The 1981 U20 World Cup, held in Australia, became a showcase for underdog teams that had not been expected to shine. The 1981 edition of the junior world cup was perhaps the first time that surprises dominated the tournament — including the eventual champions, West Germany. Although they came from the UEFA zone and had a strong winning tradition, especially at senior level, they were not actually supposed to qualify for the finals. Their story mirrored Denmark’s success at Euro 1992. Even more astonishing was the emergence of an Asian team that made it to the final for the first time in the history of the U20 championship. Facts and Figures from the 1981 U20 World Cup The third edition of the U20 World Cup featured several unique stories, no less intriguing than other editions. Here are some highlights from the first FIFA competition to be staged in Oceania: * The tournament took place from 3 to 18 October with 16 teams divided into four groups. * A total of 32 matches...
The chamber for managers, goalkeepers and lost tales in a football realm