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Few events in world football capture the imagination as much as the FA Cup Final. As the oldest domestic football competition on the planet, the FA Cup has always held iconic status and the final has often been a stage for drama, upsets and unforgettable moments.
Many of these showpiece occasions have etched themselves into sporting folklore, captivating fans across generations. Below, we take a nostalgic stroll down Wembley Way to recount some of the most memorable FA Cup Finals in history.
The 1953 “Matthews Final”: Blackpool 4-3 Bolton Wanderers
The 1953 FA Cup Final, often dubbed the “Matthews Final”, was the stuff of legend and showcased the genius of wing wizard Stanley Matthews on the biggest stage.
With a little over 20 minutes left on the clock, Matthews’s Blackpool trailed Bolton 3-1, however, with hope dwindling, the flanksman took the game by the scruff of the neck.
At the age of 38, veteran Matthews rolled back the years and used his trademark dazzling dribbling skills to set up two goals for Stan Mortensen – including a last-minute equalizer – to level the scores at 3-3.
With extra time looming large, Blackpool hero Bill Perry got on the end of another pinpoint Matthews cross to net the contest’s defining goal, sealing Blackpool’s first and only FA Cup in the club’s history.
The 1973 Black Cats Miracle: Sunderland 1-0 Leeds United
One of English football’s most inspiring David vs Goliath stories, the 1973 FA Cup Final was a tale of an against-the-odds sporting triumph.
Second Division underdogs Sunderland were given little chance ahead of their cup final clash against Don Revie’s Leeds – a dominant side that had a stranglehold over football in England at the time.
A Leeds win was seen as a formality; however, Sunderland, who were managed by Bob Stokoe, played with admirable grit and determination throughout, and their endeavour was rewarded when Ian Porterfield gave the Black Cats a surprise lead just after the half-hour mark.
From there, Sunderland manned the trenches and defended like demons, while keeper Jim Montgomery was central to their success, making a phenomenal double save to keep his team in front.
Sunderland’s unexpected triumph earned them their first FA Cup Final victory since 1937 and their 1976 success remains their last run to glory in the competition.
The 1987 Thriller: Coventry City 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Coventry City’s first-ever FA Cup Final appearance was one to remember, resulting in an incredible fairytale victory for the Sky Blues over a much-fancied Tottenham Hotspur side that boasted superstars like Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle.
Spurs were chasing a hattrick of FA Cup victories following their successful campaigns in 1981 and 1982, though Coventry would deny them on this occasion after a frenetic end-to-ender under the Wembley arches.
Spurs broke the deadlock after just two minutes through Clive Allen, however, Coventry equalised just seven minutes later through Dave Bennett. Tottenham were ahead again just before the break through key protagonist Gary Mabbutt, before an iconic Keith Houchen diving header levelled things up again just past the hour mark.
The action, intensity and flair continued to flow into extra time, though somewhat ironically given the game’s quality, it took an own goal from Gary Mabbutt in the 96th minute to separate the teams, earning Coventry the spoils and the club’s first-ever major trophy.
2025 – The Eagles Have Landed: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City
This year’s edition of the FA Cup Final between Crystal Palace and heavy favourites Manchester City was another one for the underdog chronicles.
Pep Guardiola’s City had already fallen short on several fronts earlier in the campaign, however, they remained firm favourites on FA Cup and Premier League betting sites to finish the season with a silver-lined flourish at Wembley Stadium.
However, Palace, who were beaten finalists twice before (1990 & 2016), had other ideas and guided by the shrewd tactical mind of Austrian manager Oliver Glasner, the Eagles made it third time lucky in a richly-deserved 1-0 win.
Palace favourite Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute goal proved the game’s decisive moment, though keeper Dean Henderson produced an equally important penalty save in the first half to deny Omar Marmoush.
City, who also lost the 2023/24 final to Manchester rivals United, huffed and puffed in the second half but couldn’t achieve parity.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations on the pitch and emotional scenes in the stands as teary-eyed Palace fans basked in their unexpected joy.
Glory for The Crazy Gang in 1998: Wimbledon 1-0 Liverpool
Wimbledon had picked up the nickname “The Crazy Gang” for the playful antics and colourful personality of their players, however, the Dons shed their comedic persona in 1988 to pull off one of the greatest shocks in FA Cup history.
Liverpool were chasing a “double” having clinched yet another old First Division title and most pundits and observers had expected the Reds to canter to victory over a Wimbledon side that were dismissed as a side act.
The Merseysiders missed a series of good opportunities in the first half before a looping Lawrie Sanchez header put Wimbledon in front in the lead-up to the interval.
In the second 45, it was mostly one-way traffic as Liverpool chased an equaliser, however, they missed their best chance to score when John Aldridge’s penalty kick was saved by Dave Beasant.
Beasant’s spectacular save was a “name on the trophy” sort of moment and Wimbledon went on to deliver on their day of destiny to bring the FA Cup back to Plough Lane.
