Hilarious Soccer Moments to Score Big Laughs

 Hilarious Soccer Moments to Score Big Laughs

Soccer, the beautiful game, is not always about breathtaking goals and strategic genius. Occasionally, it's the unplanned humorous moments that steal the spotlight and make the sport lovable to fans across the globe. From pro pitch mistakes to sideline antics, soccer has given us some of sports' greatest laugh-out-loud moments.

Maybe nothing creates laughter quite like goalkeeping blunders and funny soccer one line wonders. There's the old one about a keeper confidently taking a cross, only to see the ball slide from his grasp like a buttered eel. England's Peter Enckelman became infamous after he somehow lost control of an easy back-pass, standing by in horror as it crept over the line. Even Manuel Neuer himself once prematurely celebrated a "save", turning around to see that the ball had really bounced in off the post at his back.

Even defenders get their share of comic mishaps. The own goal is soccer's most tragicomic aspect—especially the spectacular sort. Marcelo of Brazil's kick-off to the 2014 World Cup with a goal for his own team provided the tone of lovely absurdity. And then there is the "clearance" that blasts into the top corner of one's own goal, causing teammates to stand in stunned silence while the perpetrator thinks about a new career path.

Referees don't go short on comedy. Who could forget the official who got so carried away with the game that he inadvertently blocked a promising attack, then blushed and apologized to the incensed players? Or the referee who theatrically reached into his pocket to pull out a card, only to remember he'd left them in the changing rooms?

The touchline also produces its own brand of comedy gold. Managers have given us score of unforgettable moments—José Mourinho's hammed-up touchline dashes to Jürgen Klopp going wild and losing his glasses celebrating. Antonio Conte's manic sideline displays tend to resemble performance art, and Sir Alex Ferguson's classic "hairdryer treatment" entered the realm of soccer lore.

The soccer celebrations alone merit their own category of comedy. From the corner flag dance of Roger Milla to the more and more outrageous team routines that sometimes go hilariously awry, players' displays of joy often cross over into the realm of unintentional humor. Who can forget Temuri Ketsbaia wildly booting the advertising boards following a goal, or the classic "dog peeing" celebration of Finidi George?

Technology has given soccer humor a new dimension. VAR rulings have yielded endless confused faces worthy of paintings from the renaissance. The priceless expression on a player's face when they see their goal celebration was too early because of an offside ruling gives comedic gold in slow-motion high-definition.

Weather conditions make their own kind of soccer comedy. Observing world-class athletes struggling to preserve dignity while sliding along mud puddles or fighting gale-force gusts turns the world's most elegant sport into slapstick humor. There's something irresistibly humorous about observing a perfectly struck corner kick blown back before it even gets near the penalty area.

Fan interaction provides an added touch of humor. From pitch invaders being humorously avoided by security to fans' witty signs and getups, the stands provide as much giggles as the pitch itself. And who can forget the fan who dozed off during a key game and became an accidental internet celebrity?

Soccer's most amusing moments remind us why we enjoy it.