Football is a game where anything can happen at the last minute or at the last kick of the game. There have been some nerve-wracking matches that have ended in joy for one team while despair for the other. While also there have been some matches where the sheer domination of one team has blown away the other one. But overall most matches keep the spectators glued to their seats till the final whistle of the game. It is quite hard to pick the top 10 matches of a single season let alone a decade, but here is a try to put forward some of the best 10 football matches of the last decade which a football fan must have seen or must-watch.

So here are the top 10 football matches of the last decade are:

10. Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid (4-1, Lisbon 2014)

When it is a champion league final, things don’t get much bigger than this. Real Madrid was playing the champions league final after 10 years chasing for “La Decima” or their 10th title while Atletico was playing after almost 3-decade capping off a season in which they won the league after 40 years. Atletico took an early 1-0 lead and looked like upsetting Madrid when Sergio Ramos fired in a header in the 90th minute to make it 1-1. The match eventually ended 4-1 to Madrid as they lifted their 10th Champions League trophy. This match is one of the best matches of the last decade.

9. Ajax vs Tottenham (2-3,Amesterdam 2019)

Another one of those champions league night, where there was drama right till the very end. Ajax won the reverse fixture 1-0 and took a 2-0 lead within 30 minutes to make it almost impossible for Tottenham. What was about to come was something remarkable as Lucas Moura struck a complete 2nd half hat-trick with his weaker foot to take Tottenham through to the finals. Heart-break for a young Ajax team at the Johan Cruyff Arena while the spurs fan were upbeat, making it one of the most memorable matches of all time.

8. Spain vs the Netherlands (1-5, Brazil 2014)

Let’s shift our attention to the World Cup now, where there was a recap of the 2010 World Cup final in the group stages as defending champions Spain took on the Netherlands. It looked like it would be a repeat of the final when the Spanish team took a 1-0 lead only to see one of the worst defeats in their football history. The Dutch scored 5 times to cap off a resounding victory which included the iconic Robin Van Persie header. Spain crashed out in the group stages while the Dutch made it till the semi-finals.

7. Portugal vs France (1-0,Stade De France,2016)

Now moves from the world cup to the European Championship, where France took on Portugal in the final of the 2016 European Final. Being the home side France had the backing and they had tormented all the sides they faced till then. They were up against a Portugal squad lead by Christiano Ronaldo who was seeking his 1st International trophy. They suffered an early set-back when Ronaldo got injured but they kept their hopes alive in the 115th minute, Eder struck the ball with vigor as it made past the French goalkeeper as Portugal lifted their first international trophy.

6. Chelsea vs Barcelona (2-2, Camp Nou,2012)

It was a disaster year for Chelsea as they had 1fallen behind in the league and looked set to be knocked out by a promising Barcelona team in the Champions League semifinal. Although they had a 1-0 lead, Barca at Camp Nou was difficult for any team during those days. Barca took a 2-0 lead while Chelsea made it 2-1. And with minutes to go Fernando Torres scored a brilliant counter-attacking goal to make it 2-2 as Chelsea went through and eventually won the champions league.

5. Barcelona vs PSG (6-1, Camp Nou,2017)

PSG came into this match having taken a 4-0 lead. It was next to an impossible task for Barcelona but what unfolded might have been one of the most dramatic nights of the tournament. Barcelona had a 3-0 lead but PSG made it 3-1 with 30 minutes to go. With merely 5 to 6 minutes left Barca needed 2 goals to win the tie and it looked that it would not have been possible. But a goal from Neymar and a stoppage-time winner from Sergi Roberto made the impossible possible as Barcelona made one of the best comebacks of the modern Era.

4.Real Madrid vs Barcelona(2-3, Santiago Bernabeu,2017)

With the league title well in the grasp of both the team, Real Madrid and Barcelona locked horns in the Bernabeu. Real Madrid took the lead but Barca made it 2-1. Madrid equalized to make it 2-2 but in the 90th plus stoppage time a Lionel Messi strike made the match in Barca’s favor and he made the iconic shirt celebration showing his name to the fans. Although Madrid lost the match, they wrapped up the title on the final matchday.

3. Liverpool vs Barcelona (4-0, Anfield,2019)

“Corner taken quickly! Origi !!”, these words will haunt a Barcelona fan for the rest of his lifetime. Barcelona had a 3-0 lead coming into this match looking to end their 4 years wait for the Champions League. But Liverpool had other plans and they made it 3-3 on aggregate within an hour of play. Then the infamous incident of the corner kick held which led to the 4th goal of Liverpool as they won the match 4-0 and 4-3 on aggregate.

2. Manchester City vs QPR (3-2, Eithad,2012)

Martin Tyler screams of “Agueroooooo!!!!” is still fresh in every football fan’s memory. In the last matchday of the Premier League City took on QPR with an eye on the title ending their 40-year barren spell. Manchester United had won their last match and City were losing 1-2. The title looked set for United when in the 92nd-minute city equalized and in the 94th minute scored the winner through Aguero. The title was won on goal difference for the first time and the dramatic ending of the season was one of the best football has ever seen.

1. Brazil vs Germany (1-7, Brazil 2014)

Probably the greatest game and one of the biggest shocks of the decade came in the semi-final of the 2014 World Cup when host Brazil took on Germany. Brazil had the support of the fans and we’re looking for their 6th World Cup. But what unfolded was nothing shock. Germany went rampant in the first 30 minutes putting 5 past the Brazilian goal line as the whole stadium went quiet. Germany added two more and brazil scored a late consolation goal but it was one of the most embarrassing defeats for the Brazilian team. The Germans had humiliated them in their backyard and a defeat which was hard to swallow for any Brazilian fan. 

So these were some of the top football matches of last decade.