1970 FIFA WORLD CUP
Part 1
With how well the expanded World Cup had been and with more opportunities for countries to qualify, it wasn't a surprise that the twenty-four team format would remain in place for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, though for the organisers, it would be a headache to get more venues needed for the finals. The seeded format was something of an odd one as it was designed not only to have the hosts and reigning champions in it, but also the runners-up, third and fourth place teams too. However with both Argentina and Portugal both failing to qualify [1] only England and Scotland would fill this position along with the hosts.
There were some teams making a return such as Yugoslavia and Sweden who both failed to qualify for 1966 as such Paraguay for the first time since 1954 while Romania and Poland would be making a long awaited return to the World Cup for the first time since 1938 and such as Peru too since 1930 respectably [2]. There were a number of new teams making their debut such as Morocco, Nigeria, Israel and El Salvador though there would also be Greece being the only European team making their debut.
In January 1970, the draw was made and while some were somewhat unsure if the seedings were correct, all of that was soon forgotten about when the draw was made and a number of fascinating draws came about. What made it more interesting was the fact that unlike the last World Cup which went into a second group stage, it would here be a qualification to a knockout stage of sixteen teams with the best ranked third place teams of four going through [3].
The seeding of the 1970 World Cup
Mexico had been awarded to host the 1970 World Cup in 1964, the first time it would be hosted in North America, though this was before the sudden announcement that the tournament would be expanded and they would express disdain at FIFA that they didn't have the time to get stadiums ready in time which saw many smaller stadiums around the country being used as a quick and easy way to have stadiums ready though many felt if they had more money and time they could've done better. Such was this expansion problem that it would come to a head for the 1978 edition, but that's another story...
Qualification so fourteen teams from Europe go through and four from South America, however it was a shock that Argentina failed to qualify with Paraguay, as the best ranked team in the group stages going through. The qualification process for OFC was a rather straight forward format in which Australia and New Zealand played in a two legged affair in which the winner, Australia, would qualify automatically while New Zealand still had a second chance to go through to face Israel in a play off [4] but sadly failed to do so.
In Africa, Morocca would win the final group while Nigeria as the second place team, would play in a play off with the AFC second ranked team with South Korea. Unlike the last time, the play off went ahead and Nigeria would defeat the Asian team and would make their debut at the World Cup for the first time, though they and several others were going to get a rude awakening.
Final results of Group 1
In a blaze of sunshine and a wonderful opening ceremony, the opening match would between Mexico and the Soviet Union though despite much hype, it would turn into something of an anti-climax with the game ending 0-0. Elsewhere, Belgium would spank El Salvador 3-0 in their opening match and the poor little Central American team would end up being the whipping boys of the group gain no goals and letting in nine goals to end up rock bottom of the group.
Mexico had hoped to win the group and while they and the Soviet Union would end up on level points, it would be the Russians that would win the group thanks to scoring an extra goal in their game which may have disappointed the hosts but nonetheless they were still through and hoped that they may have landed themselves with an easy route to try and go all the way.
However it would be Belgium that breathed the biggest sigh of relief as despite finishing in third place [5], they would go through as one of the best ranked third place teams at the 1970 World Cup and the format, despite being something of a confusing thing by some, would be nonetheless welcomed as another way to go through, though it would lead to some teams ending up colluding with others in order to try and get through...
Mexico and the USSR prior to the start of the opening match
Final results of Group 2
While many had Italy down as favourites to win the group in which they did [6], the group would throw up some interesting results. Despite no one given them much thought to go through, Israel would put on a respectably performance in the group stage, most notably holding Italy and Sweden to draws. As a matter of fact, if it wasn't for Sweden scoring a last minute goal against Uruguay in their final group game, Israel had a very good chance to go through as one of the best ranked third place teams. In the end, it would be a sad 'what could have been' [7].
Uruguay would go through as the best ranked second place team and this was indeed an improvement from the last World Cup in which they fell in the first round and with a mostly 'local' crowd backing them, there was a sense that a Latin American side would do well this time round with the heat and humidity being in their favour. The only question was who would it be?
While Israel failing to get through right at the death, it did show that many of the so called 'weaker' nations were not there to just make up numbers but actually try and go all the way. Hopefully though there would be more teams outside of Europe and South America causing a shock on the World Stage.
Uruguay vs Israel in their opening match
Final results of Group 3
Those hoping for shock results were to look no further than the third group which would raise many eyebrows. Though England were favourites, they had gotten a rough build up with the story of their captain, Bobby Moore being arrested briefly but later released other alleged stolen jewellery. To make matters worse some comments from the England manager Alf Ramsay saying much about his dissatisfaction about Mexico which didn't go down well among the local population and even though they were champions and ended up winning the group, they would end up being the pantomime villains [8].
