Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
International football's biggest ever beating
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February 24, 2024
10 minutes
Available for over a year
In April 2001, the small island nation of American Samoa took on Australia in the World Cup qualifiers. You could only play for the team if you held an American passport, which automatically ruled out the majority of the American Samoans, leaving them to resorting to picking schoolboys to play for them.
What followed was the biggest defeat in international football – 31-0.
Uma Doraiswamy speaks to goalkeeper Nicky Salapu about how he felt as the 31 goals the goals flew in past him.
(Photo: Nicky Salapu in goal for American Samoa against Australia in 2001. Credit: Darren England/Allsport Getty Images)