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As one of the richest clubs in Italian football, AS Roma has access to some of the better players around the world. The club is often active during the transfer window, and while not all of their signings have been home runs, a solid chunk of players have ended up helping the club tremendously.

Let’s take a look at the five best transfer signings in club history and how those players fared with AS Roma. Before we start the list, some of the players who just missed the cut include Juan Jesus, Edin Dzeko, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Gabriel Batistuta.

Falcao

Brazilian native Paulo Falcao started his professional career as part of the Internacional youth program, then made his professional debut with the club in 1972. Falcao ended up being a staple for (Brazil’s) Inter, making nearly 350 league appearances and scoring 48 goals. 

Because of his lengthy tenure, Falcao attracted a lot of attention from European clubs, and Roma signed him to a large £650,000 contract in 1980. Falcao scored 22 goals in more than 100 Serie A appearances with Roma. The club won its second Serie A title (1982-83) thanks to Falcao, and they also won the Coppa Italia in 1981 and 1984.

Radja Nainggolan

Radja Nainggolan is a product of Belgium, coming up with both the Germinal Beerschot and Piacenza youth programs. With the latter club, he made his professional debut in 2006, making a total of 71 appearances before heading to Cagliari. Nainggolan was sent to AS Roma on loan, which was eventually made permanent in the same year (2014), and it ended up being a great deal for the club.

Between his loan stint and his permanent tenure, Nainggolan made more than 150 Serie A appearances and netted 28 goals. In each year of his Roma career, Nainggolan was named to the Serie A Team of the Year, and he was named the club’s Player of the Season in 2016-17. While his only Serie A title came with Inter Milan, Nainggolan was able to help keep Roma toward the top of the standings.

Vincenzo Montella

There’s only one player on the list that actually hails from Italy, and that’s Vincenzo Montella. Montella debuted as a professional in 1990 with Empoli where he spent his first five playing years. He then joined Genoa for a brief period before making his way to Sampdoria where he made more than 80 appearances while netting 54 goals. In 1999, Montella was acquired by Roma and would be under contract for the final decade of his career.

Montella spent a good chunk of 2007 and 2008 being loaned out to Fulham and Sampdoria but was able to make nearly 200 Serie A appearances during his Roma career. In those matches, Montella netted 83 goals while helping the club win the 2000-01 Serie A title and the 2001 Supercoppa Italia. In 2013, Montella was inducted into the AS Roma Hall of Fame as part of the club’s second class alongside Giuseppe Giannini, Attilio Ferraris IV, and Sebastiano Nela.

Miralem Pjanic

Bosnian-born midfielder Miralem Pjanic made his way to France as a teenager, joining the Metz youth program. He became a member of the professional ranks in 2007, appearing in 32 matches for the team before joining Lyon from 2008 to 2011. AS Roma took notice of Pjanic’s potential and decided to pay the €11 million transfer fee to acquire his services for the next five years.

Pjanic played out the entire contract with Roma, making 159 Serie A appearances and scoring 27 goals. While AS Roma didn’t win the Serie A title during his tenure, he did earn some individual accolades. This included being named to the Serie A Team of the Year while also earning the title of Bosnian Footballer of the Year. At his best, Pjanic scored 10 goals in a Serie A season while adding another two in continental play.

Aldair

The top spot on the list belongs to Aldair, a defender who was a staple of Brazil’s national team for more than a decade. He began his playing career with Flamengo in his native country, and after four years moved to Portugal to join Benfica. It was a short stint for Aldair, who after 22 matches was acquired by Roma and was given a total of €9 million for his services.

Aldair became a cornerstone for Roma after the 1990 transfer. He remained with the club for 13 years, and during that time appeared in 330 league matches. Despite his position, he was able to score 14 goals. Aldair was a member of the 2000-01 Serie A-winning squad, as well as the 1990-91 Coppa Italia-winning squad. He was named to the FIFA XI in 2000 and was inducted into the AS Roma Hall of Fame in 2012.

AS Roma fans have had a lot to be happy about throughout the club’s history. From winning titles to having some of the best players in the world, there have been some exhilarating match wins. However, there have also been some heartbreaking losses, with these five being the most devastating.

2018 Champions League Semis

AS Roma had a remarkable run during the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League season. The club was able to advance through a tough group that also contained Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, then defeated Shakhtar Donetsk in the opening round of the bracket. They then faced Barcelona and lost the first leg 4-1 before a remarkable comeback, winning 3-0 in the second leg and advancing to the semis on away goals.