It would have the biggest shock in which Australia, the whipping boys of the last tournament, would end up shocking the world by going through despite many predicting they would fail. It is said that the hot climate may have made many of the European nations unsettled, it would however make the Australians right at home and they would embarrass Romania in their opening match in which they won the game thanks to a penalty, though this wasn't including the fact that they were on the backfoot most of the time. The match with England and Australia would be real interesting encounter as while England would get the better of the Socceroos, Australia did show much much they had improved from the last time they were seen at the World Cup.
While Romania would be spared their blushes by going through as one of the best ranked third place teams, the same couldn't be said for Czechoslovakia as would end up with one lousy point and had a frustrating campaign in which they bemoaned that the conditions weren't what they wanted. To rub it in even more, they were pretty much forgotten about as everyone wanted to know about Australia and they would be the underdog everyone wanted to support.
England vs Romania in the their final group match
Final results of Group 4
While at first glance, West Germany were looked upon as the favourites to win the group, the question was who would finish below them. They would go on an unbeaten run smashing all their group opponents and setting the scene ahead as to where may felt their chances would end up as they attempted to show that they meant business and the fact they seemed to have coped well with the conditions said a lot.
Bulgaria would end up being the team to finish in second place despite their bad opening match with the hosts as thanks to two tight 2-1 victories over Paraguay and Morocco helped them just enough to go through and now they were looking at the interesting prospect of heading into the second stage of the World Cup for the first time in their history.
For Paraguay and Morocco, it wouldn't be the best for them as after both ended up getting a draw in their opening match together, it would end up all going downhill from then and none of them would end up with a third place best finish after all that.
West Germany vs Morocco at the start of their match
Final results of Group 5
Brazil went into this World Cup as pre-tournament favourites and for good reason. The Brazilians would end up spanking all their group opponents with ease without even conceding a goal and pretty much became everyone's favourite team to go all the way [9] though a cynic would point out that this might've been that with the expectation of Yugoslavia, the other two were making their debut and didn't have the experience.
Speaking of Yugoslavia, they would end up taking the second place spot with victories over Greece and Nigeria though it was against Greece they nearly blew it as despite running into a 3-0 lead at half time, Greece came back with a vengeance and one has to ponder if Greece had pulled of a stunning comeback as in the end, Greece would frustratingly miss out on reaching the knockout stage thanks to their poor goal differences preventing them from being part of the best ranked third place teams.
The less said for poor Nigeria the better. After doing so well but sadly losing to Greece in their opening match, It all got worse for them as heavy defeats to Yugoslavia and Brazil would see them finish rock bottom with no points or goals to their name. Things would get better for them but that would be another story...
Brazil celebrate after their big victory over Nigeria in their final group match
Final results of Group 6
Group six would be perhaps the closet group at the 1970 World Cup with runners-up Scotland winning the group with a team that was said to be even better than the 1966 team [10]. However like with many teams from Europe, the hot climate did prove to be something of a challenge to them. Though they managed to beat Hungary by quite a close result, the game with Peru would be one of the classic games in which defence was pretty much forgotten about as the manic game ended in a 3-3 draw. Scotland would win the group ultimately thanks to a 4-1 victory over Poland in what was said to be one of their best results.
Peru and Hungary would end up on level points and would end up going through together with Peru being the best third place team of all the teams with the goals they had managed to score though it was something strange considering the fact they had done it without getting a victory with all their games being draws. This would indeed lead to more concerns that the format was making easier for teams to avoid losing in order to better their chances to go through.
Poland's long awaited return to the World Cup was something of a disappointment as a defeat to Hungary would in the end kill their chances to progress and would head home with a lot to think about. Still with the group stages done, there were many with baited breathes who waited to see who would progress and thus, twenty-four teams had been reduced to sixteen.
Scotland captain Billy Bremner after the 3-3 thriller with Peru
The best ranked third place teams at the 1970 World Cup
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At last, here is the long awaited update and hope it is what you wanted. Anyway, here are some details to follow:
[1] As in OTL.
[2] As in OTL.
[3] The same format as what would happen from 1986 Mexico, only difference is it happens a whole decade earlier.
[4] Quite similar to OTL though the qualification process for both Australia and New Zealand was quite tricky looking back on hindsight with several groups to go through, here it's a little bit more easier.
[5] The Group is pretty much the same as OTL, only difference is that Belgium go through.
[6] As they would be...
[7] The Group is pretty much the same as OTL with Sweden going through and thus a much more frustrating affair for Israel.
[8] This all actually happened which caused much of the Mexican public rooting for the England team to fail.
[9] What else were you expecting? 
[10] It is said that the 1970 Scotland team was the peak Scottish team that failed to qualify for a tournament.
Hope those are helpful and here are the fixtures for the knockout stage as follows...
Soviet Union vs Romania
Hungary vs Uruguay
Brazil vs Bulgaria
England vs Peru
West Germany vs Sweden
Mexico vs Australia
Scotland vs Yugoslavia
Italy vs Belgium
So who do you think will win each of those games? Until then, please comment for more and hope you are enjoying it so far
