Group 4. England and France – in that order – were expected to go ahead. Czechoslovakia was expected to finish 3rd, unless producing a surprise. Kuwait – the outsider without any chance.
England finally reached World Cup finals – for the first time since 1870 – and, by tradition, was considered big favourite. But… like Italy, a second tier favourite. One thing was certain: England was going to the second round, the group was convenient. But there were various doubts – first, the Faulklands crisis put the very appearance of England in question. The British Parliament wanted all UK teams to withdraw from the finals because Argentina was going to be present. There was uncertainty for a while, but at the end England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland confirmed their participation. More difficult problems concerned the game itself: Ron Greenwood decided to introduce the libero to the national team. England was the last country to do and consequently was terribly outdated and suffered not only defensively. At a glance, it was something minor… but for England it was a revolution without a call for such. No British team used a libero, therefore, there was no central defender capable of the role. Ray Wilkins was transformed to play the role. Ron Greenwood experimented a lot – he was perhaps the coach experimenting most at this time – but he seemingly missed the timing: it should have been productive to try the new approach back in 1980. He tried it too late, thus not having time for building a new team around Wilkins. Yes, England had a generous pool of strong players, but the concept was so foreign, it needed time. By 1982 most of the key stars aged, but there was no time now to discard them and build another team. And old habits were almost impossible to break: Keegan, Brooking, Francis, McDermott, Thompson, Clemence, Shilton never played with libero. And they were still the leaders, the big essential stars, without whom Greenwood did not dare to play, let alone public opinion. At the end, Greenwood settled for mechanical compromise, which was very suspect.
Standing from left: Bryan Robson, Tony Woodcock, Steve Foster, Glenn Hoddle, Peter Withe, Viv Anderson, Trevour Brooking, Paul Mariner, Ray Wilkins.
Middle row: Fred Street (physio), Geoff Hurst (assistant-coach), Graham Rix, Phil Thompson, Ray
Clemence, Joe Corrigan, Peter Shilton, Terry Butcher, Steve Coppell, Don Howe (coach), Norman Medhurst (assistant-physio).
Sitting: Kenny Sanson, Terry McDermott, Kevin Keegan, Ron Greenwood (Manager), Mick Mills, Phil Neal, Trevor Francis.
Head coach: Ron Greenwood
1
GK
Ray Clemence
5 August 1948 (aged 33)
59
Tottenham Hotspur
2
DF
Viv Anderson
29 August 1956 (aged 25)
10
Nottingham Forest
3
MF
Trevor Brooking
2 October 1948 (aged 33)
46
West Ham United
4
DF
Terry Butcher
28 December 1958 (aged 23)
4
Ipswich Town
5
MF
Steve Coppell
9 July 1955 (aged 26)
36
Manchester United
6
DF
Steve Foster
24 September 1957 (aged 24)
2
Brighton and Hove Albion
7
FW
Kevin Keegan
14 February 1951 (aged 31)
62
Southampton
8
FW
Trevor Francis
19 April 1954 (aged 28)
27
Manchester City
9
MF
Glenn Hoddle
27 October 1957 (aged 24)
11
Tottenham Hotspur
10
MF
Terry McDermott
8 December 1951 (aged 30)
25
Liverpool
11
FW
Paul Mariner
22 May 1953 (aged 29)
21
Ipswich Town
12
DF
Mick Mills (c)
4 January 1949 (aged 33)
37
Ipswich Town
13
GK
Joe Corrigan
18 November 1948 (aged 33)
9
Manchester City
14
DF
Phil Neal
20 February 1951 (aged 31)
37
Liverpool
15
MF
Graham Rix
23 October 1957 (aged 24)
8
Arsenal
16
MF
Bryan Robson
11 January 1957 (aged 25)
19
Manchester United
17
DF
Kenny Sansom
26 September 1958 (aged 23)
23
Arsenal
18
DF
Phil Thompson
21 January 1954 (aged 28)
35
Liverpool
19
MF
Ray Wilkins
14 September 1956 (aged 25)
47
Manchester United
20
FW
Peter Withe
30 August 1951 (aged 30)
6
Aston Villa
21
FW
Tony Woodcock
6 December 1955 (aged 26)
22
FC Köln
22
GK
Peter Shilton
18 September 1949 (aged 32)
37
Nottingham Forest
On the negative side – stars, going on 30, and suspect ability to adapt to modern tactics. On the positive- a team never lacking motivation and great spirit, fighting to the final whistle no matter the result. This team had ambition to prove themselves and restore the faded English glory – if not to the standards of 1966, at least to those of 1970. Fans were the big liability and there were many wishing England to exit early only to get rid of the hooligans. Trivia: the goalkeepers got the traditional English numbers for their position; the rest were numbered alphabetically, except Kevin Keegan, who had his favoured number 7.
