Nottingham Forest went to Porto needing something special. Instead, Porto gave them something special. This is cinema. 💀

A 1-1 draw in Portugal sounds boring on paper until you realise Forest's equaliser came courtesy of a howler so comical that every keeper in the world felt a disturbance in the force. Porto literally gifted Forest a lifeline, wrapped it in a bow, and hand delivered it to the City Ground for next week's second leg. The memes write themselves.

But here's the thing. This wasn't even close to the worst howler in European history. Not even top three. The continental stage has a rich, devastating history of goalkeepers and defenders choosing the worst possible moment to have a complete malfunction. So naturally, I had to rank them.

7. Porto vs. Nottingham Forest (2025/26 Europa League QF) 😭

Fresh out the oven. An own goal so needless it felt like a training ground miscommunication that somehow happened under floodlights in front of 50,000 people. Forest didn't even have to work for it. They just stood there. Vibes. The away goal rule doesn't exist anymore but that energy? That "we stole something we had no business stealing" energy? That's eternal. Forest fans were already printing the screenshots.

6. Loris Karius vs. Real Madrid (2018 Champions League Final) 😭😭

Two errors. In a Champions League FINAL. Against REAL MADRID. Karius rolled one straight to Benzema like he was passing to a teammate, then let a Bale shot slip through his hands. Liverpool lost 3-1. The worst part? He'd been concussed earlier in the game. Genuinely heartbreaking in hindsight. But at the time? Group chats were on fire. No caption needed.

5. Massimo Taibi vs. Southampton (1999, not European but spiritually European) 🔥

OK fine this was a Premier League game but Taibi letting Matt Le Tissier's weak shot go through his legs while playing for Man United lives rent free in everyone's head. He was supposed to be a European calibre keeper. He was not.

4. Jerzy Dudek vs. AC Milan (2005 Champions League Final)

Wait, Dudek was actually the HERO. But Milan's entire squad had the collective howler of letting a 3-0 lead slip. Dudek's wobbly legs save on Shevchenko is iconic. Someone on Milan's side had to be responsible for that meltdown and honestly it was all of them. The biggest group howler in European history. 💀

3. Robert Green vs. USA (2010 World Cup)

International tournament football counts and Green letting Clint Dempsey's shot squirm under him was the moment an entire nation collectively sighed. POV: you're watching in a pub and everyone goes silent at the exact same time.

2. Ulreich vs. Real Madrid (2018 Champions League Semi Final)

Sven Ulreich, filling in for the injured Neuer, had a brainfade that let Real Madrid through to the final. He had the ball. He could have just cleared it. He chose chaos. Bayern were on the verge of a comeback and he said "nah." Absolutely devastating. 💀💀💀

1. Riccardo Calafiori's Own Goal vs. Spain (Euro 2024)

Brand new and already legendary. Italy's golden boy slicing it into his own net at a major tournament, on the biggest stage, with the whole world watching. The most aesthetically perfect own goal ever scored. He hit that with more conviction than most strikers hit penalties. The technique was genuinely immaculate. Sometimes football is just art. 🐐

Porto really looked at this list and said "we want in." Forest are alive. The City Ground second leg is going to be absolutely unhinged. And somewhere, a Porto goalkeeper is deleting social media.

Sleep tight keepers. ⚽💀