CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:
Germany 2-3 Sweden, 20 September 1942
Friendly, Olympiastadion, Berlin
Scorers: Lehner, Klingler (Germany); Nyberg, Carlsson, Martensson (Sweden)

After losing 2-1 to Switzerland on Hitler’s birthday a furious Nazi regime warned its players that if they played badly they would be dropped from the squad and sent to the Eastern Front, where they would face almost certain death. With considerable incentive to succeed, the German side recaptured the UFWC title in May 1942, beating Hungary 5-3, before comfortably seeing off Bulgaria (3-0) and Romania (7-0). They were fully expected to brush Sweden aside in a similarly emphatic manner.

The match was particularly controversial because of the Sweden’s continued neutrality in the midst of an ever-escalating war. But, as it had so many times before, football found a way to overcome the conflict, with reports suggesting that Sweden sought, and were granted, safe passage by Britain in order to travel to Berlin for the game.

Before kick-off, in front of 98,000 spectators in the Olympiastadion, the Swedish players lined up with their arms by their sides as the Germans offered Nazi salutes. (This was in stark contrast to events preceding the 1938 match between Germany and England, when, under pressure from the British authorities, the England players shamefully issued a Nazi salute.) Despite the obvious animosity surrounding them, German and Swedish captains Paul Janes and Karl-Erik Grahn sportingly shook hands, and the game got underway, officiated by Danish referee Valdemar Laursen.

Seven minutes into the match, Sweden had the audacity to take the lead through Arne Nyberg of IFK Gothenburg. Of course the Germans were no pushovers, and they fought back to take a 2-1 lead through Ernst Lehner and August Klingler. But Sweden were level before half-time, with AIK Solna forward Henry ‘Smiler’ Carlsson grabbing an equaliser. And the second half belonged to the Swedes, with Gunnar Gren and Gunnar Nordahl combining to set up Malte Martensson to score in the 71st minute, sealing a brave victory. Match winner Martensson, of Helsingborgs IF, was known as Black Lightning, due to his quick pace and raven black hair.

The defeat marked the beginning of the end for the Nazi Germany team. ’100,000 have left the stadium depressed,’ remarked foreign affairs secretary Martin Luther, ‘and because victory in this football match is closer to these people’s hearts than the capture of some city in the East, such an event must be prohibited for the sake of the domestic mood.’

The final straw for the Nazi regime was a non-UFWC defeat to Slovakia in November 1942. The national team was dissolved, and its players were sent to the front line. Skipper Fritz Walter was one of the few who survived. Many of his teammates, including goalscorer August Klingler, lost their lives. Walter subsequently captained the Germans to World Cup victory in 1954, under the apparently rehabilitated coach Herberger.

As for the UFWC, it continued in reduced circumstances, contested for only by occupied or neutral countries. Sweden, Switzerland and Hungary all won the title before war finally brought international football to a complete standstill in November 1943. The final UFWC title match of the period saw Sweden beat Hungary 7-2 There would be no further matches until June 1945.

Classic Matches Germany, Sweden

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:
PARAGUAY 3-5 ARGENTINA, 2 March 1955
South American Championships, Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile
Scorers: Rolón, Martínez, Villalba (Paraguay); Micheli (4), Borrello (Argentina)

The 1955 South American Championships saw all of the games played in Chile over the course of a month. Paraguay became UFWC champs in April 1954, beating Uruguay 4-1 to prevent the 1950 World Cup winners from taking the UFWC title into the 1954 World Cup finals.

Neither Paraguay nor Argentina participated in those finals, so they both had plenty of time to prepare for this UFWC clash. And the resultant match was a classic.

Both sides had great forward lines, so this was never going to be nil-nil. Paraguay boasted Maximo Rolón, just 5’2″ tall, but top scorer in his domestic league with Libertad three seasons running. Argentina had the brilliant Rudolfo Micheli of Independiente, one of the greatest South American goalscorers of all time.

And it was Micheli who struck first – only for Rolón to grab an equaliser. Micheli then scored a penalty to give Argentina a 2-1 half-time lead. But within seconds of the start of the second half, Paraguay were also awarded a penalty. Hermes González’s spot kick hit the post, but Eulogio Martínez quickly stabbed in the equaliser. (Martínez would later play for Barcelona, scoring the first ever goal in the Nou Camp stadium, and, after gaining Spanish nationality, winning eight caps for Spain.)

The parity lasted less than 20 minutes. First Micheli netted his hat-trick goal, and then Boca Juniors forward Jose ‘Cucumber’ Borello added another to give Argentina a 4-2 lead. (The origin of Borello’s highly unusual nickname seems to have been lost to time.) Now Argentina were in control, and Micheli eventually scored his fourth – and Argentina’s fifth – in the 83rd minute. Paraguay never gave up, and Salvador Villalba pulled one back with a minute left to play.