However, the amazing comeback story came to an end in the semis when the team took on Liverpool. In the first leg, Liverpool jumped out to a 5-0 advantage in the 68th minute thanks to Roberto Firmino’s goal. However, Roma tried to stage a comeback, scoring two goals toward the end of the match. In the second leg, Roma almost capped off a seemingly impossible run, coming up just short as they won 4-2, needing one more goal to extend their run.

Dropping the Coppa Italia

There have been many instances in which AS Roma has won the Coppa Italia, but also plenty of times when the club had a chance to win, but ultimately fell short. One of the more heartbreaking losses in the tournament came in the 2009-10 edition of the tournament. AS Roma got by Triestina, Catania, and Udinese to set up a showdown with Inter in the final.

Inter was coming off of a 2-0 aggregate victory over Fiorentina, and 55,000 people made their way to Stadio Olimpico for the crowning of a new champion. Shortly before halftime, Diego Milito netted a goal for Inter, but it didn’t look like Roma was out of it completely. After many attempts at knotting the game up, however, Roma wasn’t able to score and Inter took the 1-0 mark all the way to the end, winning the tournament.

And Again

The end of the 2009-10 Coppa Italia tournament wasn’t the only heartbreaking finals defeat for AS Roma, either. Just three years later, an almost identical result took place. Roma didn’t allow a goal in the first two rounds of the tournament, defeating Atalanta 3-0 and then Fiorentina 1-0. In the semifinals, Roma defeated Inter by winning both legs (2-1 and 3-2), setting up the final against Lazio.

Unfortunately, just like the last time, their goal-scoring abilities for Roma seemed to disappear into the wind. Neither team scored a goal in the first half, and it wasn’t until the 71st minute that Lazio got on the board thanks to Senad Lulic. It was a mad dash at the end with Roma trying to extend the match, but it was not to be. The 70,000 fans in the stadium and the entire Roma squad had to watch Lazio lift the Coppa Italia.

Choking Away Serie A

Throughout the history of AS Roma, there have only been a couple of times when the club won the Serie A title. The first came in the 1941-42 season, and it took just over 40 years for the next one to come in 1982-83. It seemed that the wait for a third title was going to be short as Roma was in a position to win the 1985-86 league title. Heading into the 29th (and penultimate) match day, Roma was in first place and just had to win its final two matches to claim the title.

Things looked good against Lecce in the match as Ciccio Graziani scored in the seventh minute. However, Lecce scored three goals between the 32nd and 53rd minutes to take a 3-1 lead. Roma added a goal in the 82nd minute, but it was too late as Lecce took home the win while Juventus jumped into first place. In the final week, Roma needed a win paired with a Juventus loss to claim the title, but neither happened as Roma lost 1-0 to Como while Juventus defeated Lecce 3-2.

The European Cup Final

Whether it was when it was called the European Cup or the current title of the UEFA Champions League, AS Roma has not won the title. During the 1983-84 tournament when it was indeed known as the European Cup, Roma had a chance to finally win it. The club got by Gothenburg, CSKA Sofia, BFC Dynamo, and Dundee United in the knockout stage, taking on Liverpool in the final.

Liverpool jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to Philip Neal’s 13th-minute goal, but Roma scored to send the game to a 1-1 draw just before halftime. Neither team scored in the rest of regulation or extra time, and the title came down to penalties. Liverpool missed its first shot while Roma scored, but things unraveled quickly and Liverpool won 4-2 on penalty kicks.

Associazione Sportiva Roma is now one of the most recognizable professional football clubs in the world, but there were certainly some ups and downs along the way. Between some of the matches they played in the early days to how they got their uniforms and stadium, there are a lot of things that the younger supporters of AS Roma might not know.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane through Roma’s history to find some of the more interesting aspects that make the club unique. Here are five things you didn’t know about AS Roma’s history and how they came to be a football powerhouse.

The Badge is the Founding of Rome

If you look at the badge for AS Roma, you’ll notice an odd image of two human infants suckling at the teat of a wolf. If you’re not from Italy or don’t know ancient Roman lore, then this could be a very confusing sight. However, this image is one of the most important in Roman history. It shows Romulus and Remus as infants, and the badge directly takes the image of the sculpture titled Capitoline Wolf.

