In the run-up to game between Liechtenstein and Spain, we’re looking at a classic UFWC title mismatch involving a footballing minnow…

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:
Faroe Islands 2-5 Russia, 6 September 1995
European Championships Qualifier, Svangaskaro Stadium, Toftir
Scorers: Jarnskor, Jónsson (Faroe Islands); Mostovoi, Kiriakov, Kolyvanov, Tsymbalar, Shalimov (Russia)

Russia took the UFWC title from Yugoslavia in May 1995, and jumped straight into a European Championships qualifying campaign that saw them thrash San Marino 7-0 and Finland 6-0 before coming up against the Faroe Islands.

This was a UFWC debut for ‘the land of the sheep’, a tiny group of islands located halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroes have a population of less than 50,000, compared to Russia’s 140 million. Few were betting their Faroese Krona on a home win.

However, the Faroes had a couple of secret weapons, namely the Svangaskaro Stadium and a goalkeeper named Jens Martin Knudsen. The stadium, with one stand that doubled as a bed and breakfast chalet, and a pitch that would shame most Sunday league teams, was battered by swirling winds that swept in from the fjords, making it a less-than-ideal venue for attractive football. And fork-lift truck driver Knudsen, well-known for wearing a white bobble hat, had become a cult figure after his goalkeeping heroics helped his country to an improbable win over Austria.

But the Russians, featuring temperamental Celta Vigo playmaker Aleksandr Mostovoi and Manchester United winger Andrei Kanchelskis among their stars, were a formidable proposition. And there were few surprises when Russia took the lead through a 9th minute Mostovoi penalty kick. But, just 3 minutes later, Henning Jarnskor shocked the Russians, and the 3,000 spectators, with an improbable equaliser.

Knudsen and his defence worked tirelessly to keep the opposition at bay, and the score remained 1-1 at half-time. Then, ten minutes into the first half, Todi Jónsson, regarded as the Islands’ best ever footballer, raced half the length of the pitch to score a remarkable goal and put the Faroes ahead.

But the celebrations of the home fans were to be short-lived. The Russians recovered, hitting four more goals to, in the end, comfortably see of their plucky opponents. It was no great surprise that Russia went on to qualify for the European Championships. The Faroe Islands, sadly, did not.

When Liechtenstein take on UFWC (and WC) title holders Spain on 3 September, It will be one of the biggest UFWC title mismatches in international football history.

Liechtenstein is one of the smallest countries in the world, and its team is the very definition of a footballing minnow. Spain indisputably has the best national football team in the world. Let’s run through a tale of the tape to see how the two teams size up:

Spain has a population of 46 million and covers an area of 195,000 square miles. Its national team is ranked 1st in the world by FIFA and 12th by the UFWC. It is the current undisputed official World Cup and unofficial UFWC champion.

Liechtenstein has a population of 36,000 and covers an area of 62 square miles. Its national team is ranked 149th in the world by FIFA and it is unranked by the UFWC. It has never qualified for a major tournament, and has played only two UFWC title matches, losing both of them.

But Liechtenstein isn’t the smallest nation ever to compete in the UFWC. That honour goes to San Marino. (However, Liechtenstein is the only country ever to have lost to San Marino, in a non-UFWC friendly in 2004…) Ten countries with populations of less than 1 million have played in UFWC title matches. Only one has ever been successful. The ten tiny countries, and their populations, are:

San Marino (30,000)
Liechtenstein (36,000)
Faroe Islands (49,000)
Andorra (84,000)
Netherlands Antilles (197,000)
Iceland (317,000)
Malta (413,000)
Luxembourg (502,000)
Montenegro (626,000)
Cyprus (870,000)

The one successful UFWC nation in that list is the soon-to-be-dissolved Netherlands Antilles, who beat Mexico in 1963.

The biggest UFWC mismatch so far has been San Marino vs Russia in 1995. The Russians won 7-0. The Faroe Islands did slightly better against Russia in the same year, losing 5-2. Russia are highly ranked in the UFWC, but they weren’t (and have never been) official world champions. So the gap between Liechtenstein and Spain seems even greater.

Liechtenstein’s previous two attempts at the UFWC title ended in defeats – 8-2 to Germany in 2000 and 2-0 to Spain in 2001. That defeat to Spain nine years ago was a World Cup qualifier. The forthcoming title match is a Euro qualifier. Anything other than a Spanish victory would be a remarkable result.

However, every football fans know that anything is possible. The Netherlands Antilles proved that it’s possible for a tiny nation to upset one of football’s big guns in a UFWC title match.

