1998 World Cup preview: The greatest game in the world
The sixteenth World Cup kicks off at the Stade de France outside Paris on June 10. Thirty-two teams will take part and 550 million people will tune in worldwide until one is left in triumph on July 12. Over the next seven pages Magill previews the teams and some of the top players and looks back at the history of an often controversial contest. But first, down to the business of football. Ronan O'Neill looks at the increasing commercialisation of the game and asks will this be the last time we'll all watch it for free
France 98 illuminates football at the crossroads, where the actual playing of the game is being eclipsed by ruthless commercialisation. This tournament will be terrestrial television's last stand against pay per view. Television viewers are lucky they can actually watch this year's World Cup for free. The European Broadcasting Union secured the rights to France 98 for $37 mil lion 12 years ago, long before the advent of Satellite television and its concurrent policy of overpricing the product. But the EBU's bid of $750m for the 2002 World Cup paled in comparison to the $2.6 billion that the German broadcasting company Kirsch has paid to secure the rights for the next two World Cups. The only way Kirsch can enjoy a return on such outlandish expenditure is through pay-per-view. Protestations from FIFA to the contrary ring hollow when sports fans consider the treatment of other great sporting occasions such as the Ryder Cup. It is true that events such as the World Cup are to be given the status of national treasures by EU national governments, but at the end of the day it is Kirsch and not the European Commission who own the rights to the next two World Cups.
The jettisoning of having seeded teams based at one stadium and the recent ticket scandal are also portents of the ominous trends in the once beautiful game. Previously, it made football sense that teams would set up camp in a hotel, which was to be the players' home for two weeks where the various needs of the team in terms of training and eating facilities would be looked after. It was also a focal point for the travelling supporters who were not faced with the added expense of travelling the length and breadth of the host country to follow their team. However, this long established custom has been abandoned in order to maximise the profits for the host country. Take for instance Brazil, who play Scotland in the opening match of the tournament in Paris on June 10. They play in Nantes on June 16 before finishing their opening group match against Norway in Marseille on June 23. Only the wealthiest and most ardent of supporters—who are lucky enough to get tickets—could afford to undertake such superfluous travel, lining in the process the pockets of the French tourism industry. Should Brazil win their group, they will then have to travel all the way back from Marseille to Nantes, a fact which underlines how football is of secondary importance in France 98.In many ways fans see the unfairness of the ticket allocation for the World Cup as indicative of their lot in the modern game. Life-long supporters are being priced out whilst players are paid silly money. There's too much money and corporate chat in the air and not enough atmosphere in the ground. Alex Ferguson regularly bemoans the lack of atmosphere at Old Trafford.At England's Euro 96 semi-final against Germany, an astonishing 14,000 people in the stadium were on corporate entertaining packages. In the Stade de France, which will host the World Cup final there are facilities for ten thousand people to dine in the stadium.These developments in the international sphere are a symptom of an underlying malaise in the game at club level. Sky's success in securing the football rights of the Premier League has changed club soccer in England beyond recognition. In 1992 Sky out priced ITV's offer of £262m with a bid of £305m to secure coverage of the premiership for the next five years. In May 1996, Murdoch won the four-year rights once more paying £675 million for the privilege.In ‘The Football Business' David Conn that the Sky deal represented the selling out by chairman on the grass-roots supporters. “The chairman who voted for the Sky deal was not concerned that the 87 per cent of supporters who didn't have a dish would now be forced to pay for something they could have for free.” Indeed, football has been kind to Sky: a deficit of £47m had been turned around by 1996 to a turnover of £1billion, courtesy of its coverage of the Premier League.Prior to the Sky deal, clubs were more like companies in structure but clubs in style. Football was a game, not a means of making money. Football did need to become more businesslike to make money for itself and its clubs but many fans do not believe that it needed to transform itself into a corporate machine to be floated on the Stock Exchange, making club chairman richer.
Manchester United plc is now one of the fastest growing ‘leisure companies' in the City. Chairman Martin Edwards has made £33 million from off-loading shares he owned from years before. He has sold his shares five times, making £6m on the floatation in 1991, £1.2m in 1995, £4.4m in 1996, £16 m two months later and a further £5.57m in July 1997.And then of course there is the European Super League. The majority of fans probably don't want it, preferring the parochial rivalries built up over a century with European competition a knock-out treat. However, the Super League will come in because the television revenues to the clubs from such a competition will be Europe-wide, not restricted to the ‘domestic market.' In other words, it will make very much more money for the few clubs that go into it and so the rich clubs will get get richer.Football has undergone a commercial revolution over the past ten years. It used to belong to the fans and the clubs—for all their faults—never thought to overcharge them. The shareholders were not in it to make money. Now football clubs change their strip every season, ticket prices have risen exponentially and the turnover of football companies has mushroomed.When World Cup 2002comes around, chances are you won't be too disturbed by the fact that RTÉ has no coverage on any of the games—even the Irish matches should they qualify. You will be so used to pay per view television for the Premier League and the enlarged European League, it will just be the norm.