The legend says that the brothers were raised by the she-wolf and would go on to found modern-day Rome. This was said to have happened more than 14,000 years ago while the badge shows a much more recent date of 1927, the founding year of the club. As for the colors, they are the traditional ones of Rome, so the entire badge is a tribute to the club’s home city.

Fascists Formed the Club

If you’re a sports fan, you probably don’t want to know too much about the people who founded your favorite team because many of them tended to be not-so-great people. AS Roma wasn’t an expansion club and was actually the result of a merger between three clubs. Roman FC, SS Alba-Audace, and Fortitudo-Pro Roma SGS were combined to make AS Roma in 1927, and it was the brainchild of Italo Foschi.

Foschi was one of the most instrumental people during the Benito Mussolini regime in Rome, and he wanted to form a club in the capital city to compete with the North Italy squads. Foschih passed away after collapsing in the stands during a match, passing away just after his 65th birthday and surviving all of World War II.

They Couldn’t Afford to Travel At One Point

It’s hard to imagine any top-flight football club having money issues these days, but that wasn’t always the case. AS Roma is no exception to past money troubles, and they happened during the 1960s. Roma had enjoyed success throughout the 1950s but got relegated due to front-office corruption. The club was left without much direction and had a massive money issue.

At its worst, the club was unable to pay its players, and then-manager Juan Carlos Lorenzo said that even affording to travel was out of the question. Thankfully, supporters of the club pitched in enough money to keep the team playing over the next few years. This resulted in a return to form for Roma and paved the way for a prosperous 1970s.

The Stadium Had Previous Names

Since 1953, AS Roma has played its home matches at Stadio Olimpico. However, the stadium had been constructed long before it opened and had undergone a name change. The stadium broke ground in 1901, but it wasn’t until 1927 that construction began on what was originally known as Stadio dei Cipressi in the then-Mussolini Forum. The stadium finished in 1932, but before expansion could begin, World War II rendered the stadium useless.

Following the war, new work was done to remodel the stadium, allowing Roma (and Lazio) to become tenants. After hosting the 1960 Summer Olympics, the stadium’s name was changed to Stadio Olimpico and has undergone several changes since then. This includes adding a roof as part of hosting the 1990 World Cup.

Their Largest Victory Was Nine Goals

Every club has its highs and lows, and the worst defeats in AS Roma’s history have been 1-7 losses to Torino (1947) and Juventus (1932). As for the winning side of things, AS Roma had one of the biggest blowouts that you’ll see in professional football. On October 13, 1929, Roma took on the now-defunct Cremonese club.

Arturo Chini Luduena netted the first goal in the seventh minute, then Luigi Ossoinak and Rodolfo Volk scored twice each in the next 42 minutes. Both men would complete their hat trick attempts in the second half of the match while F. Bernardini and Oreste Benatti also added goals, giving AS Roma its largest victory ever at 9-0.

AS Roma is one of the more successful football clubs in Italy, and after hundreds of matches throughout its history, there has been a handful that really stood out as the best. Here are our picks for the five greatest AS Roma matches of all time and what made them so impactful.

Reaching the European Cup Final

Whether it’s known as the European Cup or the UEFA Champions League, the title has been hard to come by for AS Roma. Throughout the club’s history, Roma has never won the Champions League and has been to the finals just once. That came during the 1983-84 edition of the tournament when the club lost to Liverpool in penalty kicks. Though the loss hurt, the ride there was a lot of fun.

Roma started off the tournament by defeating Gothenburg, then took care of CSKA Sofia and BFC Dynamo. In the first leg of the semis against Dundee United, Roma lost 2-0, setting up a nearly impossible situation to advance to the final. The club needed to win by three goals but did just that thanks to two first-half goals by Roberto Pruzzo and a 58th-minute penalty kick by Agostini Di Bartolomei. The Roman crowd was going wild for the brilliant comeback to send the home team to its first finals appearance.

Roma 6-2 Inter

Though they aren’t as frequent as they once were, AS Roma were once perennial contenders for the Coppa Italia title. This was especially true during the 1980s as the club won the tournament four times throughout the decade. After 1986, Roma would win just one Coppa Italia (1991) before returning to glory in 2007. That Coppa Italia marked the last time that the final would be two legs, and the first one was a sight to behold.

