THE ULTIMATE QUIZ FOR THE ULTIMATE WORLD CUP ANORAK*

*ANORAK: UK disapproving a boring person who is too interested in the details of a hobby and finds it difficult to meet and spend time with other people (Cambridge Dictionaries Online)

This was inspired by a chat I had today with the Head Copywriter at the radio station where I work. She has been asked to come up with 125 World Cup quiz questions for a promotion we’re running next month. My World Cup anorak-ness could barely contain itself as I spluttered; “only 125 ?”

Bobby Moore and Pele 1970

I was only warming up when I enquired if she knew which team captain was arrested en route to defending their World Cup title in 1970. I was starting to hit my stride when I asked her to identify the defender who was so tragically murdered just days after his own goal saw Colombia eliminated from the 1994 World Cup. But I was netting a spectacular winner when I asked her to name the dog who recovered the stolen World Cup trophy in England in 1966.

That fiercely unfocused look she gave me is a look which apprentice World Cup Anoraks often mistake for boredom. How much they have yet to learn !

Fear not World Cup Anoraks, ye are safe here. Neither your name or your score will be made public (Eoin Brennan...6). You will rather retire to your favourite dark corner and ponder on your ranking:

0 - 2 ………You probably have a real life !

3 - 4……….You used to have a real life !

5 - 6……….You know someone who has a real life !

HERE”S THE QUIZ:

1930 – URUGUAY

Over 200 countries entered the 2010 World Cup. Two years of qualifying tournaments reduced that number to 32, the number of countries who will contest the Finals in South Africa, beginning on 11 June 2010. Back in 1930 there was no need for qualifying tournaments. Numerous withdrawals meant that only a small number of countries pitched up in Uruguay to contest the very first World Cup Finals.

The first World Cup Finals, in Uruguay in 1930, was contested by how many teams ?

(a)     8

(b)    18

(c)     13

1934 - ITALY

Uruguay failed to defend their crown in 1934, miffed at the number of European countries who had given them a miss in 1930. Mussolini misused the World Cup in much the same way as Hitler did the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Enough said. Italy won.

Moving on. Here’s the question……the beaten finalists are one of 3 countries who have lost 2 World Cup Finals but never been crowned world champions. The other 2 countries are Hungary and Netherlands. So, who lost the 1934 World Cup Final to Italy (as well as the 1962 Final to Brazil) ?

(a)    France

(b)   Chile

(c)    Czechoslovakia

1938 – France

This time the Italians gave the fascist salute before their Quarter Final game. They went on to win the tournament. The Italians may have won 4 World Cups, but how proud can they really be about the first 2 ?

Vittorio Pozzo and his 2nd World Cup

The question is:

Italy perform well close to home. They have won 4 World Cups and all 4 have been won in Europe. We’ve just learned about the World Cups they won in Italy and France. The other 2 World Cups they won were in;

     (a) Germany and Spain

     (b) Germany and France

(c)    England and Germany

1950 – Brazil

The 1950 World Cup in Brazil was a chaotic affair. Not surprising when you consider that the world was desperately trying to put itself back together after the destruction of World War 2. It was remarkable that the tournament survived. It was even more remarkable that the World Cup trophy survived. I’ve read conflicting reports of who the hero was that kept the trophy out of the clutches of the gold-digging Nazis.

Some say it was Ottorino Barassi, general secretary of the Italian federation (remember, the Italians were holders of the trophy.) Others say it was Jules Rimet himself, the man who came up with concept of the World Cup. What is not in dispute is that the World Cup spent the Second World War hidden under a bed, we’re just not quite sure if it was Otto’s bed or Jules’ bed.

Look what I found under the bed...

FIFA clearly believed that Jules was the saviour as the World Cup trophy was renamed the Jules Rimet trophy prior to the tournament.

Reading old reports of Brazil 1950 gives you a hint of what it is the Eurocentric critics of SA 2010 are afraid of. The 13 teams who played in the 1950 finals had to travel vast distances to play their group matches. Same story for SA 2010…but we might just be ok as we have a couple of jet planes lying around to help speed things up.

