Trivia and Facts-Part 32

1- After the European Championship finals match between England and Belgium (June 12, 1980, one to one tie), Belgium’s Walter Meeuws and Rene vandereycken were selected to provide urine samples for the antidoping random drug test.

To accomplish this task they had to drink up to 15 beers.

They arrived back to the team hotel drunk and intoxicated.

Photo From: Onze, Issue 55, July 1980

(Left to right: Ray Wilkins, Walter Meeuws, Luc Millecamps, Kevin Keegan, Rene vandereycken, June 12, 1980, European Championships, Belgium 1-England 1)

Photo From: Mondial, October 1981

(Walter Meeuws and Alain Moizan, September 9, 1981, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 2-France 0)

Photo From: Onze, Hors Serie 26, 1986

(Rene vandereycken , October 17, 1984, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Albania 1)

2-Holland’s Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit made their international debuts for Holland in a friendly vs. Switzerland on September 1, 1981 at Zurich (1 to 2 loss).

Gullit replaced Rijkaard at halftime, but the Television announcer did not even notice the substitution and referred to Gullit as Rijkaard.

Photo From: Mondial, new series, issue 99,  June 1988

(Ruud Gullit)

Photo From: Voetbal International, June 22, 1988

(Frank Rijkaard in front of John Aldridge, June 18, 1988, European Championships, Holland 1-Republic of Ireland 0)

3- As a CSKA player, Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov once scored 4 goals in a 5-0 win over rivals Levski on October 1, 1989. So for the next match vs. Levski on April 7, 1990, Stoichkov wore a jersey numbered 4 to taunt the Levski fans.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2336, January 15, 1991

(Hristo Stoichkov with CSKA Sofia, 1989/90)

4- For the Italy and Belgium Friendly on May 1, 1913, the match referee was Englishman Henry Goodley.

Henry Goodley was not only former Italy Manager , but also still a member of Italy’s Selection committee.

According to observers his referereeing was so blatantly pro Italian that the Belgian linesman Alphonse Istace left his flag and his post.

A letter of protest was sent of FIFA though to no avail.

Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, 1978

(Italy squad, Top, left to right: William Garbutt (Manager), Felice Berardo, Carlo Corna, Carlo Rampini I, Giovanni Innocenti,  Modesto Valle, Felice Milano II, Giuseppe Milano I, Guido Ara, Pietro Leone, Bottom, left to right: Attilio Fresia, Renzo De Vecchi,  May 1, 1913, Italy 1-Belgium 0)

5- During the summer of 1995, French President Jacques Chirac started conducting Nuclear Weaponstest in the Pacific Ocean.

As a sign of protest the Swiss National team unfurled a banner prior to their EC Qualifier match vs. Sweden on September 6, 1995 (scoreless tie) that said ‘Stop it Chirac’.

Photo from:Onze-Mondial, October 1995

 (Switzerland squad with a banner of protest against Chirac, September 6, 1995, EC Qualifier, Sweden 0-Switzerland 0)

Photo From: Goal, Issue 2, November 1995

(Another photo of Switzerland squad with a banner of protest against Chirac, September 6, 1995, EC Qualifier, Sweden 0-Switzerland 0)