Nottingham Forest was the best in Europe, but not the best in the world. It did not matter… the Intercontinental Cup was dying for a long time. Too many problems piled up – back in the 1960s the European interest was higher, but back then Latin football dominated Europe. Spanish and Italian clubs were motivated to meet South American teams: there was cultural similarity and familiarity, there was a chance of discovering and eventually getting top South American players, may be even money to be made. But South Americans took the challenge too seriously and compromised the game, making a war instead of sport. They played increasingly dirty football, using any means of intimidation on and off the pitch. Southern Europeans coped with that, in part because they were not above such tricks, but by the end of the decade Northern European teams topped Southern Europeans and they did not like the mean spirit of the contest. Other things changed too – money were more important than pride. Northern Europe as a whole was not very familiar with South American football and did not care much. With smaller crowds attending, the financial side of it loomed as a big problem. Travel was difficult and expensive. There was no profit, only costs. The atmosphere surrounding the games in South America was vile, escalating to death threats. The risk of losing key players was too great. And the Intercontinental Cup was never all that important to the Europeans. Objective problems with scheduling the games existed from the birth of the cup, getting with time huge – climate itself worked against the challenge meant to be the pinnacle of football: the European summer was practically out of question. In Europe, it was either vacation or early days of preparing new teams for the next season. Not ready to play yet, not even shaped. Fans were on vacation as well and the interest was next to nothing. In South America it was winter – the time of a break as well. Only once in the whole existence of the tournament a match was played in August – the first leg in 1970. European winter was not an option either: it was almost impossible for the South Americans to adjust to the harsh European winter. European fans were reluctant to brave the weather too. Going to scorching South American summer was a problem for the European teams as well – coming from snow and temperatures bellow zero. Spring and fall were the best time for both sides, but at that time domestic and continental championships were in full force and it was very difficult to find suitable time, especially for the European clubs – rescheduling of regular games to play intercontinental match faced many objections. It was a problem similar to scheduling the European Supercup – moving the challenge to some free date increasingly made it so distant from the time the participants actually won the trophies giving them the right to compete, that it looked rather irrelevant – the teams were no longer the same, not they were in their original form. The importance was lost – at the time of the meeting there were current worries much bigger than a game seemingly belonging to the past. And since nobody could force clubs to participate, the Europeans chose to decline participation. Beginning with Aiax in 1971. During the 1970s only twice European Champions Cup holders played for the Intercontinental Cup – Ajax in 1972 and Bayern in 1976. Losing finalists played in 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1977, which further eroded the challenge – it was not between the best clubs of the continents. In 1975 and 1978 there was no contest at all. Nottingham Forest declined to play in 1979 too… Malmo FF accepted, but it was especially poor contest: not only the European representative was a small club, but the South American champion was almost unknown in Europe. Olimpia (Asuncion) vs Malmo FF triggered no interest in Europe whatsoever. The schedule did not help either… the opening leg in Sweden was played November 1979. The second leg – in March 1980. No wonder this issue of the Intercontinental Cup left almost no trace and today brief records are riddled with mistakes. Hardly anything can be said about the challenge – only dry records.
1st. leg:
Malmö.
November 18, 1979.
Malmö (Sweden) 0-1 Olimpia (Paraguay)
Goal: Isasi.
Malmö FF: Moeller – R. Andersson, Johnsson, Erlandsson, Prytz, Hansson,
Ljungberg, Malmberg, Arvidsson, Sjöberg, Kinvall.
Olimpia: Almeida – Paredes, Piazza, Souza, Solalinde, Kiese, Delgado, Torres,
Ortiz, Céspedes, Isasi.
Speedy winger Evaristo Isasi scored the only goal in the 41st minute. The Paraguayans won and perhaps were more confident for the second leg. Hard to be sure, though – there were still months until the second match was to be played. And in these months there were changes… the Swedish championship ended, there was a winter break between seasons and transfer period. Players left, new ones arrived – two foreigners in particular: a curious Danish veteran – John Hansen, born in 1949 – who played in South Africa, Australia, and Helsingborg (Sweden) before joining MalmoFF, and very young English defender – Tim Parkin, b. 1957 – who arrived from Blackburn Rovers, where he was deep reserve with almost no playing experience. The newcomers were virtually unknown and, judging by their careers so far, hardly great additions, but they were certain mystery for the Paraguayans – perhaps scary mystery. As for form, it was impossible to judge, but almost certainly Malmo FF was not at their best – the Swedish championship was just about to begin.
But Olimpia was equally a mystery to the Swedes: were they to be the same team which played in November? Stronger, weaker, who knew? More or less, the second leg was a meeting between equals… Isasi broke away in wonderful counter-attack and Swedish defender had no option, but to foul him in the penalty area. Alicio Solalinde scored from the penalty – 1-0 in the 40th minute. Almost mirroring the opening match in Malmo… but Erlandsson eqaulized three minutes from the start of the second half. Eventually, Michelagnoli scored a second goal for Olimpia in the 71st minute – and that was the final result: 2-1.
Asunción. Field: Defensores del Chaco.
March 2, 1980.
