Past notes: the football World Cup

THE WORLD CUP

As England braces itself for footballing disappointment, Julian Humphrys explores past FIFA World Cup Finals Where and when were the first finals held?

In Uruguay, in 1930. The competition was won by the hosts, who beat Argentina 4–2 in the final. The first women’s final saw the US beat Norway 2–1 in Guangzhou in 1991.

When did England first appear?

Not until 1950, in Brazil. England were confident, but things didn’t go well, and they ended up on the receiving end of one of the competition’s greatest-ever shocks, losing 1– 0 to the US. Scotland first competed in Switzerland in 1954, while Wales and Northern Ireland made their debuts in Sweden in 1958; both reached the quarter-finals.

Which was the most controversial game of the finals?

That unenviable accolade has to go to West Germany v Austria in Spain in 1982. To secure a result that ensured they occupied the top two places in their qualifying group, and thus progressed in the competition at the expense of Algeria, both teams passed the ball around aimlessly for most of the match. A disgusted Spanish media dubbed the game ‘El Anschluss’.

Which was the dirtiest game?

No contest: Chile v Italy in 1962. Dubbed ‘ the Battle of Santiago’, it was described by BBC commentator David Coleman as “the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football, possibly in the history of the game”. The match, which Chile won 2– 0, was punctuated by punch-ups, flying head kicks, rugby tackles, police intervention and a left hook by a Chilean player that Anthony Joshua would have been proud of. Beleaguered English referee Ken Aston sent off two Italian players – though he could justifiably have dismissed several more from both teams.

And which was the greatest?

Italy’s 4– 3 win over West Germany in 1970 – in which five goals were scored in extra time – takes some beating. However, there’s no doubt whatsoever (in this writer’s mind, at least) that the greatest of all was the final played at Wembley on 30 July 1966! England beat West Germany 4–2, thanks in large part to three goals by Geoff Hurst – including one shot that first hit the bar and then quite clearly bounced down over the goal line…

Italy take on West Germany in the 1962 World Cup finals in Chile. A few days later, the Italians would play a game against the hosts that was dubbed the ‘battle of Santiago’