The world of sports moves fast, and there are so many blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that even fans glued to the action can’t catch everything. Thankfully, we’ve got cameras to fill us in on what our eyes missed! Could you imagine all the hilarious stuff we’d miss if there weren’t high-speed cameras to capture some of these sports bloopers?

Today, we’re taking a look at sports photos that were so perfectly timed they almost seemed staged (and we promise you they’re not). There was no funny business going on when these were snapped. These photographers just happened to be in the right place at the right time! Thanks to them, we’ve got these hilarious pictures to look back on for years to come and to make some hilarious images out of. Anyone skilled at making memes, because there’s a gold mine here.

From unintentionally hilarious scenes to photos capturing the moments before an injury, here are 34 sports photos that have to be seen to be believed! Promise you that some of these will make you stare a little harder because your eyes aren’t going to truly follow what you’re seeing.

Did we miss a hilarious moment that you remembered while watching a game?

Perfect Whip

Ah, it’s the perfect hair whip. It’s almost like you can see every strand. But on a second look, it’s almost like she’s a cartoon character suffering from electric shock. But hopefully, not. we have to say, this cheerleader has certainly sparked our attention, especially with that smile. But it’s all part of the job.

A cheerleader is expected to be both physically strong and energetic and this cheerleader is certainly bringing that positive energy. Where does she get that from? It’s truly a mystery – that and the mystery of what kind sh of shampoo she uses, because dang, her hair looks pretty great.

The 12th Man

There are two possible things happening in this photo, and both of them are terrifying. Either there’s a ghost playing football, or someone has lost their helmet and is headed for an injury!

Okay, sorry, there is a third possibility, and it’s that the player is actually the invisible man.

In most cases, the 12th man refers to the crowd, or rather the fans that help keep the players motivated, but in this case, maybe it is a hidden player…

Either way, that guy next to his helmet really needs to get that thing back on. Head injuries are no laughing matter.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Why catch a ground ball when you can be the ground ball? Although, this is not exactly the best way to start your little league career. I mean, technically, it is because this kid is getting some free publicity right now but you can’t really see his face. He knows he’s in this photo though.

And he’ll probably never forget it.

Is this kid all right? Probably not right now, but he certainly will be later. That is unless he broke his entire face when he plunged face-first in the grass. But it’s a good thing that grass provides some decent cushioning. At least it’s better than hitting he dirt or pavement – all fun things that happen to all of us children.

Flying High

This is either a perfectly timed photo, or these football players have learned to fly. Honestly, it doesn’t even look like they are jumping, so maybe they are possessed by demons or something. With jumps that high, you have you wonder if they are even in the right sport competition.

They might be better suited for something like basketball. But with skills like this on the football field, maybe there’s more money to be made here. Does it count as a first down if you’re moving ten yards up instead of ten yards forward? Who can say really? Except these two.

In Sync

Those toned legs may be impressive enough, but it’s the perfect timing these women (and the photographer) have that really takes the cake. The perfect harmony of those white boots flying in the hair – moments like this only come once in a lifetime, or maybe a few times a season…

On a side note: those white boots are pretty pristine. How do they keep them so clean? Or is this the first time they have worn them? Probably but they definitely aren’t the most practical to wear off the field when you aren’t dancing with synchronized leg movements. Anyway, go Panthers!

Piling On

The Kent State baseball team had just won the championship when this photo was taken, and it’s clear that they were in a celebrating mood. It’s a good thing the game is behind them, because that does not look safe! That one guy is literally launching himself into that pile.

This almost looks like a different sport altogether. Isn’t this the game of rugby? I don’t know, because I’m not English. Hopefully, nobody breaks anything and if they do, hopefully its the end of the season and they have time to recover. They might need to get some Shout for all the blood stains as well.

A Photo Finish

It may look like this skater is in the middle of a bad fall, but he’s actually trying to win the race. Whether he ends up with the win or not is up to the judges, but he’s clearly doing everything he can to inch in front of his opponent any way he knows how.

