Football News: A Potted History Of The World Cup

World Cup A Potted History

So the World Cup is about to start, minus beer, which is an interesting twist the Qataris have thrown into the mix at the last minute. How many of those who had paid to go were looking forward to having a drink while watching the games? Budweiser are probably the only people who are enjoying this situation as, not only will they be able to sue FIFA for failing to honour their sponsorship deal, but they are getting a ton of publicity right now that being involved normally would not bring them. In fact, it will probably take a little away from the disgust some people feel for those people and companies that are associating themselves with the Qataris despotic regime that treats women with such disregard and foreign workers like slaves. It is quite surprising that in this day and age, where everyone complains about cancel culture, that so many companies were so keen to be involved with this World Cup.

It does make you wonder how it came to this, from such humble beginnings when the first one took place in Uruguay in 1930. It only began because the 1932 Summer Olympics was to be held in Los Angeles and the International Olympic Committee decided, after a dispute with FIFA over players' amateur status, to drop soccer from the event due to its lack of popularity in the USA. Though it was not their first attempt to create an international football tournament, having tried once before in Switzerland in 1906, an event that was a failure, even FIFA admit as much. Uruguay were chosen to host the event, not because they provided a lot of brown envelopes like Qatar and Russia did, but because they had won the two previous Olympic tournaments and were classed as official world champions twice over. Also they were to celebrate the centenary of their independence in 1930 and so it was felt right to award them the tournament. A much better way to choose than the modern way of skullduggery and backhanders.

Jules Rimet had to work overtime to persuade any European nations to even take part, it is noticeable that no Asian or African countries were involved in a so-called 'World Cup' and there was no need to qualify. Just 13 teams took part and the first ever goal in a World Cup was scored by France's Lucien Laurent in a 4-1 win over Mexico. Uruguay went on to win the tournament, but then boycotted the next two as they were hosted in Europe and they were upset that so few European teams turned up for the World Cup they hosted.

The second event had 16 teams involved, with qualification needed, and also had the first African nation competing in the shape of Egypt. The Italians hosted and won it, a run which was broken by the French in 1938, who hosted it but failed to win it, instead Italy retained the title, in an event which only had 15 entrants due to events preceding World War II. Austria had qualified, after beating Latvia in a play-off, but the Anschluss with Hitler's Germany saw Austria withdraw and instead some of their team joined the German squad. England were offered the place but rejected it.

World War 2 also affected the 1942 and 1946 editions, as the former was cancelled before choosing a host country from Germany and Brazil. Judging by FIFA's choices since then, it seems certain Germany would have been chosen if it went ahead! No doubt they would have put the concentration camp inmates to work and said only a few actually died while building the stadia. And that they were making huge steps forward in their human rights record. All while FIFA pretended not to notice the terrible conditions the workers were being housed in and Gareth Southgate's equivalent would be telling us how desperate the workers were to watch the football.

With the World War over, FIFA returned to planning World Cups and initially attempted to hold one in 1949 but there were no takers to host it, with Europe war torn and most of the rest of the world badly affected too, but Brazil offered to hold it in 1950. Like Qatar, the infrastructure was not there and they hurried to build the stadiums, with the Maracana, which hosted the final, not even being officially completed until afterwards. Though it did not stop them cramming in numbers estimated at around 200,000 people for the last game. The 1950 tournament was the first to have the Home Nations entered, with both England and Scotland qualifying, though Scotland refused to take up their entry, as did many other nations, including India. Though India did not pull out, as mythologised since, due to being unable to play barefoot. Instead the Indians, who were one of the better footballing nations in those days, preferred to concentrate on the Olympics as they saw it as the more prestigious event. That has probably been the sliding door moment that saw them fall away as a footballing nation from amongst the top ranks to a minor player on the world stage.

Italy, as reigning champions, still took part, despite losing the core of their team in the Superga air disaster in 1949 which saw the death of the great Grande Torino team, but they were too nervous to fly there and instead spent months sailing there on a cargo ship. Germany were not allowed to enter and the Eastern European Soviet Bloc teams boycotted. It did leave the whole tournament a bit of a mess, though that is no excuse for the embarrassment that befell England, with a team of world famous superstars that lost to an amateur team of postmen and salesmen, like an FA Cup giantkilling. The USA were not even able to take all their first choice players as it was not easy to get time off work for a tournament no one cared about! The result was such a shock that it is said no one believed it back in England when the 0-1 scoreline was sent back and the newspapers assumed it was really a 10-1 win for England.

