15 star footballers whose careers were ruined by one single match

Despite years of hard work, dedication and training, footballers' careers can be shaped by just one match. While some players shine on the biggest stage, others crumble under pressure and their reputations never recover. From costly errors to embarrassing defeats, these 15 footballers saw their careers crumble before their eyes thanks to just one career-defining game.

Italy's Euro 2016 quarter-final shootout against Germany saw Simone Zaza take one of the most bizarre penalties in history. His stuttering, exaggerated run-up ended with him skying the ball over the bar. The moment turned him into an internet meme, and he never fully recovered, becoming a journeyman who was never able to settle anywhere.

After a year out injured, Jonathan Woodgate finally made his Real Madrid debut against Athletic Bilbao in September 2005. It was a disaster—he scored an own goal and was later sent off for two bookable offences. He played only nine La Liga matches for Madrid (per Transfermarkt) before returning to England with his dream move ruined before it even began.

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Signed following an injury to Mark Bosnich, Massimo Taibi's Manchester United career was extremely short-lived. Despite putting in a man-of-the-match display on his debut against Liverpool, as reported by the BBC, the following month, in a 3-3 draw against Southampton, he allowed Matt Le Tissier's weak shot to roll through his arms and legs, leading to widespread ridicule. United quickly dropped him, and after just four games (per Transfermarkt), he was sold back to Italy.

Having struggled since his €58.50m (£50m/$80.1m) move to Chelsea in January 2011, Fernando Torres had a golden chance to silence his critics against Manchester United. He rounded David De Gea, but somehow missed an open goal. The miss became infamous, and though he won trophies with Chelsea, this was the moment when it became apparent he would never regain his peak Liverpool form.

France needed only a draw against Bulgaria to qualify for the 1994 World Cup. In the dying moments, David Ginola, instead of taking the ball to the corner, overhit a cross for Eric Cantona, allowing Bulgaria to counter-attack and score the winner. France missed the tournament, and manager Gérard Houllier ruthlessly and publicly blamed Ginola for the failure, effectively ending his international career. From then on, at club level, too, he didn't hit the heights expected. Until that moment, he had been linked with the likes of FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Juventus. Instead, he ended up representing Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton.

In the 2019 EFL Cup final, Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted before the penalty shootout, openly defying manager Maurizio Sarri. He remained in goal but failed to save key penalties as Chelsea lost to Manchester City. The incident severely damaged his reputation, and he has been left out in the cold at Stamford Bridge ever since, going on loan (unsuccessfully) to Real Madrid and then Bournemouth.

During the 1994 World Cup, Andrés Escobar's own goal against hosts the USA contributed to Colombia's shock group-stage exit. Tragically, just days after returning home, he was shot and killed in Medellín, with many believing it was retaliation from criminal elements. His death remains one of football's darkest moments.

After an impressive season when he displaced Simon Mignolet as Liverpool's number one, it all came crashing down for Loris Karius during the 2018 Champions League final, in which the German made two catastrophic errors. First, his poor throw gifted Karim Benzema an easy goal, and later, he fumbled Gareth Bale's long-range shot into the net. Despite later being diagnosed with concussion, Karius never played for Liverpool again and spent years out on loan before fading from top-level football.

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Coventry City's Championship play-off final against Luton Town ended in heartbreak after Fankaty Dabo's penalty in the shootout sailed over the bar, confirming Coventry's failure to secure Premier League promotion. Despite being a key player for the side until that point, Dabo's contract wasn't renewed after the Wembley showcase, and he ended up at Forest Green. There, manager Troy Deeney publicly hung him out to dry and scapegoated him for the side's failings. It seems the only way is down now for a once-promising prospect.

Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford in 2001 missing key defenders, leading to backup centre-back Igor Stepanovs (left) being thrust into the starting XI. Manchester United ruthlessly exposed him, scoring six goals in a humiliating 6-1 defeat. Stepanovs, who had been signed as a potential long-term replacement for Tony Adams, never came back from the embarrassment, playing only sporadically before leaving Arsenal in 2004.

During a league match versus FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka, Nery Castillo (left), a high-coveted young talent from Mexico, insisted on taking a penalty ahead of designated taker Cristiano Lucarelli. He missed, and Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu (centre) was furious. As reported by Sky Sports, he said: "What Castillo did, from a professional point of view, I've never seen anything like it before in my whole life. There will be some measures taken against Castillo." After being frozen out in Ukraine, Castillo's career spiralled, with failed spells at clubs across Europe. Ultimately, he never recaptured his early promise.

For years regarded as one of the world's best right-backs, Inter Milan's Maicon endured a torrid night against Gareth Bale in the Champions League group phase. The Tottenham winger repeatedly outpaced and embarrassed him, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-3 loss at San Siro. Despite the Italians winning the game, Maicon's reputation never fully recovered, and his career quickly declined as it became clear he could no longer stand up to pacy opponents.

England's opening match at the 2010 World Cup against the USA saw Rob Green make a shocking error, letting Clint Dempsey's weak shot slip through his hands. The match ended 1-1, and Green was dropped in favour of David James for the rest of the tournament. He never reclaimed the England number-one spot.

Brazil's historic 7-1 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-final on home soil is one of the worst defeats in football history. David Luiz, given the captain's armband in Thiago Silva's absence, was a disaster, frequently out of position. Despite later club successes, the humiliation and doubts over his ability to maintain focus when playing at the very highest level followed him for the rest of his career.

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Before joining Liverpool for a then-club record fee, El-Hadji Diouf had earned a reputation as one of the brightest talents in African football thanks to his standout performances for Senegal in the 2002 World Cup. However, at Anfield, Diouf was inconsistent, and his fiery temperament led to several clashes with teammates, including captain Steven Gerrard. In a 2003 UEFA Cup tie against Celtic, Diouf's career hit a new low when, after being substituted late in the match, he spat at a Celtic fan. For Liverpool supporters, this was the final straw but, really, it was just one of the many contributing factors in his eventual departure and subsequent journeyman career.