In January 1984, struggling third-tier Bournemouth produced one of the FA Cup’s greatest shocks by beating Ron Atkinson’s Manchester United. Guided by a young Harry Redknapp, the Cherries stunned the holders and rewrote their own history.

From European glory to breaking the Old Firm’s dominance, Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen delivered one of the greatest eras in Scottish football history. This is the story of a team that refused to accept its place in the hierarchy.

Before Alex Ferguson transformed Manchester United, Ron Atkinson built one of the most entertaining and agonisingly inconsistent sides of the 1980s. From blistering starts to dramatic collapses, this era defined a club searching for its identity.

Bryan Robson’s omission from Oliver Holt’s “Top 100 Footballers of All Time” reignited a debate that refuses to die. Through the Greatness Index™ lens — and the lived memory of anyone who saw Captain Marvel play — this long-form feature explores whether Robson truly belongs among football’s immortals. A blend of story, stats, and what-if moments that reveal the real answer.

Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest went from newly promoted underdogs to English and European champions in just three seasons. From the 42-game unbeaten run to back-to-back European Cups, this is the extraordinary story of football’s greatest miracle era.

Italy’s 1982 World Cup triumph was a rebirth of a footballing giant. From Paolo Rossi’s redemption arc to the fall of Brazil’s magical era, explore how Italy rose from scandal to glory in one of the tournament’s greatest narratives.

When Brazil faced Italy at the 1982 World Cup, it was more than a football match — it was the death of an idea. Led by Socrates, Zico, and Falcao, Tele Santana’s side danced through defences with artistry and joy. But Paolo Rossi’s ruthless hat-trick at the Sarria Stadium in Barcelona changed everything. Brazil 1982 played football like music — and Italy stopped the song.

Between 1970 and 1973, Derby County rose from Second Division obscurity to English champions under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. Built around the genius of Colin Todd, Alan Hinton, and Archie Gemmill, the Rams shocked English football — winning a four-way title race by a single point. It was audacious, chaotic, and unforgettable — Clough’s first masterpiece before Nottingham Forest.

With just 11 points, Derby County 2007–08 produced the worst Premier League season in history — one win, 29 defeats, and a campaign so spectacularly bad it became folklore. From Billy Davies’ play-off miracle to Paul Jewell’s doomed rescue mission, the Rams’ disaster still stands unmatched. A story of gallows humour, chaos, and cult infamy — and proof that football failure can be unforgettable

They came from nowhere — literally. In the mid-1990s, Castel di Sangro rose from Italy’s football wilderness to Serie B, powered by Osvaldo Jaconi’s underdog magic and immortalised by Joe McGinniss in The Miracle of Castel di Sangro. But behind the fairytale came tragedy, scandal, and an infamous fake signing that turned football into theatre. A story so wild, it could only be true.

Between 1987 and 1991, Crystal Palace soared higher than ever before. Steve Coppell’s side — built on non-league gems like Ian Wright, Mark Bright, and Alan Pardew — reached the 1990 FA Cup Final, finished third in the league, and even lifted the Full Members Cup. It was Palace’s most exhilarating era: a mix of grit, glamour, and heartache that defined the club’s golden late-80s rise.

At the 2006 World Cup, Jurgen Klinsmann reinvented Germany. Once seen as robotic winners, Die Mannschaft rediscovered joy, colour, and courage — playing with freedom and flair. Backed by a young generation including Schweinsteiger and Podolski, Klinsmann’s Germany united a nation and redefined its footballing identity. They may not have lifted the trophy, but they won something greater — the world’s affection.

Under Alan Curbishley, Charlton enjoyed one of English football’s most quietly impressive eras. From the dramatic 1998 play-off win over Sunderland to seven seasons of steady Premier League success, Curbishley turned the Addicks into a model of calm amid the chaos. As others imploded, Charlton thrived — proof that greatness sometimes lies not in trophies, but in balance.

In 1964–65, Kilmarnock delivered a fairytale finish to claim their first-ever Scottish league title. Led by Willie Waddell, Killie’s fearless side pulled off one of football’s greatest comebacks — crowned by their stunning fightback against Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe. Passion, persistence, and pride made Kilmarnock’s class of ’65 more than champions — they were True Greats.

In 1967, the Dallas Tornado embarked on football’s wildest world tour. Over six months they crossed 30 countries, from Iran to Vietnam, playing 45 matches and surviving riots, bomb scares, and the chaos of a game still finding its feet in America. Led by Lamar Hunt and Bob Kap, this squad of amateurs helped lay the foundations for U.S. soccer — one unforgettable stop at a time.

Queens Park Rangers 1975–76 produced one of English football’s greatest near-misses. Dave Sexton’s stylish QPR, powered by Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles and Don Givens, out-played giants like Liverpool and Derby County and took the First Division title race to the final day. Blending flair, tactics and London swagger, this is the story of a team that came within one point of immortality — and defined 1970s football romance.

In 1970–71, Panathinaikos went from Greek outsiders to European Cup finalists. Guided by Ferenc Puskas, and powered by Mimis Domazos and Antonis Antoniadis, the Athens side stunned Europe — beating Everton, surviving political turmoil and reaching Wembley to face Johan Cruyff’s Ajax. It was football’s purest underdog story: a team in green, led by a legend, proving that even part-timers could dream of continental glory.

In Hamburg’s heart, St Pauli have built a movement as much as a football club. Mixing punk rebellion with political activism, they stand for equality, sustainability, and community. From their skull-and-crossbones emblem to fan-run ethics and DIY kits, St Pauli’s story proves football can be radical, inclusive, and loud. A cult club in brown, still fighting the good fight on and off the pitch.

The Hearts 2005–06 season was Scottish football’s great soap opera. Under the unpredictable Vladimir Romanov, Hearts started fast, changed managers three times, and still finished second — the first club to split the Old Firm in a decade. With Rudi Skacel scoring freely and the chaos never far away, Hearts’ rollercoaster run ended with Scottish Cup glory and a rare moment of revolution at Tynecastle.

The Millwall 1988–1990 era was short but unforgettable. Under John Docherty, the Lions stormed into the First Division with Tony Cascarino and Teddy Sheringham forming one of England’s most prolific strike partnerships. For two seasons they mixed muscle, menace and magic, topping the table and terrifying the elite. Millwall’s golden moment may have been fleeting, but its spirit — led by Terry Hurlock and The Den faithful — still roars in football folklore.