Best stories in football history?

[ZeekLTK]

Instead of "worst" (the other thread)... What are some of the best stories in football's history?

One of my favorites is 1992 Euro Cup. Denmark gets called in to replace Yugoslavia after failing to qualify and then overcomes England and France in the group stage, gets past Holland in the semifinals, and then defeats the defending World Cup Champions Germany to win the tournament!

[Excape Goat]

Mine is Carlos Llamosa's story. He gave up soccer to move to the US and became a janitor in WTC. Slowly, he worked his way back to professional football and ended up with the USMNT.

[Cassano]

Fabio Grosso

He started out as an attacking midfielder in the lower amateur leagues of Italian football. He was picked up by Perugia and then converted to a left-back after being told he wasn't a good enough attacking midfielder to make it in the top levels. Transfered to Palermo, played his way onto the National Team, and then we all know the rest.

[Daniel from Montréal]

I like Uruguay defeating Brazil in 1950.

And of course the Greeks in 2004, the funniest thing I've seen happen in soccer (they were ranked 15th/16).

[Excape Goat]

I like Uruguay defeating Brazil in 1950.


One of the best stories were actually a side story from the game. Brazil decided to redesign the color combination of their kit after the defeat because the old one was considered bad omen. They held a national competiation. The winner wasa young man from the border region next to Uruguay. The closest city in his hometown was actually in Uruguay. So he grew up as an Uruguayan, despite being Brazilian by birth. On the day of the 1950 game, he supported Uruguay. He called himself the only happy Brazilian that day.

[GavinZac]

Colin Healy, the nearly man.

His career began brilliantly for Glasgow Celtic, who nearly made an impact on the Champions League.
He was nearly called into the Ireland squad for the world cup, but Roy Keane took too long to go home.
He nearly was a success in the premiership until Youssef Safri nearly missed him with a tackle and broke his leg.
He was nearly ready to play again when his own manager, Mick McCarthy, the guy who nearly took him to Japan/Korea WC, broke his leg AGAIN.
He nearly got fit again for livingston but eventually he signed for Cork City.
He nearly got to play but FIFA decided he had been at too many clubs in one season, not recognising that Ireland play their seasons at a different schedule to England.
He took his case to the European Court of Arbitration for Sport who nearly overturned FIFA's decision, but didnt have the legal power.
He finally can play for COrk City and he nearly had a great game in his first important match but he scored an own goal when he nearly headed the ball clear.

Welcome home, Colin :)

[TheHun]

I've read many soccer stories over the years ...

I have to say the David Beckham saga is pretty good ... nearly dropped by Cappello at Madrid and fights his way back to win La Liga and recalled to the ENGLAND Team.

If you have the time, I recommend the book "The Greatest Player I Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story"

The other interesting tale is the story of Scotsman Willy Crilley ... yup its true.

[John Simkin]

In 1878 workers of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RAyorkshire.htm) (LYR) depot at Newton Heath established a football team. They played their home games on a patch of land near the railway depot. The club's shirts were green and gold halves. These were the colours of the LYR. Their changing rooms were at the Three Crowns Public House on the Oldham Road. This was over half a mile away from their pitch at North Road.

In 1896 Harry Stafford (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANUstafford.htm) was offered a job working for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RAyorkshire.htm) (LYR) as a boilermaker in on the understanding he would play for Newton Heath. Stafford was appointed captain and became the dominating force at the club. Garth Dykes pointed out in The United Alphabet (http://www.amazon.co.uk/United-Alphabet-Complete-Whos-Manchester/dp/0951486268/ref=sr_1_6/026-8857582-2442061?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183567578&sr=1-6) that Stafford was "noted for his snappy dressing, which included a liking for white hats and brilliantly-hued waistcoats."

Newton Heath continued to have financial problems. In 1901 the club staged a four-day grand bazaar in St James Hall, Oxford Street, Manchester. The club needed to raise £1,000 in order to avoid bankruptcy. Even though Manchester City (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FmanchesterC.htm) even made a donation, by the end of the third day it seemed that the venture would prove unsuccessful.

Harry Stafford (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANUstafford.htm) had the idea of using his St. Bernard dog, Major, to raise money. He wandered amiably between the stalls with a collection box strapped to his back. It was hoped that the dog would attract donations. On the fourth day of the grand bazaar Major escaped from St. James Hall. He eventually found his way to the home of a rich businessman, John Henry Davies (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANUdaviesJH.htm), who owned a successful brewery in Manchester (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ITmanchester.htm). Davies liked the animal and decided to buy the dog for his daughter. When he traced the dog's owner, Stafford told Davies about the financial position of Newton Heath. The two men became friends and decided to make a takeover bid for the club.

By 1902 Newton Heath was £2,670 in debt and faced a winding-up order. At a shareholders' meeting in the New Islington Hall, Harry Stafford (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANUstafford.htm) announced that he and four local businessmen, including John Henry Davies (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MANUdaviesJH.htm), were willing to takeover the club's debts. The Football League (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Fleague.htm) approved the plan and Newton Heath now became Manchester United. It was also decided that the club would now play in red shirts and white shorts.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FmanchesterU.htm

[Excape Goat]

I think the name was Ze Marie. He was selling water melons in Brazil one summer. The next summer, he started a game in the 1998 World Cup Finals for Brazil.

garrincha was told not to do sport when he was kid. we all know what happened.

