Champions League Final is Set: FC Barcelona (Spain) vs. Arsenal (England)
Kickoff is 11:45 AM PDT on TSN (5) (308), RDS (256) and Telelatino (65).
Here's Soccerway.com's Form Chart for these two teams
Just 91 days to go...
1. Like other major sports tournaments, doping controls are in place at the World Cup. Since when has the World Cup conducted drug testing?
A) since 1966
B) since 1974
C) since 1982
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A) Since 1966. Above, Diego Maradona is seen in a recent photo proclaiming his innocence. Maradona was dismissed from the 1994 World Cup after failing a doping control and did not play a World Cup game again.
2. Despite scoring 58 goals in 82 games for Brazil, this player, who wore the #10 made famous by during the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups, was not able to lead Brazil to a World Cup title. He was:
A) Dirceu
B) Socrates
C) Zico
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C) Zico. His World Cup career came to a sad end as he missed a penalty kick after entering a game as a substitute. After 1047 senior games, he eventually retired in 1990 and was appointed his country's Sports Minister. Rumour has it that he's partially responsible for the dress code of Brazilian fans at World Cup matches, and he deserves our respect.
3. After hosting the 1970 World Cup, they hosted it again in 1986 after another country's officials declared that they could not afford it. Which country was it?
A) Colombia
B) Peru
C) Canada
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A) Colombia. Colombia was slated as early as 1974 to be the hosts of the 1986 World Cup, but in 1982 they had to step back. In early 1983, Mexico was selected to become the first country to host more than one World Cup. Pictured is Colombian star midfielder Carlos Valderrama, a brilliant passer who didn't get to play a World Cup in his home country, but did appear in the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He was not hard to spot.
4. Which of the following countries has not hosted two World Cups?
A) Mexico
B) Brazil
C) Italy
D) France
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B) Brazil. The tournament was held there once (1950), but in recent history, the trophy merely resides there. Brazil has won the tournament a record five times. The Brazilians travel well. They know not to pack a lot of clothing.
Less than 100 days to go now…
1. This forward scored 22 goals in his first 44 international games for the Netherlands and currently plays in the English Premier League. He is…
A) Dennis Bergkamp
B) Ruud van Nistelrooy
C) Robin van Persie
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B) Ruud van Nistelrooy of Manchester United. Yes, "van Nistelrooy" is his full name; there is no truth to the rumour that his nickname is "Van" due to his large turning radius.
2. Franz Beckenbauer of West Germany was able to achieve a double of sorts by being a World Cup champion as a player (1974) and as a coach (1990). He was not the first person to do this, preceded by, no surprise, a Brazilian. Who was he?
A) Socrates
B) Mario Zagalo
C) Zico
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B) Mario Zagalo. Zagalo (second from right, bottom row) was twice a World Cup winner (1958 in Sweden, 1962 in Chile), played in 1966, and then won as a coach (1970 in Mexico) wearing the obligatory track suit (seen on the left) popular in the day.
3. During the 1930s, England was not a member of FIFA and therefore did not take part in the first three World Cup tournaments. England finally made their World Cup debut in 1950 (Brazil) and shockingly lost their second match against what unheralded team (500-1 underdogs)?
A) North Korea
B) San Marino
C) United States of America
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C) United States of America. Below is the English team returning home after failing to go past the first group stage. They lost not only to the United States (0:1) but also to Spain (0:1) after having beaten Chile (2:0).
4. 16 years later (England 1966), England became the World Cup champions, winning 4:2 against West Germany (4:2). England's classy offensive leader, Bobby Charlton played a big part in the victory. His brother also played in the final against West Germany. Name him.
A) Allan Charlton
B) Jack Charlton
C) Peter Charlton
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B) Jack "Jackie" Charlton. In the picture above, Jackie and Bobby are sporting uniforms in a style that England will be wearing this summer in Germany. As a further aside, combovers have been banned by FIFA since 1992.
Only 105 days to go…
1. Since 1877, referees had the right to dismiss rule-breakers from the playing field, but it was in 1909 that the rules relating to how it's done was codified. Yellow and red cards were devised later.
In which World Cup were yellow and red cards first used?
A) 1938 (France)
B) 1954 (Switzerland)
C) 1970 (Mexico)
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C) 1970. In the first game under the new procedure, four Soviets and one Mexican received yellow cards. There were no red cards issued in that year's tournament, however.
Above, England's Wayne Rooney applauds Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen's decision to give him a yellow card during a 2005/06 Champions League game. Nielsen, encouraged by Rooney's enthusiasm, decided to show Rooney a red card as well.
2. Between June 4, 1950 and February 18, 1956, Hungary lost only one game. That loss came against West Germany in the 1954 World Cup final game in Bern, Switzerland. Hungary defeated Germany earlier in tournament. What was the final score?
A) 6:1
B) 7:2
C) 8:3
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C) 8:3. They then scored two goals within the first 8 minutes in the final, but West Germany came back to win on a soaked field 3:2 in a game Germans call Das Wunder von Bern ("The Bern Miracle"). Helmut Rahn scores the winning goal in the picture above. The Hungarians in 1953 were the first country to defeat England on English soil, defeating them 6:3 at Wembley Stadium in front of 100,000 people. Six months later, Hungary beat England 7:1 at home, England's worst loss ever.
