Group 1

Group 1. Italy was the favourite at a glance. Yes, Italy was always favourite, but this time she was a second-rate one. Not a prime candidate for the title. Lucky to draw an easy group. The promise shown at the 1978 World Cup was stilted. Enzo Bearzot preferred older players – this was already settled to the point of becoming a myth, for the selection was actually well balanced age-wise. True, the starters tended to be near 30.

Head coach: Enzo Bearzot

 

1

GK

Dino Zoff (c)

28 February 1942 (aged 40)

NA

Juventus

2

DF

Franco Baresi

8 May 1960 (aged 22)

NA

Milan

3

DF

Giuseppe Bergomi

22 December 1963 (aged 18)

NA

Internazionale

4

DF

Antonio Cabrini

8 October 1957 (aged 24)

NA

Juventus

5

DF

Fulvio Collovati

9 May 1957 (aged 25)

NA

Milan

6

DF

Claudio Gentile

27 September 1953 (aged 28)

NA

Juventus

7

DF

Gaetano Scirea

25 May 1953 (aged 29)

NA

Juventus

8

DF

Pietro Vierchowod

6 April 1959 (aged 23)

NA

Fiorentina

9

MF

Giancarlo Antognoni

1 April 1954 (aged 28)

NA

Fiorentina

10

MF

Giuseppe Dossena

2 May 1958 (aged 24)

NA

Torino

11

MF

Giampiero Marini

25 February 1951 (aged 31)

NA

Internazionale

12

GK

Ivano Bordon

13 April 1951 (aged 31)

NA

Internazionale

13

MF

Gabriele Oriali

25 November 1952 (aged 29)

NA

Internazionale

14

MF

Marco Tardelli

24 September 1954 (aged 27)

NA

Juventus

15

MF

Franco Causio

1 February 1949 (aged 33)

NA

Udinese

16

MF

Bruno Conti

13 March 1955 (aged 27)

NA

Roma

17

FW

Daniele Massaro

23 May 1961 (aged 21)

NA

Fiorentina

18

FW

Alessandro Altobelli

28 November 1955 (aged 26)

NA

Internazionale

19

FW

Francesco Graziani

16 December 1952 (aged 29)

NA

Fiorentina

20

FW

Paolo Rossi

23 September 1956 (aged 25)

NA

Juventus

21

FW

Franco Selvaggi

15 May 1953 (aged 29)

NA

Cagliari

22

GK

Giovanni Galli

29 April 1958 (aged 24)

NA

Fiorentina

Pros, cons, and trivia: the oldest player at the finals – Dino Zoff at 40. Numbers were given alphabetically by lines – except the goalkeepers. That is, defenders, midfielders, strikers. Iron defense, as ever, very competent players, team based on Juventus, excellent playmaker – Antognoni. On the negative side: Rossi, who was banned from playing for quite a long time, was probably a liability, Zoff had problems with long shots, suspect attack, lack of development after 1978, perhaps even going downhill. Expected to win the group, but reaching the semi-finals would depend largely on lucky draw. Bearzot lamented the absence of Bettega. A favourite, but unlikely champion.

Poland and Peru were expected to compete for the second place. Peru perhaps had the edge – based on their strong play at both 1970 and 1978 World Cups. Once again Brazilian coach plus few old hands with enormous experience, going back to 1970. A bright young star in attack – Uribe.

Head coach: Tim (Brazil)

 

1

GK

Eusebio Acasuzo

8 April 1952 (aged 30)

NA

Universitario

2

DF

Jaime Duarte

27 February 1955 (aged 27)

NA

Alianza Lima

3

DF

Salvador Salguero

10 August 1951 (aged 30)

NA

Alianza Lima

4

DF

Hugo Gastulo

9 January 1958 (aged 24)

NA

Universitario

5

MF

Germán Leguía

2 January 1954 (aged 28)

NA

Universitario

6

MF

José Velásquez

4 June 1952 (aged 30)

NA

Independiente Medellín

7

FW

Gerónimo Barbadillo

24 September 1952 (aged 29)

NA

UANL Tigres

8

MF

César Cueto

16 June 1952 (aged 29)

NA

Atlético Nacional

9

MF

Julio César Uribe

9 May 1958 (aged 24)

NA

Sporting Cristal

10

FW

Teófilo Cubillas

8 March 1949 (aged 33)

NA

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

11

FW

Juan Carlos Oblitas

16 December 1951 (aged 30)

NA

Seraing

12

GK

José González

10 July 1954 (aged 27)

NA

Alianza Lima

13

MF

Oscar Arizaga

20 August 1957 (aged 24)

NA

Atlético Chalaco

14

MF

Miguel Gutiérrez

19 November 1956 (aged 25)

NA

Sporting Cristal

15

DF

Rubén Toribio Díaz (c)

