Flying Down to Rio - Flight Sixteen

'The moment lasts a second, the legend lasts forever.' Read the Niki advert. How true of the World Cup. As the build up to this years Finals continues, enjoy this collection of great facts, weird stories, some images, a few Tottenham references and some adverts from the World Cup's previous tournaments. Please inform the cabin crew if you have enjoyed the in-flight entertainment.

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1930 - The original trophy was called ''The Goddess of Victory Trophy, a statuette 30cm high and weighing 4kg. It was designed by a Frenchman Abel Lafleur.

1978 - A nun was arrested in Frankfurt when she tried to strangle a man who had been cheering Austria's 3-2 win over West Germany

1950 - Throughout the Second World War the prized trophy had laid hidden in a shoebox under the bed of the Italian FIFA vice-president, Dr Ottorino Barassi.

1962 - Brazil's Garrincha was sent off in the semi-finals and should have missed the final but the Brazilian Prime Minister appealed to FIFA who overturned the ban.

1958- Fontaine only had one boot when he was handed his start. He borrowed a boot from reserve player Stephane Bruey. He then scored 13 goals in six matches.

1934 - A radio commentary position

1934 - The first ever World Cup qualifier was on 11th June 1933 between Sweden and Estonia.

1978 - Ossie Ardiles worn the number 2 shirt, as the host nation numbered their squad alphabetically.

1942 - No competition was held and no decision made but the favorites to host the 1942 and 1946 finals were Germany and Brazil.

1958 - Brazil arrive home.

2002 - Italy have won 10 out of 11 extra times they have played. The time they lost was to The Korea Republic. When they scored with a Golden Goal. The Italians were so upset the managers CLUB  (Perugia) sacked him.

1970 - This was the first finals shown on TV in colour

1966 - The first finals where doping controls were introduced

1950- When Sweden beat Italy 3-2 it was the first-ever defeat for a defending World Cup champion.  

1978 -  After a mix up over team strips in the France V Hungary game, France borrowed kit from a local club Kimberley and played the game in green and white strips!  Argentine TV was only black and white and the standard strips of the two sides made them indistinguishable

1994 - The first-ever indoor World Cup match. USA played Switzerland at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan..

1966 - Mexico's goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal appeared in a record fifth World Cup and kept a clean sheet in his last game. His only one.

1954 - South Korean goalkeeper Hong Duk-Yung conceded 16 goals in two matches

1986 - Marcelo Trobbiani played one game in the World Cup. He appeared as a 89th minute substitute in the Final

1978 - Netherlands refused to attend the post-match ceremonies after the final because of what they claimed were deliberate stalling tactics by the Argentines before the start

1994 - The most watched Finals with a total of 3,587,538 fans attending games, that’s an average of almost 69,000 per game. The biggest gate was for the Final with 94,164

1954 - The draw for the finals took place before the end of the qualifying. Spain were seeded but had to be replaced after they were knocked out by Turkey following a replayed match that had eventually been settled by the drawing lots.

The NiKi advert from 2010.  'Just Write it.'  Is this the best ad yet ? DoH!  
Hocus Pocus from Dutch band Focus, Federer, Bryant and co.

1974 - Having not had to qualify, there were hosts (1966) and holders (1970) England failed to reach the finals for the first time since they entered the World Cup. This would lead to Sir Alf Ramsey being sacked as manager.
 
1978 - This was the first tournament that had over 100 entries.

1954 - Fritz and Ottmar Walter of West Germany became the first brothers in a winning World Cup side. In the semifinals, they had become the first brothers to score in the same World Cup game

1970 - Pele had been treated so badly by opponents in 62 & 66 he had to be talked out of retirement to take part.

1978 - FIFA introduce penalty shootouts after extra time, but they are not needed to Spain in 1982.

Jimmy Greaves in action, 1962.

1950 - Was the only Finals without a Final. The teams having gone into another group stage to decide the winner. Brazil started the last game only needing a draw to win the trophy but they lost.

1962 - During the famous Battle of Santiago, Italy's Ferrini was sent off and had to be dragged from the pitch by police when he refused to walk

1934 - When Mexico played USA in an extra qualifying game in Italy before the Finals, it was the only qualifying game ever played in the host nation.

1986 - Cover of Shoot magazine

1970 - This was the first Finals that allowed substitutes. The first substitute was a Russian
Anatoliy Puzach.

1962 - You know the story of Greaves and the dog. Jimmy is still referred to as 'Garrincha's dog-catcher' in Brazil

1974 - Despite losing the final, Holland were the most popular team in the competition. Johan Cruyff discussing their ‘Total Football’ style as "It's better to lose with your own vision than with someone else's."

1962 - After the “Battle of Santiago” between Italy and hosts Chile. The referee said  “I wasn't refereeing a football match, I was acting as an umpire in military manoeuvres”

1970 - With the introduction of yellow cards, the first Englishman to be booked was Francis Lee of Manchester City, and the second was Francis Lee.

1934 - Both finalists were captained by goalkeepers, Giampiero Combi and Frantisek Planicka leading Italy and Czechoslovakia respectively.

1970 - The finals saw refs using yellow and red cards. No red cards were used. This is one of two finals that hasn’t had a sending off. The other was 1930.

Adidas advert - 2006

And Finally - 1938 - Italy’s captain Giuseppe Meazza's shorts fell down after he scored a penalty in the semifinal. He had taken the kick with one hand holding them up.

All images not credited in text from FIFA.  Thanks - Mostly to FIFA , but also The BBC, ESPN and  Planet World Cup. 

About the author:
Keith Harrison,
Nilgiris, TN
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Follow Keith on Twitter  @keith16024542