FIFA's 1974 World Cup Qualification Disgrace

In 1973, Chile and the Soviet Union faced each other in qualifying for the 1974 FIFA World Cup finals in West Germany, in one of the most infamous two-legged football matches of all time.
The decision that FIFA took in anticipation of the second leg between the two teams at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago is yet another blot on the copybook of world football's governing body.

[@ecashman]

Love how HITC Sevens isn't afraid to get political or call-out how shitty FIFA is. Politics is engrained in the sport, so it's nice to see someone comment on it with a fair bit of nuance and grace.

[@Owen-hd3oq]

i know this comment is a year old but it's still so true

[@jamesosborne7782]

Nice pfp

[@ronyLaPulga]

Hi Comrade

[@ecashman]

@@ronyLaPulga love to see another comrade in the comments lol

[@simonriley1981]

@@ecashman comrade 👋

[@teem4800]

Love these historical vids. HITC both channels are literally part of my every day normal life

[@iamjamjar]

Ye same

[@MrJB2224]

Same here, HITC and One Football are the 1st channels I watch every morning before work. Then my Chelsea FC channels

[@arjcarmichael6303]

Watch one video with breakfast and the other on my lunch break

[@saintroddy]

Same. Can't believe quality like this arrives daily.

[@paradoxr.n.o8688]

Same here

[@DomenBremecXCVI]

I highly recommend all viewers to look up Pinochet and as much about his time in office as possible. It's amazing how many times Africa gets ignored when talking about brutal dictators, but the lack of education about South American dictators is just scary.

[@MrMmnngghh]

Maybe because the Norteamericanos had a lot to do with carving up Sudamérica for their own benefit. (They would rather we don't know nor talk about that).

[@mgs1167]

Some of the most brutal dictators and military regimes in history came from Latin America, with almost all of them being backed by the United States.

[@nathanrobinson1099]

@@mgs1167 Both the Soviets and USA backed absolute monsters of humans. I would not want to be someone who had to "choose" the CIA's backed candidate and the Soviet's.

[@MrMmnngghh]

@@nathanrobinson1099 truth

[@bri1085]

@@nathanrobinson1099 Allende was also backed by his people, unlike Pinochet

[@dominicchristopher7645]

This was a good history lesson, but another qualification travesty took place in CONCACAF'S 1973 qualification. Trinidad and Tobago had 5 goals disallowed against Haiti (who qualified) and lost the game 2-1. The match officials for that game were banned for life. Interestingly it wasn't T&T who appealed this injustice, but Mexico.

[@jovidbodurkhonov7623]

Mexico? Surprising

[@Agomacule]

do you have some links or whatever to read up on this? It'd be greatly appreciated

[@dominicchristopher7645]

@@Agomacule here's the most detailed write up I know of it: socawarriors.net/senior-team-news/9542-haitian-robberytat-cheated-wc-spot.html

[@kpattersond]

Two words: Oliver Camps.

[@QuadsAPaloma]

Thank you for this. Being a Chilean who has a dad that was tortured by Pinochet’s regime is refreshing hearing someone that’s not from home talking about it.

[@lewiswillcox8634]

If you can access it, watch the film nae pasaran. It's about Scottish workers who went on strike in solidarity with Chile

[@PotatoGawds]

@@ns2501 idiot

[@ns2501]

Angelo Maraboli of Chilean descent. Pinochet saves Chile.

[@niklasklasen8048]

@@ns2501 you can't save a country with concentration camps and mass murder.

[@benlonghurst7777]

@@niklasklasen8048 you can save a country by throwing commies out of helicopters

[@MattijnPlayz]

Could you do a video like this on the 1978 world cup and Argentina's corruption and all the bad things that happened with it, like Cruijff's family being held hostage

[@SGT676]

Wait what

[@LaBandaRoja9]

Karim Clarke Cruyff said in an interview in 2008 that he went through a failed kidnap attempt in Barcelona in 1977 and after that wasn’t in the right mindset to play in a World Cup. I don’t think it was intentional, but Mattijn made it sound like he was saying Argentina held him hostage. Anyways, this is interesting, I’d always thought he boycotted the WC. Here’s an article about the interview www.theguardian.com/football/2008/apr/16/newsstory.sport15

[@JuanPablo-vw7ko]

We lived in a dictatorship those days but had nothing to do with Cruiff or his family!