Then there were the stadiums. Brazil built the world’s largest stadium, the Maracana, for the 1950 tournament. Well they started building it for the 1950 tournament. They didn’t actually finish building it until everyone had gone home. South Africa has built 5 new stadiums from scratch for 2010. 3 or 4 years ago it was assumed we wouldn’t finish them on time. In the end we had them all ready to go with more time to spare than Germany did in 2006.

Brazil 1950 was also hit by a spate of withdrawals. Turkey and Scotland both withdrew after qualifying. Portugal were offered Scotland’s place but refused. Then France, who had failed to qualify, were offered Turkey’s place. This was the first example of France’s tendency to qualify for World Cups in rather unorthodox circumstances. At least the France of 1950 had the decency to turn down FIFA’s offer, something the French  desperadoes of 2010 could have learned from.

There are a couple of other parallels between Brazil 1950 and SA 2010. Of the 13 countries who played in the 1950 finals, all but 1 will be playing in South Africa. In 1950 Italy were drawn in the same group as Paraguay, Spain the same group as Chile and, most famous of all, England were drawn in the same group as the United States. All of these match-ups will be repeated in June. The England vs USA match in Rustenburg on 12 June will surely summon up the ghost of Larry Gaetjens, the USA striker responsible for, still, the biggest upset in World Cup history…..USA 1 England 0.

USA team which beat England in Belo Horizonte in 1950 World Cup

1950 was the only time in 19 World Cup tournaments where there was no actual World Cup Final. Instead, the 4 group winners advanced to another league format with the country topping that table being crowned World Cup winners.

Whoever at FIFA decided to do without a Final must have spent the rest of their days giving thanks that the concluding league game between Brazil and Uruguay was effectively a Final. It certainly wouldn’t happen in today’s marketing-oriented FIFA. While the Olympic Games may give the World Cup a genuine run for its money as the world’s biggest sporting event, the actual World Cup Final is by far the biggest single sporting event on planet earth. The Olympics has no grand climax, no one moment that the preceding 2 weeks have been building up to.

But every 4 years, on one Sunday, 2 billion people around the world will be doing exactly the same thing at exactly the same time. Almost every country on earth enters the World Cup (more than 200). Now, over 90 minutes on one Sunday, 2 billion people will tune in to see the last 2 countries battle it out. It’s the most blindingly brilliant idea, and it’s down to its pure simplicity.

What 2 billion people will be focusing on on Sunday 11 July

Quite how an organisation as bureaucratic as FIFA owns a concept as simple as the World Cup is a great mystery. In fact there’s a strong argument for the phrase ‘FIFA World Cup’ to be reclassified as an oxymoron.

Enough of this gay banter……………here’s the question;

The 1950 World Cup “Final” attracted a world record crowd of

(a)                199 854

(b)               220 042

(c)                179 521

P.S. Uruguay beat Brazil 2-1 in that ‘Final.’ Brazil only needed a draw but got all over-confident when leading 1-0 early in the second half. Brazil had been overwhelming favourites and numerous suicides were reported in Rio that night as a direct result of the outcome of the game.

Uruguay celebrate becoming world champions in 1950. 

1954 – Switzerland

I got quite carried away with Brazil 1950, so we’re going to time manage Switzerland 1954 and ensure an efficient account of the 5^th FIFA World Cup.

In essence, Hungary were head and shoulders above everyone else but got out-manoeuvred by the crafty West Germans, playing in their first World Cup since the end of the war. The Germans had sent out a deliberately weakened team in the group game against the Magnificent Magyars (Hungary). They lost 8-3 but managed to crock Hungary’s star player, Ferenc Puskas in the process. When the same 2 teams met up again in the Final, Germany were at full strength but Puskas was not. The 3-2 victory for West Germany was almost as big a shock as Uruguay beating Brazil 4 years earlier.