The whole tournament made little sense as, to ensure the organisers made lots of money (some things will never change) the whole thing was just two group stages with the final match now considered as the final because it was between the top two - Brazil and Uruguay in their return to the World Cup. With Brazil just needing a draw, Uruguay beat them 2-1 to win their second World Cup and become 'World Champions' for a 4th time. The final caused such distress amongst Brazilians that a number of deaths are attributed to the game, which has become known as the Maracanazo. It also set a record as the highest attendance at any football match.

On to 1954 and it was back to Europe, this time Switzerland, and the first time the FIFA World Cup was televised. After a terrible performance in the previous Olympics in 1952, the Soviet Union took no part. Scotland played in their first tournament but, in a foreshadow of the current state of the Scottish game, they failed to win a single match. The great Hungarian Magical Magyar team set records as the highest goal average per game and highest goal scorers but fell at the final hurdle, losing to West Germany in the final.

Sweden was the stage for the next one, which was mostly memorable for Pele's emergence as a teenager helping his Brazil side to win the whole tournament. It is also memorable for the four home nations qualifying, though Wales needed the help of a bunch of withdrawals from Asia and Africa, which also allowed Israel to qualify without playing a single qualifying match. FIFA decided that, despite it having happened before, a team should not be allowed to qualify without playing a single qualifying match and made Israel play-off against Wales. Wales won 2-0 twice to make it to the finals becoming the first (and so far only) country to play in a World Cup finals after being eliminated in the regular qualifiers.

Back to South America and this time Chile, which had to a do a major rebuild following the largest ever recorded earthquake of 9.5 magnitude two years earlier. This time out the competition was marred by overly defensive and often violent tactics, as well as two of the best players, in the shape of Pele and legendary Soviet Union goalkeeper Lev Yashin, being in poor form. Yashin even suffered the one and only goal scored direct from a corner kick in World Cup history when Colombia's Marcos Coll managed the feat. Things reached a head in the first round match between host nation Chile and Italy, after a couple of Italian journalists wrote unflattering articles about Chile. During the game itself, both sets of players tried to deliberately hurt each other but only two players were sent off. At the end of the game Italy's players needed police protection to get off the pitch safely. Despite Pele picking up and injury in their second game and missing the rest of the tournament, Brazil went on to win the World Cup for the second time in a row.

England and 1966 was next, which I am sure is currently being shoved down the throats of the entire population of the UK, as it is every time international football is played. However there was more to it than just England's only trophy, which had to be recovered by Pickles the dog after being stolen in the run-up to the tournament. It was the first tournament to feature a mascot and official logo as marketing began to take over. South Africa was excluded due to apartheid, only returning to the fold in 1992. The African nations withdrew from qualifying anyway, in protest that there was only one place for teams from Asia, Oceania and Africa. North Korea got that place and became the first Asian team to reach the quarter-finals, eliminating Italy on the way. Eusebio was the star of the competition as Pele was kicked out of contention, even being substituted off to protect him at one point, traipsing off the pitch with a young St John's Ambulance lad both crying together as he helps Pele off. Still to this day my Uncle Billy's one and only claim to fame that he was that boy. England may have won, but the FIFA president at the time, Brazilian Joao Havelange, later claimed that it was fixed, as was the 1974 edition according to him. Funnily enough Havelange took charge in 1974.

1970 was in Mexico, with the qualifiers coinciding with the 'Football War' between Honduras and El Salvador in the region. Israel were grouped in Asia/Oceania, which led to North Korea being disqualified after they refused to face Israel in the qualifiers. Prior to the tournament, England captain Bobby Moore was arrested and then detained for four days in his hotel room in Colombia after he was alleged to have stolen a bracelet during a training camp to acclimatise. Moore was released in time for the start of the event but many believe it was a conspiracy to attempt to keep him from participating. It was shown around the world in colour for the first time, leading to many falling in love with Brazil as they made the beautiful game look truly breathtaking on their way to a truly deserved victory.

The favourites going into 1974 were the masters of Total Football, the Netherlands, but they lost in the final to West Germany, despite Johan Cruyff showcasing the Cruyff Turn to the world on the way to the final. While the Netherlands captured the popular imagination, it was Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), in their one and only World Cup to date, who captured most hearts with their players not seeming to know the rules. At one point defender Mwepu Ilunga rushed out of the wall at a free-kick on the referee's whistle to boot the ball away before the Brazilian player could take the kick. Also in their first finals were East Germany, Haiti and Australia.