France. Michel Hidalgo announced that he was stepping down after the World Cup – the news was received with mixed feelings in France. The coach was often criticized for softness, but also he made the team, which left wonderful memories in 1978. Unfortunately, seemingly the team did not develop after that. There were lingering problems, the largest was Platini. It was observed that France played more together and was better organized without him. But it was also toothless. With him there was unpredictability and vulnerability under pressure – France was called ‘world champion in friendlies’, but official matches were not so great. There was perennial problems with the attacking line, which rarely played as expected and had difficulty scoring. Because of that Hidalgo experimented often and even tried Platini as a striker in 4-4-2 formation. Nothing really worked – Rocheteau was injured too often, Lacombe was almost out of the team before the World Cup, but new boys Bravo and Bellone were too young – both were 19 – to really take charge. At the end Lacombe was back, Bravo was out, and the best striker was considered Didier Six, the only French player based abroad. It was not real solution, but there was nothing else to do. On top of it, France did not have first rate goalkeeper – Baratelli was the most likely regular, but he was 34 and in recent years it became clear that he was not going better, but rather the opposite. France was considered number 2 team in the group and expected to go ahead, unless Czechoslovakia surprised them.
On top, from left: Baratelli, Ettori, Castaneda.
2nd row: Genghini, Tigana, Giresse.
3rd row: Amoros, Couriol, Mahut, Battiston.
4th row: Platini, Lacombe, Bellone, Girard.
5th row: Soler, Rocheteau, Janvion, Six.
Front: Lopez, Bossis, Trésor, Larios.
Head coach: Michel Hidalgo
1
GK
Dominique Baratelli
26 December 1947 (aged 34)
21
Paris St-Germain
2
DF
Manuel Amoros
1 February 1962 (aged 20)
4
AS Monaco
3
DF
Patrick Battiston
12 March 1957 (aged 25)
19
St-Etienne
4
DF
Maxime Bossis
26 June 1955 (aged 26)
37
Nantes
5
DF
Gérard Janvion
21 August 1953 (aged 28)
32
St-Etienne
6
DF
Christian Lopez
15 March 1953 (aged 29)
35
St-Etienne
7
DF
Philippe Mahut
4 March 1956 (aged 26)
4
Metz
8
DF
Marius Trésor
15 January 1950 (aged 32)
53
Girondins Bordeaux
9
MF
Bernard Genghini
18 January 1958 (aged 24)
8
Sochaux
10
MF
Michel Platini (c)
21 June 1955 (aged 26)
35
St-Etienne
11
MF
René Girard
4 April 1954 (aged 28)
2
Girondins Bordeaux
12
MF
Alain Giresse
2 August 1952 (aged 29)
14
Girondins Bordeaux
13
MF
Jean-François Larios
27 August 1956 (aged 25)
15
St-Etienne
14
MF
Jean Tigana
23 June 1955 (aged 26)
13
Girondins Bordeaux
15
MF
Bruno Bellone
14 March 1962 (aged 20)
6
AS Monaco
16
FW
Alain Couriol
24 October 1958 (aged 23)
7
AS Monaco
17
FW
Bernard Lacombe
15 August 1952 (aged 29)
29
Girondins Bordeaux
18
MF
Dominique Rocheteau
14 January 1955 (aged 27)
24
Paris St-Germain
19
MF
Didier Six
21 August 1954 (aged 27)
36
VfB Stuttgart
20
FW
Gérard Soler
29 March 1954 (aged 28)
7
Girondins Bordeaux
21
GK
Jean Castaneda
20 March 1957 (aged 25)
7
St-Etienne
22
GK
Jean-Luc Ettori
29 July 1955 (aged 26)
2
AS Monaco
Well, the problems were well known – generally, France depended quite a lot on the pressure, put by the opposition. If they were allowed to play their technical and pleasant football- it was another matter. Then there was the constant problem with the strikers, but Platini at least would be hitting the net. Trivia: except the goalkeepers, numbers were alphabetically by lines – except Michel Platini.