Germany celebrate victory in 1954

Very efficient time management John. Well done. Now the question please;

The infamous ‘Battle of Berne” quarter final saw 3 players sent off and a mass dressing room brawl after the game. Which 2 teams were playing ?;

(a)    Hungary and Uruguay

(b)   Brazil and Uruguay

(c)    Hungary and Brazil

1958 – Sweden

Pele blows the world away ! At 17 years old Pele took this World Cup by storm. His Brazil team improved as the tournament went on, scoring 5 against France in the semi-finals and then another 5 against hosts Sweden in the Final. Pele was the youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup Finals until Norman Whiteside of Northern Ireland took that record in Spain 1982.

Attendances had been sparse throughout the tournament but the Swedes picked up their game and started filling the stadiums as their own team progressed all the way to the Final.

Your question;

Sweden 1958 saw a new record for the number of goals in a World Cup final tournament by one player. That record was set by Just Fontaine of France and still stands to this today. Fontaine scored how many goals in Sweden 1958;

(a)    9

(b)   12

(c)    13

Just Fontaine

ANSWERS:

- 1930.........(C) 13

- 1934.........(C) Czechoslovakia

- 1938.........(a) Germany and Spain

- 1950.........(a) 199 854

- 1954.........(c) Hungary and Brazil

- 1958......... (c) 13

Part 2 to follow soon……………

U2, Soweto Gospel Choir and World Cup 2010

Sports broadcaster ESPN has been making use of U2 to promote their coverage of South Africa 2010. Check out the video below as well as the following 2 posts. Great stuff !

Soweto Gospel Choir


Not only that but U2 have now collaborated with the award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir to record music which will be used in a series of inserts on South Africa. These inserts will be broadcast on ESPN throughout the World Cup.

U2 'Streets Have No Name'...Robben Island.....ESPN TV Commercial

Great ad promoting ESPN's coverage of South Africa 2010 World Cup.

U2 'One' and 2006 World Cup

If you're one of those folk who are struggling to understand what all the hype is about....check this out, from Germany 2006.

Get The Big Picture

Somewhere along the line a whole host of South Africans have missed the point about World Cup 2010.

Alicia Keys in concert

It seems that our local music industry is up in arms because only 3 South African acts have been included in the line-up for the big World Cup concert to be held on the eve of kick-off (10 June) at Orlando Stadium. Outrage has been expressed by, among others, local music legend Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse as well as Minister of Arts and Culture Lulu Xingwana. The Creative Workers’ Union (CWUSA) has gone further by demanding that 80% of participants in all 2010 World Cup cultural events should be South African.

Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse

Never one to miss out on a good argument, COSATU has now weighed in with a call for “all its members to support CWUSA's rolling mass action to protest against this plan.” Spokesperson Patrick Craven said they agreed with CWUSA’s assertion that “this event (the World Cup) is an African World Cup and it’s for Africa.”

For 10 points.....is this (a) a COSATU protest during the 2010 World Cup or (b) a crowd of patriotic South Koreans supporting their country during the 2002 World Cup ?

This World Cup may be in Africa, and it will indeed benefit Africa………….but it is not FOR Africa. The World Cup is FOR the world. That’s the point of it. That’s why it is such an honour for us to host it. More than any other event the World Cup involves the whole world and unites the whole world. That whole world has chosen us to organise this event, not to own it.

I’m not sure where this message got lost. When Danny Jordaan and FIFA spoke about this being an African World Cup they meant it would have an African setting, an African flavour, not that it would be exclusively African. While we’re at it why don’t we insist that 80% of the teams playing in the finals be African ?

So let’s imagine that CWUSA get their way and the line-up for the World Cup concert is 80% African. What’s that going to do the tv audience figures? Would you have tuned in to the 2006 World Cup concert if it featured 80% German acts?

I mean, really, who wants to see the Black Eyed peas live ?

But CWUSA would rather have 80% African artists and attract only 20% of the potential worldwide tv audience. It’s small picture thinking on a grand scale.

Here’s the big picture. On 12 July South Africa will be the darling of the world. We will have hosted the most successful, most vibrant event the globe has ever seen. The entire world will have been captivated by our spirit, by our people, by our organisational ability. Around the world people will be clamouring for South African products, be it our vuvuzelas, our wine or our music.