In front of nearly 40,000 people at Stadio Olimpico, Roma essentially clinched the title thanks to their performance which started with a Francesco Totti goal in the first minute. In total, they scored four times in the first half hour, then Christian Panucci scored twice in the second half. Herman Crespo added two goals for Inter, but it was too late as Roma secured a 6-2 victory, giving them an insurmountable lead in the second leg.

Going Back-to-Back

In the 2007-08 Coppa Italia, the format changed so that the finals would be just one leg. Inter got a second shot at Roma in a winner-take-all match. Roma reached the final by defeating Torino (in an impressive comeback), Sampdoria, then Catania. For Roma, the match was a home game as it was played in Stadio Olimpico in front of a sold-out crowd of 60,000 people, and they didn’t disappoint.

Philippe Mexes got the scoring started in the 36th minute, with neither team scoring in the rest of the first half. Simone Perrotta then made it a 2-0 Roma advantage in the 54th minute, but it wouldn’t hold for long. Pele scored for Inter, making it a 2-1 nailbiter, but the Roma defense held strong and the 2-1 score would be the final, giving Roma its second straight Coppa Italia title.

Clinching Serie A

AS Roma won the Serie A title during World War II in the 1941-42 season, but it would be a long time before that happened again. Fast forward to the 1982-83 campaign, and Roma was still searching for its second title. Roma got off to a solid start, winning five of its first six matches. After a loss to Sampdoria in the third match of the year, Roma would lose just two more times, both to Juventus.

Juventus also happened to be the team that was hot on Roma’s heels in the table the entire season. Roma needed a win on the 28th matchday to clinch the Serie A title and was facing off against Avellino at Stadio Olimpico. Falcao netted a 38th-minute goal to put Roma ahead, then Agostino Di Bartolomei made it 2-0 in the second half to give Roma the Serie A crown for the first time in more than four decades.

Then Doing it Again

After winning the 1982-83 Serie A title, it was another long stretch for Roma until they were able to hoist the trophy again. In the 2000-01 season, Roma was once again battling with Juventus for Serie A supremacy, and things got a little dicey toward the end as Roma started collecting more draws than wins. Because Juventus won its final match, the road for Roma was simple: defeat Parma and win the title.

A loss or a draw would have given Juventus the Serie A title, but Roma came prepared. Francesco Totti and Vincenzo Montella scored in the first half while Gabriel Batistuta made it a 3-0 match. Marco Di Vaio netted a late goal for Parma, but Roma won 3-1 and the league title.

Everton has been a staple of England’s top division in football for well over a century now, and much of that is thanks to signing the right players. However, over the years, Everton has made some signing blunders. Here are our picks for the five worst signings in Everton history. Before we begin the list, some of the dishonorable mentions that just missed the cut include Ashley Williams, Sandro Ramirez, Morgan Schneiderline, and Cenk Tosun.

Davy Klaassen

Dutchman Davy Klaassen was brought up with a pair of different youth programs prior to joining Ajax in 204. Seven years later, the midfielder made his debut on the senior squad and became a staple of the club, including being named the captain. In his 126 league appearances, Klaassen had 44 goals and won the top division in the Netherlands three times. Klaassen became a hot commodity and was given a five-year contract with Everton worth £23.6 million.

To say that things went wrong would be an understatement, as the club ended up paying over £3.3 million per each one of his league matches (just seven). There had been a major management change almost as soon as Klaassen arrived, and the new regime butted heads with him constantly. He struggled to adapt to the Premier League and he only lasted for 13 months before heading to Werder Bremen.

Fabian Delph

Bradford native Fabian Delph was a rising star as a youth player with Leeds United during the early 2000s. He made his professional debut in 2006, and over the next three years would play over 40 matches with Leeds. In 2009 he signed a deal with Aston Villa, becoming a cornerstone of the club with over 110 league matches played. Delph made yet another Premier League stop from 2015 to 2019 with Manchester City, and finally in 2019 made his way to Everton on an £8.5 million deal.

Delph retired in 2022 after his contract came to an end, and that contract ended up being a disappointment. He appeared in just 35 Premier League matches during that time, failing to find the net as a scorer. Everton wasn’t able to win any major trophies throughout his tenure while Delph himself received no individual honors.