Sadly, it looks like his efforts might be to waste and the guy to his right actually claimed the victory.  That guy is just way too far over the line, but then again, maybe that guy has been holding that pose for a while now. Regardless, you gotta commend the dedication to winning.

Is She Okay?

Either this cheerleader is showing off just how bendable she is, or her body is being horribly contorted by a demon. How long can she hold this? It’s difficult to say, but it’s definitely not a usual yoga pose. The audience might appreciate this pose which is good for the game…

But is it all worth one moment of discomfort? The answer to that is also yes. The hard work and dedication it takes to become a cheerleader should not be underestimated and this just proves it. These women can just do the most unusual things with their body and we’re loving every minute of it.

Mallet Mix Up

We’re no polo experts, but it was a huge shock to learn that those mallets are a lot more flexible than they look! Whether crossing mallets is rare in the sport is anyone’s guess, but this photographer managed to capture a well-timed and spectacular shot of these two players going head-to-head!

I wonder what happens if they fall off their horses when their mallets cross. Do they then have a battle? A sword, or ummm…mallet fight might certainly raise the stakes for this match and might just make for a much more interesting sport overall. Does it ever happen? Gawd, I hope so.

A New Challenger Has Appeared

It turns out that soccer is for the birds…literally! This guy may have a great can-do attitude, but there’s no way those puny legs are kicking a soccer ball. Although those are kids, so he’s probably not that far away from them talent-wise. We’re kidding, though; we’re sure those kids are excellent.

We’re not soccer experts but we’re pretty sure that picking up the ball and flying away with it is not a legal soccer move. We challenge you to find it in the playbook, however. On that same note, probably flying into the face of other soccer players is likewise not allowed on the field.

A Little Queasy

Perfect for us, but a little unflattering for her. She looks as if she’s about to projectile vomit. Or maybe she’s gasping for hair? Whatever the case may be, she might want to take a break and be a little mindful about what she’s doing because what is even going on here?

The camera always seems to catch us in the most unflattering way when we aren’t prepared, and that seems the case with this cheerleader. She does have a rocking bod, though so maybe not too many people will be too thrown off by the fact that she’s about to loose her lunch.

Head for the Hills

We know it’s right there in the name, but sometimes extreme sports take the “extreme” part to ridiculous levels. That being said, anyone who tries to take a kayak down a snowy hill kinda deserves whatever comes to them. And what’s coming to them is a giant headache and maybe some broken bones.

For real, though, hopefully, she’s okay. I mean physically. obviously she’s not quite right in the head. We aren’t sure if she knows about this little invention but they invented something a long time ago called a sled that works a lot better than a kayak to be clear. But to each their own.

Kicking the Wrong Ball

We would really like to know what was going through these guys’ minds the moment this photo was captured. Hopefully, this is a rarity in the soccer world, because…ouch. Assuming he’s a good sport about it, he can laugh about it later, and also assuming there was no permanent damage done.

The player doing the kicking should really watch where his foot is going. This aggressive gameplay really isn’t going to win him any points, because that’s definitely not the goalpost he should be aiming for. That being said, he owes this guy a huge apology and maybe some for health expenses.

A Big Bull-y

Being thrown from a bull looks pretty cool, but we would imagine that this guy has other thoughts about the experience. Mostly, at least in this moment, he should have found a different career. But getting thrown off by a bull isn’t all bad. He could have faced a lot worse.

For example, it’s better than being gored by a bull! And that’s thinking on the brightside, because with every negative, there’s always a positive and vice versa. Another positive is that this is definitely a win for the bull.

On a side note: is that hat glued to his head?

Flipping Your Lid

Who knew that keeping the trophy in one piece would be harder than winning it? Judging by her face, this is clearly not an outcome she was expecting…nor the trophy she was expecting. Was this trophy from Walmart? Probably, more like it is from Dollar Tree, we’d guess. Even Walmart stuff lasts longer than that.

