8 goals, making him the second-highest scorer that day
• American Samoa had lost 13–0 to Fiji just two days before this match

7. Villarreal 27–0 Navata (2009, Friendly)

This pre-season friendly between Spanish La Liga side Villarreal and amateur team Navata showcased the massive gulf between professional and semi-professional football.

Villarreal, preparing for their upcoming season, used the match as a fitness exercise and goal-scoring practice.

While friendlies often produce unusual scorelines, this remains one of the most extreme examples in modern football. Navata simply couldn’t cope with the pace and skill.

• Villarreal rotated their entire squad throughout the match to give everyone playing time
• Giuseppe Rossi scored 6 goals for Villarreal in this match
• The match was part of Villarreal’s summer training camp preparations

8. Preston North End 26–0 Hyde United (1887, FA Cup)

Preston North End, one of England’s founding Football League clubs, demolished amateur side Hyde United in this FA Cup first-round match.

The “Invincibles,” as Preston was known, were at the peak of their powers and went on to win the league and FA Cup double that season without losing a single match.

This scoreline remains the largest winning margin in FA Cup history and demonstrates the quality gap in early English football.

• Preston North End went undefeated throughout the entire 1888-89 season
• This record has stood for over 135 years in FA Cup competition
• Jimmy Ross scored 8 goals in this match for Preston

9. Borussia Dortmund 8–4 Legia Warsaw (2016, UEFA Champions)

Finally, a high-scoring match that was actually competitive! This Champions League group stage thriller holds the record for most goals in a single Champions League match with 12 total.

Unlike other entries on this list, both teams attacked relentlessly, creating an unforgettable spectacle. Dortmund raced to an 8–0 lead before Legia scored four consolation goals in the final minutes.

• Marco Reus scored a hat-trick for Dortmund in just 24 minutes
• All 12 goals were scored in regular 90-minute play (no extra time)
• This match broke the previous Champions League record of 10 goals (Monaco 8–3 Deportivo, 2003)

10. Brazil 6–5 Poland (1938, FIFA World Cup)

This World Cup classic is the highest-scoring match in FIFA World Cup history and one of the most dramatic games ever played.

The first-round match in France went to extra time after finishing 4–4, with both teams trading goals in an attacking masterclass.

Brazilian legend Leônidas da Silva scored four goals, while Poland’s Ernest Wilimowski also netted four in a losing effort, a World Cup record for goals in a single match that stood for decades.

• This match required extra time, where Brazil scored twice to seal victory
• Ernest Wilimowski remains the only player to score 4 goals in a World Cup match and lose
• The match featured 6 goals in extra time alone, an incredible goal-fest

Most Goals Scored by a Single Player in One Match

Some players don’t just participate in high-scoring games – they create them single-handedly.

Archie Thompson – 13 Goals (Australia vs American Samoa, 2001)

When Australia played American Samoa in a World Cup qualifier, striker Archie Thompson had the game of his life. He scored 13 goals in Australia’s 31–0 victory. That’s still the international record for most goals by one player in a single match.

American Samoa’s team was made up of teenagers, some as young as 15. They had no chance against a professional Australian squad. Thompson’s name went straight into the history books that day.

Other Notable Individual Records

Player	Goals	Match	Year
Yanick Djouzi Manzilila	21	Sweden (youth match)	2014
Passang Tshering	17	Bhutan (domestic)	2007
Stephan Dembicki	16	France (amateur)	1942

Why Do Some Soccer Matches End With Such High Scores?

You might wonder how these crazy scorelines happen. Here are the main reasons:

Massive skill gaps: When a professional team plays against amateurs or semi-pros, the difference in quality is enormous. It’s like a heavyweight boxer fighting someone who just learned to throw a punch.

Youth vs experience: Some of these matches involve adult professional players competing against teenagers. The physical and technical advantages are enormous.

Developing nations: Countries just starting their soccer programs sometimes face established powerhouses. They don’t have the training, resources, or experience yet.

Mental collapse: After conceding several goals, teams can lose focus and confidence. The floodgates open, and things spiral out of control quickly.

Match-fixing and protests: Unfortunately, some high scores come from corruption or deliberate protests, like the Madagascar case or the Nigerian scandals in 2013.

At the End

High-scoring soccer games are rare, but they leave a huge mark on the sport’s history. From protest matches with own goals to blowouts, these scorelines show both the best and worst of the game.

Some results came from massive skill gaps, others from unfair situations, poor defenses, or even corruption and protests.

In the end, one thing is clear: these matches are the exception, not the norm. Most games are tight, tactical battles, which makes these wild scorelines even more shocking and fun to read about.

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