94: Aggro, anger & antics in America

FourFourTwo Team — Fri, 28 May 2010 07:55:00 GMT

Maybe it was the heat. But 1994 was a year for rag-losing, nut-doing and violent meltdowns…

Maradona’s potty celebrations –  and doping shame
The Argentine demigod really was a very naughty boy throughout his playing days, but his nadir surely came at USA 94. It looked like he’d recaptured some old magic when he scored against Greece in the opening game, only for the world to collectively ponder “What’s he on?!” after witnessing his celebratory boggle-eyed yelling into the camera.

We soon found out: he was on five different sorts of the stimulant ephedrine. Maradona was disqualified, later arguing that his failed doping test was the result of his trainer giving him the wrong sort of energy drink. Cheat or not, it was a sad end to a truly great World Cup career.

Leonardo gives Ramos the elbow
Brazilian left-back Leonardo didn’t take kindly to fleet-footed American winger Tab Ramos attempting to bamboozle him with a back-heel: he twisted and delivered a vicious elbow into the side of Ramos’ face, fracturing his cheekbone.

As his victim flopped on the floor like a fish out of water, the ref steamed in with a red card and everyone else enjoyed a mini-festival of referee-surrounding and Latin gesturing. Ramos spent three months in hospital; Leonardo was banned for four World Cup games and later apologised to Ramos, claiming it had been “an accident”.

Tassotti elbows Luis Enrique
Another shocker: Spanish forward Enrique lost more than a pint of blood after getting on the wrong end of Italian defender Mauro Tassotti’s elbow. The foul went unpunished during the game despite Enrique’s wild protestations.

The Italian eventually received a retrospective eight-game ban, but the Spaniard held a grudge for much longer than that: in 2008 he called for his nation to ‘take revenge’ for him on Italy. “I would love it,” he said, “and Spain has the advantage this time, because Tassotti is not playing!” Indeed.

Etcheverry off in four minutes
What do you expect from a man nicknamed ‘El Diablo’? Sickeningly violent mayhem, that’s what, and Marco Etcheverry delivered just that in the opening game of USA 94 at Soldier Field. Returning from injury, the man regarded as Bolivia’s best-ever player came on with 11 minutes left on the clock and his side trailing 1-0.

Immediately enraged by a shove from Lothar Matthaus, he kicked out at the German and was dismissed. “I’m sorry for Bolivia,” he said afterwards. “If I did kick him, it’s part of the game.” The side finished bottom of their group, and Etcheverry later gained a reputation for aggro at DC United, as he hacked and butted his way through the MLS.

Whack! Lothar gets the devil from behind

Effenberg gives fans the finger
It’s not just Barry Ferguson who gets himself into trouble with childish hand gestures. Stefan Effenberg was caught out ‘flicking the bird’ to German fans after being subbed in their game against South Korea.

His side had let a three-goal lead slip to 3-2, and manager Bertie Vogts replaced Effenberg with Thomas Helmer. Barracked by some supporters as he trudged along the sidelines, Effenberg lost the plot and replied with a middle-fingered salute. His reward was a ticket home, and Vogts responded by saying: “for as long as I’m coaching the team, he will not play for Germany again.”

'Psycho' Zola gets short shrift
Gianfranco Zola only ever played one World Cup game in his career: the second round of USA 94 against Nigeria, in which he was sent off after just a few minutes for, well, nothing much at all – the official completely misjudged an ordinary tackle.

“My thoughts were all directed to the referee, and they weren’t very nice thoughts, actually,” the unlikely hatchet-man told FourFourTwo about his reaction. Zola was banned for the next two games, dropped for the final and retired from international football just before the 1998 tournament. A shame.

Divine miss, Ross
Oprah Winfrey was the compere and US President Bill Clinton was in attendance (vice-president Al Gore was at the closing ceremony), but the opening ceremony at Chicago’s Soldier Field will forever be remembered for one guest: Diana Ross, who missed an open goal from two yards out.

At the end of her performance, the Motown legend, resplendent in what appeared to be a bright red shell suit, was supposed to slam home a penalty but hooked her shot wide. The goal was supposed to split in half as ball went in, and did so anyway, despite the spooned sitter. While an audience of billions laughed, an embarrassed Ross turned the colour of her scarlet two-piece.

Prepare to Di...

Coke scandal hits World Cup, offends millions
McDonald’s and Coca-Cola had a cunning plan: to print the flags of all the participating nations on their products. But it backfired when Saudi Arabia complained that printing their flag – which features the Islamic declaration of faith – on disposable bags and drinks cans was an insult to all Muslims. The offending products were quickly and quietly discontinued.

