Logica World Cup, 30-31st May 1998
Bigger and Better
The Logica World Cup came of age in Bordeaux. Having increased in both size and quality through each of the previous three tournaments, the French hosts took World Cup organisation to a new level, and established a blueprint that all future hosts would have to follow.
Having only made their debut in the previous year's World Cup in Aberdeen, the pundits might be excused for fearing a lack of experience in hosting international sporting tournaments of the highest calibre. Not a bit of it. The nation that invented both the European Cup and that other football World Cup proved a visionary and well-oiled organisational outfit, and Philippe Soria, Bertrand Cailleau and a bevy of behind-the-scenes mandarins were well-deserving of the masses' gratitude.
New innovations included arranging luxury accommodation for participating teams, sampling trips to local vineyards, sporting nutritionists who planned a careful diet of sustenance for the highly tuned participating athletes (even if a number of England Pups found themselves allergic to a combination of pasta, chicken and green vegetables), and a blisteringly hot sun. All these elements would be compulsory at future Logica competitions, and indeed the success of the tournament offered a number of pointers to those lumbering amateurs at FIFA, who were hastily trying to cobble together some similar international kick-about in the same location a few weeks later.
Two Sides in This Story
Partly due to these superb preparations, a bumper pack of participating nations was attracted as the tournament doubled in size. Eight Logica teams representing six different countries took part in by far the biggest World Cup so far. Indeed, for the first time, two preliminary groups were required, and the tournament could resort to a classic format involving the pulsating excitement of semi-finals and a Final.
World Cup fever had gripped France as they fielded two sides, as well as the traditional guest host team, FC Gradignan, whose excellent stadium we were using. Enthusiasm continued apace across La Manche, as the English fielded two sides for the first time: the core of the Sunday morning team formed the England Pups, whilst a group of ageing and talented veterans from the 1980's entered as the legendary England Lags, stylishly and originally attired in berets, polo-necks and an England strip that would have had Sir Stanley complaining that it was too baggy. Indeed England half-back Stephen Oliver ended up living in his shorts for the duration of the tournament when he realised they offered more space than his hotel room.
A New Pair of 'I's
And there were more newcomers to the Logica international footballing fold, as the two 'I's, Italy and Ireland, saw international action for the first time. The approaches by each of these debutantes to the pinnacle of international sporting competition varied somewhat. The Italians brought a squad of 22 players, a stadium's worth of fans, their own personal physiotherapist replete with massage table, and chartered their own flight to transport all this to Bordeaux in some luxury. They also brought attitude, and did not win many new friends when they refused to play on one of the two pitches because they thought it too small and bumpy. In stark contrast, a modestly sized contingent of Irish players and fans arrived early on Wednesday with the express intention of soaking up the atmosphere. A little too literally one feared.
The Group of Death
As has become traditional, the local host side proved an impressive outfit who duly beat each of the Group A sides on the Saturday. Luckily, as a guest, Gradignan were not eligible to progress to the semi-finals, but did have the effect of somewhat disorientating the other Logica nations in this very first World Cup 'Group of Death'.
Indeed, Ireland would be in for a tough time of it as they had been paired with all the previous World Cup winners (Holland and France), as well as the team who had finished runners-up at all three tournaments (England Lags). They started promisingly, and hopes were still high after a narrow 2-1 defeat against the Dutch, but four-goal defeats at the hands of both French and English ended their interest.
Lags Sent Down
The 'Group of Death' tag proved accurate as the three heavy-weights slugged it out at the top. A solitary Vincent Oran goal was sufficient for France to see off the England Lags in a rerun of last year's Final. The Dutch then staked their claim by pipping the hosts by the same margin, captain Laurens Zandbelt scoring the vital goal. However, despite this defeat, the French (with a superior goal difference) knew that whatever the result in the final group game, their passage to the semis was assured.
This left the Dutch and the English in a head-to-head eliminator (as a American cousins would doubtless have it), although the 1995 and 1996 Champions at least had the comfort of knowing a draw was sufficient for them. And this game lived up to the standards set by the previous three World Cup encounters between these two countries. Twice England took the lead through Abbott. Twice Holland battled back to equalise. And despite throwing everything into attack in the last five minutes, the Lags just couldn't find a way through, and it was the Oranges who topped the group as a result.
Scots Through in Rousing Finale
The other group saw an equally tight three-way battle, the French second string proving somewhat unfortunate as they lost to each of the other Group B sides by the closest of margins. Italy announced their intentions from the outset, as a controlled and effective performance saw them beat Scotland by 2-0 in the opening game of the tournament (a remarkable twist of symmetry would also see these two teams meet in the last game). Although the England Pups proved to have more nouse than their name suggested in holding the newcomers to a goalless draw, the Italians qualified in relative ease by defeating France B in their final game.
