Hungary’s 10-1 World Cup win remains unbeaten after decades
Germany came close to breaking the FIFA World Cup record for biggest win with a 7-1 victory over Curaçao, but Hungary’s legendary 10-1 demolition of El Salvador still stands. The historic feat was achieved on June 15, 1982, when Hungary became the only team to score 10 goals in a single men’s World Cup match. Over the years, several teams have recorded emphatic victories, but none have surpassed Hungary’s record. The article revisits some of the most dominant performances in World Cup history.
Match highlights
- On June 15, 1982, Hungary defeated El Salvador 10-1 in Spain, setting the record for the biggest win in men’s World Cup history.
- László Kiss scored a hat-trick as a substitute, the fastest in tournament history, netting three goals in just seven minutes.
- Other notable wins include Hungary’s 9-0 over South Korea (1954), Yugoslavia’s 9-0 over Zaire (1974), and Sweden’s 8-0 over Cuba (1938).
- Germany’s 8-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in 2002 remains the biggest win of the 21st century, with Miroslav Klose scoring a hat-trick of headers.
- Five teams have achieved seven-goal winning margins, but none have matched or exceeded Hungary’s nine-goal margin set on June 15, 1982.
