No. 4: The Dictators
Football and politics are largely kept apart, FIFA even going so far as to suspend countries when governments interfere with national football associations.
This wasn't always the case though. The 1934 World Cup was held in Italy, then ruled by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, and also won by Italy. This has lead to widespread rumours of interference from Mussolini since then, especially with reports of very favourable refereeing decisions for the Italians at the tournament, and the fact that Italy fielded three players who had played for Argentina at the previous tournament. You can read more about it here.
The 1978 World Cup was held in Argentina, then ruled by military dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, a man responsible for widespread murder and torture during his five years in power (1976-1981).
Again, watchers complained of favourable refereeing for the hosts throughout the tournament, including in the final; opposition players were sent off, penalties awarded to Argentina for no obvious fouls, Argentine players handling the ball (including one off the goal line) and not being unpunished, Argentine players smacking opposition players and not being punished, etc.
Perhaps the most notorious game in 1978 was the second round game between Argentina and Peru. Argentina needed to win by four clear goals (against a Peruvian team that had beaten Scotland and Iran and drawn with Holland) to qualify for the final and ran out 6-0 winners. There are lots of articles you can read about how or why this game and more may have been fixed, perhaps the best of which is here on the Financial Times's website.
As is FIFA hadn't learned its lesson by this point, the 1982 World Cup was awarded to Spain when General Franco was still in charge, though he died by the time the tournament was held.
Football and politics are largely kept apart, FIFA even going so far as to suspend countries when governments interfere with national football associations.
This wasn't always the case though. The 1934 World Cup was held in Italy, then ruled by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, and also won by Italy. This has lead to widespread rumours of interference from Mussolini since then, especially with reports of very favourable refereeing decisions for the Italians at the tournament, and the fact that Italy fielded three players who had played for Argentina at the previous tournament. You can read more about it here.
The 1978 World Cup was held in Argentina, then ruled by military dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, a man responsible for widespread murder and torture during his five years in power (1976-1981).
Again, watchers complained of favourable refereeing for the hosts throughout the tournament, including in the final; opposition players were sent off, penalties awarded to Argentina for no obvious fouls, Argentine players handling the ball (including one off the goal line) and not being unpunished, Argentine players smacking opposition players and not being punished, etc.
Perhaps the most notorious game in 1978 was the second round game between Argentina and Peru. Argentina needed to win by four clear goals (against a Peruvian team that had beaten Scotland and Iran and drawn with Holland) to qualify for the final and ran out 6-0 winners. There are lots of articles you can read about how or why this game and more may have been fixed, perhaps the best of which is here on the Financial Times's website.
As is FIFA hadn't learned its lesson by this point, the 1982 World Cup was awarded to Spain when General Franco was still in charge, though he died by the time the tournament was held.
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