THE QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT

EUROPE

In Europe, all the so-called big guns made it safely through the qualifiers, although Spain had a scare when losing away to perennial bogey-team Northern Ireland, before redressing the balance in Madrid. Northern Ireland had three true greats in Pat Jennings, Danny Blanchflower and George Best, but lacked quality elsewhere in the team at this level, in particular a centre back and a goalscorer. Best weaved plenty of magic but would once again miss out on the biggest stage.

Wales could tell a similar tale. Neville Southall, Billy Meredith, John Charles, Ryan Giggs and Ian Rush have all been hailed in their time as the best players around in their positions, but the team had no strength in depth, especially in midfield, and in the end missed out to Czechoslovakia.

Scotland qualified relatively comfortably in the end ahead of the workmanlike Norway, apart from going behind in their opening game away to the Faroe Islands. Bobble-hatted keeper Jens Knudsen performed heroics before late goals from Danny McGrain and Gary McAllister spared the Scots’ blushes.

In a shootout between fierce local rivals, Hagi’s Romania edged past Stoichkov’s Bulgaria. Both of the inspirational captains scored stupendous free-kicks, but later both got sent off for a typically hot-headed punch-up. Without their respective talismans, it was Romania who showed the greater strength in depth, Lacatus scoring the winner.

To the surprise of many, while the south-eastern rivals focused on each other, the Republic of Ireland picked up enough points from the group to nick second spot in the group ahead of Bulgaria on goal difference and qualify for a play-off against the Rest Of The World runners-up.

Elsewhere, an ominously impressive Poland featuring Boniek, Lato and Deyna saw off Stephane Chapuisat’s Switzerland, and both Belgium (Van Himst, Ceulemans, Scifo) and Denmark (Schmeichel and the Laudrups) showed too much experience for Greece and Turkey, despite Turkey’s prolific front line of Hakan Suker and Tanju Colak.

Also through were the efficient Swedes, the mercurial Portuguese, Puskas’ Magical Magyars and the Austrian ‘Wunderteam’.

THE AMERICAS

In the Americas, The USA’s organisation and fitness were not enough to overcome the skills of Mexico, led by Hugo Sanchez of Real Madrid fame.

Further south, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay had too much class in depth to be denied, but most of the other nations had their own stars: Chile, with defence marshalled by 1970s great Elias Figuera and attack revolving around Zamorano and Salas; Peru, sumptuous going forward with Teofilo Cubillas and Hector Chumpitaz strong at the back, but prone to collapse when things went against them; Carlos ‘El Pibe’ Valderrama’s Colombia flattered to deceive, passing the ball around beautifully but never seeming sure what striker Tino Asprilla or goalie Rene Higuita would do next. Paraguay had a star keeper in the outspoken Jose Luis Chilavert and a strong defence, but were unable to provide striker Romero with enough support from midfield.

THE REST OF THE WORLD

The rest of the world were left battling for a single definite place, plus a play-off against European opposition (Ireland) for another berth. At first glance that seems extremely harsh on the talents from Africa and Asia. However, although great individuals have always emerged from those regions, they often ended up playing for other countries (such as Mozambique’s Eusebio, poached by Portugal), and the local national teams have only developed into forces to be reckoned with relatively recently.

This short version of ‘All-time’ counted against the African and Asian squads. Many of the nations had a handful of stars worthy of an honourable mention. In Africa, Egypt’s Hossam Hassan, Shoubier and Abu Zeid, Cameroon’s Milla and Kkono, Nigeria’s Keshi and Okocha, Morocco’s Krimao and Khairi, Algeria’s Belloumi and Madjer and Ghana’s Yeboah and Abedi Pele.

In Asia, Korea’s Cha Bum Kun and Hong Myung Bo, Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata and Kazu Miura, Saudi Arabia’s Sami Al Jaber and Majed Mohammed, Iran’s Ali Daei and Australia’s Harry Kewell and Craig Johnston.

A ‘Rest Of The World’ team would have been fairly formidable, but in truth the individual countries could not muster teams to compete at the level of the All-Time World Cup.

That is one of the key elements of this tournament: Each team needs to be a realistic team i.e. not six up front and three attacking midfielders. Every side needed a ball winner in midfield and a proper defence.

After a marathon qualifying tournament, Cameroon topped the final group and qualified ahead of Nigeria, Egypt and South Korea. Nigeria then faced the Republic of Ireland in a play-off, and had them on the ropes, only to fall to a sucker punch when Roy Keane won the ball in his own area and with a long pass sent speedy winger Kevin Sheedy away to beat Peter Rufai for the clinching goal and the final spot at the finals tournament.

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