[@brushark9090]

@@JuanPablo-vw7ko the dude right above already cleared it out don't worry :]

[@Cicero82]

Karim Clarke look up “The Night of the Pencils” or “El Noche de los Lápices”

[@philjonessmemes4224]

7 best forwards who have never scored a hat trick

[@vb2388]

Atleast we had a great final between Beckenbauer’s West Germany vs Cruyff’s Netherlands in 1974 Same case for 2002, controversial WC but great final..

[@benibbotson2014]

Nice profile picture.

[@cinethoughts7732]

Out of interest, as someone who wasn't alive when that world cup happened (2002), what was controversial about it?

[@vb2388]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6e6k2x3f89_mdU

[@saeed_05]

Cinethoughts theres a video on this channel about it Interesting Fact: My comment features on that video

[@cinethoughts7732]

@@vb2388 watched this. Really interesting and a crazy story. Very corrupt to be honest. Difficult to call it human error.

[@philjonessmemes4224]

7 best players with under 5 caps for their national team

[@anthonymalone8966]

Number 5. Lawrence Shankland

[@saeed_05]

Worst team to have qualified for a world cup Best team to fail to qualify for the Euros

[@MrMmnngghh]

@Rodycaz El Salvador in Spain, 1982. Got caned 10-1 by Hungary.

[@LogandoesstuffAmogusRealSus]

North korea 2010

[@Schnipp08]

Honduras 2010 and 2014? Trinidad Tobago, Togo and Angola 2006?

[@Schnipp08]

Jamaica 1998?

[@Schnipp08]

Zaire 1974!

[@yahoojab]

We're still a divided country due to the atrocities of 1973, and will continue to be. Too much blood and pain is involved to forgive or forget. Thank you for the video and the great content in the channel.

[@Metalerolero]

I wholeheartedly agree.

[@hschsc1300]

End Neoliberalism!!

[@stateofgrace2786]

You're right, we will never stop this shit. Sometimes I think, man just fuck Pinochet fuck Allende fuck the army fuck the MIR, we would have been better off without their crap, left or right, both ruin us

[@bendover8477]

Must’ve sucked living in an authoritarian country ☹️

[@dun0790]

@@stateofgrace2786 im English and i feel politics everywhere is getting to that point both sides are as bad as each other we need new ideology thats cuts the crap

[@pabloAT98]

Chilean here. I rarely see this sad yet interesting story shown on international media. Thanks a lot for sharing!

[@olayinkaamara385]

How about a documentary on the 1934 World Cup riddled with fascism and alleged corruption from Mussolini.

[@archstanton6102]

Good idea

[@vb2388]

1978 as well...although I think there was already a video in it..

[@pompeygod8969]

That would be great

[@RobJaskula]

Definitely would love to see this!

[@santinomamone2674]

🤚🤚🤚🤚 4 wcs :)

[@3dsaulgoodman43]

Love these documentaries! Keep it up Alfie!

[@opnmindd]

I must recognize, it feels extremely weird to hear a British talking about one of the darkest times of my country. Cheers and awesome work! Edit: I would have included that the government that 'fought' the British Government to bring it back to Chile was A SOCIALIST GOV.

[@dhruvmistry4626]

Honestly the British government supported Pinochet during the 80s due to the cold war, Falkland war and Pinochet's free market economics

[@ns2501]

It was the saving moment of our country. I love mi general.

[@felipeoa9474]

@@ns2501 that foolish, depraved old man you love was nothing but a puppet, a coward and a petty thief.

[@naxotogo]

@@felipeoa9474 also a narco.