If I were a paid-up member of CWUSA this is what I would demand of them; help me capitalise on the pro-South African mood around the world. Help me find gigs in London, in Berlin, in Tokyo. Help me get my records played on radio stations around the world in July and August 2010.

Likewise the tourism, accommodation and airline industries. Instead of worrying about what business didn’t come your way in June 2010 rather get out there and take advantage of the positive global sentiment towards South Africa that will exist on 12 July 2010.

Look at Germany 2006. That tournament transformed how the world viewed that country. From dour and anal to fun-loving and united in 4 short weeks. It had nothing to do with the million who actually visited the country for the World Cup. It had everything to do with how the other 2 billion people watching on tv perceived the country.

Germany 2006

If I were an exporter of South African fruit, or wine, I would have displays booked in Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s and their equivalents around the world for Monday 12 July.

If I were SA Tourism, or SAA, or Kulula I would make Monday 12 July the first day of my biggest ever overseas advertising campaign.

If I were a South African musician I would ask CWUSA to stop focusing on 10 June and start focusing on 12 July.

An Irishman supporting England in 2010

You might as well say that de Valera was a Protestant or that Brian ‘O Driscoll eats quiche. As an Irishman, admitting that you are going to support England in the World Cup is about as heretical as it gets. It’s about as unthinkable as the Pope suggesting that paedophile priests actually be prosecuted.

But that’s what I’m doing. I’m supporting England.

Ok, there’s a caveat. I’m assuming that my no.1 choice, South Africa, won’t do a South Korea and reach the semi-finals. Plus, I’ve got the luxury of being an objective observer, freed of the gut-wrenching tension of following Ireland, thanks to the favourite plaything of Thierry Henry (his left hand).

In Ireland the idea of supporting England in a World Cup is about as palatable as a grapefruit the morning after a skinful of Guinness. We’re a nation that rates victory over England as possibly more important than ever actually winning a tournament. It’s 1916 all over again every time we take the field.

Listen, there’s a lot to be said for it. As a nation we really did take it in the eye from the English for centuries. When we did finally break free of their oppression it was not with an epic injury-time winner that transformed everything. It was rather with an ongoing mid-table struggle that eventually led to stability and a place in Europe. We lacked that decisive moment of victory, that result that said we had won and they had lost. Which is why it feels so good when we turn them over at Croker, Lansdowne Road or, even better, Twickenham.

Ireland vs England at Croke Park in 2007

Beating England feels good. It’s part of the Irish DNA. But then comes the really odd part. You’ve just watched Ireland beat England at Lansdowne Road and you’re celebrating with a pint. You’ve discussed the game and you feel euphoric, but within half an hour you’re arguing about the Man U/ Liverpool game the following Sunday.

Most Irishmen supported an English club team before they supported the Republic of Ireland. Most Irishmen will put their lives on hold to watch their English teams play in a cup final. Most Irishmen have sons who wear English club shirts.

It’s a peculiar scenario but not peculiar to Ireland. In Cape Town the city comes to a virtual standstill when Man Utd play Liverpool. The difference is that these people will support England when Bafana Bafana get knocked out of World Cup 2010.

Man Utd fans in Cape Town

Not so in Ireland. There it’ll be ABE (Anyone But England) and all the better if another ‘Hand of God’ goal knocks them out. Did any of you Irish notice how much support we got from English fans over the Thierry Henry incident ? Do any of you remember the glee we felt when Maradona did the same to England in 1986 ?

Supporting English clubs but hating the English presents a bit of a dilemma. Faced with the choice of going to watch Shamrock Rovers on a cold and dark Sunday afternoon or tuning in to Arsenal vs Chelsea in the comfort of your living room, I know what I’d do. But there are Irish people who have made the difficult choice and I salute them. My nephews, Eoin & Nick Brennan, used to be Blackburn supporters but they have now publicly denounced their support of English club football and currently travel the length and breadth of the country supporting Shelbourne in the Irish second division. Out of the frying pan I would say !

Eoin, Nick & some of their mates practice for the Berlin Gay Pride March.

But at least these two have the integrity to back up their sentiments with action. When they go to Croke Park to support Ireland you sense that they deserve to be there. They’ve earned the right to hope that England get beaten by USA on 12 June in Rustenburg.

