World Cup Rambling

Scotland’s qualifying campaign for World Cup 98 was ticking along nicely (absent Estonians notwithstanding). As the campaign reached a climax, Scotland were top of their group and in a good position to reach their first World Cup since 1990. Off the field, change was coming to Scotland. The election of Tony Blair’s New Labour government in May 1997 meant that Scottish voters had been offered a referendum on devolution and were set to overwhelmingly endorse new devolved institutions. As a crucial home match with Belarus approached, the only worry for Craig Brown’s team was a few injuries in the squad. However, the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in the early hours of 31st August 1997, led to an almighty uproar, which seriously damaged the credibility of Scottish international football, provoked interventions from the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland, and nearly derailed Scotland’s World Cup bid. TWITTER/X@MatthewOkot@WorldCupRamble Subscribe to World Cup Rambling on your podcast platform.

51 games down, one to go – the World Cup Final. It’s a historic occasion. Whoever comes out on top – Italy or Brazil – will be the first nation to win the World Cup four times. Memories of 1970 are evoked but the idea of Brazil’s pragmatic class of ’94 emulating Pelé and co is laughable. Italy, meanwhile, seem to be running out of players, with Roberto Baggio playing despite carrying a hamstring injury that blunts his effectiveness. The much-hyped showdown between Romario and Baggio fails to materialise. The blistering heat is inimical to quality football. The match turns out to be a dull, disappointing climax to a great tournament. It finishes goalless and goes to penalties – a tiebreaking method that almost creates a moral panic from journalists and commentators as the greatest competition in the world is reduced to a shootout. Italian and Brazilian national anthems are from https://nationalanthems.info/ Thanks for your listening support in 2024. Subscribe to World Cup Rambling on your podcast platform. TWITTER/X @MatthewOkot @WorldCupRamble

The penultimate episode of the series and we’ve got the semi-finals. Roberto Baggio produces one of the best individual performances of the tournament, to give Italy a 2-1 victory over Bulgaria in New York. However, it’s a day of mixed fortunes for The Divine Ponytail, as a hamstring injury leaves him in a race against time to make the final. Meanwhile, across in Los Angeles, Romario’s goal finishes off a tired Sweden and gives Brazil a place in the final for the first time since 1970. Playing the semi-finals on the same day on opposite coasts is a self-inflicted error from the American organisers, handing a massive advantage to the winners in Los Angeles. There’s also the third-place play-off, with Sweden signing off in style, finishing as the tournament’s highest scorers and claiming the bronze medal. Subscribe to World Cup Rambling on your podcast platform. TWITTER/X @MatthewOkot @WorldCupRamble

We're back with the last 16 of USA 94. Klinsmann and Voller come up with the old magic as Germany find their touch. Spain produce a performance that suggests they might finally be ready to end their decades of underachievement (yeah right). Sweden’s Three Amigos – Brolin, Dahlin, Andersson – end Saudi Arabia’s dream run. Romania and Argentina produce a match for the ages. Packie Bonner’s butter fingers end Ireland’s hopes of a second successive quarter-final. Independence Day is memorable in more ways than one as Team USA face the might of Brazil. Roberto Baggio’s divine intervention finally kickstarts Italy’s campaign. Bulgaria break new ground as Mexico break the goal frame. Hanging over the last 16 is the brutal murder of Andres Escobar and arguments over refereeing standards, as some games are plagued by controversial decisions, with FIFA giving several referees their marching orders. Subscribe to World Cup Rambling on your podcast platform. TWITTER/X @MatthewOkot @WorldCupRamble

This month we’ve got the second set of group games, which produced some notable matches and moments. Team USA triggering a soccer boom with a victory that will have fatal consequences elsewhere, Roy Hodgson’s swaggering Swiss putting the skids under Romania, a touchline explosion involving Jack Charlton and John Aldridge, Bulgaria ending one of the most embarrassing streaks in World Cup history, Arrigo Sacchi gambling his career with a brave substitution, Diego Maradona equalling the all-time World Cup appearances record, and much more. Subscribe to World Cup Rambling on your podcast platform. TWITTER/X @MatthewOkot @WorldCupRamble

Series 4 of World Cup Rambling and it's time to get in the DeLorean and go back thirty years for a mammoth odyssey through USA 94 - a very underrated tournament. We start the series by looking at why football (or "soccer") failed to take a hold in the United States, then having a look at the rise and fall of the North American Soccer League, America's failed bid to host the 1986 World Cup and, ultimately, the successful bid to host the 1994 World Cup, with the pitfalls on the path as the American organisers tried to deliver on the promises they made to FIFA. There will also be the customary whistle-stop tour through the 24 finalists. Thanks to https://nationalanthems.info for the national anthems. Subscribe to World Cup Rambling on your podcast platform. TWITTER @MatthewOkot @WorldCupRamble

It's time for something very special. We have World Cup Rambling’s first-ever guest. In this episode, I talk to Gary Thacker. Gary is an author and journalist, who has contributed most prominently to These Football Times, but also to other publications. Gary has written numerous books, including “Beautiful Bridesmaids Dressed in Oranje: The Unfulfilled Glory of Dutch Football”, “Out of the Blue: Chelsea’s Unlikely Champions League Triumph” and “Dutch Masters: When Ajax’s Totaalvoetbal Conquered Europe”. Here we discuss his upcoming book “O Jogo Bonito – Brazil’s 1970 World Cup Samba Party”, which will be released on 12th February 2024. The book looks at Brazil’s iconic World Cup triumph in 1970, as they rebuilt from the ashes of 1966 to become the most famous World Cup winners of all-time, with a beautiful style of play that Brazil have never been able to recapture, despite further World Cup wins in 1994 and 2002. You can find some of Gary’s excellent work at: https://allbluedaze.com/ https://thesefootballtimes.co/author/allbluedaze/ Follow on Twitter/X @All_Blue_Daze @O_Jogo_Bonito70 @MatthewOkot @WorldCupRamble