Now You Know Big Book of Sports. Doug Lennox

tie in the World Cup final in Rome. Italy scored in extra time to win the cup.

       Quickies

       Did you know …

      that Hector Castro, who scored Uruguay’s winning goal in the 1930 World Cup final, had only one hand?

       By what unusual method did Chile qualify for the 1973 World Cup finals in a match against the USSR?

      Quite simply, by kicking the ball into an undefended net. Earlier in the year, after a coup d’état by General Augusto Pinochet, thousands of supporters of Marxist Chilean President Allende had been executed in the National Stadium in Santiago. Out of protest, the USSR refused to play in the stadium and the match was held without Soviet players present. The Chilean players kicked off the game and scored into the empty Soviet net. Then the game was abandoned and awarded to Chile. As a result, Chile automatically qualified for the 1974 finals but were eliminated in the first round.

       Why was Chilean goalkeeper Roberto Rojas banned for life by FIFA?

      On September 3, 1989, Brazil was leading 1–0 with 23 minutes left in a decisive World Cup qualifier against Chile at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. In an attempt to disqualify the match, the Chilean goalkeeper Roberto Rojas pretended to have been hit and seriously injured by a flare thrown from the Brazilian crowd. The whole Chilean team walked off in protest, and the match was abandoned. Investigations by the Chilean Soccer Federation and FIFA concluded that he had faked the injury. FIFA awarded Brazil a 2–0 victory, banned Rojas from international play for life and banned Chile from the 1994 World Cup.

       Quickies

       Did you know …

      that Mexico was banned from participating in the 1990 World Cup because they had deliberately fielded three over-age players in a FIFA international youth tournament?

       What happened to the original Jules Rimet Cup?

      If anyone knows, they aren’t telling. In 1983, the original Jules Rimet Cup was stolen from a display at the Brazilian Football Confederation headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, and it is believed that it was melted down by the thieves. The Brazilian Football Association, who had earned the right to keep the trophy in 1970 after having won it three times, ordered a replica from Eastman Kodak, who commissioned Wilhelm Geist and Son in Hanau, Germany, to recreate the trophy. Three Brazilians and an Argentine were arrested for the theft but released. Eventually they were tried and convicted in absentia.

       The Four Countries That Have Hosted the World Cup Twice

      • Mexico: 1938 and 1986

      • Italy: 1934 and 1990

      • France: 1938 and 1998

      • Germany: 1974 (West Germany) and 2006 unified Germany)

       Which teams competed in the first World Cup match?

      France beat Mexico 4–1 in that match held in Montevideo, Uruguay, on July 13, 1930.

       Why was Leonidas left out of the Brazilian team for the 1938 semifinal against Italy?

      The Brazilian coach wanted to save Leonidas for the final. The decision not to field Leoni-das in the semifinal was obviously wrong because Brazil unexpectedly lost 2–1 to Italy in the match. Ironically, in the third-place match two days later, Leonidas scored two goals and helped Brazil achieve a 4–2 victory over Sweden.

       Quickies

       Did you know …

      that thirty-two teams qualify for the World Cup from six regions — Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America — but only European and South American teams have ever won?

       Why did England not play in the World Cup until 1950?

      The four British FAs resigned from FIFA in February 1928 after a disagreement with how FIFA proposed to administer what are called “broken time payments” to amateur players in the Amsterdam Olympics that were being held that year. “Broken time payments” is the practice of a promoter or organizer compensating amateur players for lost income from their regular jobs. The British FAs had their own system in place and did not like FIFA’s interference. They eventually rejoined FIFA in 1946, and participated in the World Cup for the first time in 1950.

       Quickies

       Did you know …

      that despite having to wear eyeglasses while playing, shortsighted Swiss centre-forward Poldi Kielholz scored three goals in two matches in the 1934 World Cup finals?

       Why did India once withdraw from the World Cup?

      The team from India withdrew from the 1950 World Cup finals because FIFA would not permit them to play barefoot, as was their custom.

       What was the highest attendance for a World Cup final?

      There’s agreement on the match, but not on the number. The BBC reports that 199,854 spectators attended the World Cup final between Brazil and Uruguay at Estádio do Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro on July 16, 1950. But FIFA officially records the number at 174,000. Either way, it stands as a record attendance.

       Quickies

       Did you know …

      that the 1958 World Cup marked the debut on the world stage of 17-year-old Pelé?

       Who was the youngest player to score in the World Cup finals?

      That would be none other than Pelé, who was 17 years and 239 days old when he scored for Brazil against Wales to win a quarter-final match 1–0 on June 19, 1958. Brazil went on to win the tournament and Pelé still holds the record for youngest player to have played for a World Cup champion team.

       What was “The Soccer War”?

      The Soccer War, also known as the 100 Hours War, was a five-day war between El Salvador and Honduras in 1969. It was caused by political conflicts between the two nations, namely issues concerning immigration from El Salvador to Honduras. Tensions boiled over into rioting at two qualifying matches between the nations for the 1970 World Cup, on June 8 and 15. Many people erroneously believe the war was a result of these soccer riots, but the truth was the opposite. The riots resulted from earlier tensions; indeed, by July 14, the Salvadoran air force had begun launching attacks into Honduras. The conflict lasted until a ceasefire was arranged on July 18, leaving 6,000 dead and 12,000 wounded.

       Quickies

       Did you know …

      that upon returning to his hotel after his team’s defeat in the quarter-finals in the 1970 World Cup, disappointed English player Alan Ball threw his tournament medal out his room window?

       Which was the first sub-Saharan African nation to play in a World Cup finals?

      When Zaire qualified for the 1974 finals, they became the first sub-Saharan African nation to advance beyond the qualifying stage into the finals. The Zairean president promised each player a house, a car, and free holidays. All of these offers were withdrawn when Zaire lost all three matches, scored no goals, and gave up 14 goals.

       Quickies

       Did you know …