WORLD CUP STORIES: THE TRAGEDY OF ANDRES ESCOBAR

As passionately as we may feel about the World Cup, every once in a while we are solemnly reminded of how tragic the consequences can be if the implications of a match are taken beyond the events on the pitch.

The Colombian defender Andres Escobar represented his country at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. On June 22 1994 Colombia lost their second group match to the USA and Escobar had the misfortune to score an own goal whilst intercepting a cross from the right. The result put Colombia out of the World Cup. Ten days later, on July 2, Escobar was shot dead outside a bar in the suburbs of Colombia's second biggest city, Medellin. The killer reportedly shouted the word "goal!" as he fired no fewer than twelve shots.

It is not sure whether the killing of Escobar was purely motivated by a desire to punish the own goal or whether there were other factors. Rumours have circulated that the murder was ordered by a gambling syndicate that had bet a lot of money on Colombia's involvement in the knock-out stages.

120,000 people attended the player's funeral. A teacher at a local elementary school - Humberto Munoz Castro - was found guilty of Escobar's murder in June 1995. Despite being given an initial prison sentence of 43 years for the murder, Munoz was released in 2005 to the uproar of many and outrage of the family.

Escobar was about to marry his girlfriend of five years when he was murdered, Pamela Cascardo. She still keeps his team shirts and medals. There was also talk of him penning a deal to move to the mighty AC Milan. He was known in his playing career as "The Gentleman of football". His life was tragically taken from him at the tender age of 27.

Andres Escobar's father passed away two years ago at the age of 77. It was said of him that he died of a grieving heart, never understanding why his son was murdered and not being able to speak of him. Too many questions remained unanswered in a case where justice was never done.

On the eve of South Africa 2010, where we all wait expectantly and with such anticipation to discover the fate of our teams, we would do well to temper the emotions that will accompany the triumphs and defeats with a perspective on the things in life that truly matter; which of course includes the preciousness of life itself.

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.

WORLD CUP STORIES: THE SACKING OF AHN JUNG-HWAN

Not happy in your job and want out? Too complicated just to quit? Then what you need to do is clear: Give your boss the perfect reason to fire you!

When co-hosts South Korea came up against Italy in the second round of the World Cup in 2002, most people thought it would be the end of the road for the plucky Red Devils. The Koreans had surprisingly won a tough group to qualify for the knock-out stages for the first time in their history. They could consider themselves unlucky to be playing Italy who had finished runners-up in a group they had been expected to win.

South Korea had in their starting line-up Ahn Jung-Hwan, the David Beckham of Korean football, who also happened to be employed at the time by Seria A side Perugia. As the dramatic evening unfolded, the emotions of Italians fans in the stadium and around the world - and in particular their feelings towards Ahn - underwent the greatest contrast imaginable.

Just four minutes into the match and Korea were awarded a penalty following the sort of "handbags" incident in the penalty area which is part-and-parcel of life in the Italian League. Not so at the World Cup, and golden boy Ahn steps up only to see his average kick saved by Buffon. Ahn becomes a temporary 'hero' for the Azzuri. Fast-forward the game to four minutes from the end of extra-time - with the score 1-1 and the 'golden goal' rule in play - and Ahn Jung-Hwan cleverly steers a header past Buffon that sends a nation into raptures and the Italians to the airport for the plane home.

Ahn Jung-Hwan had effectively just ripped up his contract. Following the game, Luciano Gaucci, president of Perugia F.C., gave him the sack, offering the following words: "That gentlemen will never set foot in Perugia again. I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian football." Gaucci faced wide criticism for his actions but claimed that the decision was NOT because of the goal that Ahn had scored, but because of his post match comments which Gaucci interpreted as Ahn asserting that Korean football was superior to Italian football. Ahn denied this, and the Perugia coach Serse Cosni attempted to persuade the club president to reverse his decision, but Gaucci was having none of it and Ahn was on his way out of Italy.