Yannick Bolasie

Yannick Bolasie has played with a long list of teams throughout his football career, especially as he’s been loaned out several times, including by Everton. The Lyon, France native debuted in 2006 with Hillingdon Borough and spent time with the likes of Floriana, Bristol City, and Plymouth Argyle over the next few years. He found a steady home from 2012 to 2016 with Crystal Palace before Everton spent paid a £25 transfer fee to acquire his services.

Bolasie was almost instantly injured, missing nearly his entire first year. Once he recovered, Bolasie didn’t really fit into the plans of the club and he was loaned out several times including to Sporting CP and Aston Villa. All in all, Bolasie made just 29 Premier League appearances for Everton and scored just twice. When his contract with Everton expired in 2021, Bolasie joined Caykur Rizespor in Turkey.

Per Kroldup

The only Dane on the list, Per Kroldup came into the professional football ranks with B.93 in 1998. After spending three years with the club, Kroldup made his way to Udinese for another four seasons. Then, Everton felt that they had seen enough to sign him to a large deal, spending £5 million to obtain him on a four-year deal. Before making his first appearance, though, Kroldup suffered an injury that required surgery.

It took six months for Kroldup to finally make his debut, but he played in just one Premier League game for Everton before his tenure came to an end. Only one month after his lone Everton match, he was sent to Fiorentina. Luckily for them, though, Kroldup would last for six years in his new setting before wrapping up his career with Pescara and Olhanense.

Oumar Niasse

The final player on the list is the Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who began his career with US Ouakam in his hometown. In 154 appearances, Niasse netted an impressive 102 goals before heading to Akhisar Belediyespor. After a year there, he spent two years with Lokomotiv Moscow until making his way to the Premier League for a £13.5 million transfer fee paid by Everton on a 54-month deal.

Niasse barely saw the pitch during his first year and his spot on the roster was considered to be fringe at best. Instead of having him hang around as a reserve, Niasse was sent to Hull City and Cardiff City on loan, making just 35 league appearances for Everton in his four years with the club.

Everton has played in hundreds of matches throughout club history, and some of them have stood out as all-time greats. The club dates back to the late 1870s, so it’s hard to narrow things down to just five matches. However, we feel that these five are all ones that Everton fans should know and go back to watch whenever they’re feeling down.

Ending the Drought in 1978

The Merseyside Derby is the biggest match of the year for Everton as they get to take on archrival Liverpool. The two clubs were formed between 1878 and 1884, and have been playing each other almost every year since then outside of some long gaps around both World Wars. In November 1971, Everton would defeat Liverpool 1-0, but it would take years before Everton came out on top again.

Seven draws (six of them scoreless) and eight Liverpool wins later, Everton finally put the skid to an end on October 28, 1978. In Goodison Park, the two squared off in a First Division match, and both of them were near the top of the table. Neither team scored in the first half, but Andy King added a goal in the 58th minute which would prove to be the only one of the match. While Liverpool would take the First Division title, Everton came out on top that day.

The Stomping of Sunderland

While Everton wasn’t a favorite to win the English Premier League in the 2007-08 season, the club was still expected to do very well. Everton ended up finishing in fifth place behind Liverpool and Arsenal while collecting some impressive victories along the way. The most impressive of those wins was a record-setting performance against Sunderland on November 24, 2007. In front of 38,594 in Goodison Park, Everton came to play.

Everton started off the scoring with a goal by Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the 12th minute, then Tim Cahill added to the tally five minutes later. Steven Pienaar made it a 3-0 game, but Dwight Yorke scored Sunderland’s lone goal just before the half. Everton didn’t let up in the second half, with Cahill and Aiyegbeni each notching a second goal while Andy Johnson and Leon Osman added to the total, giving Everton the 7-1 victory.

3-0 Over Liverpool

We already mentioned the Merseyside Derby and the magic of the 2007-08 season. Just a year before that season, though, the Merseyside Derby had one of the best Everton victories in the rivalry’s history. Both Everton and Liverpool found themselves toward the top part of the table, with Everton fighting for a spot in the UEFA Cup while Liverpool was aiming for a Champions League berth.

While both clubs would reach their respective destinations, there was a moment when Everton looked like the Champions League team. On September 9, 2006, Everton shut out Liverpool 3-0 in front of the Goodison Park crowd of more than 40,000. Everton scored twice in the first half, adding one more to make it a 3-0 victory. Andrew Johnson netted two of those goals while TIm Cahill scored the other.

