WORLD CUP STORIES: A GOLDEN GOAL?

Scoring a goal has been described as an orgasmic experience, and anyone who has played football at any level can understand that. Imagine doing it at the World Cup Finals, in front of a watching television audience of millions of people, and knowing that you have become an instant hero back in your country.

Now throw one more thing into the mix. The goal you score is no ordinary goal. It gets voted by FIFA as the sixth greatest goal of the century. USA 94, Saudi Arabia v Belgium, a match played in Washington. Five minutes on the clock - in temperatures of 40 degrees centigrade, and this happens:



A golden goal? It took Saudi Arabia through to the second round, yes. But for the goalscorer Saeed Al-Owairan, it was the beginning of a nightmare.

On returning to Riyadh, King Fahd presented Al-Owairan with a luxury car and he discovered that he had become an overnight celebrity, for whom it seemed people would do anything. The lure of celebrity status and the lifestyle that can accompany it was too much for Al-Owairan. Certain aspects of the western-style nightlife that he started to enjoy were strictly forbidden by the strict Islamic laws that the monarchy of Saudi Arabia adhere to.

Al-Owairan admitted himself that the impact of his goal against Belgium was very much a double-edged sword. The final straw was when he was discovered by Saudi police reveling during Ramadan in early 1996, and a year-long ban from competitive football followed plus a jail sentence which lasted about six months.

Is there a moral to this story? Well, there are certainly goals, and then there are 'Goals'. Goals don't only change football matches and sporting history - they can change lives as well. Diego Maradona is another man who knows how true that is. And the most tragic example of that would have to be the Colombian player Andres Escobar - but that's another World Cup story for another day.

HOSTS TO PLAY JAMAICA

South Africa will play a friendly against Jamaica on Wednesday in Frankfurt.

The fixture is a boost to Bafana Bafana's preparations as finding opposition to play warm-up games has proved difficult, with most players involved in the last fixtures of the domestic club season.

With just 45 days to go to the World Cup, South Africa will be looking for a confidence-boosting performance and result against the Carribean side, before they face Denmark and Colombia in their final two build-up games prior to the big kick-off on June 11, when they will face Mexico at Soccer City in Johannesburg in the opening match of the tournament.

DO INCREDIBLE COINCIDENCES POINT TO ENGLISH GLORY?

The Sun Newspaper recently ran an article listing a number of coincidences which they claim point to it being England's turn to lift the World Cup this summer.

Now I'm not one for superstitions, other than the regulation pre-match toilet stop, but the lengthy list of comparisons between the last (and only) time England tasted glory in 1966 and this year certainly caught my attention.

Here's just a selection of the spooky occurrences:

• 1966 was a General Election year. So is 2010.

• The victory year saw a new Dr Who on TV, as Patrick Troughton took over from William Hartnell. In 2010, Matt Smith replaced David Tennant.
  
• North Korea have only qualified twice - in 1966 and 2010.
  
• In 1966, Spain were the European champions. In 2010 the reigning European champs are... Spain.
  
• Only twice have England, North Korea, Uruguay, Mexico, France, Argentina, Portugal and Germany all appeared in the same World Cup Finals - in 1966 and 2010.
  
• The English World Cup-winning captain, Bobby Moore, began his career at West Ham - just like 2010 captain Rio Ferdinand.
  
• England's opponents in their 1966 opening match, Uruguay, featured a father and son combination - coach Ondino Viera and his boy Milton. England start their 2010 campaign against the USA, managed by Bob Bradley and with his son Michael in the squad.
  
• The opening of Parliament was first televised in 1966. Thursday night saw the first TV debate between prime ministerial candidates.

• (This one's my personal favourite) In their winning year, France, Mexico and Uruguay were drawn in the same World Cup group as hosts England. This year France, Mexico and Uruguay are in a group with hosts South Africa.
  

This is a dead cert, I'm getting down the bookies.

