Sport produces some of history's most memorable moments. But what if the key moments had gone differently? A sports magazine examines three turning points that changed the course of sporting history.
In the 1966 World Cup final, England beat West Germany 4–2. But the match turned on a highly controversial moment in extra time: a goal that many believed had not fully crossed the line. If the referee had ruled that goal out, the score would have been 2–2. If England had not won that match, they would not have lifted the trophy. And English football might have developed very differently if that generation had not had that victory to inspire them.
In 1936, Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics. If he had not competed at those Games, the Nazi regime's message about racial superiority would have gone largely unchallenged in front of a global audience. If Owens had not won, the world would not have witnessed such a powerful demonstration of equality. But there is another angle: if the United States had withdrawn from those Games, as some had proposed, Owens would never have had the chance.
In 2016, Leicester City won the Premier League title at odds of 5000–1. It was one of the greatest sporting upsets ever recorded. If their goalkeeper had not made a crucial save in March, the club could have dropped out of the title race entirely. If Leicester had not won, football's most extraordinary underdog story would never have been written.
Sport is full of moments that balanced on a knife's edge. If even one small thing had been different, we would all be telling very different stories today.