Greatest FA Cup finals of all time: where Chelsea vs Man City could sit
A look back at the most memorable FA Cup finals — from Liverpool 2006 to Arsenal 2014 — and how Chelsea vs Man City might join the list depending on key moments.
Sports Mole has compiled a countdown of the greatest FA Cup finals in history, highlighting classics from Liverpool's 2006 triumph to Arsenal's 2014 comeback. The piece asks whether a recent Chelsea vs Manchester City final might earn a place among those celebrated matches.
Why it matters
The FA Cup final is one of English football's most watched fixtures and a match often remembered for single moments — dramatic goals, late comebacks or individual performances that define a season. When a final is added to 'greatest' lists it shapes club histories and supporter memories and is often referenced in debates about managers, legacies and domestic dominance.
Standout finals cited by Sports Mole
Sports Mole’s feature includes a range of finals across modern FA Cup history. Two examples explicitly referenced in the supplied metadata are Liverpool's 2006 win and Arsenal's 2014 comeback, each noted for their drama and significance.
- Liverpool 2006 — cited by Sports Mole among the greatest FA Cup finals.
- Arsenal 2014 — highlighted for a memorable comeback.
How a Chelsea vs Man City final could join the list
Sports Mole raises the question of whether a Chelsea v Manchester City final can be considered among the greats. Finals typically gain that status when they include decisive or iconic moments — extra-time drama, penalty shoot-outs, late winning goals, unexpected individual displays or narratives that resonate beyond the final whistle.
Because the supplied source metadata does not include details of the Chelsea vs Man City final itself (such as date, scoreline, scorers, late incidents or decisive moments), this article does not attempt to rank that match. Instead it outlines the kinds of factors that Sports Mole and similar lists use to judge a final's historical standing.
What makes an FA Cup final 'great'?
Based on the finals Sports Mole highlights, several recurring qualities tend to mark the most lauded FA Cup finals: narrative weight for the clubs involved, matches decided by late or dramatic moments, comebacks, performances that define a player's legacy, and games that produce enduring images or talking points for seasons to come.
- Dramatic turnaround or late winner that changes the game's outcome.
- Individual performance that becomes iconic for the club or player.
- Unforeseen twists such as penalty shoot-outs or extra-time winners.
- Broader narrative impact (title-deciding implications, end of an era, or revenge/redemption story).
Context and limitations
This piece is drawn from a Sports Mole feature that counts down great FA Cup finals. The supplied metadata does not contain the full list, match summaries, or any match-specific details for a Chelsea vs Manchester City final. To meaningfully place that final among the greats would require match facts (score, key incidents, timing) and reaction from players, managers and pundits.
What happens next
To determine whether Chelsea vs Man City joins the greatest FA Cup finals, confirm the full match report and key moments. Once those facts are available, the match can be compared against the criteria Sports Mole uses: drama, narrative impact and memorable individual contributions.