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

CLASSIC UFWC TITLE MATCH:

France 0-1 Peru
28 April 1982
Friendly, Parc des Princes, Paris
Scorer: Oblitas

France, like Brazil in the early 80s, had a team containing some of the best players international football has ever seen. Maxime Bossis, Manuel Amoros, Jean Tigana, Dominique Rocheteau and Michel Platini all played in this game.

The French had qualified for the 1982 World Cup finals, despite a couple of slip-ups. Peru had also qualified, impressively topping their group with an unbeaten record. They qualified at the expense of former UFWC champions Uruguay, who they beat 2-1 in August 1981 to take the title. And Peru had their own star player in Juan Carlos Oblitas, the forward with the rather odd nickname of El Ciego, or The Blind One.

France started brightly, with Platini predictably pulling the strings in midfield, but were given a clear indication of the talents of the visitors when Oblitas had an excellent goal inexplicably disallowed, apparently for offside.

The game remained scoreless until the 82nd minute, and it was that man Oblitas who scored what would turn out to be the winner, driving the ball under French keeper Dominique Barotelli from a wide angle.

It was a famous victory on French soil for the Peruvians. They retained the UFWC title and took it into the World Cup tournament in Spain. There, they drew with Cameroon and Italy, but then comprehensively lost the title to an excellent Poland side in a 5-1 defeat.

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 France, Peru