Alan Shearer—England—Striker
Shearer's name has been synonymous with scoring ever since he hit a hat-trick on his full league debut for Southampton against Arsenal as a 17-year-old trainee in 1987. Having missed five months of this season through injury, Shearer will not be afflicted by end of season tiredness and this should help sharpen his predator instincts.
The 27-year old has scored 162 goals in 300 league appearances and 18 goals in 38 international appearances so it is hardly surprising that Glenn Hoddle claims that Shearer is better all-round with his head, left and right foot than Ronaldo.
Quiet and unassuming off the field, Shearer is a fearsome opponent on it, frequently rowing with referees and physically giving his opponents a very hard time in the battle for superiority. If England are to progress as far as the semi-finals of this tournament, the Newcastle striker will be an essential ingredient in that success.
Ariel Ortega—Argentina—Midfield
Just as Ronaldo is Brazil's new Pele, Ortega is widely regarded as Argentina's new Maradona. It is hardly surprising, given that he wears the number ten shirt, plays in the hole behind the two strikers and is short and very skillful.
Indeed, he replaced the disgraced Maradona after he failed an drug test in USA 94. Although he has been having a bad stint at Valencía in Spain, he oozed class in Argentina's recent friendly against Ireland. Winner of the man of the match award, he wafted past two defenders and then with the most precise of chip shots, dropped the ball just under the crossbar to score Argentina's second goal.
He is no stranger to success having won an Olympic sliver medal two years ago.
Zinedine Zidane—France—Midfield
Not many players can have made as impressive international début as Zidane did against the Czechs in August 1994. On the pitch for only 17 minutes, his two goals heralded the beginning of an illustrious career.
The Juventus star finished third in the 1997 European player of the year awards in recognition of the technically gifted midfielder's ability to turn a game with one flash of genius. He does everything you would expect of the linchpin of any great side. He helps the team first and himself next.
The last time France hosted a major tournament, they won Euro 84 under the inspiration of Michel Platini. Zidane has the ability to spur France on to similar dizzy heights.
Fernando Hierro—Spain—Defender
The surname Hierro means ‘iron' in Spanish and there is no doubt that Hierro is the hardest player in the notoriously physical Spanish league, where he is one of the stars of the perennially successful Real Madrid side.
Real's recent victory in the European Cup final was attributable to Hierro's success in eliminating much of the influence of Juve's playmaker Zidane. But there is a lot more to Hierro than his ability to intimidate. He is a fine player with excellent ball skills, who has an average of one goal in every four internationals.
Hierro's defensive responsibilities mean he often has to submerge his attacking instincts, but he likes nothing more than linking up with the attack when the opportunity presents itself.
Group A
Brazil-Ranking 1st, Odds 11/4
Not since the great days of Pelé has Brazil had such an array of talented stars at its disposal. Not only is Ronaldo considered to be the best player in the world, but Brazil also have Roberto Carlos in their squad, a defender whose explosive free-kicks has earned him the moniker ‘the second best player in the world.'
Brazil are the only country to have played in every single World Cup and their manager Mario Zagalo is the only man to have lifted the World Cup four times (as a player in 1958 and 1962, as manager in 1970 and assistant manager in 1994). Brazil's recent 2-1 win over Germany reaffirmed the belief that the World Cup holders will hold on to their crown.
Ronaldo's blistering pace, powerful physique, his devastating finishing and above all his ability to turn a game on an instant, should ensure that Brazil's firepower overcomes even the most dogged of defences. Talk of Norway's and Scotland's long ball games unlocking the Brazilian defence should be dismissed as balderdash.
Group A
Scotland-Ranking 41st, Odds 150/1
Scotland's inconsistency has ensured that they have never progressed to the second stages of the World Cup Scotland beat eventual runners-up Holland in 1978 but failed to progress due to a poor performance against Iran and in 1990 they came unstuck against Costa Rica.
Although Scotland will sorely miss the experience of Gary Mc Alllister, midfield is the one area where Scotland boast a couple of world class players. John Collins and Paul Lambert have proved themselves at the highest level in France and Germany respectively, with the latter winning a European Cup Winners medal with Dortmund last year.
History looks set to repeat itself with Scotland coming home early.
Group B
Cameroon-Ranking 49th, Odds150/1
Cameroon's heroics in reaching the quarter-finals in 1990 was followed four years later by a limp showing in the United States, where the Cameroonians suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat by Russia.
An ignominious exit from the Nations Cup in February after a shocking 1-0 defeat by DR Congo, cost coach Jean Manga his job and lead to the appointment of the highly-rated Frenchman Claude Le Roy in his place.
Cameroon's hopes rest with some talented attackers, not least the Japanese-based Patrick Mboma, who was the leading goal scorer in the African World Cup qualifiers.
The appointment of a new coach so close to the finals illuminates divisions within the camp. It would be a major surprise if they qualify for the second phase.