COUNTRY FOCUS: BRAZIL

What can be said about Brazil that hasn't already been said? All football fans know the stats: they are the only nation to have played in every single World Cup and have the best record of any nation, winning the holy grail of international football on no less than five occasions. They are invariably the favourites, and even a 'poor' Brazilian side can never be written off. Traditionally Brazil play the 'beautiful game', and do so better than anyone else. Undoubtedly their commitment to flamboyant, all-out attacking football has cost them two or three World Cups (1950, 1982 and 1986 spring to mind), but it has also created an expectation amongst all football fans to be entertained when watching the brilliant Samba Stars. The simple 'stats' of the matter are that Brazil win one in every three-and-a-half World Cups, and if they don't win it, they tend to get pretty close. Since Mexico 86, (with the exception of a non-decisive group match defeat to Norway in 1998) only France and Argentina have beaten Brazil at the World Cup. Is it their time again?

World Cup Pedigree:

Brazil lost their first ever World Cup match against Yugoslavia in 1930, and in spite of beating Bolivia a few days later failed to qualify for the semi-finals. In 1934 they were also eliminated in the first round, this time in a straight knock-out match against Spain. In 1938 they made it to the semi-finals but were beaten by the defending champions Italy who retained the trophy with victory against Hungary in the Final.

Following the 12-year World Cup absense caused by the war, the Brazilians hosted the fourth World Cup tournament and came very close to winning it. They were denied by Uruguay in the final match of a 'final' four-team group who all had to play each other to determine who would become World Champions. Brazil only had to draw to claim the Title, and when they took the lead early in the second half it seemed that glory was beckoning. But they were denied by a spirited Uruguayan revival, and their failure was a bitter pill to swallow for an expectant nation. In 1954 they were beaten 4-2 in the quarter-finals by the great Hungarian side of Puskas & co, but this was a prelude to Brazil's most successful era, as three of the next four World Cups would be won by the South American giants.

In 1958 in Sweden Brazil won the trophy for the first time, with a certain 17-year old wonder called Pele - up to this point unknown - taking centre stage by scoring one goal in the quarter-final, a hat-trick in the the semi-final and two more in the Final. Pele scored again in Brazil's opening match of the 1962 World Cup, but was injured in the second group game against Czechoslovakia and missed the rest of the tournament. Even without him Brazil were still the team to beat and were too good for England (quarter-final) and Chile (semi-final) to set up a rematch with the Czechs in the Final. Despite going behind, Brazil recovered to win 3-1 and emulate Italy's achievement in the 1930s of retaining the World Cup.

Brazil's reign as World Champions came to a surprising end in the group stages of the 1966 World Cup in England, as defeats to Hungary and Portugal put them on an early plane home. In Mexico four years later Brazil coasted to a third World Cup triumph in what was undoubtedly their finest hour. They won all six of their matches, scoring 19 goals in the process and playing a brand of attacking football not seen before or since. In both 1974 and 1978 Brazil made it through to the Second Round - which was another group stage - but missed out on a place in the Final; in '74 following a key defeat against Holland and in '78 only on goal difference.

This format was changed by the time Espana 82 came around as the Finals now accomodated 24 teams. Brazil had their best team since 1970, and this was undoubtedly a World Cup they should have won. Only needing to draw to reach the semi-finals, in their final second round group match they were beaten 3-2 by Italy in a classic encounter in Barcelona. Four years later in Mexico Brazil sought to combine youth with experience and looked a class act again, but came unstuck in another memorable game against France in the quarter-finals. Since then France have been Brazil's World Cup bogey team, beating them in the Final in 1998 and again four years ago, once again in the last eight.

Brazil were knocked out of Italia 90 by fierce rivals Argentina in the second round. Sometimes you just have one of those days when the ball just will not go in the net - no matter how many times you shoot at the goal. Brazil had one of those days, totally outplaying Argentina and creating chance after chance, only to be caught out by a late stike by Claudio Caniggia.

At USA 94 and Korea/Japan 2002 Brazil won their fourth and fifth World Titles respectively, on both occasions with teams that were inferior to the Brazilian sides that graced the two World Cups in the 1980s.

Greatest Moment:

The 4-1 destruction of Italy in the 1970 World Cup Final in Mexico - Pele, Carlos Alberto, Rivelino and Jairzinho the key members of the greatest team in history.

Biggest Heartbreak:

Failure to win the World Cup on home soil in 1950 - Uruguay snatched victory with two second half goals to defy the odds, stunning the Maracana and the whole of Brazil.

At South Africa 2010 Brazil be competing in their nineteenth World Cup.

