So back to the history, it’s 1950, the war is over, and Brazil hosts the World Cup building the largest concrete structure in South America, the Maracanã stadium to host the final. The biggest shock in football happens – the USA beat England 1-0 (500/1 with Sportsbet) and the final is Brazil vs Uruguay in front of 175,000 people, the Brazilians so confident they will win they proclaim themselves winners before the game starts. They lose 2-1 and Brazil is plunged into mourning. Who said it’s only a game?
In 1954 the British campaigned to have their erstwhile enemies, now called West Germany, Austria and Japan rejoin the World Cup. The favourites were Hungary, with Puskas as their star, and unbeaten for the previous 4 years, the first team to beat England at Wembley in 1953. After having beat West Germany 8-3 in an earlier round, Hungary go 2-0 up only to be beaten 3-2 by the Germans in the never to be forgotten Wankdorf Stadium in Berne, Switzerland. Many of the Hungarians never go home such is the negative public reaction to their defeat, Puskas goes to Spain to play for Real Madrid. The ‘Magnificent Magyars’ were no more. The Germans reflected that the win meant that they were ‘somebody again’ but controversy ensues with the German manager celebrating the win in a certain Munich beer hall where the previous hell had all began.
In 1958 Brazil played Wales in June 1958, the last time Wales appeared in a World Cup. 64 years later Wales (Cymru) are back. Hoping there isn’t a repeat of the discovery of the decade, a 17year old called de Nascimento, who we know as Pele who scored a wonder goal to beat Wales, then a hattrick v France then 2 to beat Sweden in the final. We call him Pele, the best footballer there has ever been. Listening to the Welsh singing their national anthem they should have been awarded a goal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64drY6iXNis Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
Finally, what’s your opinion of the kits in Qatar. We all know Adidas and the like see a World Cup as an opportunity to change something that didn’t need changing but this one takes the biscuit. Apparently, it’s Germany but to me looks more like a Zebra crossing. Meh!
Still can’t work out what the connection is to Australia with our changed colours
And for something completely different…South Korea’s change colours
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