World Cup Rambling

We have the final part of our look back at Argentina’s triumphant campaign at Mexico 86.  The England match is a saga on its own – Britain’s history in the introduction and development of football in Argentina, the legacy of the ‘Animals’ match from 1966 and the shadow of the Falklands War.  The Argentinian players are keen to downplay the war although Maradona would later admit that privately, th...

We’ve got part 2* of the look back at Argentina’s victorious campaign at Mexico 86.  Here we’ve got the early stages ofArgentina’s journey. Maradona shows his class by assisting all three goals against the rough-housing South Koreans, then scoring a deft equaliser against Italy.  It’s the result against Italy that slowly starts to win over the sceptics who felt that Argentina were heading for disa...

With the 40th anniversary of Argentina’s iconic World Cup triumph at Mexico 86 approaching, we have a two-part episode dedicate to that subject.  In part 1, we look at how Argentina rebuilt under new manager Carlos Bilardo, who was determined to make a clean break with the Menotti era by sweeping away most of the Spain 82 squad, implementing a new formation, and appointing a new captain – Diego Ma...

With the 1998 World Cup Final looming, the stage seemed set for Ronaldo – the world’s best player, the most complete striker in world football – to score the goals to confirm his status and inspire Brazil to a record-breaking fifth title.  Instead, a zombified Ronaldo wandered ineffectually through the match as France ran out 3-0 winners.  Ronaldo hadn’t been named on the original team sheet and t...

In the first episode of series six, we look back at the dark saga of Zaire at the 1974 World Cup.  It’s a story that involves post-colonial politics, a military strongman, furious arguments about money, on-pitch farce, off-pitch farce and conspiracy theories.  Zaire went to the World Cup under the patronage of President Joseph Mobutu, who was determined to leverage the success of the Leopards to b...

In the final episode of series five, we revisit the notorious West Germany-Austria match from the 1982 World Cup.  West Germany – the reigning European Champions – tripped over their own hubris, losing 2-1 to Algeria, the exciting World Cup debutants.  That result threw the group wide open.  By the time West Germany and Austria met, the two teams knew that a German victory by one goal or two goals...

Following on from Maradona steering Argentina to the 2010 World Cup (just), we look back at how his team got on in South Africa.  Although there were some notable absentees from the World Cup squad, Maradona had a highly-talented team, with some sparkling attacking players, most notably Lionel Messi.  Argentina shone at times, winning their group with a 100% record and playing some of the most sty...

In part one of a two-party story, we look back at Diego Maradona’s chaotic tenure as Argentina’s manager.  Following Argentina’s struggles in the early stages of qualification for the 2010 World Cup, the Argentine FA turned to their old hero. Maradona, whose life since USA ’94, had been a spiral of drugs, drink, abortive comebacks, failed management attempts and near-death experiences, wasback as...

In this episode, we look back at the Maracanaço – the decisive match of the 1950 World Cup, a match bound up with myths and legends.  Brazil – the host nation and the hot favourites – playing in front of a packed Maracanã Stadium,needed only a draw against Uruguay to lift the Jules Rimet Cup.  With Europe ravaged by war, Brazil were awarded the hosting rights for 1950. They met the challenge by bu...

It’s time to revise and expand on a topic that was covered in the series one episode “The Carnival is Over”.  It’s the summerof 1970 and England are the reigning World Champions.  The Three Lions are one of the most feared and respected sides in world football.  Some of the stalwarts of 1966 – Gordon Banks, Bobby Moore, Alan Ball, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst – are regarded as having improved. Sir A...

This month, we revisit the epic last 16 match between England and Argentina from France 98.  It was a match layered with history – the ‘Animals’ game from 1966, the Hand of God in 1986, not to mention the Falklands War.  England, managed by Glenn Hoddle (a veteran of 1986) had already had a campaign full of talking points – Eileen Drewery the faith healer, the axing of Gazza from the final squad,...

This episode reflects on France’s disastrous World Cup defence in 2002. Roger Lemerre’s team arrived in South Korea as World Champions, European Champions, and Confederations Cup holders. They had Zinedine Zidane in peak form, as well as the golden boot winners from three of Europe’s top leagues. Rarely can there have been such a strong favourite to win a World Cup. What followed was a remarkable...

Scotland’s qualifying campaign for World Cup 98 was ticking along nicely (absent Estonians notwithstanding).  As the campaign reached a climax, Scotland were top of their group and in a good position to reach their first World Cup since 1990.  Off the field, change was coming to Scotland. The election of Tony Blair’s New Labour government in May 1997 meant that Scottish voters had been offered a r...