[@GamerBoy-ij2sv]

7 best American Samoan left wing backs who have played as a striker in a park in London with friends over the age of 23 years 2 months and 21 days old

[@archstanton6102]

East Germany played West Germany once and won 1-0. Then refused to ever play them again.

[@3dsaulgoodman43]

Lol that's hilarious

[@MrMmnngghh]

How very North Korean of them! 😆👌⚽

[@princesofthepower3690]

Those East Germans were notorious for taking steroids . Won’t be surprised if they had beaten them that way .

[@BrendonChase2012]

@@princesofthepower3690 Too true, unfortunately PEDs know no political ideology...the 'good guys' cheat too.

[@patrickmoen8577]

@@princesofthepower3690 Steroids are useful for American footballers, not so much for the Association variety. Ironically, it's fairly well established that the West German team that beat Hungary in the 1954 final was on amphetamines.

[@AnggaDesu10]

This is my favorite kind of content in HITC Sevens (Like "Football Origins Stories" skits in HITC Sport). History usually direct you to the perspective you never know before. Hopefully seeing this more often in HITC Sevens.

[@ilseguerraestupinan7115]

I appreciate these types of videos so much. And the info is so accurate and real. The aftermath of the dictatorship is still affecting Chile, but luckily we can leave all that behind in a near future. Keep up with these kinds of vids! Love your channel

[@michaelplaysbass]

Damn, Alfie. That was a great deep dive. I learn tons of interesting (and often critical) information on these videos, but also tons of cool football shit. Long live The People's Channel!

[@israelcedeno7750]

I would love to see more of these sort of videos. I know that they don’t get as much views or interest but I love the work that you put in. Keep up the great work!!

[@forestaregoingdown7717]

7 youtubers who played for a academy.

[@dirkbogarde44]

You have to wonder how the 1978 world cup went ahead, considering what the government were doing to it's own people during this time.

[@AgustinDaszenies]

I’m chilean and yes, all of this unfortunately this all happened. Great video it’s very well researched

[@ns2501]

As a Chilean thank Gid for mi general

[@francomarinetti4059]

@@ns2501 viva pinochet, muerte a los rojos

[@thoth7858]

learning US imperialism and backing of murderous dicators through a football channel unironically very cool c:

[@nutyyyy]

Just remember the Soviets also practiced imperialism on the same scale.

[@Cyanova1312]

@Hibana Jager Main Tell that to the Black Army that won 'your' revolution for you.

[@carlomariamizzi8387]

@@nutyyyy not the same scale, they simply did not have the same resources. American imperialism is unrivaled

[@just-give-me-a-handle]

i just gave you the 68th like 😳😳

[@Alex-sj6fq]

Top notch video. Great job on this one like always

[@bbcmotd]

"USSR began the period of decline on the pitch"? Olympic Silver 1976, Euros playoffs in 1982, Euros playoffs in 1986, Olympic Gold in 1988, Euros Silver in 1988

[@michaelmacleod4713]

Great video! If I’m not mistaken the image shown at 1:45 was taken on July 12th 1966 at Ayresome Park Middlesbrough. It was the World Cup quarter final tie between North Korea and the Soviet Union.

[@joeroy5892]

Can you do more historical videos. I really enjoy them and I know a lot of others do

[@eisenadler4942]

I love when you do videos like this every once in a while but I'm still suggesting for a video about the last 7 Chelsea signings before the Abramovich takeover.

[@connortaylor4952]

I love the historical videos on this channel great content mate

[@jackjones9198]

7 best players never to win a single trophy. (Not including pre-season)

[@wojteksocha2002]

In the topic of 1974 world cup, how about making a film about semifinal game Poland - West Germany, which took place in a ridiculous conditions. Franz Beckenbauer said that Poland would have won this game if the condition were fair back then

[@AldershotDave]

What were the “ridiculous conditions”?

[@simonkevnorris]

@Pete I believe the pitch was waterlogged as it had been raining heavily.