But seriously, imagine having a winning moment like this only for it to shatter quite literally in front of you. Perhaps, they’ll give her a new one or at least superglue this one back together – or duct tape oughtta work. Moments like these only happen once in a lifetime.

Fraternizing with the Enemy

Why should we compete when we could all just hold hands and get along? This might be an accident or these three players might be very close which is never a bad thing. We hope that it really works out for the three of them. I mean polyamorous relationships are becoming a bigger thing.

So good on them for making it work. Hopefully, they just don’t lose track of the fact that they are trying to win in the pursuit of love. But something tells me that’s not what was going through these competitors’ minds when this frame-perfect photo was snapped! Rest assured, nobody is getting hurt here.

Down for the Count

There’s no one in this photo, human or animal, who look like they’re having a good time. It turns out that horse riding is a lot more dangerous than we thought! Well, okay, every sport is dangerous but you don’t quite see an accident like this on the riding arena.

Usually, riding can be pretty dangerous for the horses at times, so at least now, this levels the playing field is just a little more. Hopefully, the man and horse are not in the direct path of the incoming horse or this accident is just about to get a whole lot worse.

Making Direct Contact

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to take a punch straight to the face, now you have your answer. It’s never happened to us personally, but we’re going to go out on a limb and say that this probably doesn’t feel great. There are worse places to be punched, of course.

Particularly, if you consider the fact that these guys are at least wearing headgear. This honestly looks like a classic boxing film freeze-frame or slow-motion shot. We aren’t sure who is more impressive: the boxer for his perfect shot or the guy taking the punch like a champ? A little bit of both.

The Iceman Cometh

Referees might make bad calls from time to time, but it’s best not to anger them because they’ve clearly got magic powers. Who knew that this is how they ice a rink for a hockey match? We thought there was enough ice in the rink, but clearly, this man disagreed.

It almost looks like he might be trying to freeze the players with his icy powers, and that seems a bit like an unfair advantage. One thing is sure: man-made snow storms on the hockey rink aren’t a normal occurrence, so its good the photographer was here to capture this moment.

The Best Tackle of the Game

Most football coaches don’t have to double as professional wrestlers, but this guy sure did! That body slam sure does look like it’s gonna hurt. The one about to take it seems ill-prepared for what’s about to happen but maybe he’ll have a quick recovery with no real permanent damage.

We imagine they had some disagreement on the next play. We aren’t sure this was the healthiest way to settle it, but then again, the sport itself isn’t quite the safest to get into unless you don’t mind broken bones and brain damage.

Note to any fans trying to run on the field–this guy or someone similar is almost certainly going to painfully drag you to the ground.

A Double Header

Two heads are better than one…or are they? We’re pretty sure these guys would beg to differ and would have preferred to keep their heads far from one another! These knuckleheads sure do know how to take a hit, though, but even more so the guy on the left.

He’s taking a ball to the face and a headbutt. Surely, that has to be some significant achievement in the sport, or is it a normal occurrence? Rumor has it: the players can’t remember anyway. So, it’s almost like it never happens.

Will somebody please get these guys a couple…or a few…icepacks?

Polo Pains

Someone clearly needs a few more water polo lessons before they make their professional debut. In his defense, a head is basically the same shape as a water polo ball. And to be fair, he could just have water in his eyes. These kinds of things just happen in the game.

He thinks he’s about to make his shot but that guy is just like “nope.” Who knows where that ball is going to go once he lets go? We’d like to think that the next shot would be just as entertaining. Looks like a fun sport though, except for the silly hats.

A Rocky Start

One of these kids has clearly taken to rock climbing a little better than his brother. At least he realized climbing wasn’t for him before he started up Mt. Everest! We’re guessing big brother didn’t even think his little brother could make the climb, which makes this photo so much sweeter.

To be fair, though, little kids can be a lot strong than they look and yet they are so little so carrying themselves up a wall is a whole lot easier than being a teenager or adult. I mean, don’t get us wrong, this shot is still funny – just not for the kid who fell.