17 April 1952 (aged 30)

NA

Sporting Cristal

16

DF

Jorge Olaechea

27 August 1956 (aged 25)

NA

Alianza Lima

17

DF

Franco Navarro

10 November 1961 (aged 20)

NA

Deportivo Municipal

18

MF

Eduardo Malásquez

13 October 1957 (aged 24)

NA

Deportivo Municipal

19

FW

Guillermo La Rosa

6 June 1952 (aged 30)

NA

Atlético Nacional

20

FW

Percy Rojas

16 September 1949 (aged 32)

NA

Seraing

21

GK

Ramón Quiroga

23 July 1950 (aged 31)

NA

Sporting Cristal

22

MF

Luis Reyna

06 May 1959 (aged 23)

NA

Sporting Cristal

 

Chumpitaz was not selected – with this the sensational question how really old was he was buried. Very experienced squad, capable of rising to the occasion. Uribe was a major force to reckon with. But – rather weak defense, the key stars were beyond their prime and the presence of Cubillas, now 33, was questioned in Peru. The big names played abroad, but not in the leading countries: Velasquez, Cueto, and La Rosa in Colombia, Oblitas and Rojas in lowly Seraing, Belgium, and Cubillas – in the ‘graveyard’ of stars, NASL. Quiroga was a liability since the suspect match against Argentina in 1978. A lot depended on the fitness of Leguia and Uribe, both arriving at the finals with injuries.

Poland had a chance, depending largely on how Peru played – Poland was in decline, made obvious in 1978 and clearly had not a team similar to the one of 1974. Remains of the great team were the leading players, the backbone, of the current squad and they only got older. Maybe too old.

Head coach: Antoni Piechniczek

 

1

GK

Józef Młynarczyk

20 September 1953 (aged 28)

10

Widzew Łódź

2

DF

Marek Dziuba

19 December 1955 (aged 26)

44

ŁKS Łódź

3

MF

Janusz Kupcewicz

9 December 1955 (aged 26)

10

Arka Gdynia

4

DF

Tadeusz Dolny

7 May 1958 (aged 24)

4

Górnik Zabrze

5

MF

Paweł Janas

4 March 1953 (aged 29)

47

Legia Warszawa

6

DF

Piotr Skrobowski

16 October 1961 (aged 20)

14

Wisła Kraków

7

DF

Jan Jałocha

18 July 1957 (aged 24)

8

Wisła Kraków

8

MF

Waldemar Matysik

27 September 1961 (aged 20)

10

Górnik Zabrze

9

MF

Władysław Żmuda (c)

