Making a football debut is supposed to be a moment of excitement, but for some players, their first appearance became a nightmare they would rather forget.
Even some of the biggest names in football have endured disastrous beginnings. Lionel Messi was sent off within minutes of his Argentina debut, while Rio Ferdinand struggled badly in his first match for Leeds after becoming the world's most expensive defender at the time.
Here are 14 memorable debut disasters from football history.
Abdukodir Khusanov endured a difficult Manchester City debut against Chelsea. The defender misjudged an aerial ball before sending a weak header towards Ederson, allowing Nicolas Jackson to set up Noni Madueke for Chelsea's opening goal. He was booked shortly afterwards for a foul on Cole Palmer and was substituted early in the second half. City eventually recovered to win 2-1.
Moises Caicedo's Chelsea debut was also one to forget. The £115m signing came on as a substitute against West Ham but struggled to settle into the game. His afternoon ended with him conceding a penalty as Chelsea suffered a 3-1 defeat.
Jonathan Woodgate's Real Madrid debut remains one of the most infamous. After waiting more than a year to make his first appearance because of injuries, the defender scored an own goal against Athletic Bilbao before receiving a second yellow card and being sent off.
Lionel Messi's international debut for Argentina was similarly disastrous. The teenager came on against Hungary in 2005 but lasted only a couple of minutes before being sent off following an incident involving Hungary's Vilmos Vanczak. Messi left the pitch in tears, although the incident would eventually become little more than a footnote in his extraordinary career.
Thiago Silva also had an uncomfortable introduction to English football. On his Chelsea debut against West Bromwich Albion, he lost possession in his own half and was punished when Callum Robinson scored. Chelsea were 3-0 down before recovering to win 3-3.
Patrice Evra's Manchester United debut was another difficult experience. The French left-back was substituted at half-time after struggling against Manchester City and later recalled receiving a strong dressing-room reaction from Sir Alex Ferguson. Despite that beginning, Evra went on to win numerous major trophies with United.
Joe Cole was sent off on his Liverpool debut against Arsenal in 2010 after a dangerous challenge on Laurent Koscielny. The match eventually finished 1-1, with both debutants seeing red during the game.
Gervinho's competitive Arsenal debut lasted only until an altercation with Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton. The Ivorian reacted after Barton confronted him and was shown a straight red card.
Ali Dia's brief Southampton appearance has become one of football's most bizarre stories. Dia was brought on against Leeds after convincing manager Graeme Souness that he was related to George Weah. His performance was so poor that he was substituted before the match ended, becoming a legendary example of an unforgettable football debut for all the wrong reasons.
Saul Niguez arrived at Chelsea with a strong reputation but struggled badly during his debut against Aston Villa. He was overwhelmed in midfield and substituted at half-time. He made only four more Premier League starts during his loan spell.
Gaetano Berardi's Leeds debut produced an extraordinary moment when he was sent off against Accrington Stanley after a bizarre challenge described as resembling a karate kick. Despite the disastrous beginning, Berardi eventually became a cult favourite among Leeds supporters.
Rio Ferdinand arrived at Leeds from West Ham in 2000 for £18m, making him the world's most expensive defender at the time. His first appearance could hardly have gone worse, with Leeds losing 3-1 to Leicester City after conceding three goals in the opening 28 minutes.
Wayne Bridge made his West Ham debut during the club's battle against relegation in 2011. The experienced defender struggled badly against Arsenal, was involved in the first two goals conceded and gave away a late penalty as Arsenal won 3-0. West Ham eventually finished bottom of the Premier League.
Alex Jankewitz endured perhaps the shortest and most painful debut of the entire group. The Southampton midfielder was sent off just 79 seconds into his Premier League debut against Manchester United in February 2021. Southampton went on to suffer a humiliating 9-0 defeat, and Jankewitz never played another match for the club before leaving that summer.
These stories show that even elite footballers can experience terrible beginnings. A disastrous debut, however, does not always determine a player's career. Messi, Ferdinand, Evra, Silva and several others went on to enjoy remarkable success despite their difficult first appearances.
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