3. What is the name of the Italians' famous, and feared, system of defending?
A) Calcio
B) Catenaccio
C) Difendissimo
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B) Catenaccio. The word means "door bolt" and the playing system refers to a defense working in a chain formation using another defender behind to pick up loose balls, look for unmarked attackers and redouble marking. Catenaccio should not be confused with Cicciolina, an Italian porn star/politician who has offered to sleep with Saddam Hussein in order to achieve peace in the Middle East.
4. The 2010 World Cup, the sixteenth World Cup tournament, will be held on the African continent for the first time. Who will be the hosts?
A) South Africa
B) Libya/Tunisia (co-hosts)
C) Morocco
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A) South Africa. The final vote for allowing South Africa to host was over Morocco (14-10). Libya was interested in co-hosting the tournament, but this was not going to be allowed. Tunisia withdrew once it knew it would not be allowed to co-host with Libya. Complicating matters even further, Libya stated they would not allow Israel to play there if they qualified. No word on whether Cicciolina tried to get involved here.
1. You've got to have guts to call a penalty after only 1 minute of a World Cup final game, and against the home team, no less. But that's what England's Jack Taylor did in 1974.
What team did he call it against?
A) Holland
B) Brazil
C) West Germany
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C) West Germany. Uli Hoeness fouled Johan Cruyff of Holland. Taylor later called a penalty against Holland, which the Germans converted, and Germany later won the game through a goal by Gerd Mueller (below).
2. The first World Cup game I remember watching was the Spain 1982 semifinal between France and Germany, a classic game which featured Germany coming from two goals behind in extra time to tie the game 3:3.
The game was marred by a brutal challenge on Patrick Battiston of France during extra time which left Battiston missing a few teeth and the German goaltender, who committed the foul, completely unpunished.
The German goaltender who committed the foul was:
A) Bodo Illgner
B) Eike Immel
C) Toni Schumacher
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C) Toni Schumacher. The Germans won the game on penalty kicks but lost a lot of support.
When asked about Battiston's lost teeth, Schumacher said, "I'll pay for his dental work."
3. Still controversial after 40 years (and the subject of some scientific research) is the 3:2 goal for England against Germany in the 1966 World Cup final.
Who scored the goal?
A) Geoff Hurst
B) Bobby Moore
C) Martin Peters
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A) Geoff Hurst. This goal was the second of three for Hurst who was only appearing in his eighth game for England and was not a regular on the national team.
Bonus question. I couldn't work a picture of German model Heidi Klum in this week, but Twiggy was popular in England around the time of the 1966 World Cup.
Twiggy's real name is
A) Leslie Hornby
B) Samantha Taylor
C) Penelope Wallace
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A) Leslie Hornby
Agg. | First leg | Second leg | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Bayern | - | Milan | 21/02 » | 08/03 » |
Benfica | - | Liverpool | 21/02 » | 08/03 » |
Real Madrid | - | Arsenal | 21/02 » | 08/03 » |
PSV | - | Lyon | 21/02 » | 08/03 » |
Chelsea | - | Barcelona | 22/02 » | 07/03 » |
Rangers | - | Villarreal | 22/02 » | 07/03 » |
Bremen | - | Juventus | 22/02 » | 07/03 » |
Ajax | - | Internazionale | 22/02 » | 14/03 » |
1) Which World Cup was the first to have games broadcast on live television?
A) 1938 (Uruguay)
B) 1954 (Switzerland)
C) 1962 (Chile)
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B) 1954. Germany won the World Cup in Bern, Switzerland over the Mighty Magyars of Hungary. At the time, there were 50,000 TVs in Germany--it was the days of gathering in the street to watch the games.
2) When the World Cup was conceived, FIFA's plan was to have 16 teams participate in the final tournament. This wasn’t easy, but it was finally achieved in 1954. Starting in 1982, 24 teams started participating in the final tournament.
How many teams are taking part in the final tournament in Germany this year?
A) 24
B) 32
C) 36
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B) 32. Here Heidi Klum determines the fate of Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 World Cup draw in beautiful Leipzig.
3) Many people regard Lev Yashin as the greatest World Cup goaltender of all time, even though his teams were not able to win the tournament. Who did Yashin play for?
A) Yugoslavia
B) Hungary
C) Soviet Union
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C) Soviet Union. The trophy for the best goalkeeper at the World Cup tournament is named after him.
4) The leading scorer of the 1982 World Cup was suspended for his part in a match-fixing scandal in Italy in 1980. He had his suspension lifted just in time for the World Cup, and he led Italy to its second World Cup title.
Who was he?
A) Alessandro Altobelli
B) Giuseppe Bergomi
C) Paolo Rossi
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C) Paolo Rossi. He scored six goals in the World Cup tournament, including one against Germany in the Final.
Bonus question:
The current coach of FC Barcelona (Spain) was ejected from an Italy '90 game against Germany for spitting at Rudi Voeller. Who is this Dutch player?
A) Ruud Gullit
B) Ronald Koeman
C) Frank Rijkaard
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C) Frank Rijkaard. Voeller was also sent off at the same time. Germany defeated the then European Champions 2:1 in the Round of 16 game.