We’re calling Liechtenstein vs Spain the biggest title mismatch in UFWC history. Could it provide the biggest upset? We’ll preview the game nearer the time, and run through some classic UFWC mismatches between then and now.

MEXICO 1-1 SPAIN, Mexico City, 11/08/10
Hernandez 12 (Mexico); Silva 90+ (Spain)

A priceless last-gasp strike from substitute David Silva retained the UFWC title for Spain when it looked certain that Mexico would steal their crown.

New Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez scored after 12 minutes, and Mexico looked to be the most likely to win the game, until the fourth official indicated that there would be four minutes of stoppage time at the end. Up popped Manchester City winger Silva, with 93 minutes on the clock, to score a vital equaliser.

The game was played to commemorate 200 years since the start of the war of independence between Mexico and Spain. Oddly, Mexico went into the match without a permanent coach, with Enrique Meza re-appointed for this game only, following the resignation of Javier Aguirre.

Hernandez, or ‘Chicharito’, lined up alongside Arsenal’s Carlos Vela in the Mexico attack. David Villa was left on the bench for Spain, with Fernando Llorente leading the attack. Cesc Fabregas had a couple of scoring opportunities for Spain, but, after going ahead through Hernandez, Mexico could easily have increased their lead through Giovani Dos Santos.

The second half was more about substitutions than goal scoring chances, with Mexico’s temporary coach Meza and Spain’s Vicente del Bosque making 13 changes between them. One of those changes saw Silva replace Mata. Mexico created a handful of decent efforts towards the end of the game, but Spain had more of the possession, and there were no further goals until injury time, when Silva equalised to make it 1-1.

Exactly one month after Spain beat the Netherlands to unify both the official WC and unofficial UFWC titles, the Spanish have seen off their first challengers. The next match will see them travel to Liechtenstein on 3 September to defend the UFWC title in a European qualifier.

We’ll have more reaction to this result, and build-up to the next match, here soon.

Mexico vs Spain, 11 August 2010, 2100 BST
Azteca Stadium, Mexico City

Just a month after the World Cup ended, the Unofficial Football World Championships kicks back into gear. The final match, of course, saw Spain beat the Netherlands to win both the WC and UFWC titles. And while the official title is safe for the next four years, the unofficial title is again up for grabs, with Spain hoping to successfully defend their title against Mexico.

This friendly match has been arranged to commemorate 200 years since the start of the war of independence between Mexico and Spain. Now Mexico will face a Spanish footballing revolution, with a talented young team promising to dominate world football for years to come.

The Mexicans only won one game during the World Cup tournament, although the 2-0 victory over a pitiful France was enough to see them through to the second round. There, however, they were beaten 3-1 by Argentina, prompting coach Javier Aguirre to quit.

Mexico still don’t have a permanent coach. For this game only, the Mexican Football Federation has re-appointed Enrique Meza, who had an unhappy time in charge a few years ago. Meza will be replaced by Efrain Flores for the next two games, again on a temporary basis. Hardly an ideal situation when you’re facing the undisputed official and unofficial football world champions.

Spain won’t be at full strength, however. WC final match-winner Andres Iniesta will be rested, while Fernando Torres, who failed to impress at the finals, is injured. Despite Iniesta’s absence, Vicente del Bosque’s squad still contains seven Barcelona players – a fact that has angered the Catalan side. Victor Valdes, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Pedro and David Villa will all travel to Mexico just three days before their club side play Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup.

By contrast, the Mexico squad does not contain any players from Guadalajara Chivas, as they are playing in the first leg of the final of the Copa Libertadores. The squad will, however, include new Manchester United signing Javier Hernandez, plus Giovani dos Santos of Tottenham, Carlos Vela of Arsenal, Pablo Barrera of West Ham and Efrain Juarez of Celtic.

Mexico have a pretty pathetic record in the UFWC, having won only one title match, against Czechoslovakia back in 1963. They were famously beaten 2-1 by the lowly Dutch Antilles in the following game. Spain, on the other hand, are ranked 12th in the all-time UFWC rankings, having won 16 title games. They will move up to 11th in the rankings if they beat Mexico.

If Spain are victorious, the next UFWC title match will see them travel to Liechtenstein on 3 September for a European qualifier. If Mexico take the title, they will defend it at home against Chile on 4 September.

So the World Cup may be a distant memory, but the UFWC rolls on. Who will win, Mexico or Spain? Take our poll and post a comment to let us know your views. And check back here for full match coverage.