Group C
France-Ranking 17th, Odds 7/1
France make their ninth appearance in the finals courtesy of the automatic spot reserved for the host nation, having failed to qualify for the last two World Cups. Under coach Aimé Jacquet, the French have cut ‘Gallic flair' in favour of organisation and resilience and just two defeats in 36 games up to the end of 1997 bear testimony to those priorities.
It is in midfield that France have most talent with Zinedine Zidane playing in the creative pivotal role. Alongside Zidane will be Didier Deschamps and Patrick Vieira who get on with the grafting, blocking, holding and tough tackling which provides iron-clad protection for the back four.
In Euro 96 France were let down by a lack of punch up front, failing to score in 240 minutes of football in their quarter and semi-finals, both of which went to penalties. France should do well in the tournament but again, look too lightweight up front to go all the way.
Group D
Nigeria-Ranking 74th, Odds 28/1
Nigeria are the country most likely to fulfil Pelé's prophesy that an African nation would win the World Cup before the end of the 20th Century. Nigeria are the current Olympic champions and most of their players are displaying their skills in the leading leagues of Europe.
The squad includes current African Footballer of the year Victor Ikpeba and there will be no faster attacking line in France than that of Babangida, Amunike and the ex-Everton player Daniel Amokachi, who is still more than capable of playing a major part at the highest level. Qualifying was a straightforward enough task for Nigeria who were the first team to qualify for France after beating Kenya 3-0 in June last year.
Group E
Holland-Ranking 25th Odds 9/1
Amazingly modern-era Holland have only ever been knocked out of the World Cup by teams who have gone on to win the tournament. On paper, coach Guus Hiddink appears to have at his disposal a squad with the quality and depth to mount a serious challenge for the tournament.
However, earlier this year Ajax's Danish coach Morten Olsen said the Dutch lacked the ‘over my dead body' attitude to mount a serious challenge this summer. At the back there is little doubting the commitment and class of De Boer and Stam, but in the midfield with the notable exception of Davids, tackling back is for some an optional extra and heads can sag when the team goes behind.
In attack, if Dennis Bergkamp can strike up an Ian-Wright-style partnership with Patrick Kluivert, the Dutch should produce some wonderful performances. Should there prove to be dissension in the squad in France, as there was in Euro 96 and USA 94, Holland look more likely to hold on to the title of the best country never to have won the World Cup.
Group F
Yugoslavia-Ranking 8th, Odds 25/1
Yugoslavia return to the world stage in France after six years in the soccer wilderness. It was in the play-offs that Yugoslavia displayed their great firepower, sending out a 12-goal warning to the rest of the world with a stunning 7-1 away defeat over Hungary followed by a equally impressive 5-0 home win.
Yugoslavia have a world class striker in Real Madrid's Predrag Mijatovic, who scored 14 goals in the qualifiers including seven against Hungary. In midfield Lazio's Vladimir Jugovic is a selfless workaholic and Dragan Stojkovic, the influential playmaker will ensure that creative midfield is ably controlled.
Yugoslavia are firm favourites with Germany to go through the group and on their day they are capable of beating anyone.
Group G
Romania-Ranking 22nd, Odds 40/1
Although they finished ten points ahead of the Republic of Ireland in their qualifying group, the opposition was not of the highest standard. In Euro 96 they came up against stiffer opposition than Iceland and Liechtenstein and simply folded.
An uncomfortably high percentage of the Romanian team such as Popescu, Hagi and Lacatus not only played in the 1994 World cup but in 1990 as well.
Romania will be hoping that Gheorghe Hagi can come out of his slumbers for the big event as he did four years ago. Romania are easily the weakest of the seeded teams and are a good bet to go home early.
Group H
Argentina-Ranking 6th, Odds11/1
Argentine manager Daniel Passarella angered fans when he refused to pick Argentina's best striker for most of the team's World Cup qualifiers. The problem is that Batistuta's style of marksmanship does not fit into the passing game Passarella likes his teams to play. Nonetheless he is in the squad and may well start, having scored in the recent win over the Republic of Ireland.
The midfield will consist of Captain Diego Simeone, a highly experienced player who handles referees well and Ariel Ortega, probably the most skilful Argentinian player since Maradona. The defence is likely to include Hernan Diaz, a veteran who has picked up every cup in South America with River Plate and Roberto Ayala the best header in Argentine football.
Argentina are the best team in the group and are genuine contenders for the World Cup itself.
Group H
Jamaica-Ranking 30th, Odds 300/1
Jamaica is the first country from the English-speaking Caribbean ever to qualify for the World Cup finals. The “Reggae Boyz” are rank outsiders but they won't go unnoticed at the 1998 World Cup finals in France.
Jamaica's success in qualifying for their first World Cup final is largely attributed to their Brazilian manager René Simoes. In his first year in charge, 1995, Jamaica played 19 internationals winning eleven and losing only five.
Simoes successfully exploited the grand-parent rule and English born players that have declared for the Reggae Boyz include: Chelsea's Frank Sinclair, Wimbledon's Marcus Gayle and Derby County's Deon Bruton whose four goals ensured qualification.