Alternate FIFA World Cup - Argentina '78 (24 teams not 16)

[Ruperto Pesto]

In Marseille happened the unthinkable...well, that was not unthinkable, but you expected more from the hosts...the twice winner of FIFA World Cup, France. They were closer... Malouda opened the scored, but Germany tied after a corner, at minute 81...and then in extra time, Friedrich put french dreams to slide into obscurity. Ten years of hard working for Germany seemed to start to pay off...



F. Malouda opening the gates of dreams to France, in Marseillle - July 2, 2010

The rival on semifinals would be Spain, which defeated Chile in a match full of incidents...Spain started by winning 2-0 (David Villa 17' and 36' minutes of 1st Half) but on 2nd half, Chile reacted and tied 2-2 (Mark Gonzalez 55' and Marco Estrada '78)...so extra time was declared. And that's when all seemed to disband. Extra time saw fouls of all calibers...and at 111' minutes Carles Puyol , after a centre, scored with a header...3-2, but chileans claimed offside (if you watch, it was a thin line situation, so if the referee would have say "offside" , spanish players could not be able to argue)...and that when Iniesta recovered the ball, that then became spanish goal, he made foul. But not only that, chilean players argued that Puyol screamed the goal into their faces, so all went in madness. Fistcuffs, discussions, the game was stopped for 5 minutes, and Mark Gonzalez and Gary Medel, for Chile, and Carles Puyol for Spain were sent off. David Villa was booked and he missed semi finals against Germany.

In Chile, players were received at the Palacio de la Moneda (the presidential house), and manager Pekerman was asked to renew his contract, but he did delay the answer until august 2010...




Bielsa's Argentina took advantage of this mediocre italian team. Final result was 2-0 (Carlos Tevez 16' and Mariano Gonzalez '77) sealed the score, in a match when Argentina could have win 4-0 and it would be just fine. In Italy, only Andrea Pirlo did something to have a clear consciuos at night...but his rival on semifinal, was another issue. No matter the previous performance, they will always matches apart from that.



Certanly, England vs Uruguay was like a chess match. In tactical manners, England was far superior, but Uruguay had good players, and played like it was their lives in risk...after Diego Forlan opened the scored ( 31' minutes) . England took control of the ball and the space, and had clearer chances and a ball possesion of 65%-35%. It was obvious that Uruguay bet for 1-0 or in the worst case, to penalties...and that happened, when Jermaine Defoe tied at 85' minutes. Then extra time was almost similar, but without the goal chances...and England, who didn't win a penalty decision since the victory against Argentina on semis of USSR '90, fell again....Young and Cole failed...and Luis Suarez scored the decisive one...so, Uruguay would have a place into the best four, for the first time in 40 years...

On England side, Ancellotti would remain, and was a good decision, because England won their second Euro in Italy 2012...

 

[Paradox-less]

Fistcuffs, discussions, the game was stopped for 5 minutes, and Mark Gonzalez

...And then the Crystal Boy got injured. Again.

Seriously. Injuries are a big problem for him. His reputation is now:

"Mark Gonzalez signs for Colo-Colo, breaks his wrist and is out for 8 months."

 

[mudhead]

In Italy, only Andrea Pirlo did something to have a clear consciuos at night

And Gianluigi Buffon, of course.

In tactical manners, England was far superior

Can't remember the last time England were tactically superior to anyone.

 

[Coulsdon Eagle]

And Gianluigi Buffon, of course.


Can't remember the last time England were tactically superior to anyone.

I don't think we ever have been. Right from the start in the 1870s the Scots game bewildered England.

 

[GeorgeUK]

The funny thing is, ITTL a quarter final exit is actually disappointing for England.

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

Germany reached the World Cup final for the first since 1974 time after a second-half header twice from Bastian Schweinsteiger ( 73' and 81' minutes) and secured a narrow victory over Spain after an intriguing match in Décines-Charpieu

Germany deserved their victory after controlling huge periods of the match, but once again it was far from a vintage performance.

The winning goals came when Schweinsteiger showed great determination to atone for a poor first-half miss by heading home corner with 17 minutes remaining. The second came after Asamoah pick out a completely unmarked Schweinsteiger again.

Spain had invited pressure by adopting an increasingly deep defensive line as the match wore on - and may regret not taking the game to their opponents more while it remained goalless.

