Italia '90 - World Cup Memories and betting suggestions.

Welcome to the second of my posts recounting the World Cups of my life. There is another betting tip down at the bottom, but remember, only gamble what you can afford to lose, etc.

1990 was a time of change, in the world, in my life and for football. The Berlin Wall had fallen a few months before the tournament kicked off. I had reached the tender age of fifteen, downy hairs were appearing in strange places, something called 'girls' suddenly existed. And modern football, particularly in England, was about to have its genesis moment. The world cup in Italy, despite the football being mostly drab and defensive, was a staging post, marking the spot where the old world became the new. It was also a tournament linked more than any other to music. England’s official World Cup song, World in Motion by New Order, was number one in the charts and the BBC's coverage opened and closed with Nessun Dorma sung by Luciano Pavarotti. Pavarotti's voice would become synonymous with that tournament, a piece of music that never fails to bring a goosebump to the skin or a tear to the eye. Personally, the Rolling Stones would play a big part too, but more on that later.

Paul Gascoigne, England's star of the 1990 World Cup.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12016/9902248/italia-90-memories-paul-gascoignes-tears-in-turin-as-england-suffer-world-cup-heartbreak

As in Mexico, England entered this World Cup relatively untroubled by expectation. The promise and excitement of '86 had dissipated, an awful showing at the 1988 European Championships, compounded by the news that Bobby Robson would be stepping down as manager after the tournament. Once again England relied on the goals of Gary Lineker and defensive solidity of Terry Butcher, now complete with ‘bloodied-head-bandage’ mythology. Peter Shilton remained in goal but the passing of time had made him slower on his feet. However, England's real star was a new addition to the squad. Paul Gascoigne (English law dictates I call him ‘Gazza’ for the rest of this article) was something different, brave, brash and confident, as an attacking midfielder, he could do anything he wanted.

New Order and possibly the greatest football song ever written.

England started slowly. A draw against the Republic of Ireland, Lineker’s opener cancelled out by Kevin Sheedy’s thunderbolt, was followed by a nil-nil draw with Holland in the second group match. Only a solitary goal from defender Mark Wright saw England past Egypt and through to the next round. Belgium were the opponents and I have only one memory from the match. Perhaps there were chances at both ends, goal-mouth incident galore, penalty appeals, but nothing sticks in the mind. With the game goalless in the final minute of extra-time Gazza floated a free-kick forward and David Platt, twelve yards out, watched the ball drop over his shoulder, swivelled and volleyed the ball home to send England through. It was unbelievable. At the time I had never experienced such last-minute drama and I remember jumping ecstatically around a living room somewhere in Southampton. In the last eight, England faced a Cameroon side who must still wake up in cold sweats wondering how they lost. England were 2-1 down after 65 minutes and playing poorly. For a long time it looked as if the game was up, but two penalties from Lineker, one in extra-time, sent England into the last four.

David Platt sends England to heaven, well the quarter-finals.

https://englandmemories.com/2015/06/26/great-england-goals-david-platt-v-belgium-italia-90/

It seems impossible to imagine now, England in a World Cup semi-final against Germany, optimism went through the roof. Lineker was scoring goals, Gazza lighting up the tournament, running games from his advanced midfield role. This then was a game not to be missed, only an idiot would have other plans on the night of England's biggest fixture in 24 years. However, along with 80,000 other idiots, I had a ticket to see the Rolling Stones at Wembley Stadium. Rumours buzzed around the stadium that the match would be shown live on the big screen behind the band but it was not to be. As in 1986, my visual memories of a painful World Cup exit would be made via a video recorder. That still ranks as one of the strangest nights of my life. There was no internet back then, no smartphones, many people had transistor radios (look 'em up on google kidz), headphones clamped against one ear. I even remember people crowded around portable television sets the size of microwave ovens. Mick, Keith and the rest played the songs and we, the crowd, dutifully sang along but none of our hearts were in it.

The semi-final defeat was Bobby Robson's last game as England manager.

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/01/15/sir-bobby-robson-the-finest-man-in-football/

You probably know the rest. Germany scored first, Andreas Brehme's free-kick deflecting off Paul Parker and looping, agonisingly, over Shilton into the net. Then with 10 minutes to go Lineker equalised with a fantastic turn and finish from 12 yards. John Motson’s commentary is still etched into my brain “Augenthaler couldn’t do it... Lineker probably could...!!!” Then in extra-time Gazza was booked, provoking the stand out image of the competition for any England supporter. It was his second yellow card of the tournament meaning he would miss the final if England went through. Gazza cried, his tears preceding those of the nation by a mere thirty minutes and Lineker was caught on camera pointing to his head, mouthing to Bobby Robson “Have a word with him...” England eventually lost on penalties, a footballing first that has become the norm. Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle shared the badge of failure that night, forced to spend the rest of their lives wondering what might have been. Back at Wembley the atmosphere was as flat as a pancake, people sat with heads in hands. The Stones played Mixed Emotions, a nice touch but nobody cared about music anymore. I can only imagine what Wembley might have been like if England had won. The explosion of euphoria and joy would probably have taken the roof off the old stadium.

Italy's hero of 1990, Salvatore ‘Totó’ Schillaci.

http://www.mondoudinese.it/news-calcio/schillaci-la-juve-domina-in-italia-puo-provare-a-vincere-la-champions/

For Italy, Salvatore ‘Totó’ Schillaci was the superstar for a month. Seven of his sixteen appearances and six of his seven goals for Italy came in that World Cup on home soil. The Republic of Ireland, with England World Cup winner Jack Charlton in the dugout, made the quarter-finals. And who can forget the Netherland’s Frank Rijkaard launching a huge gob of phlegm into the hair of Germany striker Rudi Voller? For the second World Cup in a row, England had been defeated by the eventual winners, Germany beating Argentina in that bad-tempered final, but it was scant consolation. We didn’t know it at the time but 1986 and 1990 were the best of days for an England supporter, things would go downhill from there.

West Germany won that World Cup, of course they did.

https://keepo.me/keeposetiawan/de-javu-kemenangan-jerman

WORLD CUP BETTING - Tip 2
Brazil, France and Spain to all win their groups. 5 points at 6/4 with Betfair.

All three of these teams are likely to go very deep in the tournament and I see nothing to stop them winning their respective groups.

If you haven't done already then check out my piece on the Mexico 1986 tournament here:

https://steemit.com/sbc/@marcusbraeburn/mexico-1986-world-cup-memories-and-betting-suggestions

Thanks for stopping by.