CAMPEONES - COUNTDOWN TO DESTINY

50 DAYS TO GO...

ADRIAN CHILES QUITS BBC TO FRONT ITV WORLD CUP COVERAGE

Transfers aren't usually associated with international football, but today there's been one that will change the face of English football coverage. Popular television presenter Adrian Chiles has quit the BBC to front the World Cup coverage of rival broadcaster ITV.

The former BBC man had hosted Match of the Day 2 since its conception in 2004 and had become the face of football to many English fans.

The show runs extended highlights of Sunday's Premier League fixtures as well as a recap of Saturday's games and had become a must-see show for many fans.

Chiles' reputation grew when he started hosting 'The One Show' alongside Christine Bleakley. The row that has forced Chiles out of the BBC was believed to be related to producers of 'The One Show' trying to replace him with Chris Evans for Friday broadcasts.

The presenter had made no secret of his dislike of the way he was treated and ITV jumped at the chance to sign the unsettled host, offering a four-year deal rumoured to be worth as much as £1 million a year.

The chance to host the World Cup coverage was the cherry on the top of the cake for Chiles who has spoken of his delight to be offered such a prestigious role.

Chiles said in a statement, "The chance to front ITV’s football coverage and GMTV would have proved an irresistible opportunity at the best of times. But, coming as it did at an awkward period for me at the BBC, it made the decision to leave not quite as hard as it might have been."

ITV alternate their coverage of the competition with the BBC to avoid clashes, except for the final which is broadcast simultaneously by both channels.

CLASSIC WORLD CUP ENCOUNTERS

MEXICO 1986, Quarter-Final: Brazil v France



A pulsating quarter-final in Guadalajara. Brazil's possession football saps the energy out of the opposition at the best of times; factor in the searing heat of that mid-summer's day and the Samba Stars were favourites to progress. Mexico had also been the scene of their last World Cup win 16 years earlier, and an expectant nation would settle for nothing less than an emulation of that triumph. France on the other hand were still dealing with the scars of four years earlier and a heart-breaking semi-final defeat. But having just ended Italy's reign as World Champions in the round of 16, Platini and co. knew that, if they could get past Brazil, there would be a chance to lay to rest the ghosts of Seville 1982. Mexico and West Germany were playing their quarter-final later that day with the two winners to meet for a place in the Final.

In thirty years of watching football I can't remember a match in which there was so much offensive play and so little time to take breath. The Brazilian teams of the 1982 and 1986 tournaments were two of the best sides never to win the World Cup. There are only two ways to stop Brazil; break their rhythm with cynical, periodic fouling, or play them at their own game. Thankfully, for the worldwide audience and for the sake of the 'beautiful game', France did the latter, counteracting Brazil's brilliance with an artistry of their own, weaved predominantly by the magical midfield quintet of Tusseau, Fernandez, Tigana, Giresse and Platini.

Careca's goal after 17 minutes was trademark Brazil; a sudden increase in tempo, a bamboozling interchange of split-second, one-touch passes to create space from nothing, and an unerring finish. They failed to build on their lead though, and France drew level four minutes before half-time through Platini, playing one of the biggest games of his life on his 31st birthday. An amazing second half saw Brazil miss an open goal (Socrates) and a penalty (Zico). Attacks continued to reign down at both ends. It was natural to assume that extra-time would see French legs tire, but their reprieve seemed to inject a new resolve into the team and they surged forward with purpose, out-possessing Brazil and looking the more likely to emerge victorious. It's a credit to both teams that neither played for penalties, especially given the heat, but destiny had in store that the French were to revisit the cauldron of the shootout - a place that held so much fear for them after the heartache of four summers before.

Socrates missed with the opening spot-kick, and France held the advantage until Platini stepped up to take the fourth kick and sent it over the bar. Julio Cesar, however, failed to level matters as his spot-kick hit the post, leaving Luis Fernandez to send France through to what appeared to be a date with destiny -another semi-final against West Germany, and an opportunity for revenge.

It was not to be. The Germans won a lame game 2-0. Perhaps it was not such a surprise; the quarter-final took everything out of Les Bleus, and the Germans were the beneficiaries of their extreme fatigue. Brazilian misery was compounded eight days later as their fierce South American rivals Argentina lifted the World Cup.