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Journalism of Courage
LONDON, December 25: The early months of 1997 gave Italy reason to believe it soon would be challenging Brazil as the world’s best. By the end of the year, Italian soccer was almost on its knees.
While its big rivals for world supremacy Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France and even England improved steadily throughout the year, Italy went into a dive.
And Juventus, which started the year as World and European Club champion, just scraped into the last eight of the European Champions Cup as a Group runner-up and only because another team conceded a late equaliser.
The powerhouse club owned by TV tycoon Silvio Berlusconi was in such disarray under Arrigo Sacchi that it recalled another former coach, Fabio Capello, to replace him to halt a slide to its lowest place in the Serie A in 50 years.
Inter Milan acquire the world’s greatest player, Ronaldo, for a record $32 million and take a strong lead atop the standings.
At club level, it was great to be a German in 1997. Borussia Dortmund took the European Champions Cup title from Juventus by beating the Turin giant in the final in May and Schalke 04 upset Inter in the UEFA Cup final.
When the last eight of the Champions Cup was decided in December, it included a first-ever trio from one nation Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. Dortmund also went on to win the Toyota Cup title by beating the South American champion, Brazil’s Cruzeiro, 2-0 in Tokyo.
Already sure of the talent of stars such as Ronaldo, Juninho and Roberto Carlos, Zagallo oversaw the development of others such as Denilson, Leonardo and Edmundo as his team won the Copa America, beating host Bolivia 3-1 in the final in June. When the 1998 World Cup finals come round in France next summer, Zagallo’s biggest problem will be who to leave out.
Argentina adjusted to life without Diego Maradona, who made brief and largely unsuccessful returns to action, admitted his addiction to cocaine, and announced retirement.
Without him, Argentina looked better organised and, despite the erratic form of star striker Gabriel Batistuta, showed it will be tough to beat in the World Cup.
Most of Argentina’s big names are based in Europe where the salaries are far higher than at home. Midfielder Juan Veron is with Italy’s Sampdoria, Batistuta stars for Fiorentina, Hernan Crespo strikes for Parma while Ariel Ortega plays in Spain for Valencia.
Despite some shaky performances and results in the early stages, European champion Germany made it safely through to the finals. Star striker Juergen Klinsmann found it hard to find the net and went eight games without scoring, but Oliver Bierhoff did it for him.
The alterations made by coach Terry Venables have been followed by more refinements by Glenn Hoddle and the new England looks so sleek and elegant that even rival coaches are impressed.
Things looked a little gloomy when England lost 1-0 at home to Italy beaten for the first time at Wembley in a World Cup game.
But Hoddle’s team recovered to win the Tournoi De France, a World Cup test event, against Brazil, Italy and host nation France in June. Then it won its World Cup group, leaving the Italians in second place and in the playoffs.
Rival coaches admitted that English players, notably the young Manchester United trio of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, could pass the ball in a style usually not associated with English teams and that the old-fashioned, hopeful style of getting it up-field had vanished.
