Weird facts about the World Cup

compiled by Ifeanyi Ibeh


With France trailing Mexico 1-0 in their second game of the 1930 World Cup finals, referee Almeida Rego blew up for full time with a French forward clear through on goal and six minutes remaining on the clock.

The Greek national anthem is a 158-verse poem set to music. Alas, only the first two verses are sung.

Legendary Romanian midfielder Gheorghe Hagi, who captained the national team to the 1990 and 1994 tournament’s, and who also played for Spanish side Barcelona, was a qualified dentist.

During the 1938 finals, Brazil’s Leonidas attempted to remove his boots and play in bare feet during a game against Poland held on a muddy pitch in Strasbourg. The ref ordered him to put them back on and the striker subsequently scored four goals as Brazil won 6-5.

United Arab Emirates players received a Rolls Royce for every goal their team scored at the 1990 finals. The UAE managed two in three defeats.

Ronaldo decided to switch to his ‘half-moon’ hairstyle in the later stages of the 2002 tournament after he saw his infant son Ronald kissing a picture of Roberto Carlos, apparently believing the defender was his dad.

Legendary Belgian keeper Paul Preud’homme used to wear a shirt of his first club, Standard Liege under his national team jersey during international matches. He had to abandon this tradition during the 1994 World Cup in the United States because of the heat.

The 1974 final between Germany and Holland was delayed by 10 minutes because officials had forgotten to put in the corner and centre-line flags.

The opening match of the 1966 tournament, against Uruguay, was delayed because seven England players had left their FIFA registration cards back at the team hotel. A police motorcyclist was sent to get them.

Hector Castro, who scored the winner in the 1930 World Cup final, accidentally cut off his right arm with an electric saw when he was 13. He was known as El Manco - The Maimed.

The Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) side which appeared at the 1938 finals was captained by a doctor, Acmad Nawir, who wore glasses during the games.

Uruguay’s 2-1 win over France at the 1966 World Cup was played at White City Stadium, Shepherd’s Bush, because Wembley was already booked for a greyhound race night.

Swedish referee Ivan Eklind infuriated opponents Czecholslovakia by visiting Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in his box before the 1938 final between the Czechs and the Italians.

The preliminaries at the 1930 final included two coin-tosses - one for ends and one to decide which ball should be used as both Argentina and Uruguay had brought their own. The Argentines won but Uruguay still used their own for the second half - and overturned a 2-1 deficit to win 4-2.

Italy broke the World Cup soon after receiving it in 2006. A large piece of the green malachite which surrounds the base was chipped off during their wild celebrations.