Trivia and Facts-Part 9

1-The injury-prone English Midfielder Darren Anderton earned his final five caps for England under five different managers.

November 18, 1998 -Friendly-England 2-Czechoslovakia 0  Manager: Glenn Hoddle

February 10, 1999 –Friendly-England 0-France 2 Manager: Howard Wilkinson

September 2, 2000 –Friendly-France 1-England 1 Manager: Kevin Keegan

November 15, 2000 –Friendly-Italy 1-England 0 Manager: Peter Taylor

November 10, 2001 –Friendly-Sweden 1-England 1 Manager: Sven-Goran Eriksson




Photo from: World Soccer, April 1995

(Darren Anderton walking off the pitch in the abandoned match vs. Republic of Ireland on February 15, 1995)

2-During the 1938 World Cup Semi-Final between Italy and Brazil (won 2-1 by Italy), Italian Captain Giuseppe Meazza had his shorts’ elastic ripped by a Brazilian defender.

Therefore, he took his penalty kick while holding his shorts up with one hand.

While celebrating, his teammates made a circle around him so that he could change shorts.

Photo from: History of the World Cup Author Michael Archer

(Italian Captain Giuseppe Meazza, on the left, shaking hands with Hungarian Captain Gyorgy Sarosi prior to the World Cup Final, June 19, 1938, Italy 4-Hungary 2, along with French referee Georges Capdeville)

3-Months prior to the 1990 World Cup Finals, Senior Dutch players mutinied to have manager Thiijs Lijbregts dismissed and replaced as manager.

Lijbregts’ tactics were very unpopular with the squad, as well as his personal history with Captain Ruud Gullit during their time together at Feyenoord.

Since virtually the entire squad was in favor of his ouster, the Dutch Federation (KNVB) fired him.

The players had lobbied for Barcelona manager Johann Cruyff to be the manager for the finals.

However, the Federation appointed Ajax manager Leo Beenhakker.

Photo from: World Soccer, October 1990

(From left to Right, Leo Beenhakker, Thijs Lijbregts and Johann Cruyff)

4- In his entire career in Europe, Brazilian superstar Ronaldo only won one league title, The Spanish League title with Real Madrid in 2002/03.

Similarly, German striker Jurgen Klinnsman also won only one, The Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1996/97.

In fact he cited the chance to win a league title as a reason why he left Tottenham Hotspurs after a successful season in 1994/95.

Photo from: World Soccer, June 2003

(Ronaldo, upon signing for Real Madrid in 2002)

Photo from: World Soccer, February 1997

(Jurgen Klinnsman with Bayern Munich)

5-In the fall of 1995, Juventus and Italian striker Gianluca Vialli had been out of the Italian national team set up for close to three years, due to his injuries as well as his disagreements with manager Arrigo Sacchi.

After an impressive 1994/95 season with Juventus, there was clamor for his recall.

In an interview, Arrigo Sacchi stated that he had been in fact in favor of his return in the previous spring, but most of the squad was opposed.

Upon hearing this, Vialli formally renounced the national team and angrily stated that in all his years as a professional he never knew a selection to the national team depended on other players.

Photo from: World Soccer, January 1996

(Gianluca Vialli with Juventus during 1995/96 season)