The Blizzard: American Samoa 2-1 Tonga, 2011

Imagine losing all thirty of the games you've played as an international side, losing by a combined score of 229-12 as well as sitting bottom of the FIFA rankings. On top of that, imagine suffering a 31-0 loss to Australia in an OFC Nations Cup qualifier as headlines around the world declared you the 'Worst Team in World Football.'On today's episode of Greatest Games, in association with The Blizzard, globetrotting author James Montague joins us to discuss that very team. In 2011, Thomas Rongen took over a side with "the lowest footballing IQ he'd ever seen" and players with emotional scars from a long line of relentless losses. Against all the odds, they somehow won their first-ever competitive game against Tonga in a 2011 World Cup qualifier - with James among the 20 people in attendance!For more stories from the annals of football history, visit www.theblizzard.co.uk to explore their archives that contain over 700 articles of stories just like this one!***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.