In the 81st minute of Switzerland's round of 16 match against Algeria at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada, a sharp counter-attack unfolded. Denis Zakaria played a one-two pass with Granit Xhaka before delivering a low cross into Algeria's penalty area. Breel Embolo and goalkeeper Luca Zidane both lunged for the ball but missed, allowing it to roll to Fabian Rieder, who was completely unmarked at the far post.

Fabian Rieder missed a scoring opportunity for Switzerland in their 2-0 victory over Algeria in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 at BC Place, Vancouver, Canada. *Photo: AP*

Facing a virtually open goal, the 24-year-old midfielder only needed to tap the ball in to extend the lead to 3-0. However, instead of striking with the inside or front of his foot, Rieder touched the ball with his heel. The contact lacked power and went directly to goalkeeper Zidane, who had managed to recover, resulting in one of the clearest missed opportunities of World Cup 2026.

The miss quickly went viral on social media and was widely covered by numerous European newspapers. German outlet t-online described it as a "huge missed opportunity," stating Rieder missed an open goal in a situation where he "should have scored." A video broadcast by MagentaTV was also widely shared with the caption: "It's harder to miss than to score." The Sun (UK) dubbed it "the most incredible miss of the World Cup". The article noted that while Switzerland advanced, Rieder created the tournament's most forgettable moment by failing to convert into a wide-open goal.

Tribuna echoed this sentiment, reporting that many fans called it "the worst miss of the tournament." The moment left teammates and fans stunned, and it was particularly regrettable given Rieder has yet to score an official goal for the national team. Meanwhile, The Athletic questioned: "Is this the worst miss of World Cup 2026 so far?" The English newspaper suggested Rieder could breathe a sigh of relief that his error was not costly, as Switzerland maintained their 2-0 advantage until the final whistle.

Rieder, 24, has scored one goal in 30 appearances for the Swiss national team. He has played for 8 professional seasons in national leagues and currently plays for Augsburg in the Bundesliga. Statistics show Rieder's shot had an expected goals (xG) value of 0,65, indicating a very high probability of scoring. Yet, the Swiss midfielder failed to convert from just a few meters away. "How did he not score? It was too good an opportunity to finish the game," a Fotmob commentator wrote.

Fortunately for Rieder, the miss did not impact the outcome. Switzerland secured a 2-0 victory over Algeria to advance to the round of 8, where they will face either Colombia or Ghana.

By Hoang An