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Twenty years ago, Italy hosted what is considered by many fans, the best world cup tournament. There were so many stories such as the rise of Italian striker Toto Scillachi who burst onto the scene to take the tournament Golden Boot with 6 goals. Even today, Italian fans remember Notti Magiche di Totò Schillaci (magical nights of Toto Schillaci) even though they lost in the semi finals on penalties to Argentina. However for England fans, this was a special time. In the late 1980s and 1990, football in England was in the gutter. Club sides were banned from Europe, there was no money to attract foreign stars to the league and violence followed the national team where ever they played. There was talk England would be kicked out of the tournament. The press were slating the team at every opportunity about their perceive lack of ability. Society was troubled with Poll Tax riots and unemployment while on the international stage, the Berlin Wall was falling and Nelson Mandela took his historic walk to freedom. Under the management of Bobby Robson and with players of the calibre of Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne, England departed for Sardina where they would play their group matches. Sardina had been deliberately chosen for England in an attempt to control their fans. England were joined by Ireland, Holland and Egypt. The group was tightly contested but in the England England made it to the knock out stages. Meanwhile, on the mainland, the tournament was in full swing. Holders Argentina had lost the opening match to Cameroon and now England and their fans were about to join the party. The last 16 match against Belgium could have been lost in normal time as Shilton has his post rattled. As it looked as if penalties were on the cards. Gazza chipped a ball into the box, Platt swiveled and the ball was in the net. England were in the quarter finals. Their opponents would be Cameroon who had shocked Argentina in the opening game. Many people thought an upset was on the cards but extra time and two penalties from Lineker saw England through to the semi-finals. They were the first penalties England had been awarded for 16 years and now a team many journalist thought not fit to be on the world stage were in the semi finals. Their opponents who be the old enemy - West Germany. No English team had ever progressed so far on foreign soil. Meanwhile, off the pitch there were plenty of problems with supporters. 246 were deported (curiously, the exact number of seats on the airbus that took them home). Stories were abound that journalists were paying people to start trouble and of Italian police were rounding up anyone they wanted regardless of any involvement in trouble. There were also false stories of players involvement with an Italian waitress. The manager and squad close ranks and the mental toughness they had already showed was strengthening. The semi-final would be played in Turin. The home town of Juventus was still mourning the death of 37 supporters at the European Cup Final in Heysel against Liverpool. If there was one city in Europe with a reason to hate the English, it was Turin. England supporters rolled into town and on to the match. This was a high tension match. Was this to be England's night? The first half was tight but it was level at half time. Into the second half, West Germany took the lead with a wickedly deflected free kick. The clock kept ticking and time was running out when Paul Parker launched a ball into the box. It fell kindly to Lineker and the scores were level. The dream was still alive. England went into extra time for the 3rd time in as many matches and the pattern of the game was the same. Both teams hit the post and then disaster for Gascoigne. He over ran a ball and his enthusiasm to regain possession got the better of him. He dived into a challenge and missed the ball. Berthold crashed to the ground and the ref waved a yellow card. It was Gascoigne's second of the tournament and he would not play in the final if England made it. For a few minutes, it looked like Gazza's head had gone but he focused and drove England on. It was to no available and the game went to penalties. The first few penalties were scored by both sides and now it was the turn of the icon of English patriotism - Stuart Pearce. Pearce has a England flag flying in his garden and was a goal scoring defender. Penalties were his thing. He stepped up and struck the ball but disaster. It struck the keepers legs. West Germany scored and now it was up to Chris Waddle. He strode up with the look of a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. The stadium went quiet and 30 million people back in England prayed. He struck the ball well...too well and it sailed over the bar. The dream was over. Gazza cried and football changed forever. West Germany went on to win the final and 6 weeks after they left England, the team returned. Instead of the ridicule that endured when they flew out, now they were greated by 300,000 fans. "One Night In Turin" is available from Amazon from 31st May 2010.
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South Africa is an amazing country to visit at any time and it is hoped that the World Cup will help promote tourism to this amazing country. Most visitors arrive by air into 