World Cup

We will never truly know how many other similar conspiracies there were in the past, but I982 will always be remembered as the worst conspiracy involving national teams during the World Cup.

The 1982 World Cup match between Germany and Austria seriously damaged the tournament, and Fifa, the organisation in charge, did nothing to stop it.

It was pure injustice while the world watched on their small TV screens how the Germans and Austrians, the nations that swear by codes of justice, fairness and equality, cheated the Algerians out of the World Cup.

World Cup
Luizinho (born 22 October 1958) — Brazil NFT Defender (1980–1987). Image from Wikipedia.

The 1982 FIFA World Cup football game between West Germany and Austria at the El Molinón stadium in Gijón, Spain, on June 25, 1982, is known as the “Disgrace of Gijón.”

The minions from Africa shocked the Germans by defeating them 2-1 in a match that soccer fans should watch to celebrate football.

The Germans were in danger of getting eliminated but they had one last match against the Austrians.

A 1-0 win for Germany will mean both the Germans and the Austrians go into round two and the Algerians are ousted.

The game descended into what must be the dullest match to have appeared at any World Cup or any stadium in the world after a German goal in the tenth minute.

Following that, neither team continued to play football as they passed the ball and fired shots into the air to pass the time.

We could argue that Fifa could not do anything about it or that the Algerians should have booked their birth earlier, but they were new to the World Cup and were not that lucky against the Austrians in a match they lost 2-0. 

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The Algerians had defeated the Chilean team to get 2 more points. In those days, a win in a football match earned a team 2 points and a draw 1 point. (See table below)

Pele Smashed in another World Cup Blunder

Pele world cup
Image of Pele in 1968, from Wikipedia.

In 1966, Brazil was again the hot favourites to win the World Cup but their opponents had targeted Pele as the man to bring down. Once Pele is out, they know that Brazil may also be out.

Brazil had won the 1958 and 1962 World Cups though in 1952, Pele played in two matches before he was sent-off the stretcher in the match against Czechoslovakia. It was Pele’s first major injury in his career but he is still credited for the World Cup win. He was part of the squad until the end.

But in 1966, the attacks against Pele became more violent, more personal and it was clear most of the nations in the tournament did not want Pele on the field.

Two-time winners and defending champions Brazil failed to advance to the quarterfinals after Pele was injured in the group matches.

However, some referees did criticise the officials at the World Cup for not stopping the violence against Pele. They believe, until today, that it was not fairplay and that many players should have been red-carded. But the referees watched as Pele was literally gunned-down and out of the competition.

Again, Germany

Frenchman Patrick Battiston’s inclusion in World Cup lore is not due to a goal or display of skill, but rather to the German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher’s unconsciousness during the 1982 World Cup semifinal.

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The “Tragedy of Seville” was how Schumacher’s vicious shoulder charge on Battiston came to be known in France.

Battiston, 57, who oversees the youth programme for Ligue 1 team Bordeaux, kept quiet for a while about the incident, which took place seven minutes after he came on as a substitute. He sustained a few missing teeth, rib injuries, and vertebral damage.

In the end, after so much protection for the Germans in the 1982 World Cup, Italy became the heroes who defeated the mighty Germans in the final. It was then dubbed by supporters as the final where ‘justice was done’. Italy beat Germany 3-1 to win the cup.

Here are more stories related to the FIFA World Cup.

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