We’re back for Series 5 of World Cup Rambling and we begin by checking in on Scotland, so often the tragic clowns of the World Cup circus.  In this episode, we look at the infamous occasion in October 1996 when Scotland faced Estonia in Tallinn.  There was just one problem – Estonia didn’t show up.  The Scots had trained at the venue, the night before the match, and complained about the poor quali...

51 games down, one to go – the World Cup Final. It’s a historic occasion.  Whoever comes out on top – Italy or Brazil – will be the first nation to win the World Cup four times.   Memories of 1970 are evoked but the idea of Brazil’s pragmatic class of ’94 emulating Pelé and co is laughable.  Italy, meanwhile, seem to be running out of players, with Roberto Baggio playing despite carrying a hamstri...

I’m joined by Jon Spurling, a football author who has been a fixture on my bookshelf over the last two decades. Some of Jon’s books are “All Guns Blazing:  Arsenal in the 80s”, “Top Guns: Arsenal in the 90s”, “Rebels for the Cause: The Alternative History of Arsenal FC”, “Death or Glory: The Dark History of the World Cup” and “Get It On: How the 70s Rocked Football”. Here we discuss Jon’s latest b...

The penultimate episode of the series and we’ve got the semi-finals.  Roberto Baggio produces one of the best individual performances of the tournament, to give Italy a 2-1 victory over Bulgaria in New York.  However, it’s a day of mixed fortunes for The Divine Ponytail, as a hamstring injury leaves him in a race against time to make the final.  Meanwhile, across in Los Angeles, Romario’s goal fin...

We’ve reached the quarter-finals of USA 94, a set of games which feature dramatic late twists. It’s The Baggio Show in Boston as Italy beat Spain, with Dino opening the scoring and Roberto grabbing a late winner. Brazil unveil a famous celebration but their march to glory is threatened by a Dutch comeback until Branco (liberated from the subs bench) produces a thunderbolt free-kick. Sweden versus...

We're back with the last 16 of USA 94.  Klinsmann and Voller come up with the old magic as Germany find their touch.  Spain produce a performance that suggests they might finally be ready to end their decades of underachievement (yeah right).  Sweden’s Three Amigos – Brolin, Dahlin, Andersson – end Saudi Arabia’s dream run.  Romania and Argentina produce a match for the ages.  Packie Bonner’s...

This month, the group stage of USA 94 reaches a conclusion with many teams jockeying for position.  Stefan Effenberg efffectively ends his international career as the Germans have a narrow escape against South Korea, the Group of Death reaches gridlock, Saudi Arabia come up with arguably the goal of the tournament, Oleg Salenko and Roger Milla produce a day of records in San Francisco.  However, t...

This month we’ve got the second set of group games, which produced some notable matches and moments.  Team USA triggering a soccer boom with a victory that will have fatal consequences elsewhere, Roy Hodgson’s swaggering Swiss putting the skids under Romania, a touchline explosion involving Jack Charlton and John Aldridge, Bulgaria ending one of the most embarrassing streaks in World Cup history,...

This month we’ll look at the opening pair of matches in each group at USA 94.  There was a raft of new laws on tackling, offside and the back pass, which FIFA hoped would liven up the show, after the stodginess of Italia 90.  The gaudy opening ceremony, and Diana Ross’s penalty miss (which foreshadowed the climax of the tournament), fuelled the scepticism about taking the World Cup to a country th...

Series 4 of World Cup Rambling and it's time to get in the DeLorean and go back thirty years for a mammoth odyssey through USA 94 - a very underrated tournament. We start the series by looking at why football (or "soccer") failed to take a hold in the United States, then having a look at the rise and fall of the North American Soccer League, America's failed bid to host the 1986...

A snippet of what you have to look forward to in Series 4 of World Cup Rambling, which starts on 2nd March 2024. Subscribe to World Cup Rambling on your podcast platform. TWITTER @MatthewOkot @WorldCupRamble

It's time for something very special.  We have World Cup Rambling’s first-ever guest.  In this episode, I talk to Gary Thacker.  Gary is an author and journalist, who has contributed most prominently to These Football Times, but also to other publications. Gary has written numerous books, including “Beautiful Bridesmaids Dressed in Oranje: The Unfulfilled Glory of Dutch Football”, “Out of the...