Argentina hosted in 1978 in a controversial choice as a military coup had taken place just two years earlier, just like today none of the teams boycotted. England failed to qualify after being placed in the same qualifying group as another former champion, Italy. Iran and Tunisia reached their first finals and Tunisia also became the first African nation to win a finals match by beating Mexico 3-1 in their opening group game. Scotland did qualify and Archie Gemmill's goal, where he beat five Dutch players on the way to scoring the winner, is now legendary, even featuring in the movie 'Trainspotting'. There was controversy as Argentina reached the final at the expense of Brazil after Peru collapsed 6-0, with fingers of suspicion pointed at Peru's Argentinian-born goalkeeper Ramon Quiroga. Later it was claimed that it was government-level interference from the military dictatorship as suddenly grain shipments, prisoner exchanges and the unfreezing of Peruvian bank accounts took place. Argentina beat Netherlands in the final to lift their first World Cup.

It was right back to Europe for the 1982 edition, which was expanded to 24 teams and five new teams in the shape of Cameroon, Algeria, Honduras, New Zealand and Kuwait took part. There were farcical scenes in the group stages during the Kuwait versus France match, when a whistle was blown in the stands. The French were leading 3-1 at the time but played on, while the Kuwaitis stopped as they believed the referee had blown. The French scored and the Kuwaitis began to protest as the president of their FA rushed onto the pitch to remonstrate with the officials and threatened to pull his team out of the tournament. The referee eventually disallowed the goal and the game was played to a finish with France scoring a legitimate fourth goal later on. There was also the farce of Hungary v El Salvador, the only time a team scored ten goals in a World Cup match as Hungary were victorious 10-1.

There were a number of distasteful things surrounding this tournament, with the so-called 'Disgrace of Gijon' causing FIFA to change the rules so that all final group stage games were played simultaneously. The change was made after West Germany and Austria colluded to engineer a result that allowed both teams to progress. That required a 1-0 or 2-0 scoreline in Germany's favour and West Germany scored early and then both teams sat back and made no attempt to attack for the rest of the game. Worse was to come from West Germany in their semi-final against France. The score was 1-1 and France's Patrick Battiston had broken the line and was chasing down a loose ball when German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher came flying out of his goal and smashed straight through the Frenchman, making absolutely no attempt to play the ball. Battiston lost 3 teeth and suffered serious damage to his spine, yet somehow the referee saw fit to take no action. He never even awarded a free kick. Battiston was lucky to be alive and the French were clearly shaken and lost on penalties.

The final was no less controversial with West Germany and Schumacher facing Italy and their key striker Paolo Rossi, who should have been serving a lifetime ban for match-fixing. Rossi ended up with the Golden Boot and lifting the trophy, as the Italian FA lifted his ban so that he could score the goals for them. It was a final of two teams that very few neutrals wanted to win.

Colombia withdrew from hosting the 1986 tournament, so Mexico stepped in to become the first nation to hold two World Cups. Canada, Denmark and Iraq played in their first finals and Uruguay's Jose Batista set a record by being sent off just 56 seconds into their game against Scotland. This was the tournament made legendary by Diego Maradona, who dominated the tournament and scored two particularly memorable goals against England. There was the famous 'Hand of God' goal where the tiny Maradona outjumped England keeper Peter Shilton to score with his hand, later claiming it was the hand of God that scored it. His second goal was much less controversial and has been named the goal of the century by FIFA after Maradona dribbled half the length of the pitch, beating five English players and leaving Peter Reid trailing in his wake like a 95-year-old chainsmoking asthmatic before scoring. Maradona then inspired Argentina to victory in the final to leave no doubt that he was the greatest player in the world at that moment.

Europe once again was the scene for the 1990 World Cup, which has held in Italy. The qualifiers saw a distasteful incident as, with Brazil leading Chile 1-0 a firework landed close to Chile goalkeeper Roberto Rojas who feigned injury by cutting his face with a razorblade he had hidden in his glove. The Chile team refused to continue the match due to the injury but the plot was discovered and Chile were banned from the 1994 World Cup and Rojas picked up a 12-year suspension. Mexico were kicked out of the qualifiers after they committed age fraud at a youth championship. In the finals themselves, Cameroon were one of very few bright spots in their second appearance with a run to quarter-finals in part thanks to the 38-year-old Roger Milla's goals from the bench. His corner flag dance will live on in the memory of all who saw that tournament live. The Republic of Ireland were making their first appearances at a finals and got through to the quarter-finals without winning a single game. They got through the second round with a penalty shoot-out win over Romania.