Paging the Tooth Fairy

We’re sure this guy was just playing sports with a mouthful of food, right? Right? Just kidding–those are definitely teeth! I bet his dentist is thrilled. I hope that guy has great insurance because we hear the dental implants are pretty darn expensive. When you think about it though, it’s not so funny.

At the time of writing this, I’m actually clenching my teeth just thinking about it. But not too hard because I don’t want my teeth to fall out. One shudders at the thought. But, even if he can’t get the implants, it’s important to remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

A Cricket Catastrophe

We’re ignorant about the finer points of cricket, but something tells us this isn’t supposed to happen. And it looks like that wire facemask is doing nothing to protect his head! Why do they even have the mask wire open that wide? What’s the point if the mask isn’t even protecting your whole face?

Apparently, the designers of the mask were more concerned about getting hit in the mouth rather than the eyes. Regardless, this guy should probably practice his batting skills a bit more or at least his dodging skills. That’s not to say that we aren’t grateful for this moment in time.

Post-Game Tsunami

We know it’s a baseball tradition, but this photo makes the whole “dump Gatorade over everyone” thing look so incredibly messy. Let’s just hope that those orange stains come out easily in the wash! That thing is probably going to need a few washes before they get it all out.

But maybe enough Oxi-Clean and they can get it in one go? I’m not sure. But why do they even do this? If the players get hot or something, water would probably work a lot better at keeping the man cool, and it would be a whole lot less sticky.

Men Overboard

They may be the Olympic athletes, but something tells us that the boat isn’t supposed to look like that. And it seems like the guy in front has simply resigned himself to a new, aquatic life. He’s not even trying to fight back. This is definitely a case of shipwreck.

But it’s considerably less exciting as the Titanic. But just how that guy is managing to fall in the water in a perfect plank is truly spectacular. This failure is perfectly caught on camera and without a blur in sight. Truly a moment from the 2012 London Olympics that we never want to forget.

Lending a Hand

This one doesn’t seem very exciting at first, but keep looking carefully and you’ll spot it eventually! It might not be the most monumental well-timed photo of all time, but it’s still very satisfying to see his wristband line up with the backboard! And what a nice looking shot too!

On closer look, it looks like his hand separated from his arm and his hand is doing all the work. That’s not typically how it’s handled (no pun intended) but we are also pretty sure it’s not against the rules either. It’s only a shame the people behind the backboard don’t get to appreciate this moment.

Oh Puck

When it comes to pucks, this is too up close and personal…even for a hockey player! It might look still in this photo, but you can rest assured the puck was flying at the goalie’s face at a very dangerous speed! And yes, hockey pucks can definitely be quite dangerous.

Luckily this player has some face gear to protect him. Had he not been protected, the results could have been quite gruesome. Don’t believe us, try Googling it some time…or don’t, because you probably won’t like what you can see. This photo is definitely a case of a close call and perfect timing.

A Real Baller

Some people are so good at basketball that they let it go to their heads. Some even quite literally. Or maybe this is some sort of genetically engineered super player that the NBA has been secretly working on…Those suits really are always up to something. How does it eat, though?

And can we also talk about that guy’s face. He looks like he just saw the most horrific thing imaginable, which is in fact what a basketball player with a basketball head would be. Perhaps, the NBA should go back to using regular humans on the court, so as to not scare the children.

Foot in Mouth

It turns out that courtside seats are not all that they’re cracked up to be! Just ask former Michigan governor Rick Snyder–just as soon as he’s done taking a foot to the face. He wanted to get as close to the game as possible and that’s exactly what he got.

So, just be careful what you wish for.

Side Note: In case you don’t know who Rick Snyder is, he’s the 48th governor of Michigan who served from 2011 to 2019. He’s also known for his role in the Flint water crisis and the evidence brought before pertaining to corruption. He faced charges of willful neglect and pleaded not guilty.

Interception