The Olympic Soccer Tournament Without Medals

Soccer debuted at the 1900 Olympics with just two games played between club teams. Surprisingly, no medals were actually awarded to the winners of these matches.

This bizarre tournament featured only three club teams representing their respective nations. Because the event was organized as part of the World's Fair, it was not officially recognized as an Olympic competition until years later. The International Olympic Committee eventually assigned medals retroactively, but participants left the games empty-handed at the time. It remains one of the most obscure and unofficial-feeling starts to a global sports tradition.