6 September 2006 - Just When You Think It Couldn't Get Any Worse

On 6 September 2006, Germany handed a record loss to a team used to losing, beating San Marino 0-13 in a European Championship qualification match.

The third-smallest nation in Europe (behind the Vatican and Monaco), San Marino is a republic wholly contained within Italy. Their national team played their first unofficial match in 1986 and their first official one in 1990. They lost both matches. In fact, throughout their history, San Marino have lost almost every match they've played--out of 107 official matches, they have drawn three and won one (a 1-0 victory over Liechtenstein in 2004).

Before the match against Germany, San Marino's worst defeat had been a 10-0 loss at the hands of Norway in 1992. But playing at San Marino's Stadio Olimpico, the Germans were closing in on hat number by the break, beating keeper Aldo Simoncini six times goals from Lukas Podolski (11', 43'), Bastian Schweinsteiger (28'), Miroslav Klose (30', 45'), and Michael Ballack (35').

The second half continued the pattern of the first, with more goals from Schweinsteiger (47') and Podolski (64', 72'), as well as strikes from Thomas Hitzlsperger (66', 72') and Manuel Friedrich (87'). Then, in the 90th minute, with Germany leading 0-12, the referee awarded them a penalty kick, which Bernd Schneider converted for the final tally of 13.

Although the scoreline set a new record for San Marino, it wasn't Germany's greatest win. That came in the 1912 Summer Olympics with a 16-0 victory over Russia.