Luis Aragones' team scored three goals against Chile but they had few opportunities to strike on the counter against Germany , so Spain taste defeat at the semi-final stage. Spain coach Aragones knew he would miss Puyol, Villa and chose Wednesday's tie to drop the out-of-form Torres, drafting in Barcelona's lively young forward Pedro. And while Spain certainly looked uncomfortable as they worked the ball around midfield, Germany showed excellent shape and discipline, and were rarely dragged out of position.

Although Germany did not have the opportunity to launch a counter attack until the 22nd minute, but that broke down after a miscommunication between Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski, and germans looked increasingly threatening as the half wore on and had what initially appeared to be a strong penalty appeal in injury-time, after Ozil went down under a clumsy challenge from Ramos. Ozil was certainly in a very threatening position after collecting a pass from Miroslav Klose and looked to be fouled, but replays suggested the initial contact had been made outside the area.

The start of the second half was a repeat of the first in that Germany passed and probed - but this time they started to seriously threaten Casillas' goal.

Alonso twice shot wide from distance, tried to curl across goal, but the impressive Pedro did force a sharp save from Neuer.

Germany were dropping ever deeper and would have fallen behind but for two near misses. German substitutions brought on Marcell Jansen and Toni Kroos for Jerome Boateng and Trochowski as he tried to change the game in his team's favour.

And Kroos forced a save after a deep cross from Podolski, and shortly afterwards Schweinsteiger struck and Germany were able to open and to close later, courtesy of Schweinsteiger, out the match to seal their place in the final and ensure that the World Cup will have a first-time finalist since 1974.





Uruguay 1 (Diego Perez 5') -1 (Gonzalo Higuain 17') Argentina (AET): Uruguay progress after disciplined defending and superb penalties

Oscar Tabarez kept faith with the same narrow 4-4-1-1 system as against England, although there was one change – Martin Cacares came in for Cristian Rodriguez, with Alvaro Pereira moving forward to the left of midfield.

Marcelo Bielsa named an unchanged XI in broadly the same system as in Argentina’s quarterfinal match against Italy

The game started frantically and then slowed down but remained enjoyable – the two red cards opened up the game, but didn’t produce any more goals.

You can expect anything from an Argentina v Uruguay match, you can always count on closing down, tackles and rapid passing early on. Argentina dominated the ball, and unlike against England, Uruguay tried to press – although the mismatch in systems made it more difficult here.

Behind Pereira, Martin Caceres generally did a good job on his old Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, starting narrow and tracking him inside – it was a good decision by Tabarez to play a converted centre-back there, rather than Pereira. That said, Messi did find space for Gonzalo Higuain’s goal – a drifted left-footed cross after he cut in from the right.

There were two other factors in the first half – both involved free-kicks and dead ball situations. First, Argentina defended set-pieces abysmally, and Gabriel Milito and Nicolas Burdisso showed no understanding of this situation by constantly giving away cheap free-kicks. Perez had poked in the opener from one of these situations.

Second, Perez himself was charging around the pitch and conceding an amazing number of fouls. He could have been sent-off on at least two occasions before his red card.

After Uruguay went down to ten, Argentina misunderstood the tactics, because the best way to play against ten men is with width – especially, as it happens, because Uruguay here were playing a 4-3-2 formation, and asking their three central midfielders to shift across the pitch constantly. Indeed, Tabarez didn’t feel the need to make any further substitutions until the second half of extra time, which both demonstrates that Uruguay’s players performed extremely well, but also that Bielsa and Argentina made life easy for them.

With Messi immediately coming inside into the centre of the pitch with the ball, and Aguero staying wider but hardly a natural winger, Argentina lacked width and played through the middle too much, playing into Uruguay’s hands. They could have afforded to play Fernando Gago and Javier Mascherano as the double pivot, and put Di Maria on either flank. Instead, Argentina remained slow and predictable on the ball, and were far too narrow, and the introduction of Carlos Tevez for Aguero late on didn’t really make any sense.

Then, Mascherano’s red card opened the game up further, and Argentina looked nervous, Tabarez was the man who got things right in the extra time period – although they needed an astonishing Fernando Muslera double save to stay in it.

Muslera was also the hero in the shoot-out – and it was almost inevitable that Tevez would be the villain.




Mascherano is down...then he would be out...a repeated scene in a Argentina v Uruguay match, this time in France 2010


Uruguay's Forlan converted his penalty during the shootout



So, Uruguay, which didn't reach a final since 1950 and Germany, which had played the last one in (West) Germany 1974 would meet in an astonishing against all odds final...

 

[MatthewFirth]

WTH, Uruguay are masters of the penalties. Do they deserve the title though?

