In Argentina we have a word called "mufa" which roughly translates into cursed or unlucky. In 2010, the most respected sports magazine in Argentina, "El Grafico" made a list of the 13 most unlucky/cursed teams of all-time. This is El Grafico's list: 1.- Torino 2.- Racing de Avellaneda 3.- Genoa 4.- Atlas 5.- Feyenoord 6.- Botafogo 7.- Gimnasia La Plata 8.- America de Cali 9.- Schalke 04 10.- Tottenham Hotspur 11.- Atletico de Madrid 12.- Universidad de Chile 13.- Paris Saint-Germain The list is a little dated as much has changed since 2010. Some teams fortunes have greatly changed, others have actually gotten worse. Just some background on some south american teams: America de Cali has the second most championships in Colombian football, but they famously lost 3 straight copa libertadores finals in the 80s and a 4th in 1996. They recently got relegated to the 2nd division, and were unable to gain promotion in the first season down there. Gimnasia de La Plata is a team that has never won the Primera Division in Argentina in its history. Meanwhile, their city rivals have won it 5 times and also won 4 copa libertadores. They also famously lost 7-0 in 2006 to Estudiantes. In 2011, Gimnasia was relegated to the Nacional B (2nd division) for the 5th time in their history, while Estudiantes has been relegated just twice. Gimnasia will be back in the 2013-14 Primera Division season after 2 seasons in the B. Who are some other very unlucky/cursed teams?
Schalke and their quest to win a Bundesliga title has always been a problem. Bayer Leverkusen have also had bad luck winning titles.
Any background about those team being unlucky other than Torino, Schalke and the two you talked about?
These clubs were runners-up in domestic league, domestic cup and European Cup/Champions League: 1985/86 FC Barcelona 2001/02 Bayer Leverkusen 2011/12 Bayern Munich
But Benfica lost the League with a goal in the 91', the Europa League in the 92' and the Cup in the 81'.
You would probably have to specify for the time period that bad luck was with them. Benfica may have been unlucky last season, but they are hardly an unlucky side, winning the EC two times and having the likes of Eusebio, Coluna, Paulo Futre, Rui Costa and Aimar play for them. Ochoa Uribe's America de Cali is probably the most cursed team in South American history, one of the Libertadores finals they managed to lose it in minute 91 (against Penarol I believe). Had the rules been more modern at the time, taking into account goal difference, they would have won it without need for a third match! Likewise, Marcelo Bielsa led Newell's to two Libertadores finals in the early 90s, losing both on pks. Is Gimnasia y Esgrima unlucky or just not good enough?
Yea that is right, I am talking about all-time teams being cursed.... Benfica has 32 league titles and 2 european cups, not a team i'd call cursed by any means... Even if they did just have a very unlucky season. Another team I though of is AS Roma. Only has 3 Scudettos all-time but finished 2nd 11 times... They have been relegated, and they lost the european cup in their home stadium on penalties the only time they made it.
Atletico Mineiro until this year's Libertadores. They hadn't won a relevant title since 1971 and came up short on several occasions throughout the 80s.
sometimes we have to differentiate between a so called "best runner ups" and "unlucky finalist" Can you describe more how they could not win?
Arsenal. ... If we just look at the last 7-8 years. I mean, they are not a bad team - Reached the final 16 of the Champions League every season, but haven't won a single trophy of any kind since 2005. - Last season lost to Bayern on away goals, with a couple of Bayern's goals being very fluky. - Famously lost to Barca in 2011 after RVP picked-up a bizarre red card. - Lost in the final of the league cup a couple of seasons back from a strange goal. It's getting to the point where its getting difficult to envision them winning anything again.
Their best team of all time happened to be during Flamengo's golden years. They were denied in 1980 and 1987 in the Brasileirão by Flamengo and 1981 in the Libertadores by Flamengo. Games were very close and some had questionable calls or last minute goals. They couldn't get close to another title till 1999, where they faced Corinthians. They won the first leg, but lost their main player, Marques. Galo let the title slip away.