IN 1977, Pelé predicted an African team would win the World Cup before the end of the 20th century. It was and remains a bold prediction: it wasn’t even until the following year that an African country, Tunisia, actually won a match at the tournament. Over the following decade, African football experienced a steady progression, […]
FOR A while, we were led to believe this World Cup would be the one of shocks and surprises. We had Brazil spluttering to a draw, Argentina getting hammered and Germany beaten by Mexico. Messi would exit, leaving his last World Cup unfulfilled, Ronaldo would be crowned the greatest of all time and perhaps “little” […]
WHEN Mexico beat Germany 1-0 in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, it was greeted with mild hysteria, not just by the Mexican fans, but also by pundits and onlookers. As far as they were concerned, Mexico had pulled off a major shock, unseated the world champions and created a little piece of […]
IT HAS not been a totally disappointing World Cup, but it hasn’t quite ignited into the festival of football we are always promised and rarely get. The fancied teams have yet to find their form, although it is feasible they are merely pacing themselves after long domestic programmes. The surprise of the first week was […]
THE problem is, we have so many distractions, both football and non-football, and that’s why the FIFA World Cup no longer captivates us like it once did. Globalisation has made us over-familiar with the stars of international football, has elevated club football to a level that pushes the World Cup into the shadows. No longer […]
ENGLAND’S football clubs may be providing more players for the 2018 World Cup than any other country, but its own squad for Russia has less experience of playing league football abroad than any other participating nation. Every member of England’s squad plays for English clubs. No other squad can match this from the 32 heading […]
BACK in 1980, when the Moscow Olympics opened, hundreds of white doves were released as a symbol of peace. BBC commentator, David Coleman was quick to remark, “look at how they are all flying west…somehow symbolic” – or words to that effect. The Olympics were heavily boycotted that year, in protest at the USSR’s invasion […]
RUSSIA may be one of the lowest-ever ranked hosts of a World Cup, but a successful competition will enhance its brand value as a tourist and business destination. A new report by Swiss bank UBS, Investing and Football, notes that Russia’s low level of public debt, the second lowest among the 32 nations competing in […]
WHEN Russia was awarded the hosting rights to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, it wasn’t totally unfair to dismiss the reaction – particularly that of the English – as sour grapes. After all, there was a certain expectation among the England camp that it was their moment: a feeling of entitlement that it was their […]