I admire them. I don’t admire the Irishmen who would have donned their Man Utd shirts on 22 May and prayed that Wayne Rooney  deliver them a 4^th European Cup, yet 3 weeks later  prayed that the same Rooney gets sent off as England are humiliated by Algeria.

Like most Irishmen I’ve grown up on English club football. My weekends can still be made or broken by the Leeds result. English football has inspired and transfixed me for 33 years. That’s a debt I need to repay.

The reason I fell in love with English football !

Which is why I fervently hope that if Aaron Mokoena can’t pick up the World Cup at Soccer City on 11 July, the man who does so will be Rio Ferdinand.

Note

We seem to be destined to follow England on our World Cup road trip. We have England vs Algeria in Cape Town on 18 June. Should England top their group we have their Round of 16 match in Rustenburg on 26 June. If they win their Quarter Final we then have them in Cape Town for the semi-final on 6 July. Then on to Soccer City in Soweto for the Final on 11 July.

City Of Goals

If Cape Town is the laid back sophisticate, beautiful to look at but not always easy to connect with, then Joburg is the brash energetic one, a bit rough around the edges, but big on personality and brimming with sex appeal.

Joburg is a strange city. Aesthetically it’s a disaster. Mine dumps instead of mountains, a couple of manky streams running through it, and sprawling suburbs with about as much character as a FIFA official explaining the World Cup ticketing system. Joburg is the largest city in the world not situated on a river, lake or coastline. This is a gold rush town. That’s the only reason it exists.

A river or coastline would have been quite handy to transport the gold but Joburg had to make do with building roads…..a lot of them. Nobody likes an empty road, so the next step was to build houses on those roads…..a lot of them. Joburg is only 124 years old, a teenager in city terms. A teenager raised on a diet of slap chips and Coke if the sprawl is anything to go by.

When your looks are that bad you have no choice but to rely on your personality. For a city, that means your people. Joburg is the only city I know whose charm emanates purely from its citizens. To make a place like Joburg seem charming they must be pretty special people.

They are. This is a place where your background and your school matter less than what you have to say around the braai. It’s a place where people look you in the eye when they do business, no hard feelings, no regrets. But it’s also a place where you can meet someone for the first time on a Thursday and be lifelong friends by Saturday.

Joburgers are sharp, they’re resourceful, they’re funny and they’re warm….and they’ve built the most magnificent stadium I’ve ever seen.

Primedia Broadcasting staff

On Monday I was lucky enough to visit Soccer City along with the rest of my colleagues at Primedia Broadcasting. Soccer City is the site of 8 games including the final, the opening game and a couple of snorters like Brazil vs Ivory Coast and Germany vs Ghana.

Inside the dressing rooms

Soccer City is so Joburg! Distinctly rough around the edges. Not just the neighbourhood in which it sits but also the approaches, the concourse and the car parks, all of which are some way off the finished article. But Soccer City is a true Joburger. If you can get past the jagged façade and into the heart you’ll be blown away.

The scale of this stadium is magnificent. 94 000 seats within spitting distance of the action, all housed inside an African Pot, a calabash set in a ‘pit of fire’ (the surrounding perimeter gate). Standing in the centre of the pitch what strikes you most is the way the sound is contained within the pot and amplified. Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth knew what he was talking about when he said he didn’t envy any team taking on 90 000 vuvuzelas at Soccer City.

John Robbie, David O' Sullivan and Aki Anastasiou

John Robbie, our morning show host on Talk Radio 702 and rugby pundit, told me that the Soccer City pitch has been adapted to accommodate rugby. We all know that the Springboks are virtually unbeatable at Ellis Park with 60 000 heaving, pulsing Joburgers roaring them on. God help the All Blacks when they have 94 000 Springbok supporters baying in the cauldron of the African Pot.

But that’s for another time. For now, God help the Mexicans when they enter the calabash at 4pm on Fri 11^th June. Welcome to Joburg, amigos.

Watch the video: The only Irishman likely to score a goal in 2010 at the World Cup Final venue