European Cup Finals

Prior to the UEFA Champions League, the European Cup Winners Cup was the top prize in all of European football. Everton qualified for the 1984-85 edition of the tournament and advanced past UCD with a 1-0 victory in the first round. Everton then shut out Internacional Slovnaft Bratislava 4-0 before defeating Fortuna Sittard 5-0. In the semis, Everton won 1-3 in the second leg after a scoreless first leg.

The finals then pitted Everton against Rapid Wien, with more than 38,000 attending the final in Italy. After a scoreless first half, Andrew Gray made it a 1-0 match in favor of Everton in the 57th minute. 15 minutes later, Trevor Steven added a second goal. Hans Krankl got Rapid Wien within one during the 85th minute, but Kevin Sheedy scored just one minute later to put the game away and clinch the title.

Rooney Comes Alive

Every legend has to have that moment when they become a household name, and October 19, 2002 was that day for Wayne Rooney. During the 2002-03 Premier League season, Everton was considered to be an above-average team with an outside shot at the Champions League. Things got off to a rough start, however, as the team had just three wins against two draws and four losses heading into their matchup with Arsenal.

Arsenal got off to a hot start that day with Freddie Ljungberg scoring in the eighth minute, but Tomasz Radzinski knotted things up in the 22nd minute. After four yellow cards and no goals between the two clubs, the 90th minute saw the emergence of Wayne Rooney. He netted the winning goal, giving Everton the much-needed win and launching his legacy.

Everton Football Club has enjoyed a lot of success as one of the oldest clubs in English football, becoming a staple of the top flight league throughout almost all of that time. Over the years, there have been some incredible moments for Everton fans, from winning league titles to international competitions. Let’s take a look at Everton’s illustrious history and determine the five best moments for Everton fans around the world.

The Winners Cup Title (1985)

During the days of the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the best of the best throughout the continent competed in a tournament to claim the ultimate title. In the 1984-85 edition of the tournament, Everton advanced past UCD in the first round, Internacional Slovnaft Bratislava in the second round, then Fortuna Sittard in the quarterfinals.

The true test came in the semis when Everton faced Bayern Munich and advanced after a 3-1 win in the second leg. In Moscow for the final against Rapid Wien, neither team scored in the first half, but it didn’t take long for Everton to take the lead. Andrew Gray, Trevor Steven, and Kevin Sheedy all scored in the second half, giving Everton the title on a 3-1 victory.

The 2009 FA Cup Semis

For the 2008-09 FA Cup, Everton joined in during the third round proper, defeating Macclesfield Town 1-0 in front of just 6,000 people. Not many felt that Everton would get much further, especially with Liverpool awaiting them. However, Everton would win the replay after a 1-1 draw in the opening match, defeating them 1-0. Everton then defeated Aston Villa (3-1) and Middlesbrough (2-1) to vault them into the semis.

What went down next was one of the most thrilling games in Everton history, even if they would go on to lose to Chelsea in the final. Everton and Manchester United played to a 0-0 draw in regulation time during the semis, and extra time didn’t result in any goals, either. Heading into penalties, both clubs would miss the opening kick, but Everton took the 1-0 advantage after the second. Everton ended up making four in a row to win the match and place the club into the finals.

The 1995 FA Cup Final

Heading into the 1994-95 FA Cup, Everton had won the tournament just once in the previous 20 tries. After defeating Derby County in its first match (1-0), they went on to defeat Bristol City (1-0), Norwich City (5-0), and Newcastle United (1-0). Everton finally surrendered a goal in the semifinal, but still comfortably defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1.

Manchester United awaited Everton after having defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 in a replay. Everton struck first in the final with Paul Rideout scoring in the 30th minute. Despite several strong attempts, neither side would net another goal and Everton went on to claim the FA Cup with Dave Watson as the Man of the Match.

Second FL Title in Three Years

Between 1933 and 1984, Everton won the Football League just twice (1963 and 1970), but fortunes would change during the mid-1980s. Everton won the title in the 1984-85 season, though they would come up just two points short of a repeat the following year with Everton taking the title. In the 1986-87 season, Everton only had four wins after the first 10 matches, including losing three in a row.

Thankfully, Everton rebounded in the second half of the season, losing and drawing just once each in the final 12 matchdays. Everton finished the season with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, capping off a season that saw the club have a nine-point advantage over runners-up Liverpool. The season would be the second title in three seasons, while also proving to be the most recent title in England’s top league.