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

On third place match, Argentina handed Spain to a total defeat, earning a resounding 4-1 win in Marseille. That was their first meet since round robin in England ‘66

Argentina stunned Spain with first-half goals from Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín and Carlos Tévez, and were assisted by nervous goalkeeping from Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Reina was lobbed by Messi in the 10th minute and then beaten by a tight-angled shot from Higuaín in the 13th.

The Liverpool goalkeeper slipped in the 34th minute when trying to clear the ball, allowing Tévez to scramble it home.

Fernando Llorente scored in the 84th minute for Spain, but by that time it was too late, and Sergio Agüero made it 4-1 for Argentina seconds into injury time…after that, a new process started in Spain, and well known Real Madrid related coach, Vicente del Bosque was appointed to manage “La Furia” to Brazil 2014




Incredible mistake made by pepe Reina (who substituted Iker Casillas for this match), and Tevez didn't miss...


Messi scored but didn't help to be FIFA WORLD CUP France 2010 top scorer...


Aguero sealed the butchery...


---Germany and Uruguay staged a match entertaining according to a World Cup title in Saint Denis----


Sami Khedira scored the winner for Germany, but Forlán again showed the scoring prowess once so inexplicably missing at Manchester United, and Müller pocketed a poacher's goal.

Sami Khedira scored in the 82nd minute to give Germany a 3-2 victory and third World Cup. But the Germans had to survive a final-second free kick by Uruguay star striker Diego Forlan from just outside the penalty area. It ricocheted off the crossbar, and the whistle sounded.

Khedira’s header after the Uruguay defense failed to clear a corner kick by Mesut Oezil ended Uruguay’s hopes of beating Germany for the first time in 82 years.

“We had hoped for that, and we did everything for it,” Khedira said. “This was a final and we did everything for it.



Uruguay came from behind to lead 2-1 when Forlan brilliantly volleyed in Egidio Arevalo’s 51st-minute cross for his fifth goal of the tournament.

Forlán was agonisingly close to overtaking his rivals with the last kick of the match, when his free-kick struck the bar, but remained upbeat.

Germany quickly established the upper hand and from a corner Arne Friedrich headed against the crossbar, with Müller unable to scramble home the rebound. The forward was not to be denied in the 19th minute when Bastian Schweinsteiger unleashed a 30-yard shot, which Fernando Muslera spilled straight intoMüller's path. He calmly sidefooted home as Uruguay appealed for offside.

Schweinsteiger, having set up the opening goal, then played the pivotal part in Uruguay's equaliser. Caught in possession on the halfway line by a strong challenge from Diego Pérez, could only watch as Luis Suárez fed Edinson Cavani in the inside-left channel to slip the ball past Neuer with his right foot.

Six minutes into the second half Uruguay had the lead. Egidio Arévalo played an unconventional one-two with Suárez and his cross was acrobatically volleyed home by Forlán. Germany levelled when Muslera came for a cross but was left helpless as an almost apologetic Marcell Jansen headed into the net.

Heartbreak for Uruguay came with eight minutes left. Diego Lugano could not adjust his feet quickly enough to clear a corner and the ball popped up for Khedira to loop home a header.

“Obviously we are sad, but it’s something spectacular to be among the top,” said Forlan. “If someone would’ve asked us at the beginning, we would’ve liked it. It’s something positive.”

Uruguay won the first World Cup in 1930 and also won it in 1950. Germany has won in 1954, 1974 and 2010.



“I don’t think it’s too much vanity to think that if we improve a little we can aspire to certain prominence in future international tournaments,” Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said.



And that’s how Germany regain their status of World Champions…the next years were interesting…they will loose at semifinals against Italy in Euro 2012, which was won eventually by Ancelotti’s England by 2-1 in extra time…just like FIFA World Cup USSR 1990 Final. Vice champion Uruguay would have another title after beating, again, on penalties to Argentina at the final of Copa America 2011 in Buenos Aires. Argentina seemed to not have luck on penalties as they will loose again, but against Chile in Santiago’s final in 2015 edition (Chile is managed from 2011 to the present by Gerardo Martino)…nevertheless, Bielsa’s Argentina would have better luck as we know…not only for being male Olympic football gold medal in London 2012 and Rio 2016 (after that, Bielsa quit without explanations….being replaced by Marcelo Gallardo, who is guiding in good path to England 2018 qualifyings to Argentina)

So, FIFA world Cup Brazil 2014 is on the sight…but whatever happened….blame it to Rio…(1)

------------- ---------

(1) For the next chapter, Brazil 2014, as it was the last world cup, Im going to do only a post of the results...which of course were different in many aspects...and even who became World Champion, as I spoiled several pages ago...and a few things. I dunno if i have to put a proper end...cos we are a 1 year time from FIFA WORLD CUP ENGLAND 2018 (of course ITTL ;-) )

 

[mudhead]

Very much enjoyed this, although England are unfeasibly good for a great deal of it. I think you've seen rather less of the clueless and uninventive football served up than we have over here.