But in the end Argentina, and Micheli in particular, were too strong. Argentina won 5-3 and, just as Brazil had done three years previously, they won the UFWC title at the first time of asking.

Argentina successfully held onto the title throughout the remainder of the South American Championships, coming up against Chile in the final decisive match. Yet another Micheli goal was enough to give Argentina the 1-0 victory that won them the 1955 South American Championships.

Classic Matches Paraguay. Argentina

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:
ARGENTINA 2-1 MEXICO, 4 July 1993
Copa America final, Monumental, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Scorers: Batistuta (2) (Argentina); Galindo (pen) (Mexico)

UFWC champs Argentina played out the 1993 Copa America tournament without one Diego Armando Maradona, who had recently controversially walked out on his club side Sevilla after a disappointing season. Maradona had been dropped from the national side after being handed a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test in 1991. He would return to fail another drugs test at the 1994 World Cup, but in the meantime Argentina could rely upon other star names.

Sergio Goycochea was a formidable goalkeeper, Oscar Ruggeri kept things together at the back, Fernando Redondo and Diego Simone ran the midfield, and Gabriel Batistuta was a bona fide goal machine.

Mexico also had a celebrated goalkeeper in flamboyant free kick expert Jorge Campos. A fan of gaudy luminous kits, Campos managed to score more than 30 goals during his career as a net-minder. Ramon Ramirez was Mexico’s key defender, and Alberto Garcia Aspe was the star in midfield. Up front was a man widely regarded as the best Mexican footballer of all time, the great Hugo Sanchez, famous almost as much for his back-flipping celebrations as for his many goals.

Argentina had held the UFWC title for 12 straight games, having taken it from Australia. Mexico, with a poor UFWC record for such a famous footballing nation, had held the title only once, in 1962 – and then lost it to the Dutch Antilles.

Argentina reached the Copa America final by beating Brazil and Colombia in penalty shoot-outs in the quarter and semi-finals. Mexico, playing their first Copa America tournament, saw off Peru and hosts Ecuador.

The game was a tight one, and it only really came to life midway through the second half. Fiorentina striker Batistuta gave Argentina the lead in the 63rd minute. ‘Batigol’ finished the previous Copa America as top scorer, but this was only his second strike of this tournament.

Four minutes later Mexico were level, with Benjamin Galindo slotting a penalty past renowned spot kick-stopper Goycochea. But Batistuta restored Argentina’s advantage in the 74th minute, and his goal proved to be decisive. Argentina won the Copa America and retained the UFWC title.

Classic Matches Argentina, Mexico

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:
FRANCE 2-0 SPAIN, 27 June 1984
European Championships final, Parc des Princes, Paris, France
Scorers: Platini, Bellone (France)

Free-scoring France took the UFWC title from Belgium in the first round of the 1984 European Championships with a 5-0 win. The tournament hosts then saw off Yugoslavia and Portugal, both defeated 3-2, to reach the final.

Spain qualified for the tournament courtesy of one of the most ludicrous results ever recorded. Needing to beat Malta by a full 11 goals in their final qualifying match, Spain proceeded to miss a penalty, concede a goal, yet still win 12-1. It was very difficult to imagine that the handing-over of brown envelopes had not occurred, although UEFA and FIFA accepted the result.

For the final, France fielded what is perhaps their classic side, featuring the peerless midfield quartet of Michel Platini, Jean Tigana, Alain Giresse, and Luis Fernandez. If they had a weakness, it was that they did not have a prolific goalscorer up front.

On paper, Spain had an inferior side, with future coach Jose Antonio Camacho one of the few notable names. They scraped through to the final, winning only one first round match, and beating Denmark on penalties in the semi-final. Crucially, however, they proved difficult to beat.

Approaching the final in a similarly obstinate style, the Spaniards were able to frustrate the French, and the vast majority of the 47,000 crowd, in a goalless first half.

But, on 57 minutes, France won a free-kick on the edge of Spain’s D. Up stepped set piece maestro Platini. But he did not produce his vintage. His free kick was lobbed weakly straight at Spanish keeper Luis Arconada. But, inexplicably, Arconada fumbled the ball and allowed it to slip over the line. Platini had broken the deadlock, with something of an assist from the goalie.

Spain began probing forward in search of an equaliser, and France were reduced to 10 men after defender Yvon Le Roux was sent off, but the French midfield retained control of the game.

In the final minute Bruno Bellone raced clear of the Spanish defence and chipped the ball over Arconada to seal the victory. It was France’s twelfth UFWC win, but the first time the nation had ever won an official competition.

Classic Matches France