Netherlands midfielder Franck Rijkaard managed to disgrace himself during the last-16 defeat to West Germany. Rijkaard first fouled Germany's Rudi Voller and then spat in Voller's hair as the pair took up position for the resulting free-kick. Both players were booked in the fracas that followed before the free-kick was able to be taken. As the ball was played into the box from the kick, Voller went down and Rijkaard again confronted him, ending up with both players sent off. The Dutchman then spat in Voller's hair again as they left the pitch, leaving the German press to dub him 'The Llama'. The semi-finals saw England face off against bitter rivals West Germany and remains memorable mainly for Paul Gascoigne's tears after being booked and ruling himself out of the final if England got there. Unlike when it later happened to Germany's Michael Ballack in 2002, Gazza fell apart. Ballack, on the other hand, seemed to go up a level and gave his all for his team, showing why England are perennial failures while Germany always do better than expected. The final was a repeat of the previous years, but a drab, dull and nasty game that saw the West Germans get revenge over Argentina to win the tournament for a third time.

The USA were the hosts for 1994 in a tournament that summed up FIFA as it was considered a huge success, purely because it was so financially successful, though it did also set attendance records for overall and average attendance per match. That despite the sport, particularly at that time, lacking popularity in the country. With the breakdown of the Soviet Bloc, Russia played their first tournament but FR Yugoslavia was excluded due to UN sanctions in connection with the ongoing war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. South Korea did make it, as did Greece, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia for their first finals. Oddly, despite the mostly boring play on the pitch, with stifling heat and defensive tactics conspiring to make most of the games dull, this tournament was full of incidents that have made it one of the more memorable World Cups.

No one who saw a 34-year-old Maradona roll back the years with his goal against Greece will ever forget his wild-eyed celebrations into the camera. It was little surprise that he was later tested positive for banned stimulant ephedrine. Maybe even less surprising is that he later claimed that FIFA sanctioned his usage of the drug to allow him to lose weight and play in the tournament. Roger Milla, even at the age of 42, was at it again to become the oldest scorer in tournament history. The Republic of Ireland made waves with a shock 1-0 win over Italy in their group opener, courtesy of a stunning strike from Ray Houghton. Though they will also be remembered for striker John Aldridge's meltdown on the sidelines when he was blocked from coming on to the pitch as a substitute due to a paperwork error despite Tommy Coyne having already left the pitch. A FIFA official had been handed the paperwork instead of the 4th official and so Aldridge was reduced to joining Ireland manager Jack Charlton in haranguing the FIFA official as Mexico led the Irish 2-0. It took 6 minutes before the Irish regained their full compliment of players on the pitch!

Other great moments included Rashid Yekini scoring Nigeria's first ever World Cup goal and running into the back of the net to celebrate by thrusting his hands through and shaking his clenched fists, Bebeto's now-legendary, and much-emulated, rocking the baby celebration was also unforgettable. The baby he was rocking is now playing professional football himself. Italy's divine pony-tail himself, the great Roberto Baggio, smashed the 5th penalty into orbit and his country lost the World Cup to Brazil. But the saddest moment is the demise of Colombian defender Andres Escobar who scored an own goal which led to the South Americans exit from the World Cup. He was gunned down a few days later after returning home by a hitman for members of a drug cartel who had lost money gambling on the game.

Europe once again hosted, this time in France, this time expanded to 32 teams. France also went on to win the tournament with a team completely made up of players who originated from the former French colonies, but that was not what made headlines around the world. Firstly there was David Beckham's moment that made him the most hated man in England during England's last 16 match against Argentina. After a brilliant solo goal by Michael Owen had put England level, Beckham was taken down by Diego Simeone and flicked out his leg at the Argentinian in a motion that barely connected with Simeone. Simeone went down like he had been hit by a truck and Beckham was sent off. After England went out Beckham became a hate figure, taking the full blame for England's loss and faced bile and death threats at every away ground, including effigies of himself being burnt in the stands. Outside of the UK, the big story revolved around Brazil's loss to France in the final after the great Ronaldo suffered a fit on the morning of the game and was initially withdrawn from the team. Pressure from the sponsors, particularly Nike who pretty much chose the Brazil team in those days, saw Ronaldo restored to the starting line-up but he offered nothing as France won 3-0. Up until that point, Ronaldo had been the star of the tournament.