This left the Scots and the English to battle for more than just The Rous Cup in their final group game. The winners would be guaranteed a semi-final spot, but unlike in Group A, it would be the English who would progress in the event of a draw. And that likelihood seemed closer to becoming reality as a dominant first half showing and a sublime Jon Clarke strike gave the Pups an interval lead. But the Scots showed their qualities as some excellent football and a superior fitness enabled them to bounce back and qualify courtesy of goals from Alasdair Kelsey and Craig Menzies.
Oranges Pipped
Scotland were clearly clicking into gear, and looked confident as they faced two times Champions Holland in the first semi-final. Despite an excellent defence, the Dutch had struggled to score goals all tournament, and once Steve Brain had given the Scots the lead in a tight match, the outcome did not appear in doubt. A subsequent Mark McIntosh goal confirmed Scotland's place in their first World Cup Final.
Italians Spot On
The other semi-final was even closer, with little to separate either France or Italy in an intensely tactical struggle. English-born centre-forward Trevor Palmer gave the Italians the lead, but this was short-lived as Didier Rubat equalised with a well-worked goal. Extra time proved no more decisive, and the Logica World Cup had its first ever penalty shoot-out. The two teams matched each other kick for kick, until Gianni Bolocco became the hero of the hour by saving two French penalties and sending the Italians through.
Tartan Triumph
The 1998 World Cup Final proved an equally titanic struggle and two sets of partisan fans created a suitably tense atmosphere. The Scots were on the back foot initially, but a resilient defence repelled successive Italian attacks. As the game wore on, the tartan shirts began to assert themselves more positively, and chances began to fall their way. Finally Jason Malone got on the end of one neat move to finish with aplomb, and the Scots had the lead.
The Italians roused themselves for one last push and tried everything to grab an equaliser. But the Scots' strength and resolve held firm, and their right-back even found time to accept a swig of beer from the crowd as he prepared to take a throw-in. The final whistle was welcomed by a huge roar for the popular winners, and captain Melvin Hauxwell stepped forward to lift the trophy. Scotland were the World Champions.
The Cast of Thousands:
England Lags: Kevin Spence (Capt), Mark Abbott, Ian Clarke, Simon Duggan, Mitchell Grassie, Steve Lambert, Barry Millar, Steve Oliver, Graham Read, Keith Sidaway, Peter Venis, Simon Woolhouse, Akis Xenophontos, Lu Zurawski.
England Pups: Scott Fleming (Capt), Tim Appleyard, Jas Badeisha, Chris Bramwell, Neil Burdett, Jon Clarke, Colin Duff, Jake Gow, Jeff Hatton, Nigel Hoyland, Martin Johnson, Mark Pace, Henry Seetoh, Manlio Trovato, Matt Turner, Tim Wood.
France 'A': Philippe Soria (Capt), Laurent Duport, Vincent Oran, Herve Kaupp, Didier Rabat, Yoro Sedi and many others.
France 'B': Bertrand Cailleau (Capt) and many others.
Holland: Laurens Zandbelt (Capt), Richard Baderman, Luuk de Bot, Justin Chaffey, Patrick Dollee, Paul Garwood, Marcel Halsema, Peter Huis in 't Veld, Dirk-Jan Luykx, Ferry de Paus, Ed Pipe, John Quinn, Gert-Jan van Rie, Erik van Vliet, Rene Oude Vrielink.
Ireland: Robert Harte (Capt), David Anderson, Noel Barrett, Brendan Bonner, Paul Clarke, Eamon Coll, Keith Curran, Ronan Flavin, Paul Higgins, Stuart McMahan, Frank Moran, Colm Mulholland, John Murtagh, Padraic Nolan, Mark Stewart, Paul Taaffe.
Italy: Nicolo Romani (Capt), Fabrizio Ambrosetti, Gianni Balocco, Massimo Barboni, Giancarlo Bianchi, Salvatore Borgese, Gianroberto Casaleggio, Sergio Errigo, Giorgio Fusi, Roberto Godano, Alessandro Goia, Danilo Mattiolo, Trevor Palmer, Manfredo Pansa, Federico Pinna, Tiziano Salmi, Enrico Sponza, Angelo di Stefano, Gerardo Stendardo, Massimo Usignoli, Giorgio Vercesi, Massimo Zito.
Scotland: Melvin Hauxwell (Capt), Colin Booth, Jay Bostock, Steve Brain, Pat Brogan, Kenny Brown, Steve Campbell, Phil Gordon, Michael Hauxwell, Alasdair Kelsey, Mark McIntosh, Martin Mackenzie, Ben Mackie, Kevin Main, Jason Malone, Craig Menzies, Steve Penman, Nick Riederer.