Olimpia (Paraguay) 2-1 Malmö FF (Sweden)
Goals: Solalinde, Michelagnoli / Erlandsson.
Olimpia: Almeida – Solalinde, Paredes, Sosa, Di Bartolomeo, Torres, Kiese,
Talavera (Michelagnoli), Isasi, Valik, Aquino.
Coach: Luis Cubilla.
Malmö FF: Moeller – R. Andersson, Parkins, Johnsson, Vidsson, M. Andersson,
Olsson (Hansen), Prytz, Erlandsson, Sjöberg (Malmberg), T. Andersson.
Olimpia won both matches and the Intercontinental Cup was theirs.
The Intercontinental final left almost no evidence of itself – the photo above is more or less everything one can find today. Is it the moment of triumph after the last whistle of the referee or was it the moment after Solalinde scored the opening goal? It is him with number 2, but who is his teammate? Paredes and Aquino were both bearded… This is not the only mystery of the finals: the records above are the existing ones in the site of the international football statisticians – reputable source. Yet, there are mistaken names – Souza in the first match and Sosa in the second must be the same player… or not? Vidsson and Parkins listed in the Malmo FF’s second leg team… Parkin is misspelled. There was no Vidsson in the Swedish squad of that time – most likely Arvidsson’s name is misspelled. And there is huge doubt about Olimpia’s player listed as Valik. Yaluk may be? Who can tell for sure… the current site of Olimpia pays no attention to their great triumph in 1979-80. Even the players of the squad do not exist. The official site of Malmo FF is equally blank. This final is certainly the most obscure one.
Alicio Solalinde remains as a hero – most likely because of his goal in the second leg, but he was one of the best players of Olimpia anyway. Existing information is next to nothing, but one thing remains:
Olimpia conquered the world. Luis Torres lost his shirt, but got the Intercontinental Cup firmly in his hands.
Obscurity is one thing, but something else cannot be denied: for both clubs it was the highest achievement ever.
Third row, from left: Robert Prytz, Claes Malmberg, Tommy Hansson, Ingemar Erlandsson, Tore Cervin, Thomas Sjöberg, Aage Hansen, Magnus Andersson
Middle row: Björn Nilsson, Mats Arvidsson, Kent Jönsson, Tim Parkin, Sanny Åslund, Anders Olsson, Jan-Olov Kinnvall
Sitting: John Hansen, Roland Andersson, Egon Jönsson (Lagledare), Bob Houghton (Manager), Keith Blunt (coach), Roy Andersson, Jan Möller.
Yes, this is the 1980 version of Malmo FF, but also the one playing the last match counting for 1979 – their best season ever. It was the crown achievement of Bob Houghton, who not only made this team, but kept if for years on top in Sweden, and making it competitive in Europe. For any bog club, losing two finals counts for nothing – but for a modest club it was incredible. European Champions Cup final, Intercontinental Cup final – few ever reached such heights. Yes, Malmo lost both finals, but by very small margin. They were equal opponents both times.
The Paraguayans were on top of the world – and the world, although without much interest, finally heard of them.
Of course, the biggest hype was at home – champions of the world! Counted for 1980 – the confusion with schedule rightly made them champions of the world for 1980, but still it counts for 1979. Which was their greatest year – winning Copa Libertadores for the first time, followed by winning the Intercontinental Cup. And it was not only club’s success – Paraguay won Copa America in 1979 as well and Olimpia was heavily represented in the national team. Clearly, these players were at their best form.
All the reasons to be proud are in their hands. It was the greatest season the club – they played at the final of the very first Copa Libertadores in 1962 and lost. They also the first club outside the big three South American football nations – Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay – to win the trophy. They defended South America in the intercontinental clash, icreasing the supremacy of their continent over European clubs. And may be because of the victories in 1979-80 Olimpia became stronger club – may be even among the top in the continent, for they were yet to win Copa Libertadores again. And there was even more: their coach.
Luis Cubilla – pictured here with Copa Libertadores, but never mind: the Intercontinental Cup was coming into his hands too. The great star of the 1960 of not Uruguayan, but of the whole South American football immediately proved to be talented coach. A born winner – his trophies were not only too many and won in two continents, but he even managed to finish his playing career with a victory. He stepped down as champion of Uruguay in 1976. In 1978 he was hired to coach Olimpia – he was 38 and without previous coaching experience… and he propelled Olimpia to the top of the world in two years. There was some irony in it – it was Cubilla who prevented Olimpia from winning the 1962 Copa Libertadores: his Penarol won with difficulty the opening leg in Montevideo 1-0. In Asuncion Olimpia scored in the 28th minute – it was equal opportunity until he scored in the 83rd minute and gave the aggragate victory to Penarol. Now he was winning with the club he defeated once upon a time. Luis Cubilla somehow was never talked about as a coach – perhaps because he never coached in Europe. He is unfairly ignored, for he was very successful coach. Especially coaching Olimpia – he returned to the club three more times and… died as their coach in 2010, at 72 years of age. It could be said that Cubilla and Olimpia were made for each other. It could be said that he transformed the club for good. The facts are simple – Cubilla made Olimpia world class champions.
This was the last gasp of the Intercontinental Cup…