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

Very much enjoyed this, although England are unfeasibly good for a great deal of it. I think you've seen rather less of the clueless and uninventive football served up than we have over here.

Thank you very much Mudhead! I've always have seen a lot of potential of English Football, as you can see they got european supremacy at club levels from the '70s, part of the ''80s (before Heysel) and late '90s and the decade of '00.... the main problem here is, unlike germans, FA don't care about a proper project of national team...but here is different, in this ATL, a very good England performance in a 24 teams' Argentina' 78, led by being runner up in Euro '80, semifinal in Spain ' 82 again, seeded the field for better perspectives...and then the title in USSR 1990, made the England national team a priority...one thing led to another, so FA didn't improvise in this field like in OTL because of not so good results . National team is for England an importal capital like the mannschaft for germans or the azzurri in other times for Italy.

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

As you can see in this table, the first major butterfly of this POD which started in Argentina in 1962-64…happened in Mexico ’70, when Argentina (which in OTL was eliminated by Peru in WCQ in 1969, due Argentinian team was reached as well by the internal turmoil the country was living…which didn’t happen here) reached semi-finals and lost 3-2 with Italy in extra time , after 2-2 in 90 minutes. (Another butterfly here is that “the match of the century” is Brazil v England Semifinals 2002 ATL and not Italy v West Germany 1970 OTL)…

Of course here in Round Robin, Argentina beat Bulgaria, Morocco and to West Germany – to be honest I was thinking here in W. Germany 2 v Argentina 3 played in Munich in early 1973 - and eliminate England on QF Mexico ’70 - sorry folks! - (of course ITTL happened the same way Argentina v England 1966, so Argentina played this 1970 game as it was this opportunity to “avenge” their honour), and the fact Gordon Banks didn’t play, helped to Argentina to win 2-1 …

Argentina was managed by Enrique Omar Sivori (OTL manager in 1972-1974, months before WC, he quit because AFA did nothing to work out the matter why Clubs didn’t give the players...of course in this ATL, this matter, closed in OTL 1975…was solved before) , who is inclined to the good treat of the ball, although Argentinian players didn’t leave easily their tendencies to use some dirty manners if they felt necessary.

The other is that Yugoslavia qualified instead of Belgium…Yugoslavs did have a proper Euro ’68, and extended their moment in WCQ during 1969. In ATL Mexico ’70, they shared group with host Mexico, El Salvador and USSR…they qualified 1st (the second place, well…I don’t remember if it was Mexico or USSR )…Yugoslavia beated Uruguay in QF, but lost against Pele’s Brazil in semifinals…

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

Well, I've been adding new pics, specially from 1978 to 1994 and I fixed the "wiki" type graphics with the results, in Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986, where they looked small and now are in a proper size

By the way, FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 Group Stage are:

Group A: Brazil, Russia, Ivory Coast, South Korea

Group B: Argentina, Italy, Ghana, Honduras

Group C: Spain, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Nigeria

Group D: England, Colombia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Iran

Group E: Portugal, Japan, Switzerland, Algeria

Group F: Chile, Belgium, USA, Greece

Group G: Germany, Croatia, Ecuador, Australia

Group H: France, Uruguay, Cameroon, Mexico

 

[MatthewFirth]

Predicted qualifiers:
A: Brazil, Russia
B: Argentina, Italy
C: Netherlands, Costa Rica
D: England, Colombia
E: Portugal, Switzerland
F: Chile, USA
G: Germany, Croatia
H: France, Uruguay

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014 ROUND ROBIN PICS


Neymar vs South Korea


Russia vs South Korea, from the same Brazil's group...the local host had no rival in this initial round


Honduras scoring vs Argentina...not one goal but two goals made by the central american boys...


Pipita Higuain seconds before opening the score vs Italy. Messi did not play this first match due he stil was not entirely recovered from an injury...the would start from the second match...