[@jakubrauba5759]

I know it's been 3 years, but: 1. It wasn't a semifinal technically - it was the last round of the 2nd group stage, but it just happened to be the final/3rd place match decider. Just as with the 1950 "final". 2. The conditions weren't really ridiculous, but @simonkevnorris is right, the raining was super heavy and the game is known in Poland as "The game on water". It punished Polish offensive-minded team, which also had to win, with a draw promoting the West Germany. Add to that a series of very good, but missed chances and you get one of the most famous games in our history. I'm not sure if it was supposed to postponed or sth by the rules and possibly wasn't, as even in Poland we don't complain about that. 3. HOWEVER, i'M pretty sure that the story of the Polish NT is worth a video, since we pretty much came out of nowhere and all thanks to 1 guy: the legendary coach Kazimierz Górski. ALSO, that team's story has several common points with the Hungarians from the 50s (e.g. Olympics victory or defeat to Germans).

[@twilso9]

These are the vids i wish he made all the time. I love these historical football videos

[@raulgonzalez8564]

Sevens became Tifo Football

[@emmanuel8487]

Im pretty sure hes been doing the historic type videos for ages now

[@ajbw04m48]

Absolutely love this type of video! Would love to see some content on East Germany come soon :)

[@jman6169]

Excellent video. Love these

[@munoz1899]

Wonderful video! I would love to see more of these informative, off pitch videos!

[@chadibamangena1765]

Mate... This is a brilliant video. I learned a lot. Would love to see more

[@MCohen28]

Learned a lot? Have you cross referenced everything said by this Englishman that’s probably never set foot in Chile or met a Chilean? You take everything anyone says as gospel? Maybe you should do your own research.

[@chadibamangena1765]

@@MCohen28 I'd like to believe that this channel is reputable. If what they're saying isn't true, you are more than welcome to educate me as well as them. I'm sure they would appreciate it better than the negative energy in the comment you've made.

[@archstanton6102]

@@MCohen28 What did he get wrong? You provide no facts, counter points, evidence or sources.

[@veandve]

@@chadibamangena1765 Hey mate I'm Chilean (so you can say you have met one now), this video was brilliant, really well researched. I hope Pinochet is being tortured over and over again in hell :)

[@chadibamangena1765]

@@veandve Thanks Lucio. Hope all is well in Chile 🇨🇱. Hopefully I can also confirm information about South Africa one day🇿🇦

[@Dubiosul69FaceDragoste]

Best player at every world cup

[@tatemarshall]

Thats called the Golden ball

[@RobJaskula]

The Soviet player with the Pumas leapt out at me around two minutes in. Must have had wide feet! Cool look. As ever, a very entertaining script for a history dive, Alfie! You read this type of content with more strength and smoothness in your delivery (I write and broadcast, myself), and it's a great look at a story that's been lost to time. Your writing certainly stands out against other channels that make videos on the history of the game, and you hit the nail on the head when you got some steam going on the Soviets' decision to stay home - the right call, no matter their motivations. I will admit I gave a bit of a wag of the finger when you backtracked a bit on your word choice regarding the status of the workers in Qatar! That slam dunk on the Albert Speers (especially with how right you got it when discussing the Speer Myth, and of course, that ending) remains my absolute favorite of your videos.

[@HITCSevens]

Cheers Rob.

[@jamesgrey1227]

FIFA and disgrace in the same sentence. Surely not!

[@andydiaz7818]

How about a list of 7 managers that were rumored to be hired but weren't, and where they are now? IE: Preki was rumored to have been a target for Leicester before they hired Rainieri

[@MattijnPlayz]

Love your videos

[@danjones8921]

Everyone needs to research Operation Condor. America has an absolutely shocking history of foreign policy in Latin America and we're still seeing much of the same behaviour in Bolivia

[@felipeoa9474]

Great video, I appreciate you speaking about this subject, there are still plenty negationists about these facts so it's important to educate everyone on world history.

