This article takes a look at some of the most viewed football matches ever.
The beautiful game as the legendary Brazilian Pele described it is the most watched sport on the planet. Most of the time it is hard to pinpoint how many people watch a game owing to the sheer volume of worldwide viewers watching via various platforms.
In this article, Pulse Sports peels the years back as we take a look into the six most watched football matches of all time.
6. Champions League final 2018: Real Madrid vs Liverpool
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Many remember this game as the last Champions League final for Ronaldo with Real Madrid. Also, many might remember this game as the night when Gareth Bale cemented his legacy at the Bernabeu after his commanding performance over the English club.
The viewing figures for this match were believed to be between 400 and half a billion people, making it the most-watched European club football match of all time.
5. 2006 World Cup final: France vs Italy
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It is believed that around 700 million people tuned in to watch the final unfold between France and Italy.
The games was marred by a moment of madness from the midfield maestro Zinedine Zidane who head-butted Marco Materazzi and got sent off in his final game as a professional footballer.
4. 2010 World Cup final: Span vs Netherlands
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Despite initial concerns about South Africa’s ability to properly host and facilitate the tournament, it was considered a resounding success, with viewing figures clocking in at around 900 million.
The cup was won by Spain courtesy of a goal by Andres Iniesta who scored in the final minutes of extra time
3. 2014 World Cup final: Germany vs Argentina
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The 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina was tense, with the Europeans nicking it 1−0. With an estimated 1 billion views, it makes the game the third most-watched football match of all time.
2. 2018 World Cup final: France vs Croatia
A litany of the world’s highest-paid players today, such as Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, and N'golo Kante, all showed their elite status in the game, helping France lift their first World Cup in 20 years, and an astonishing 1.12 billion people watched the game right across the globe.
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1. 2022 World Cup final: Argentina vs France
Lionel Messi’s crowning moment when he established himself as the finest footballer of his generation. 1.5 billion people watched Messi dethrone Mbappe in this memorable final, and it is only fitting that it is the most-watched World Cup final ever, considering it is arguably the most incredible game to decide the outcome of the tournament.
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