Czechoslovakia, like England, reached World Cup finals for the first time since 1970. Unlike England, Czechoslovakia had success during the 1970s, following weird amplitudes of highs and lows. Given their ‘cycles’, 1982 did not seem to be a peak time – on the other hand, nobody expected Czechoslovakia to win the 1976 European championship, so who was there to say when a peak may occur? But there was strong feeling that there was poorer talent now – Venglos appeared conservative, heavily depending on well known for years veterans. Experience was important, but the old boys were surely losing their edge. To keep them meant there were no young players challenging them. Venglos observed and evaluated players in unorthodox manner: he watched them at away games, saying that players’ worth really shows only when conditions are tough. Of course, experienced veterans played better than youngsters in such circumstances, and at the end they were chosen again and again to play for the national team. 1976 European champions were the backbone of the team – Panenka, Nehoda, Masny, Jurkemik, Barmos, Bicovsky – plus some second-raters of that time – Vojacek, Radimec, Stambachr, Kozak. There was a thought, that Anton Ondrus, now playing abroad, should have been in the team, since it was based on veterans and the goalkeepers were vulnerable. Czechoslovakia perhaps was able of some minor surprise – bumping out France or England, if one of the teams was not fully concentrated – but nothing more than that.
Head coach: Jozef Vengloš
1
GK
Stanislav Seman
8 August 1952 (aged 29)
NA
Lokomotiva Košice
2
DF
František Jakubec
12 April 1956 (aged 26)
NA
Bohemians Praha
3
DF
Jan Fiala
19 May 1956 (aged 26)
NA
Dukla Prague
4
DF
Ladislav Jurkemik
20 July 1953 (aged 28)
NA
Inter Bratislava
5
DF
Jozef Barmoš
28 August 1954 (aged 27)
NA
Inter Bratislava
6
DF
Rostislav Vojáček
23 February 1949 (aged 33)
NA
Baník Ostrava
7
MF
Ján Kozák
17 April 1954 (aged 28)
NA
Dukla Prague
8
MF
Antonín Panenka
2 December 1948 (aged 33)
NA
Rapid Wien
9
FW
Ladislav Vízek
22 January 1955 (aged 27)
NA
Dukla Prague
10
FW
Tomáš Kříž
17 March 1959 (aged 23)
NA
Dukla Prague
11
FW
Zdeněk Nehoda (c)
9 May 1952 (aged 30)
NA
Dukla Prague
12
MF
Přemysl Bičovský
18 August 1950 (aged 31)
NA
Bohemians Praha
13
MF
Jan Berger
27 November 1955 (aged 26)
NA
AC Sparta Prague
14
DF
Libor Radimec
22 May 1950 (aged 32)
NA
Baník Ostrava
15
DF
Jozef Kukučka
13 March 1957 (aged 25)
NA
Plastika Nitra
16
MF
Pavel Chaloupka
4 May 1959 (aged 23)
NA
Bohemians Praha
17
MF
František Štambachr
13 February 1953 (aged 29)
NA
Dukla Prague
18
FW
Petr Janečka
25 November 1957 (aged 24)
NA
Zbrojovka Brno
19
FW
Marián Masný
13 August 1950 (aged 31)
NA
Slovan Bratislava
20
FW
Vlastimil Petržela
20 July 1953 (aged 28)
NA
SK Slavia Praha
21
GK
Zdeněk Hruška
25 July 1954 (aged 27)
NA
Bohemians Praha
22
GK
Karel Stromšík
12 April 1958 (aged 24)
NA
Dukla Prague
Experience was the strongest point of this team. Age – the weakness. Very likely Czechoslovakia would be playing its best against similarly aged and slightly outdated England. This group was a battle of the coaches really and Josef Venglos was an old fox, quite capable of outwitting Greenwood and Hidalgo. With a bit of luck, however. No miracles were expected from Czechoslovakia – most likely to finish 3rd and out after the first stage. Trivia: Czechoslovakia was the first East European country to include foreign-based professional in its world cup team – Andrej Kvasnak, back in 1970. Now again they had ‘a foreigner’ – Antonin Panenka – but they lagged behind Poland and Hungary, which included professionals with fewer inhibitions.
