Miracle at Leicester? Sporting upsets to remember

Upsets or shock wins in any sport are what put bums on seats and drive television audiences, whether it's a shock K.O. in the ring, or a last-minute goal.

CNN looks back at some of sport's most memorable surprises.

Leicester City

When bookmakers are prepared to offer you odds of 5,000-1, they're pretty certain they won't be paying out, comfortable in the knowledge your team has a snowball's chance in hell of winning that trophy or title. But sometimes fairytales do happen -- seismic sporting events that defy logic. Enter Leicester City.

Only a year ago, this team of made up of footballing journeymen and youngsters with potential were fighting relegation at the foot of England's Premier League. Once survival was assured they appointed with a fairly checkered record of success, as their new manager.

Where once he was maligned for an almost obsessive tendency to alter his team's tactics and formation, earning him the moniker "The Tinkerman," this season he has demonstrated a Zen-like calmness -- his tactics were measured and his man-management flawless.

The likeable Italian had identified survival in a league dominated by multi-billion-dollar behemoths like Manchester United and Arsenal as his club's priority.

But then they started to win games on a regular basis -- including famous victories over free-spending Manchester City and defending champions Chelsea. When Leicester climbed to the league's summit, no-one believed they would stay there. But they did. Ranieri had fashioned a team with an astonishing spirit and a buccaneering style that would not give up. 

Just 30 miles north of Leicester is another town with an equally remarkable footballing story. When the inimitable Brian Clough arrived at Nottingham Forest's City Ground stadium in the mid-1970s they were languishing in England's second-tier, perennial underachievers.

They secured promotion to England's top league in 1977, before going on to actually win the title in 1978. Clough was universally lauded for doing a remarkable job.

But this was only the beginning.

Forest had qualified for the European Cup, the continent's biggest club competition now known as the Champions League. Their European adventure got off to a flying start with a win over holders Liverpool. This was followed by wins over AEK Athens, Grasshoppers Zurich and FC Cologne as they marched to the final. A solitary Trevor Francis goal was enough to defeat Malmo of Sweden in Munich and take one of football's most coveted trophies back to a town associated with Robin Hood more than the beautiful game.

What makes this story truly remarkable is that this unfashionable club defended their European title the following season. They defeated European heavyweights Ajax in the semi-final, before taking on Hamburg in the final at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Despite being the defending champions, Forest were rated as underdogs going into the match against the Germans, who fielded England star Kevin Keegan in their line-up. But the tactical nous of Clough allied to a strike from John Robertson -- his 19th of the season -- was enough to see Forest across the line.