In recent weeks, winter storms throughout Europe have given us snow games in England, Spain and Turkey. Few elements create more spectacular viewing than the white fluffy stuff, so we thought we’d compile a list of the best snow games in soccer history, ranked in completely arbitrary fashion.
Anyone who has ever played soccer, a sport predominantly played outdoors, has likely played in a wide variety of elements. With climate change ravaging the planet more every year, humanity has to get used to playing in more extreme environments. While playing soccer in the snow certainly isn’t the most comfortable, it certainly makes for entertaining viewing from the comfort of home.
Here are the 10 best snow games of our time. Honorable mention goes to this bear.
10 Best Snow Games In Soccer History
10. The Snowkeeper, 2019
Back when Kai Havertz was terrorizing Bundesliga defenses instead of frustrating Chelsea fans, the German international scored the match winner in an unforgettable Bundesliga snow game between Hannover and Bayer Leverkusen.
Leverkusen won the match 3-2 in part thanks to an incredible piece of goalkeeping from … the snow? Genki Haraguchi looked like he had rounded the keeper for an easy goal, but his shot, which normally would’ve flown into the back of the net, was slowed to a stop by the immense snow, allowing Jonathan Tah to clear it off the line. Bonkers. Perfectly bonkers.
9. Snow-Dong, 2017
A few years ago, Groningen beat Heracles 4-1 in the Eredivisie. After the home side gave up three goals in nine minutes in the first half, the Heracles groundskeeper cleared the snow away for the second half but left a conspicuous patch uncleared.
Wil de groundsman van Heracles een statement maken? #hergro https://t.co/DWlFwDZPFy pic.twitter.com/FBBx6rfpAT
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) January 14, 2017
Yep, that’s a snow penis.
8. Timbers vs. Rapids, 2019
The coldest game in MLS history took place in Commerce City, Colorado, a venue that you’ll be seeing again on this list. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park welcomed the Portland Timbers to town for the 2019 season opener on March 2, with temperatures at 18 degrees at kickoff.
The match started out as just another cold-ass game in Colorado. By the time the final whistle blew, the pitch was covered in snow, the Rapids and Timbers having played to a thrilling 3-3 draw.
7. Ipswich vs. The Snow Foxes, 2010
Early in Roy Keane’s coaching days he led an Ipswich Town squad into a blizzard against Leicester City in the EFL Championship, where Portman Road was nearly unrecognizable in the constant snow.
The Foxes wanted the match abandoned, especially after going down 3-0 in the first half, but the game continued, ending 3-0 with Leicester losing a player to injury with no more subs left.
6. Galatasaray Shocks Juventus, 2013
In 2013, Galatasaray had built up a pretty powerful squad. Didier Drogba, Wesley Sneijder, Emmanuel Eboué, Hamit Altintop, Felipe Melo, Alex Telles and Fernando Muslera were all known around the world. Placed in daunting Champions League group alongside Real Madrid and Juventus, the Turkish giants needed a win at home against Juve on the final day of the group stage to advance to the knockout rounds.
What transpired that day at the Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi was a snowy, icy, muddy, yucky match that was nearly abandoned, with temperatures just above freezing at kickoff. But the match was completed, with Sneijder latching onto a flick from Drogba to smash home an 85th-minute winner, knocking Antonio Conte’s side out of the competition.
5. First World Cup Game, 1930
The first match in World Cup history was on July 13, 1930. France beat Mexico 4-1, with Lucien Laurent going down in history as scoring the first World Cup goal (and El Tri beginning its record as the losingest team in World Cup history).
In addition to being the first-ever World Cup game, it also happened to be played in the snow, since it was winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
4. Alex Morgan’s Debut, 2010
The USWNT played its first-ever snow game on March 31, 2010, in Sandy, Utah. It also happened to be the debut match for a young Alex Morgan.
“I am from Southern California, I have never played in snow in my life and they put me in in the second half and right away my feet went numb,” Morgan said years later. “I felt like I had nubs at the end of my legs. I didn’t know how to play in the snow.”
Abby Wambach scored to give the U.S. a 1-0 win over Mexico, a match that will long be remembered for the Americans’ snow angels.
The cold never bothered us anyway ♀️ pic.twitter.com/6s834IqStP
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) March 31, 2020
3. Minnesota Lets Us Know How It’s Gonna Be, 2017
If you’re going to play an outdoor sport in Minnesota, you have to expect days like this.
Minnesota’s first home game as an MLS club came against fellow expansion side Atlanta United. Played in a wild snowstorm at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium, the match was at the time the coldest game in MLS history (19 degrees). It was a game made for the pink ball — not so much the Loons’ grey uniforms.
Despite the conditions, Atlanta’s South American stars Josef Martinez and Miguel Almiron combined for five goals in a 6-1 thrashing of the home side. The18’s Connor Fleming was there, bundled up in his Cristiano Ronaldo blanket, as well as some personal friends of mine, so that means this is rated higher than it probably should be. (Like I said, these rankings are totally arbitrary.)
2. Freiburg’s Epic Snow-Comeback Against Cologne, 2017
This had everything you could ask for in a snow game. Snowmen in the stands, giant banks of shoveled snow on the sidelines, a penalty spot gone missing and an epic comeback.
In December 2017, Freiburg erased a three-goal deficit to beat Cologne 4-3 in an unforgettable relegation scrap, winning the match on the final kick of the game.
(Full highlights can be found here, but we can’t embed the video because of stupid rights restrictions.)
1. SnowClasico, 2013
We all knew this would be No. 1. We don’t even really need to say much about the match, but we will anyway for the six of you who aren’t familiar.
In 2013, the USMNT hosted Costa Rica in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at Dick’s Sporting Good Park. The match was played despite blizzard-like conditions and much to the chagrin of Los Ticos. The end result was a 1-0 win for the U.S. thanks to Clint Dempsey pouncing on a loose ball in the box in the 16th minute.
The conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the match, with Jermaine Jones’ hair turning into a beautiful snow-fro. Ultimately, both the U.S. and Costa Rica qualified for the 2014 World Cup, so everyone can look back on that match with fond memories.