Kuwait was the obvious outsider. Nothing was known about this team and most likely there was not much to know anyway: a country, trying to develop the game from scratch. Kuwait had plenty of petro-dollars, so it was easy to start a program. Brazilians were hired to coach a national team like no other – a group of players, like a club-team, trying to play as many as possible international games. Playing everywhere and against everybody, which meant playing a lot exactly with clubs. One result was not liked by the well developed countries: suddenly the players of Kuwait had more matches for the national team then big stars from Europe and South America. Apart from that, it was Brazilian influenced football – Mario Zagalo was hired to coach Kuwait back in 1976 and when his contract ended, his assistant Carlos Alberto Parreira took over and qualified Kuwait to the finals. The whole ambition was to play well and with spirit – if they managed to get 3 points, like Tunisia in Argentina, we will be happy, said Parreira. The team was training since 1979 exactly like a club-team: all together, no changes. Expected to finish last, most likely without getting even a point.
Head coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
1
GK
Ahmed Al-Tarabulsi
22 March 1947 (aged 35)
NA
Kuwait SC
2
DF
Naeem Saad
1 October 1957 (aged 24)
NA
Al Tadamun SC
3
DF
Mahboub Juma’a
17 September 1955 (aged 26)
NA
Al-Salmiya SC
4
DF
Jamal Al-Qabendi
7 April 1959 (aged 23)
NA
Kazma SC
5
DF
Waleed Al-Jasem
18 November 1959 (aged 22)
NA
Kuwait SC
6
MF
Saad Al-Houti (c)
24 May 1954 (aged 28)
NA
Kuwait SC
7
FW
Fathi Kameel
23 May 1955 (aged 27)
NA
Al Tadamun SC
8
MF
Abdullah Al-Buloushi
16 February 1960 (aged 22)
NA
Al-Arabi SC
9
FW
Jasem Yaqoub
25 October 1953 (aged 28)
NA
Al-Qadsia SC
10
FW
Abdulaziz Al-Anberi
3 January 1954 (aged 28)
NA
Kuwait SC
11
MF
Nassir Al-Ghanim
4 April 1961 (aged 21)
NA
Kazma SC
12
MF
Yussef Al-Suwayed
20 September 1958 (aged 23)
NA
Kazma SC
13
DF
Mubarak Marzouq
1 January 1961 (aged 21)
NA
Al Tadamun SC
14
DF
Abdullah Mayouf
3 December 1953 (aged 28)
NA
Kazma SC
15
DF
Sami Al-Hashash
15 September 1959 (aged 22)
NA
Al-Arabi SC
16
FW
Faisal Al-Dakhil
13 August 1957 (aged 24)
NA
Al-Qadsia SC
17
DF
Hamoud Al-Shemmari
26 September 1960 (aged 21)
NA
Kazma SC
18
MF
Mohammed Karam
1 January 1955 (aged 27)
NA
Al-Arabi SC
19
FW
Muayad Al-Haddad
1 January 1960 (aged 22)
NA
Khaitan SC
20
FW
Abdulaziz Al-Buloushi
4 December 1962 (aged 19)
NA
Al-Qadsia SC
21
GK
Adam Marjam
23 September 1957 (aged 24)
NA
Kazma SC
22
GK
Jasem Bahman
15 February 1958 (aged 24)
NA
Al-Qadsia SC
The team attracted no real interest – even the suspect African look of some of the players was not put under scrutiny. Unknown team, mostly exotic addition to the finalists. Let them play a bit, get trashed by the big Europeans and learn, if they can. Carlos Parreira did not think different: if his team was able to produce a bit of surprise, that would be great. Spanish heat was on their side, perhaps their strongest thing – his players were familiar and comfortable with heat. Trivia: Kuwait brought a camel as a talisman. The camel was going to the games. The Emir of Kuwait too.