6 June 1954 (aged 28)

72

Widzew Łódź

10

DF

Stefan Majewski

31 January 1956 (aged 26)

17

Legia Warszawa

11

MF

Włodzimierz Smolarek

16 July 1957 (aged 24)

12

Widzew Łódź

12

DF

Roman Wójcicki

8 January 1958 (aged 24)

12

Śląsk Wrocław

13

MF

Andrzej Buncol

21 September 1959 (aged 22)

9

Legia Warszawa

14

MF

Andrzej Pałasz

22 July 1960 (aged 21)

14

Górnik Zabrze

15

MF

Włodzimierz Ciołek

24 March 1956 (aged 26)

12

Stal Mielec

16

FW

Grzegorz Lato

8 April 1950 (aged 32)

92

Lokeren

17

FW

Andrzej Szarmach

3 October 1950 (aged 31)

59

Auxerre

18

MF

Marek Kusto

29 April 1954 (aged 28)

15

Legia Warszawa

19

MF

Andrzej Iwan

10 November 1959 (aged 22)

19

Wisła Kraków

20

MF

Zbigniew Boniek

3 March 1956 (aged 26)

50

Widzew Łódź

21

GK

Jacek Kazimierski

17 August 1959 (aged 22)

4

Legia Warszawa

22

GK

Piotr Mowlik

21 April 1951 (aged 31)

21

Lech Poznań

Competent team with strong attacking line – Boniek, Iwan, Smolarek plus famous veterans Lato and Szarmach. If in form – lethal. Four players from the great 1974 squad – Lato, Szarmach, Zmuda, and Kusto (another one – Kapka – was dropped at the final selection). A whole bunch with 1978 experience. On the negative side was the sense that the team was disjointed – rather ordinary goalkeepers, defense largely dependent on the veteran Zmuda, so-so midfield, and crowded attack, which may place young Iwan and Smolarek on the bench. Clear absence of capable playmaker. As a novelty – the famous veterans kept the numbers they became famous with in 1974: Zmuda – 9, an anomaly for a central defender, Lato – 16, Szarmach – 17. Only Kusto had a different number – 22 in 1974, 18 in 1982 – but he was a reserve 8 years earlier. And so he was now. Piechniczek declared that his team is young, but stronger than the 1974 one – his statement sounded strange.

Cameroon was the outsider. Nobody expected anything from the unknown team – yes, Tunisia played well in 1978, but Cameroon was coming from ‘black’ Africa, so Zaire – and its pathetic performance – was invoked. In any case, the team was entirely unknown – yes, 5 players were professionals abroad, but only Tokoto was familiar name and now he was 34, playing in North America.

 

Head coach: Jean Vincent

 

1

GK

Thomas N’Kono (c)

20 July 1956 (aged 25)

NA

Canon Yaoundé

2

DF

Michel Kaham

1 June 1952 (aged 30)

NA

Stade Quimperois

3

DF

Edmond Enoka

17 December 1955 (aged 26)

NA

Dragon Douala

4

DF

René N’Djeya

9 October 1953 (aged 28)

NA

Union Douala

5

DF

Elie Onana

13 October 1958 (aged 23)

NA

Federal Foumban

6

MF

Emmanuel Kundé

15 July 1956 (aged 25)

NA

Canon Yaoundé

7

MF

Ephrem M’Bom

19 October 1955 (aged 26)

NA

Canon Yaoundé

8

MF

Grégoire M’Bida

27 January 1955 (aged 27)

NA

Canon Yaoundé

9

FW

Roger Milla

20 May 1952 (aged 30)

NA

Bastia

10

FW

Jean-Pierre Tokoto

26 January 1948 (aged 34)

NA

Philadelphia Fever

11

MF

Charles Toubé

22 January 1958 (aged 24)

NA

Tonnerre Yaoundé

12

GK

Joseph-Antoine Bell

8 October 1954 (aged 27)

NA

Africa Sports

13

FW

Paul Bahoken

7 July 1955 (aged 26)

NA

Cannes

14

MF

Théophile Abega

9 July 1954 (aged 27)

NA

Canon Yaoundé

15

DF

François N’Doumbé

30 January 1954 (aged 28)

NA

Union Douala

16

DF

Ibrahim Aoudou

23 August 1955 (aged 26)

NA

Cannes

17

MF

Joseph Kamga

17 August 1953 (aged 28)

NA

Union Douala

18

FW

Jacques N’Guea

8 November 1955 (aged 26)

NA

Canon Yaoundé

19

MF

Joseph Enanga

18 November 1956 (aged 25)

NA

Union Douala

20

FW

Oscar Eyobo

23 October 1961 (aged 20)

NA

Dynamo Douala

21

FW

Ernest Ebongué

15 May 1962 (aged 20)

NA

Tonnerre Yaoundé

22

GK

Simon Tchobang

31 August 1951 (aged 30)

NA

Dynamo Douala

The debutantes had nothing in their favour. They even changed their head coach – again with European, but more famous – at least as a player – than the Yugoslav Zupic, who qualified them to the finals. But it was more than suspect that Jean Vincent will elevate the team – it was rather typical African approach, leading to nothing: changing the coach in the last moment. One may be happy that a long time and respected professional – Tokoto – finally has a chance to play a bit of World Cup football, but the rest were nobodies and the only interest Cameroon would create can be among coaches – possibly some cheap promising African player can be hired. Otherwise, Cameroon was only to provide points to the other teams and perhaps who scored most goals in their net would advance.