Ever Banegas after a disallowed goal of his authory against Italy


Angel Di Maria, who was sold from Rosario Central to Real Madrid prior the 2014 World Cup, scored the second argentinian goal vs Italy


Portugal vs Algeria...the northern africans reminded to the 1982 Algerian team in many aspects


Cristiano Ronaldo had no mercy of swiss team...


Robben's tour de force against Spain...


The flying dutchman (obvious title) vs Spain...Netherlands 3 vs Spain 2


Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium vs USA


Kevin the Bruyne again...same sequence...


Chile 3 Vs USA 2

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014 - ROUND OF 16

Brazil vs Italy

Argentina vs Russia

Netherlands vs Colombia

England vs Costa Rica

Algeria vs Belgium

Chile vs Portugal

Germany vs France

Uruguay vs Australia

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014

Round of 16

Messi's smiling...the result did to Argentina as well against Russia...

Chile stay in...Portugal out...

Germany sent home to french team...this time, earlier than France 2010

Algeria became the revelation of this World Cup by became the first northern africans to qualy to Quarterfinals...

(See knock out stages for more details)

Quarterfinals

A common image of Chile vs Uruguay match, one goal...one finger in a inappropiate parte...and one semifinalist....

Germany fought too much, even in extra time to defeat Algeria...but 2010 champions were again into the best four

Netherlands putting 1 - 1...the drama, brazilians sweat and tears, but eventually on penalties a canarinha put a feet into semifinals...

One of the most remembered images of QF...last minute...argentinian goalkeeper Oscar Ustari saw red card as the last man...GK Sergio Romero came in...and stopped England's penalty...some kind of revenge of semifinals of USSR 1990

(See knock out stages for more details)

Semifinals

Catch the tiger...or catch up the Lio(n)

Brazil 0 - Germany etc...

Third Place

Brazil was absolutely destroyed, demoralized...and Chile took note...

FINAL

Lionel Messi couldn't believe it...he is watching the trophy minutes before the coronation...the argentinian tv graph said... "he watched and he could touch it" (in reference of an old football chant which says "la copa la copa se mira y no se toca" (the cup the cup...you can watch it not to touch it)...

Messi salutes Secretary Joseph Blatter seconds before to receive at FIFA's President the world cup at his hands. Messi finally achieved it, he is at Maradona status.

The two argentinian goals of the final match

See you in 2018, only a year away...London Calling by the way

The front page of a well known English newspaper, some years ago, announcing England got the right to organize the 2018 FIFA World Cup

The End (?)

 

[Coulsdon Eagle]

A tour de force of world football - quite brilliant.

Of course it has to be AH as England are not mediocre and declining even from that status!

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

A tour de force of world football - quite brilliant.

Of course it has to be AH as England are not mediocre and declining even from that status!

Thank you Coulsdon Eagle! I really enjoyed to do this...and I wanted to put more things, like euro competitions - al least in wiki quotes - but I had to choose what to do due a lack of time. I enjoyed every WC i put in here, but specially Argentina 78 and USSR 90, despite some fellow argies insulted me ..well not really, in a amusing way, telling how I dare to did that to Mexico 86 and how Maradona miss a penalty against England in that ATL 1990.

Thank you all the viewers of this TL and those who did comment as well!

And @Paradox-less , as you can see, best Chilean performance was ATL Brazil 2014...a fact that would have been in OTL if Pinilla didn't hit the post...

 

[Paradox-less]

And @Paradox-less , as you can see, best Chilean performance was ATL Brazil 2014...a fact that would have bee

That should have been a goal! Argh!

Seeing that warms my heart.

But, if you'll allow me to be a bit critical, I feel like this last World Cup was kinda...rushed. I feel maybe that's because we already knew who won beforehand, but I dunno. It just feels different.

P.S: Loving the The Clash reference!

 

[Ruperto Pesto]

That should have been a goal! Argh!

Seeing that warms my heart.

But, if you'll allow me to be a bit critical, I feel like this last World Cup was kinda...rushed. I feel maybe that's because we already knew who won beforehand, but I dunno. It just feels different.

P.S: Loving the The Clash reference!

Thank you Paradox! glad you noticed!jaja

Yes, of course you can be critical...I felt the same when I did, and even to last minute I had my doubts about to do it or not because of my spoiler, that was my mistake because my first intention was to put an end to this TL, with USA 1994...so I did the reference from there about who will win ths 2014 WC, my mistake!

I think that almost more than a billion people grab their heads because of Pinilla that mid-afternoon...of course incluiding myself with the "Noooo, mirá que culo, como zafaron!" expression about brazilian good luck