10 great World Cup rants
It was the club-versus-country battle Jung-Hwan Ahn could never win, but he was astounded by the reaction to his winner for Korea against Italy in 2002. The president of his Italian club, Perugia’s Luciano Gaucci, decided Ahn had behaved insolently. Gaucci raged: “I am a nationalist and I regard such behaviour not only as an affront to Italian pride but also an offence to a country which two years ago opened its doors to him.” He sacked Ahn, who has since rebuilt his career in Japanese and French football.
Keane picked a fight with the wrong man — or perhaps that was Mick McCarthy — before the World Cup began four years ago. After criticising the Republic of Ireland’s training facilities, and hinting that “one or two people” in the party were not to his liking, the Republic skipper took his anger out on McCarthy in front of the entire squad. McCarthy, who bore the brunt of an expletive-ridden tirade, later said: “I have never witnessed such an attack from any human being. It was vicious and it was unjust.” Keane was sent home in disgrace before the finals began.
The veteran striker wanted in on the World Cup action 12 years ago; a reluctant fourth official was having communication problems with the referee. The result? A venomous Scouse tongue-lashing and the viperish jabbing of an Aldridge finger at fourth official Renato Marsiglia of Brazil. When he got on, 35-year-old Aldridge took his anger out on Mexico, scoring the Republic of Ireland’s consolation in a 2-1 defeat.
“We don’t swap shirts with animals,” was Alf Ramsey’s contribution to British-Argentinian relations. It may not have been well received in South America, but his words and England’s 1-0 win against Argentina in the 1966 quarter-finals meant Ramsey could do little wrong that summer. His outburst came after that particularly testy quarter-final in which Argentina captain Antonio Rattin was sent off. Ramsey was alarmed his players were about to give their England shirts to the opposition and ordered them not to do so.
The Kuwaiti FA chief was so outraged at France scoring a fourth goal against his country in their 1982 World Cup meeting that he left the stands and entered the pitch. He approached the referee, remonstrating by claiming the Kuwait players had heard a whistle from the stands and stopped playing, thinking it had come from the man in black. Russian referee Miroslav Stupar amazingly went along with the prince and disallowed the goal, although France would later score again and win 4-1. Kuwait were later fined £8,000 by FIFA for Fahid’s intervention.
The Brazil coach had just seen his players lift the World Cup, and he chose the occasion to lambaste the legendary Pelé, a frequent critic of his team selection. Pelé, a Romario fan, failed to persuade Scolari to pick the veteran striker and the coach’s decision proved justified. The outburst was nevertheless remarkable. Scolari said: “Pelé knows nothing about football. He has done nothing as a coach and his analysis turns out to be always wrong. If you want to win a big title, listen to what Pelé says, then do the opposite.” Pele claimed Scolari was attention-seeking.
In the same game as Aldridge’s rant (see No 3), Ireland coach Jack Charlton wrote himself into World Cup legend. Or at least this list. The jolly Geordie might have been feeling the heat — it was, after all, in the high 90s and Ireland were trailing to Mexico — but when he tried and was refused permission to pass water bottles to his players during the game, he boiled over. Like Aldridge, he unleashed both barrels on any officials within reach, and although his words were indecipherable, they screamed a universal language. Big Jack’s goat was got.
The veteran Argentinian was waiting for his chance to be involved in the 2002 group match against Sweden when he took offence to a decision by referee Ali Bujsaim. The substitute, sat on the Argentina bench, took offence verbally and loudly, unfortunately. “I shouted ‘son of a bitch’ at him and I think he heard some protests,” Caniggia admitted after being red-carded. It led to Caniggia missing the 1990 final because of a ban.
The silent rant heard the world over, Cruyff’s decision to boycott the 1978 World Cup was one largely of actions rather than words, but it had the desired effect of drawing attention to human rights abuses in host country Argentina. He famously refused to play for Holland — despite the Dutch public campaigning for a change of mind at the finals — because of his and his wife Danny’s opposition to the tyrannical General Jorge Videla. Everyone took notice — Cruyff’s absence was keenly felt.
Maradona had been newly voted — by supporters — FIFA’s greatest player of all time. Pelé was second — just where Maradona likes him to finish in such polls. The pair do not get along, and at the 2002 World Cup, Maradona made that quite clear. “Pele is a great politician,” said the Argentinian. “Some people say he has had a part in keeping me out of the FIFA family. He can do that if he wants. He cares about me as much as I don’t care about him.”
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