Mundial 1982

Of course, death was not in the air back in 1981 and the first half of 1982 – the season was going on, preparations for the World Cup, the big excitement of the finals, the great expectations of a new format and more teams. The very trophy was new, to be contested for the first time.

The hype and the buzz were building up – the stars, the teams, the favourites, the internal scandals, the injuries, the stars, the prophets, the critics. The fretting over the question will be Spain ready for the finals and as if this was not enough, will be Colombia able to host the 1986 World Cup. Criticism, speculations… ever new, yet, so old. No matter what, the World Cup rules a particular year and is a culmination of the 4 years since the previous one. No doubt, 1982 was special: 24 teams at the finals, a feast.

The feast was emphasized by the official poster, done by Juan Miro, the most famous painter ever engaged to create World Cup poster.

The logo captured the new format of 24 teams, although it was abbreviated immediately.

The new formula provided almost a month of high-end football: 6 round-robin at first, then 4 groups of 3 teams each, semi-finals, the match for bronze medals, and the peak of all that – the final. By tradition, the reigning champions were opening the championship, which was to be played in 14 cities. The second phase, after the preliminary groups was to be played in 4 cities, but mostly in Madrid and Barcelona, which was almost as going to Mecca or Jerusalem for the faithful.

Grinning Naranjito, the official emblem-mascot, promised friendly fun – perhaps even the feared British fans would take on the spirit and change their violent ways.

The fans, however eccentric, were expected to have great fun – and making noise was not seen as a problem.

There was much to dream about – for instance, to see your team winning the World Cup at freshly modernized Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Of course, the first thing to do was tacky: teams recorded songs and as much as it was ridiculous to expect Kevin Keegan and company to hit notes, fans sheepishly bought the half-baked ‘anthems’. So far , all festive, like in heaven. Let’s go to business.

1982

1982

Remarkable year, many will agree. But remarkable in a way few wish to think of – in 1982 football died and its death was announced from very unusual voice, to make it really sinister. Yes, there were excellent moments, games, players. There was the new World Cup. But death was everywhere. Not just the rampant and spreading plague of hooliganism. Not just the ugly scenes on the field and brutal games. It was fundamental shift – seen on the field and verbally expressed. It came in the last stages of the World Cup finals, when Brazil and then France were eliminated: it was clear sign that it was not enough to play. Rather the opposite – if you play creatively, if you are trying to be attacking, imaginative, crowd pleasing, you are going to lose. Even when you have the best players. Football skills were no longer valid argument. Just the opposite – the team using brutal and cynical approach to the point of murder will win. It was not like that before, even during the ultra-defensive 1960s. There was new philosophy, justifying every mean – from the fake match between West Germany and Austria through the torn to pieces shirt of Ardiles to Batiston sent to hospital for months by Schumacher. The winners were cold, brutal, scheming, they stopped at nothing – and they were not particularly great players. What counted was only the result at the final whistle. The new ‘philosophy’ was made painfully clear: ‘Football is war and only winning is important, no matter how achieved’.

Paul Breitner said that and it was not merely ironic, but outright scary, that an elegant, creative, imaginative, and generally clean player became the voice of the new ‘philosophy’. It was painful by now to see him surrounded by plain robots entirely unable to grasp his ideas, it was frustrating to see him trying to pass the ball to someone and not finding anybody able to make use of the pass. And it was scary to hear his words. Which were, unfortunately, a plain fact. The war was on and only winning counted. The game was the casualty – Brazil and France suddenly became a negative example: to play meant to lose. Don’t do it. Sportsmanship was for loser – winners killed. They were strong, had no emotions… they were on their feet and you were down. Who was down was also out. War is about murder – the winner is the one killing all others. The winner is only one. Second best? Losers. Dead. Third place? Meaningless… losers all. Effectively, the new ‘philosophy’ meant to trample to the the final through the bodies and make the last kill. The sheer horror and ugliness of the process made everybody instantly forgetting everything else and just been happy there was a winner and the war was over. Football was dead. Of course, it was not the end of the game yet – football agonized for years, reaching the bottom in 1990. Only then the importance of Breitner’s words and 1982 became entirely clear – then the game had to be artificially revitalized, rules had to be changed in attempt of bringing it back to life.