No pay, no play
Cameroon’s bid for World Cup glory was thrown into disarray when, two days before their group match against Brazil, the Indomitable Lions players refused to continue in the tournament unless they were paid what was promised by the Cameroonian FA. Despite receiving their match fees in a suitcase packed with $450,000, the players hardly appeared inspired – they went on to lose 3-0 to Brazil and 6-1 to Russia.

Much Aldo about one-nothing
With the Republic of Ireland a goal down to Mexico in their crucial group match, manager Jack Charlton was keen to introduce mustachioed frontman John Aldridge into the fray. He was foiled, however, by over-officious FIFA goon Mustafa Fahmy, who refused to allow the striker on leading to a red-faced shouty exchange with Charlton and Aldridge.

After a six-minute wrangle, Aldo finally trotted onto the pitch, barely breaking stride to flick a few victory signs in Fahmy’s direction, before scoring the goal that secured the Republic’s place in the second round.

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82: The most amusingly disorganised World Cup ever

FourFourTwo Team — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:57:00 GMT

The 12th edition of the global game's get-together had more than its share of oopsies…

THE DRAW SPECIALISTS
Somebody had clearly been at the Rioja in Madrid before the World Cup draw. In a farcical series of events, the balls representing Peru and Chile were left out the draw completely, Scotland were put into the pot meant for Argentina and the cage containing the balls jammed, with one even falling out and splitting in half. Chaos ensued. Four years later, three young Mexican boys did a far better job.

NEW BALLS PLEASE
Adidas introduced a new ball, the Tango Espana. Although undeniably a delight to look at, its reputed "technological advances" backfired somewhat. The new rubber inlaid seams tore easily, leading to what could only be described as exploding balls. Genuine leather orbs were never used in the World Cup again.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
The second round ‘Group of Death’ – involving Italy, Brazil and Argentina – was played out at Espanyol’s 43,000-capacity Estadio Sarria with fans clamouring desperately for tickets. Meanwhile, the lesser lights of Poland, Belgium and the Soviet Union rattled round in a half-filled Nou Camp – capacity 121,749. The Belgium–USSR game only drew a pitiful 45,000.

SILENCE PLEASE
The media fell foul of the Italy team after a series of unfounded rumours spread in the gutter press. One slur suggested that star striker Paolo Rossi and left-back Antonio Cabrini were having an affair, another claimed that the players have been seen "shooting up drugs". The squad decided on a media blackout – silenzio stampa – and the resulting siege mentality didn’t do their football much harm.

STROPS: PRODUCTIVE
Nobody emerged well from the Kuwait vs France game, but ref Myroslav Stupar had a particular shocker. After the Ukrainian awarded a controversial goal to the French, Kuwaiti FA president Sheikh Fahid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah stormed onto the pitch in protest. The pressure he exerted – along with the Kuwaiti team’s 15-minute refusal to continue playing – led to Stupar overruling the strike. He lost his international refereeing credentials as a result.

"Right, lads - one out, all out"

DID YOU KNOW?
* Scotland made their fifth World Cup appearance without advancing beyond the first round. It wouldn't be their last.

* Algeria became the first African side to defeat European opposition in World Cup history, after beating West Germany 2-1.

* This was the first (and only) World Cup where national anthems were played on record, rather than by a live band.

* A record 109 teams entered the initial qualifying phase of the tournament. This dropped to 105 after the withdrawal of Ghana, Iran, Libya and Uganda.

* Argentina and England entered the World Cup in a state of armed conflict over the Falkland Islands. The Argentine military junta was under immense pressure and had invaded the Malvinas in a bid to regain popularity. "Perhaps our trip to Spain should have been cancelled," pondered Mario Kempes after the tournament.

* Italian defender Claudio Gentile was nicknamed Gadaffi because he was born in Libya. "He was like a hunting dog," says Mario Kempes about the ferocious man-marker. "If you went to the toilet, he’d follow you there."

* Germany complained that their travel schedule gave them a disadvantage in the final. Hampered by an airport staff strike (imagine that) after their semi-final against France went to extra-time and penalties, they didn’t fly out of Seville until 4am. "We had one chance in the final after missing a night’s sleep," said Paul Breitner. "To score first and then defend."

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World Cup Wonderland : Argentina, Germany

94: Aggro, anger & antics in America

82: The most amusingly disorganised World Cup ever