[@DylanlaherBlogspotIe]

7 players who played on with medical conditions (Edgar Davids, Saul) I’d say I’ve been writing this for about 2 months now

[@SnipingMachines]

Solid upload fam 👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏

[@OfficialFingazMC]

Great doc, never knew anything about this.

[@kawi704racing8]

That video was excellent. Very interesting.

[@jovidbodurkhonov7623]

Interesting to learn this. Especially for me as the person from the former Soviet Union

[@cristiansotelo]

And interesting fact: If you go to the National Stadium today to see any game and watch to ( as we know arc north ) you will able to see a seccion of grandstand that it remains of the same way that it´s was in 1973 and it´s has a sign that says " Un pueblo sin memoria es un pueblo sin futuro" " A people without memory are a people without future"

[@wojteksocha2002]

In the topic history, how about "Match of the Century" England Hungary form 1953(?) and a revolution of English football since then

[@cristiandumitrescu1744]

The match of the Century was( if I am not wrong) Italy vs Germany 4-3 in 1970 World Cup

[@wojteksocha2002]

@@cristiandumitrescu1744 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_of_the_Century_(1953_England_v_Hungary_football_match)

[@cristiandumitrescu1744]

@@wojteksocha2002 ok sorry... its referred to both matches

[@wojteksocha2002]

@@cristiandumitrescu1744 no problem, this name is pretty easy to come up with

[@DarthVader964]

Great video

[@pompeygod8969]

Really interesting video Alfie. This is not my comment (it’s Olayikna Amara’s, so huge credit to him for this idea, I just want it to be seen as it’s a great idea) but what happened in Italy 1934 World Cup due to the Fascist leadership of Mussolini and Corruption (allegedly)

[@krishollanddoyle5062]

Great content again

[@drgreen67]

Brilliant video. Well done

[@rogeriocorreia1901]

Great work. Keep it up.

[@desciplesofthomassankara3021]

Sports has the power to change the world. It can inspire and unite people in a way that little else does. -Nelson Mandela

[@BrendonChase2012]

and divide on a grand scale.

[@BlueflagAlpha]

And many decades later, this still happened

[@Tinylinden]

Interesting video! Shame about the 8 adverts that played though

[@Charlie-rk5ts]

HITC sevens is slowly turning into Johnathon Wilson

[@krt88nc]

Highly informative video

[@thisboiiscalledsun6251]

Wow what a fantastic video!

[@danjones8921]

Can you do a video on the Disgrace of Gijon?

[@gavalanche5327]

Harrowing tale excellently told and you still have pricks going "X day asking for my stupid list idea". Great work anyway would like to see more content like this

[@joekiet]

Please make these kind of videos into a podcast !

[@ollyr9951]

Best team with no one from top 5 leagues

[@7tmkq]

Day 9? (Honestly forgot) Every premier league team player that doesn’t get enough play time

[@anthonyfitzpatrick1913]

Can you do 7 international tournement upsets,, like example greece wining euro2004 or qatar winning the asian cup ,,, love the channel

[@alejandromurdoch8197]

just thought I should say that Allende is pronounced Ayende, the double l is its own character in spanish and is pronounced as a Y sound

[@SD-xh8fz]

Day 4: Best academy product of every EPL Club

[@oliverqueen5883]

What about the 2010 World Cup qualification disgrace? (Henry handball that denied Ireland from World Cup) Irish guy Michael agrees with me.

[@bakayfofana4708]

You deserve the qualification for 2010 wc (France fan) I prefer to not qualify for this wc than the Knysna scandal

[@YMariusChivuY83]

Fuck off dick head.

[@ratedopossum4307]

Love the consistent vids :D

[@NaxoBax]

As a chilean, thank you

[@AlexCalabrese22]

You know it’s bad when the Soviet Union takes the moral high ground

[@MrJB2224]

I can't be the only person who likes the video before it begins to play just because HITC is a great channel.

[@pablomelena8653]

2022 here we are and looks like nothing has changed lol

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

Argentina 1978 wasn't much different.

