Special Features
World Cup 2010: Will history repeat itself?
The brouhaha resumed again in Brazil in 1950. The hosts with their beautiful football went all the way to the final when Uruguay beat them to even South America-Europe contest at 2-2. The 1954 tournament belonged to (West) Germany. It was 3-2 to Europe.
Sweden hosted the 6th World Cup. They made it to the final before being beaten by Brazil. The event witnessed another chapter of soccer history; a South American country won the contest on European soil, and the emergence of a 17-year-old future legend, the youngest ever to participate in the world’s biggest contest, Nedson Arantes de Nascimento or Pele.
He scored five goals, including one widely regarded as the most beautiful goal in the history of World Cup.
It was 3-3. Brazil defended the crown in 1962 in Chile to bring South America to a 4-3 lead.
Four years later, Europe equalized when England, led by the legendary Bobby Charlton, won the trophy after beating (West) Germany.
But South America took the lead again, thanks to Pele and Brazil who won it for the third time.
In 1974, a prodigy from (West) Germany, Franz Beckenbauer, rocketed to fame as he led his team to the final and beat the Netherlands’ “total football” in the final to level the score at 5-5.
The Netherlands’ “total football” stole the show again four years later, but as fate would have it, it
was South America who took home the tournament again, making the score 6-5.
An Argentinean team boasting captain Daniel Pasarella, a 23-year-old Mario Kempes, Osvaldo Ardilles, Daniel Bertoni and Maradona won the tournament for the first time in 1978.
But in 1982, Italy made it 6-6, becoming the first European country to win it three times.
The 1986 World Cup simply belonged to Maradona.
Whether it was the “hand of God”, or his unparalleled mazey run through England’s defense in the quarterfinals, or his eye-catching movement on and off the ball in leading Argentina to beat Belgium and Germany in the semifinals and final, Maradona cast a spell over the tournament and the world.
Maradona lifted the trophy for Argentina and put America in a 7-6 lead over Europe.
Germany then became the second European country to win the cup three times in 1990 after ousting the defending champions in the final.
The United States staged the 1994 World Cup and Brazil again made history by becoming the first country to win it four times.
It was a party for Brazil and South America — 8-7.
In 1998, thanks to a group of young players including soccer maestros Zinedine Yazid Zidane and Thierry Henry, France for the very first time captured the tournament, leveling the score at 8-8.
Asia was up next. Japan and South Korea co-hosted the tournament in 2002.
Was history to be made again? Yes it was, Asia played host to another Brazilian masterclass as the “three Rs” of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and a young Ronaldinho led their country to a record-breaking fifth title.
America led 9-8.
But soon it was even again at 9-9, with Italy emerging victorious in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
The 2010 World Cup is in Africa. Will history again repeat itself? Will a prodigy be born? Will South America lead the standings again? Will Brazil be the first nation to win it in three different continents and lift the trophy for a record sixth times or will Europe take the lead for the first time in fifty years?
