New Addition: Trivia and Facts

In another Football/Soccer Forum, I came across a Thread about interesting and strange facts about the sport.

I even left some posts, however, this thread was started 3-4 years ago and I believe input was sporadic.

Instead, I will use my own Blog to post oddities and interesting facts on soccer, in addition to my regular match posts.

I will add five events per posting.

As always, my aim is to get people involved, therefore if anyone has any comments about these posts please feel free to contribute.

The First series of soccer Trivia/oddities/anecdotes/interesting stories:

1-During the 1982 World Cup Final between Italy and West Germany, with a minute remaining to the conclusion of the match, Italian Coach Enzo Bearzot sent on Franco Causio as a substitute. This was a sentimental gesture, as Causio had been a mainstay of Italy during the 1970s, but was now at the veteran stage of his career largely a substitute and in fact had not played at all during the tournament up to that point.

Causio did not even get to touch the ball, although he did make a throw- in.

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983

France Causio prior to the kickoff of (June 10, 1978 World Cup, Argentina 0-Italy 1)

2-French club Paris St. Germain prior to the 1984 UEFA European Championship Finals could have signed Danish striker Preben Elkjaer.

However, PSG President Francis Borelli decided to gamble on Austrian striker Richard Niederbacher. Both players had been playing in the Belgian League that season (Niederbacher at Waregem and Elkjaer at Lokeren).

Borelli had decided on Niederbacher because he was younger and had scored more goals.

Of course, Elkjaer became a big star during the finals and afterwards transferred to Italian club Hellas Verona, while Niederbacher left PSG after only a few months, having failed to make an impact.

Photo : from Onze, July 1984

Preben Elkjaer after scoring Denmark ‘s winner vs. Belgium (June 19, 1984, UEFA Euro Champ., Denmark 3-Belgium 2)

3-Czechoslovakia and Belgium used all their three goalkeepers during the 1982 World Cup.

In Belgium’s case, Starting goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff was dropped for indiscipline after the first round. Theo Custers played vs. Poland in the second round. After conceding three goals, he was also dropped in favor of Anderlecht’s Jacky Munaron for the final match vs. USSR.

For Czechoslovakia, Zdenek Hruska started vs. Kuwait. For the second match vs. England, Stanislav Seman started but was replaced during the match by Karel Stromsik.

Karel Stromsik played the third match vs. France.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 1992,  June 12, 1984

Jean-Marie Pfaff prior to the kickoff of (June 6, 1984 Friendly, Belgium 2-Hungary 2)

 

4- England did not have a sole selector as manager until after the 1962 World Cup. Until then England’s players were selected by a FA Committee and then the manager would coach the chosen players.

Alf Ramsey insisted upon being sole selector as a condition for his acceptance.

5-The 1958 World Cup is the only one to date where all four British Home Nations (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) participated.