As we await the Japan vs J-League XI charity match, and confirmation of the next UFWC title match, we look back at Japan’s first attempt to win the unofficial title:

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:

Argentina 1-0 Japan
14 June 1998
World Cup
Stade de Toulouse, Toulouse
Scorer: Batistuta

This was Japan’s first ever UFWC title match, despite the fact the nation had been playing international football since 1917. Unfortunately for the Samurai Blue, the opponents and title holders were a formidable Argentina side, regarded as one of the best not to have one a major tournament.

This was a very different Argentina side to the one that had won the World Cup in 1986, finished second in 1990, and flopped badly in 1994. Maradona had retired to battle his personal demons, but Gabriel Batistuta was still around, and there were new stars, such as Ariel Ortega and Juan Veron.

Japan arrived at France 98 as underdogs, but with an emerging team under coach Takeshi Okada. Captain Masami Ihara provided much-needed experience, while new stars like goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi and playmaker Hidetoshi Nakata were set to shine. Unfortunately for Japan, Daniel Passarella’s Argentina were just too strong.

Japan kept Argentina quiet for almost half an hour, but eventually Batistuta broke the deadlock, nipping onto a deflected Ortega pass to poke the ball past Kawaguchi and into the net.

Things could have got worse for Japan, with Batistuta flicking a header onto the post, and Kawaguchi making a series of good stops.

Japan’s best chances to equalise saw a Yutaka Akita header flash past the post, and a Wagner Lopes shot deflected wide.

Argentina held on for a narrow victory, and won all three group matches, while Japan won none and were eliminated.

In the knock-out stages, Argentina beat England on penalties after an epic 2-2 draw, but then lost to the Netherlands in the quarter finals. The Dutch took the UFWC title – but they lost to Brazil on penalties in the semi finals. The combined World Cup Final / UFWC title match saw Brazil take on France.

Classic Matches Argentina, japan

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:

Brazil 0-3 France
13 July 1998
World Cup Final, Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Scorers: Zidane (2), Petit

The greatest night in the history of French football began with confusion and controversy. Brazil’s official team sheet showed that mercurial striker Ronaldo, already the scorer of four goals in the tournament, had been replaced in the line up by Edmundo. Brazil fans and neutrals were united in disappointment, believing they had been robbed of a chance to see perhaps the world’s best player on the world’s best stage.

Rumours circulated that Ronaldo was injured, had been taken to hospital, and had not travelled to the game. Then, in a remarkable turnaround, Brazilian officials issued a new team sheet, with Ronaldo restored to the line up, and his name marked in large capital letters. Further rumours suggested that powerful unknowns, be they governing bodies or sponsors, had demanded Ronaldo play, whatever his state of fitness.

The unfortunate Edmundo, nicknamed ‘The Animal’, was understandably unhappy, and was said to have been at the centre of a rather heated debate in the Brazilian dressing room. It was later reported that Ronaldo had suffered a convulsive fit just hours before the game, apparently as a result of emotional stress.

Whatever the truth, the Brazil team took to the field for this World Cup / UFWC double-header holding hands but apparently in disarray. The stadium PA system played the theme from Star Wars, highly appropriate if Brazil’s big names were at loggerheads.

Even the most causal observer could see that something was awry. Ronaldo was clearly unfit, a shadow of himself, and barely able to touch the ball. Talented individuals like Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, and Bebeto should still have given France a good game.

But the French also had excellent players, including Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps, and Zinedine Zidane. And the night that was supposed to belong to Ronaldo ended up belonging to Zidane.

Despite being seen to vomit on the pitch, ‘Zizou’ scored twice in the first half, heading home corner kicks from both flanks. By way of response Brazil rarely threatened, although French keeper Fabian Barthez looked characteristically shaky, and almost dropped a couple of crosses into his own net.

Desailly was sent off in the second half, but Brazil were unable to turn their man advantage into goals. Indeed, with Brazil foraging up front, substitute Patrick Viera sent fellow Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit through to score a third killer goal in injury time.

At the final whistle Brazilian players and fans were reduced to tears. Such a comprehensive defeat was hard for them to bear. But there was joy for France, with Deschamps becoming the first French captain to lift the World Cup.

Zidane, despite having been sent-off in the first round, emerged as the star of the tournament, and a national hero. He had, within the space of 90 minutes, arguably eclipsed even the amazing achievements of the great Michel Platini.

The French partied into the night, with over a million revellers packing the Champs Elysees in Paris. Who knows how many more might have turned up if they had known that they had also won the UFWC..?

This is an edited extract from the Unofficial Football World Champions book, which tells the story of the UFWC via more than 100 classic title matches. Get more details here.

Classic Matches brazil, France