Finally Asia got a chance to host a World Cup in 2002, with South Korea and Japan as joint hosts. South Korea were the sensation of the tournament, with Ahn Jung-hwan's goal against Italy to knock them out causing ructions. Ahn played club football in Serie A with Perugia and their owner, Luciano Gaucci tried to sack him, then changed his mind and tried to extend his loan deal from Busan IPark only for Ahn to refuse to return. Italy themselves faced a storm on their return as Italians waited at Genoa airport and chased the squad out of the airport and for several miles down the road pelting the players, and the team bus, with rotten fruit. South Korea were joined in the last eight by both Senegal and the United States as some weaker nations impressed.

Ireland's World Cup fell apart early when a row between manager Mick McCarthy and captain Roy Keane left Keane storming out of the camp and returning home in a tantrum after Keane objected to the preparations. Keane had a point, the Irish FA officials were well looked after in business class and first class accomodation while the players flew economy and had to beg and borrow equipment and train at facilities that most pub sides would consider poor quality. Brazil won again, with some help from Rivaldo's amateur dramatics in a group stage clash against Turkey which got Hakan Unsal sent off. Unsal passed the ball to Rivaldo, who was waiting by the corner flag to take a corner. The ball clearly hit him on the leg but Rivaldo threw himself to the ground clutching his face. The referee fell for the act, Rivaldo was later fined a paltry £5,000 for simulation.

It was back to Europe for the next World Cup as 2006 took place in Germany, with some changes seeing the reigning champions having to qualify for the first time, though the hosts did get an automatic berth still. Togo, Ivory Coast, Angola and Ghana all made it to their first finals, with Ghana even beating a Czech Republic side that was ranked number 3 in the world at the time. This was the tournament that Graham Poll messed up and booked Josep Simunic twice in the group stage game between Croatia and Australia. It was not until Simunic was booked for a third time that Poll sent him off. Australia managed to get through anyway, but Poll was sent home and never officiated at a FIFA tournament ever again.

Ill-discipline was the story of the tournament, with Ronaldo's wink after winding up Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney into getting sent off, following the England forward's stamp on Ricardo Carvalho causing much less of a reaction than Beckham's moment. Another moment of madness was Zinedine Zidane's loss of composure in extra-time of the final, costing France a chance of winning again. Zidane's bizarre headbutt into Italian defender Marco Materazzi's chest, after the Italian trash talked about Zizou's family led to him being sent off. Italy went on to win 5-3 on penalties to lift the trophy again.

Africa at last got a chance to host, with South Africa holding a tournament which is mainly remembered for its vuvuzelas. Uruguay striker Luis Suarez first came to English public attention with his goalline save and then touchline celebration after the resultant penalty was saved. France suffered a meltdown as the squad mutinied against head coach Raymond Domenech. Domenech fell out with striker Nicolas Anelka and sent him home, but the entire squad backed him and refused to train the next day in a show of support. Things got so testy that Patrice Evra and the team's fitness coach needed to be pulled apart after nearly coming to blows.

England and officialdom suffered issues, as the line offical failed to spot Frank Lampard's shot had crossed the line by over a yard after cannoning down off the bar against Germany in the last-16. The Germans felt it was justice after 1966. The final showcased just how bad English match officials are as Howard Webb somehow felt that Netherland midfielder Nigel de Jong's studs first chest high jump kick into Spain's Xabi Alonso resulted in just a yellow card. It was probably the most blatant red card offence since Schumacher's assault on Battiston. Spain still went onto win in extra time 1-0.

2014 was back in South America with Brazil hosting it for a second time, with goalline technology introduced and cooling breaks due to the heat. The hosts were once again unsuccessful on home soil, suffering the embarrassment of a 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-final. Germamy went on to win the trophy again. Suarez showcased his range of indiscretions by biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in a group match, receiving a 9-match international ban as it was the 3rd time he had bitten someone on a football pitch.

Then it was on to 2018, another one held in a murderous, despotic regime, this time Russia, with VAR introduced for the first time. It was a tournament that was probably most memorable for its lack of quality, which allowed England to slip into the semi-final without facing any decent sides. France beat England's conquerors Croatia 4-2 in the final to make them holders going into this Qatari World Cup.

Written by Tris Burke November 21 2022 10:15:03