Horses instead of Porsches

Former Paraguay forward Jose Parodi fondly remembers the days when players rode to matches on horseback and cleared the cows from the field before kickoff.

Former Paraguay forward Jose Parodi fondly remembers the days when players rode to matches on horseback and cleared the cows from the field before kickoff.

Parodi appeared for Paraguay in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, the first time the South Americans had played outside their own continent. Quite how they managed to finish ahead of Uruguay, who at the time were considered a major power after winning two of the first five World Cups, in their qualifying group remains a mystery.

Parodi began his career for Sportivo Luqueno and played in the team which won the domestic championship in 1951 and 1953 8212; the only titles in the club8217;s history. 8220;We didn8217;t earn a penny at the time,8221; recalls Parodi, who now lives a few blocks from the stadium.

8220;We went to matches by bicycle, on foot or on horseback, sometimes with three players on the same horse,8221; he said. 8220;The pitch was used for grazing cattle and we had to clear them off before kickoff.8221;

Paraguay left for the World Cup two months early. First, they flew to Brazil, playing some matches against local teams. They flew on to Lisbon and spent time in Rome before finally travelling to Sweden.

8220;It was as if we were on holiday,8221; said Parodi. 8220;In Rome, we were given 4 each to spend every day. We went to watch a game, Lazio against Roma, and we saw the sights but we didn8217;t play a game. I kept asking the coach when we were going to play because I knew the Europeans played a different style and we needed the practice.

8220;But he said that if we had a game, they would find out how we played. The Europeans didn8217;t know anything about Paraguay, they didn8217;t even know where it was,8221; he said.

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Paraguay got a baptism of fire in their first match when they came up again Juste Fontaine8217;s France. At one stage, they were to set to pull off an upset as they led 3-2 early in the second half, only to capitulate, concede five in half-an-hour and lose 7-3.

They bounced back to beat Scotland 3-2 in their next game, with Parodi scoring the winning goal.

Parodi also scored in their final match, a 3-3 draw with Yugoslavia, as Paraguay lost out on goal difference to the East Europeans.

After the heady days of 1958, the country had to wait nearly 30 years before re-appearing at the 1986 finals in Mexico.

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Paraguay reached the last 16, losing 3-0 to England, and produced repeat performances after qualifying for France in 1998 and Japan and South Korea in 2002.

Most of the players who will represent Paraguay at next month8217;s World Cup in Germany have emigrated and their lifestyle is a far cry from Parodi8217;s playing days. They drive Porches and four-wheel drive vehicles to training rather than ride horses. 8220;I think professionalism is a good thing,8221; said Parodi. 8220;I8217;m sorry I wasn8217;t born today. Maybe I would have been able to build a swimming pool in this garden.8221;

He has no regrets, though. 8220;I have played at a World Cup and that is a reason for my sons and grandsons to be proud.8221;

Brian Homewood