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Journalism of Courage
The FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia is just around the corner and with the announcement of final squads, the excitement among the fans is starting to increase as the number of days to kickoff grow smaller. According to a report from Daily Express, pizza chain ASK Italian are offering the Italy football fans in England a free pizza and beer at one of their five outlets across the country. Why? Because Italy have not qualified and the Azzurri will be staying at home for the first time in 60 years. Meanwhile, according to a Chinese newspaper, a huge gathering of fans from China will be travelling to Russia to raise the country’s banners, even though China has not qualified.
The tournament, being held in Russia, promises an exciting month-long extravaganza. A glimpse into the events of the Brazil World Cup in 2014, showcases just how sensational things could get in the football’s biggest tournament. Let’s press the rewind button and take a trip down memory lane.
Robin Van Persie ‘Flying Dutchman’
“I did something which I had never done before. I kept looking at the ball while I was flying until I landed with a massive bang with my face forward on the ground.” This is how Robin Van Persie described his sensational strike for the Netherlands in their opening game against Spain. Xabi Alonso’s goal from the penalty spot separated the two sides as the half-time approached. But just before the whistle, Daley Blind produced a brilliant pass inside the box, which made Van Persie jump up like Superman to connect the header and beat Iker Casillas. As he ran towards his coaching staff, the hi-5 to coach Louis Van Gaal, became a memorable sight. The brilliant header, that gave Van Persie the nickname “The Flying Dutchman”, shifted the momentum in the match and Netherlands went from 0-1 down to clinch a 5-1 win over the defending Champions. The huge win further marked the end of the domination Spain held in football for over six years.
Luis Suarez ‘bite’
“I want to change the bad boy image that has stuck for a bit because I don’t think I am at all how I have been portrayed,” Uruguay striker Luis Suarez told Sports Illustrated before the start of the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. In spite of the claims, the biggest controversy in the tournament took place in Uruguay’s group stage match against Italy, and it involved the then, Liverpool striker. The South American nation needed to pick up the win over Azzurri to qualify further in the tournament. With the scoreline remaining at 0-0 late in the second half, the nerves and the pressure overtook common sense as Suarez, for the third time in his career, bit an opposing team’s player. The referee did not see the incident and Suarez escaped with no cards. The victim of the “bite” this time was the defender Giorgio Chiellini. It was not Suarez’s first such offence. He bit a PSV Eindhoven player in 2010 and faced a 7-match suspension. 3 years later, he bit a Chelsea player and was suspended for 10 games. The incident in the football’s biggest stage earned him a four-month suspension later. Uruguay, though went on to win the match and Italy crashed out of the tournament.
Brazil 1-7 Germany
An image of Brazil superfan Clovis Fernandes went viral after Brazil’s semi-final clash against Germany. The image showed a teary-eyed Fernandes clutching a replica model of the FIFA World Cup Trophy. He was not the only teary-eyed Brazil fan that night in Belo Horizonte. Having lost Neymar with injury before the knockout game, Brazil suffered a disastrous 7-1 defeat at the hands of Germany, who later went on to beat Argentina in the final to lift the trophy. Toni Kroos struck twice, while Thomas Mueller, Miroslav Klose, and Sami Khedira scored once each as the hosts went down 0-5 within just 30 minutes into the game. Andre Schurrle added to the damage in the second half, as he scored a brace to make the scoreline an embarrassing 0-7. Usually, a goal is a consolation, but from 0-7 down, as Brazil, in a World Cup, in front of Brazilian fans, is it really any reason to smile? Not at all. Hence, a late Oscar goal could do little to salvage Brazil’s pride. Sadly for Fernandes, who attended over 150 international matches of his country, it was the last time he ever got to see his country in the World Cup finals. A year and two months after the devastating loss, Fernandes lost his battle against cancer at the age of 60.
World Cup-winning ‘Wonder Boy’ substitution
After 88 minutes in the World Cup final against Argentina, Germany coach Joachim Low decided to substitute World Cup record goalscorer, Miroslav Klose. Goetze, who was touted to be a rising youngster, had lost his starting position in the team and needed to prove himself. As the match stretched into extra time, Low decided to boost the confidence of the then 22-year old striker. “I said to Götze: ‘OK, show the world you are better than Messi and can decide the World Cup,’” Low told a press conference. The pep talk worked as Goetze scored from a terrific volley with an assist from Schurrle, as Germany went on to beat Argentina 1-0 to lift the trophy. “Götze is a miracle boy, a boy wonder. He can play any position up front. I know he’s always able to decide a match, and it was a great winner he scored,” Low said later.
