Japan’s 8-0 win over Tajikistan this week was the biggest UFWC title match win for more than 20 years. Mike Havenaar, Shinji Okazaki, and Shinji Kagawa scored two goals each, and Yuichi Komano and Kengo Nakamura also netted in the huge win that saw Japan retain the UFWC title. It wasn’t Japan’s biggest ever win (they beat the Philippines 15-0 in a non-UFWC match in 1967), but it’s a significant scoreline that deserves to be placed in the context of UFWC history.

The last team to score 8 goals in a UFWC title match was Germany in 2000, when they won 8-2 vs Lichtenstein. At half-time the score was level at 2-2, and German coach Erich Ribbeck substituted his entire team. Germany eventually took a 3-2 lead in the 65th minute, and then scored five in the last ten minutes, including two from Ulf Kirsten and two from Carsten Jancker.

The last team to win a UFWC title match 8-0 was the Netherlands, vs Malta in 1990. Led by the attacking trio of Dennis Bergkamp, Marco van Basten and captain Ruud Gullit, the formidable Dutch were unstoppable. Van Basten had a hat-trick within 23 minutes, on his way to a five-goal haul. Aron Winter made it 4-0 in the second half, before Bergkamp got two, and van Basten got two more – the last from the penalty spot.

Delving further into UFWC history, Brazil beat Bolivia 8-1 in Lima at the Copa America in 1953. Julio Botelho, or Julinho, scored 4 in that game. Brazil finished as runners-up in the tournament to Paraguay.

England scored 8 against Austria in 1909 (winning 8-1), and Austria scored 8 against Switzerland in 1931 (also winning 8-1). But a handful of sides have scored more than 8 goals in UFWC title matches.

In 1927, England scored 9 against Belgium, although they failed to keep a clean sheet in the 9-1 win. The Everton legend Dixie Dean scored a hat-trick, George Brown and Arthur Rigby scored braces, and Joe Hulme and Louis Page also scored. England also scored 9 against Wales, in another 9-1 win, way back in 1896. Scotland also scored 9 against Wales, beating them 9-0 in 1878.

In 1945, Sweden beat Norway 10-0 in a euphoric post-war performance. The brilliant Gunnar Nordahl – the highest goalscorer in UFWC history with 29 goals in 19 title matches – scored four in this game. Arne Nyberg and Nils Carlsson scored two each, and Vincent Persson and the great Gunnar Gren also scored.

And Scotland beat Ireland 11-0 in 1901, with four from Celtic’s Sandy ‘The Duke’ McMahon, two from his clubmate John Campbell, four more from Rangers hero Bob Hamilton, and one from David Russell.

But the most number of goals scored by one team in a UFWC title match is 13. England beat Ireland 13-2 in 1899, with Corinthians forward Gilbert Smith scoring 4, James Settle of Bury scoring a hat-trick on his debut, the great Steve Bloomer and Fred Forman scoring two each, and Frank Forman and William Athersmith also scoring. The fact that Ireland keeper goalkeeper James Lewis only had eight full fingers may have contributed to the scoreline, although he did manage to limit the damage by saving a James Crabtree penalty. With 15 goals in all, this remains the highest scoring game in UFWC history.

You can read more about these games, and hundreds of others, in the UFWC book Unofficial Football World Champions, now available from all good bookshops in both English and Japanese. The English edition is published by Superelastic and is available in paperback and on Kindle from Amazon.co.uk. The Japanese language edition is published by Asuka Shinsha and available from Amazon.co.jp.

Unofficial Football World Champions traces the history of the UFWC from the very first international match in 1872 via more than 800 title matches, involving legendary teams and footballing minnows, classic finals and forgotten friendlies, celebrated players and unsung heroes. The book focusses on 100 key matches, uncovering some amazing stories, many of which are ignored in official football histories. You can read more about the book and see reviews here.

UFWC News Austria, brazil, England, Germany, japan, Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden

In another of our classic UFWC title match features, we look back at one of the most unlikely upsets in UFWC history, played out on this day 30 years ago.

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:

San Serrife 1-0 Brazil
1 April 1981
Garamondo Cup
Pica Stadium, Bodoni
Scorer: Filop

The Unofficial Football World Championships has seen some shock results over the years, and this 1981 giant-killing act is up there with the best of them. Many football fans hadn’t even heard of the tiny Indian Ocean archipelago of San Serrife before its national side defeated the mighty Brazil. In fact, the country had been on the world football stage since 1922, but this was its first foray into the UFWC competition.

The differences of scale between the two nations was staggering. San Serrife had a population of just 1.8 million – more than a hundred times smaller than that of Brazil.

Brazil, the reigning UFWC champions, lined up with the likes of Zico, Socrates, Oscar, Junior and Batista. San Serrife had no such star names to call upon, but an incredible display of teamwork took them to victory.

It was clear that the Brazilian superstars had entirely underestimated their opposition, with some players openly questioning the Brazilian FA’s decision to take part in the friendly Garamondo Cup tournament. Striker Umbra was dropped from the squad after giving a newspaper interview in which he referred to San Serrife as a ‘lower case’ nation. The San Serrife press reacted with anger, calling the visitors ‘the fools from Brazil’.

Managed by Berhold Baskerville, the San Serrife team was made up entirely of amateur players, all of whom played in the five-team national league. The side was captained by Bodoni United midfielder Arnold Bocklin, a postman by trade, and its most-capped player was goalkeeper Zapf Chancery, a fisherman who kept goal for Adze Allstars.

But on this day the San Serrifean hero was Orla Filop, a 22-year-old spaghetti farmer who played his club football for Port Clarendon. Filop would go on to enjoy a short spell in Germany at Borussia Dortmund.

The goal came in the 64th minute, when a Baker Signet cross bounced around the Brazilian penalty box, eventually falling at the feet of Filop, who drilled the ball past keeper Valdir Peres.

Brazil, who had been woefully inadequate from the kick-off, desperately tried to grab an equaliser, with coach Tele Santana urging his side forward. Zico and Ze Sergio both had long range attempts well saved by Chancery, but the game ended 1-0 to deserved victors San Serrife.

San Serrife’s reign as Unofficial Football World Champions champions was shortlived – they were beaten in their next match by Uruguay. But, while Brazil and the rest of world football attempted to forget about this result, San Serrife continues to celebrate its moment of football glory. The victory of the ‘Fools from Brazil’ is celebrated with a national holiday every 1 April, know in San Serrife as ‘April Fools’ Day’.

UFWC News brazil, San Serrife

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