[@thomasmuller6301]

The 1974 World Cup final is the worst day in football history, not including death. So sad that the Dutch lost it

[@FavreianVengeance]

As American, I can't say we have any higher ground.

[@nicholasbaum8776]

Please do more historical videos

[@hafizh__iskandar]

Biggest Euro 2021 Absenttes XI: GK. Jan Oblak (Slovenia) LB. Andy Robertson (Scotland)* CB. Milan Skriniar (Slovakia)* CB. Kostas Manolas (Greece) RB. Stefan Savic (Montenegro) CM. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Armenia) CM. Miralem Pjanic (Bosnia Herzegovina)* CM. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Serbia)* CM. Martin Odegaard (Norway)* ST. Edin Dzeko (Bosnia Herzegovina)* ST. Erling Haaland (Norway)*

[@areebsiddiqui758]

Dzeko ain't so good anymore. I'd replace him with Milot Rashica (Kosovo)

[@mattbeks2949]

Do one on Australia’s qualification for the 2006 World Cup and the curse being reversed. Also include Guus Hiddinks genius plan to buy as many flights to Sydney from Montevideo to make it uncomfortable for the Uruguay team to get to the 2nd leg. Meanwhile a Qantas charter flight was ordered to fly direct to Sydney giving the Socceroos an advantage in the 2nd leg

[@vincenzopacifico]

7 best fan choreographies of all time

[@Krispen_Wah]

Nestle is running ads on your content... The guys who privatise water sources i remind you. This would bother me.

[@GenialHarryGrout]

Then there was the battle of Santiago in the 1962 World Cup also involving Chile

[@ZacheryAlgaze]

Would love to hear about the Silver Goal and Golden Goal rule and why FIFA thought they were good ideas

[@AldershotDave]

Sir Stanley Rous’ surname is pronounced “Rouse” (like house), not “Roose”!

[@justhuy7960]

Can you make a video about Colombia golden team of early 1990s and how they ended

[@geraldclydeabella3350]

There is 30 by 30 documentary about that but it was focusing on 2 Escobar's

[@justhuy7960]

@@geraldclydeabella3350 Escobar was obviously the main character when you talk about golden Colombia team but I think there are lot more interesting things about them

[@aniekanthomas979]

Excellent video, and very very good research. And indeed, for once, the Soviets were right not to play given the circumstances.

[@Farerets]

Soviets were idiots, who just outsmarted themselves. Instead of requesting a single (or for that sake two) match on a neutral venue, they duly welcomed Chileans in Moscow (two weeks after Pinochet coup d´etat and all events at Estadio Nacional!), hoping that they were going to win by three-four goals before their trip to South America. The first leg didn´t go according to their plan, so they just withdrew, being afraid of a result in the return match. It wasn´t only about Estadio Nacional, it´s certain that they wouldn´t had gone to, say, Arica either - or any place in Chile, especially having memories from 1962 world cup still quite fresh at that time.

[@footballdays5548]

Best player to score a hat trick in every World Cup Best player who played at a good last club before reitiring

[@ibrahimkapidi9606]

7 players who had great potential but didn’t realize it.

[@ceoofdumbness658]

7 best players without Champions League win

[@fanofl4ndo_twd77]

make a video about euro 1988 qualifier bomb incident during the netherlands vs cyprus

[@Champol]

Very interesting video! I didn't know how football was so related to my country's dark political history.

[@rafiwerdiger]

7 most dominant performances by a single player in a game

[@LateFiddle392]

7 best throw in takers.

[@merseydave1]

A similar situation came about in Argentina in 1978

[@DGAMINGDE]

When the Soviet Union is the good guy in a story, you know that someone REALY messed up.

[@snowcold5932]

The bigger villain of the Cold War is easily the USA, and it's not even close

[@DGAMINGDE]

@@snowcold5932 Both the U.S. and the Soviet Union were the villains in the Cold War. Only people like Enrico Berlinguer and Alexander Dubcek were actually good.

[@i_like_chomp6382]

@@snowcold5932 Not even close