[dgpro]

What football really is... watch this video
http://www.digitalphotoframeonline.com/vidoes

[sidis]

Garrincha history, a doctor say when he was a baby that he never could not walk.

and he never walk, he fly +).


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The Pelé's father, dondinho, in the 1950 final, after hear in the radio Uruguay winning, start to cry.
Pelé with 9 years seeing his father crying say to him: "don't cry dad, i promise that i will win a world cup for you."

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other good history is of my team and the racism, in the rio state league only white people could play in the 20's, black players exists but they are rare, from rich heritage, are a "white mullatoes" or are too bad player to anyone care about.

vasco was the first team in brazil to field a team with black and poor players, and win their first league in their first year in top division, losing only one game (to flamengo, our eternal rival).

after that the team was prohibited to play in the league, due the alegation of non have "own stadium". In fact, vasco play in a loaned field, but other teams do that in others years and never was punished.

then, vasco start to play a alternative "second-tier" league and start a campaing with people from the suburbs, the poorest areas of the city, collecting money enough to build a stadium.
the canpaing had so sucess that they build the biggest stadium in south america and the first who had artificial lights for games in the night.

after that the rich teams say that vasco use professional players because they receive money to play. In that time, soccer was a game for rich students, then any player need to work, but vasco players was workers from stores owned by portuguese immigrants and vasco is a team created for portuguese immigrants.
both are amateurs players, and vasco players was punished to be workers hahaha.

after much years a other suburb team, América play a game against Vasco to try to unify the two leagues, and this game was called the 'Peace Derby" o finally unify the leagues.

[Excape Goat]

Before the 1986 WC Finals, the team was split into two camps -- one headed by the fun-loving Maradona and the other by the not non-sense Passarella. According to Maradona's autobiography, both sides of the camps had a showdown meeting with Carlos Bilardo. Passarella accused Maradona and his buddies were using recreational drugs during training camp. Maradona admitted to be a drug user, but not during the training camp. Maradona then countered by saying that Passarella was screwing the wife of another Argentinian players. At that point, players who sided Passarella switched sides and Passarella was forced to step astep.

[Excape Goat]

Crespo could not go to his High school graduation party because he had to practice with River Plate. He was give the go-ahead to make his debut. That night, the disco where the party was held got fire. Some of Crespo's classmates were killed.

[harkes6]

Bert Trautmann...from wikipedia:

One of Bert Trautmann's greatest matches was the legendary 1956 FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium. In the 75th minute Man City led 3:1 and Trautmann, diving at an incoming ball, was knocked out in a collision with a Birmingham's Peter Murphy when he was hit in the neck. For the remaining 15 minutes he defended his net, because at the time there were no substitutions possible. Manchester City held on for the victory, and the hero of the final was Bert Trautmann, due to his spectacular saves in the last minutes of the match. Three days later, an x-ray revealed he had a broken vertebra in his neck.

:eek::eek::eek:

[HSEUPASSION]

Kanu and Washington, both coming back to have successful careers following nearly fatal heart issues.

Washington is nicknamed "Coração Valente", or "Brave Heart".

[Pakalolo]

Bert Trautmann...from wikipedia:

One of Bert Trautmann's greatest matches was the legendary 1956 FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium. In the 75th minute Man City led 3:1 and Trautmann, diving at an incoming ball, was knocked out in a collision with a Birmingham's Peter Murphy when he was hit in the neck. For the remaining 15 minutes he defended his net, because at the time there were no substitutions possible. Manchester City held on for the victory, and the hero of the final was Bert Trautmann, due to his spectacular saves in the last minutes of the match. Three days later, an x-ray revealed he had a broken vertebra in his neck.

:eek::eek::eek:


And that's just a small, although (obviously) very important part: read the rest here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Trautmann)

I don't know what it is with German keepers and England, but here is another inspiring underdog story: .Lars Leese (http://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/gla/acv/lit/2006/en1126158.htm). They even wrote a book about his 'adventure'.

[Ghostface]

This one time, In Istanbul....

[anselmo]

A young man called Tommy Mulholland from Liverpool was discarded by Everton got a job on a ship and ended up playing on the docks in Montevideo in 1930 and was so good was asked to play as a ringer for Uruquay under the name of Juan Peregrino Anselmo scored three goals and when the press came to town for the final they said he was too scared to play in the final and was replaced by a man with one arm. The first world cup was a really amateur affair and nothing like it is now but this is the story in our family and Tommy was my dads brother. Would love to find photos of the teams other than the final team to finally put this one to bed.Can anyone help ?

[broomtree]

North Korea beating Italy 1-0 in 1966 World Cup.

[Fiorentina lives!]

Cameroon in the 1990 World Cup, for sure.

Algeria 2 Germany 1 in WC 1982. Everybody went "holy sh#$%#!!!" that day.