The 1982 FIFA World Cup was the twelfth edition of the quadrennial international football championship, held from 13 June to 11 July 1982 in Spain. Here’s a breakdown of the background, participants, format, matches, goalscorers, winner, legacy, controversy, and other noteworthy events from the tournament:
Background
The 1982 FIFA World Cup was hosted by Spain, which was chosen as the host country by FIFA’s Executive Committee in 1966. This was the first time that the World Cup was held in Spain, and it was also the first tournament to feature 24 teams, up from the 16 teams that had participated in the previous three editions.
Participants
The 24 teams that qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup were divided into six groups of four. The teams that qualified were:
Europe (13): Belgium, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Spain, USSR, West Germany, Yugoslavia
South America (3): Argentina, Brazil, Peru
North and Central America (2): El Salvador, Honduras
Africa (2): Algeria, Cameroon
Asia (4): Kuwait, New Zealand, South Korea, Iraq
Format
The 24 teams were divided into six groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the second round. The second round featured four groups of three teams each, with the top team from each group advancing to the semifinals. The semifinals were followed by the third-place playoff and the final.
Matches
The 1982 FIFA World Cup featured 52 matches in total, with a total of 146 goals scored. The tournament was marked by several exciting and memorable matches, including the group-stage match between West Germany and Austria, which became known as the “Disgrace of Gijón” due to both teams appearing to play for a mutually beneficial 1-0 result that eliminated Algeria from the tournament.
Goalscorer
The top goalscorer of the 1982 FIFA World Cup was Paolo Rossi of Italy, who scored six goals throughout the tournament. Other notable goalscorers included Karl-Heinz Rummenigge of West Germany and Zico of Brazil, who each scored four goals.
Winner
The winner of the 1982 FIFA World Cup was Italy, who defeated West Germany 3-1 in the final to win their third World Cup title. Italy’s success was largely attributed to the performance of Paolo Rossi, who scored all three goals in the final and played a key role in the team’s victories throughout the tournament.
Legacy
The 1982 FIFA World Cup is remembered as one of the most exciting and memorable World Cup tournaments in history, with many classic matches and memorable performances from individual players. The tournament also marked the emergence of a new generation of international football stars, including Paolo Rossi, Michel Platini, and Zico.
Controversy
The main controversy surrounding the 1982 FIFA World Cup centered on the “Disgrace of Gijón” match between West Germany and Austria, which was widely criticized for its apparent lack of sporting integrity. The match was seen as an example of the problems with the World Cup format at the time, which allowed teams to play for a mutually beneficial result that eliminated other teams from the tournament.