Avoiding Disaster in 2022

Everton was relegated in 1951 for just the second time in club history, and it looked like there would be a third relegation during the 2021-22 season. The season was filled with a lot of adversity for Everton as the team was losing money hand over fist while setting up a move into a new stadium. Heading into the 37th (and penultimate) matchday, Everton was on the brink of relegation as they faced Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace would strike first with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring in the 21st minute while Jordan Ayew netted a second in the 36th minute. Everton turned it on in the second half, though, with Michael Keane and Richarlison scoring to equalize the match. Finally, in the 85th minute, Dominica Calvert-Lewin scored to give Everton the 3-2 edge that would hold up and keep the club from being relegated.

Since its founding in 1878, Everton Football Club has seen a lot of highlight moments that include league and continental trophies. However, there have also been plenty of moments that fans would rather forget. Let’s take a look at Everton’s history and (unfortunately, for some) find the five moments that were the worst for Everton fans.

A String of Poor Managers

Carlo Ancelotti has managed seemingly every major European football team throughout his prestigious career, and that includes Everton. Ancelotti took on the managerial role for Everton in 2019 but left in 2021 to start a second stint with Real Madrid. His departure left Everton in a rough place after finishing with a record of 31 wins, 14 draws, and 22 losses in his 67 matches.

The following two managers would not last for long. Rafael Benitez took over in June 2021 but was fired just six months later after seven wins in 22 matches. Duncan Ferguson lost his only match as caretaker, then Frank Lampard won just 12 of his 43 matches. His firing after just less than a year capped off a string of managers winning under 1/3rd of their matches.

Dropping the Football League Cup

The EFL Cup dates back to 1960 and takes on any club that wants to participate within the top four levels of English football. Everton has been part of the tournament on many occasions but has not won it. The first time that Everton made the final came in 1977, but ultimately lost to Aston Villa on a second replay after 0-0 and 1-1 draws. In 1984, Everton had another chance, and yet again, lost in a replay.

In front of 100,000 people at Wembley Stadium, neither Everton nor Liverpool scored, setting up a replay three days later at Maine Road in front of about half as many people. Graeme Souness scored in the 21st minute for Liverpool, and that would prove to be the only goal in the match. Everton has yet to return to the EFL Cup finals science then.

Last Place Finish

It has been a very long time since Everton was relegated from the First Division/Premier League. The last time came in 1950-51, and the club wasn’t just relegated but finished in last place altogether. What makes things worse, though, is that Everton had a chance to avoid relegation in the final match of the season. Taking on Sheffield Wednesday, Everton needed either a draw or a win to remain in the top division.

Instead, Everton came out completely flat. The club ended up losing 0-6, meaning that they won just one match between the start of March and the end of the season. At the bottom of the standings, Everton finished with 32 points, tying them with Chelsea and the same Sheffield Wednesday team that decimated them. However, Chelsea stayed in the First Division thanks to a better goal differential.

2009 FA Cup Final

Early in the history of the FA Cup, Everton had several successful runs at the title, but those have been few and far between since the mid-1990s. The best chance at the FA Cup came in the 2008-09 season, with Everton entering the tournament in the third round. There, Everton defeated Macclesfield Town 1-0, then pulled off a big win over Liverpool in a replay. They then got through Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, and Manchester United to advance to the final against Chelsea.

It looked like the FA Cup drought for Everton was finally coming to an end as Louis Saha scored in the first minute. Unfortunately, Everton wouldn’t score the rest of the match while Didier Drogba tied things up 20 minutes later. After more than 50 minutes of no scoring, Frank Lampard netted a goal late in the match to give Chelsea the 2-1 lead. That score would hold up, with Chelsea taking the FA Cup.

The Slow Downturn Hits Rock Bottom

Everton won the top division in the 1986-87 season, capping off an incredible climb to the top that had been years in the making. However, there was a slow crawl toward the bottom of the Premier League table that had a couple of low points. The biggest low point came in the 1993-94 season. In the years between then and the First Division title, Everton had dropped to fourth, ninth, 12th, and 13th in the final standings.

In this season, Everton had dropped all the way down to 17th. Attendance was poor as Everton won just 12 matches through the year, losing 22 times en route to a measly 44 points. The worst moment was the penultimate match against Leeds United, which saw Everton lose 3-0. Thankfully, Everton was able to pull off a 3-2 win against Wimbledon in the final match, avoiding relegation.