FIFA - usually quick to get their nose in where it's unwanted - stayed out of this one, stating that the matter was entirely between club and player. One thing is for sure though: This sour grapes story can't detract from what was one of the great World Cup shock results of all time, and a match which formed an unforgettable part of South Korea's fairy tale run to the World Cup semi-finals on home turf.

WORLD CUP STORIES: ENGLAND'S FAVOURITE DOG

In January 1966, the Jules Rimet World Cup trophy was delivered to the English Football Association headquarters at Lancaster Gate in preparation for the 1966 tournament which was to be held in England.

With the exception of some special publicity events, the trophy was to be kept at Lancaster Gate. On Sunday March 20, at an exhibition of rare stamps organized by the Stanley Gibbons stamp company in the Central Hall at Westminster, permission was granted for the trophy to be on display - a major attraction for visitors.

The Jules Rimet trophy was insured for a massive £30,000 (remember that this is 44 years ago) and it was agreed that it would be under continuous guard.

In spite of this, shortly after midday on Sunday 20th March, the trophy was stolen during a church service that was taking place and while the guards were doing a circuit of the Hall. The thieves ignored rare stamps that had a value of £3 million and focused on removing the trophy from its display case and leaving unnoticed with it.

The following day Joe Mears, the chairman of the FA, received a ransom note asking for £15,000 in exchange for the return of the trophy. Mears contacted the police and a plan was made to make a false ransom payment.

Seven days later from the theft of the prized trophy, it was miraculously found by "Pickles" the dog in South Norwood, a district in south London. Pickles was out on a routine walk with his owner, David Corbett, when he came across a parcel wrapped in an old newspaper and tied with string.

Corbett opened the parcel and in utter amazement recognized the missing Jules Rimet trophy. He went straight to the Gypsy Hill police station to hand it in, and whilst he was initially treated with suspicion, was later cleared of any involvement.

The police retained the trophy until April 18, after which they returned it to the FA in good time for the start of the World Cup.

Exactly 19 weeks after Pickles found the trophy under that garden hedge in South London, at Wembley stadium and in front of millions watching around the world, Queen Elizabeth II handed it over to Bobby Moore as the captain of the triumphant England side that had just won the World Cup.

In honour of Pickles' service to the football world in recovering the trophy, he was invited to the celebration banquet of the England team, and was allowed to lick the plates after the guests had finished eating. David Corbett was given a reward of £6,000. Nowadays dog-walking is becoming a popular business, but I've not heard of any rates of pay that compare with that.

WORLD CUP STORIES: HOW TO MAKE A REFEREE CHANGE HIS MIND

Not happy with a referring decision that has gone against your country in a key World Cup match? Your opponents have just scored a goal but you don't think it was legitimate? Wanna make the ref change his mind? It's easy really - here's how you do it:

Along with your team mates, pretend that you mistook a loud whistle from the crowd as the ref blowing up and complain that that's why you all stopped playing. Complain long and hard - at least long enough to give the President of your country's Football Association time to come down out of the stands and order you all to leave the pitch in protest. Oh, and history definitely suggests that your cause will be helped if your FA President happens to be a powerful Sheikh from a oil-rich Arab state.

That's exactly what happened in a match from Group 4 at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. France were comfortably beating Kuwait 3-1 when midfielder Alain Giresse - appearing to be in an offside position - added a fourth goal. The Kuwaiti players had stopped playing believing that the ref had blown his whistle, and were incredulous when he pointed to the centre circle indicating a goal. Enter fist-shaking and finger-wagging Fahid Al-Ahmed Al-Sabeh - who also happened to be brother of the Kuwaiti Emir. His antics eventually worked (following a 15-minute delay!) and the Soviet ref, Miroslav Stupar, reversed his decision to the obvious fury of the French. Les Bleus did score a fourth goal a moment later that did stand, though, and the game finished 4-1. The incident remains one of the most farcical in World Cup history.

The fallout? Fairly predictable! Stupar lost all credibility as a referee and sheikh Al-Sabah got fined $10,000.