Trivia and Facts-Part 37

1- 1960s Manchester United and England midfielder had a unique superstition.

Prior to a match, he would dress up in his uniform. He would then completely take off everything and be nude. Then he would put his uniform back on.

Photo From: Shoot, August 16, 1969

(Nobby Stiles with the Champions Cup, May 29, 1968, Manchester United 4-Benfica 1)

2-For the 1996 European Championships, Denmark’s matches were all played in Sheffield’s Hillsborough Stadium.

For their first match vs. Portugal (June 9, 1996, one to one tie), Denmark’s players had wanted to wear blue and white uniforms (colors of Sheffield Wednesday) in memory of the 1989 Hillsborough victims

However, UEFA denied them because of regulations over team colors.

Photo From: World Soccer, August 1996

(Sa Pinto and Jens Risager, June 9, 1996, European championship, Portugal 1-Denmark 1)

3- Following the match between Brazil and FIFA XI to commemorate Brazil’s 10^th Anniversary of WC Victory on November 6, 1968 (Brazil 2-FIFA XI 1), Yugoslavian star Dragan Dzajic lost a watch presented to him as a gift by FIFA.

After this was announced in the press, a young boy found the watch and returned it . Dzajic thanked him by giving him a gold watch.

Photo From:  AS Color, Issue 74, October 17, 1972

(Dragan Dzajic)

4- In early 1982, Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Lothar Matthaus was late for training. As a result he sped up to get to the training ground. On the course of his driving he got into an altercation with a man in his 60s (He might have caught him off presumably).

The man followed Matthaus all the way to the training ground. Matthaus spotted the man carrying a rubber baton, so he immediately went back in his car and locked the doors.

The assailant hit his windows and antenna with the baton. Matthaus was able to take the man’s license plate and called the authorities.

Under the circumstances his tardiness was waved off.

Photo From: Kicker_Wm-Sonderheft_1982

(Lothar Matthaus)

5- Following Italy’s EC Qualifier vs. Sweden on October 15, 1983 at Napoli (Italy 0-Sweden 3) , the Italian players went to the airport to fly to Milan.

Internazionale Milano teammates Alessandro Altobelli and Fulvio Collovati went to have a drink at the airport.

On the loud speaker at the behest of the Italian Federation, Collovati was called and left.

Altobelli thought it was for some other reason and finished his drink.

It turned out Collovati was called to board the plane and the flight took off without Altobelli.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, March 27-April 2, 1985

(Fulvio Collovati)

Photo From: Mondial, New Series, Hors Serie 11, 1980

(Alessandro Altobelli)