WORLD CUP PREVIEW : In Defense of Its Title, Italy Opens Up Against Bulgaria Next Saturday
Brazil has tradition on its side. Mexico has the home-field advantage. Italy has the 1982 hero. France and Argentina have the two best players in the world.
And all 24 teams have high hopes as the World Cup--the most popular sporting event in the world--commences next Saturday.
The Italians, with a slumping Paolo Rossi in the lineup, oppose Bulgaria in the opener at Azteca Stadium before an expected crowd of more than 100,000.
Rossi was the star of the 1882 World Cup, scoring six goals in the last three games and sparking the Italians’ run to the championship. But he has played poorly the past two years.
“Paolo is in better shape now than he was in 1982,” Italian Coach Enzo Bearzot said. “His pride will do the rest.”
Italy is hardly a one-man team, though it will miss Dino Zoff, the superb goalkeeper of the 1982 squad, who has retired. Fullback Antonio Cabrini and midfielder Marco Tardelli are Italy’s top players.
Mexico’s best player, Hugo Sanchez, injured his knee while helping Real Madrid win the Spanish league and UEFA Cup titles. The Mexicans never have been particularly successful in World Cup play but have a strong--and young--team which, bolstered by the wildly partisan Mexican fans, could be a contender.
The teams are split into six groupings and play one game against each team within the division. The top two teams in each division, plus the four third-place teams with the best records--goal differential is the main tiebreaker--advance to the second round.
From those 16, the field will be cut to eight quarterfinalists and then to four semifinalists. The semifinals will be held June 25 at Guadalajara and Mexico City, with the final in Azteca Stadium.
Italy and Bulgaria are in Group A, along with Argentina and South Korea, and their games--other than the opener--will be at Puebla.
Group B, at Mexico City, has Mexico, Paraguay, Iraq and Belgium. Group C consists of France, Canada, the Soviet Union and Hungary, and will play in Leon.
Brazil, Spain, Algeria and Northern Ireland play in Group D at Guadalajara, while Group E has West Germany, Uruguay, Denmark and Scotland at Queretaro.
The sixth division, Group F, is at sweltering Monterrey, where England, Poland, Portugal and Morocco play. The English and Polish teams have expressed concern about the heat there, fearing they will be at a disadvantage against the Portuguese and Moroccans, who are used to such conditions.
“You have to get used to any conditions and be prepared for them,” Poland’s assistant coach, Bernard Blaut, said.
“The heat is a concern but if we are well-conditioned, we should do well,” Bobby Robson, England’s manager, said.
Robson doesn’t think any team is dominant this year.
“There is no outstanding team,” he said. “Maybe 10 teams could win it, and I reckon we are one of them.”
The World Cup is not only a time for soccer but for celebration. It is a month-long party, highlighted by the Brazilians dancing in the streets, the Scots singing their lilting songs, and much debate on the merits of each team and each player.
Billboards for the World Cup put up by the tournament’s commercial sponsors pitch everything from barbecue sauce to film. Most of the ads feature “Pique,” the chili pepper, sombrero-wearing cartoon mascot for the World Cup.
Stores that had World Cup memorabilia gathering dust on their shelves for months, now are reporting good sales as the early waves of the expected 20,000 to 40,000 foreign visitors arrive.
But ticket sales have not been as brisk. In fact, Octavio Fernandez, a spokesman for the organizing committee, estimated that 65% of the three million tickets placed on the market last year have been sold.
And few Mexicans are expected to be able to attend the games outside of Mexico City. For example, the least expensive set of tickets for six preliminary matches at Irapuato--a farm town 195 miles northwest of Mexico City--costs $109. The minimum wage, which most Mexicans earn, is about $3.15 a day.
While the Mexicans, naturally, will have overwhelming crowd support, the South American teams and Spain also will enjoy the vocal backing of Mexican fans. Thousands of Brazilians and Britons are expected in the country to root on their countrymen.
The tournament originally was awarded to Colombia, but financial problems forced the Colombian government to withdraw. Mexico and the United States both offered to host the event. FIFA, the governing body for soccer worldwide, chose Mexico, which hosted the World Cup in 1970 and is the first nation to hold the event twice.
Brazil, led by the great Pele, won its third World Cup in 1970. The 1986 team is beset with turmoil. One player, Leandro, quit the team this month in protest of the roster moves of Coach Tele Santana.
“The criticism is normal,” midfielder Socrates said. “I admit we are playing badly, but I hope we’ll improve in Mexico.”
The French are given the best chance of any European team to win the 1986 World Cup. Michel Platini, their captain and star midfielder, is considered one of the best players in the world, along with Argentina’s Diego Maradona. Platini, who says he is at the top of his game--he has played sensationally for Italian champion Juventus of Turin--has claimed that the French are stronger than they were in 1982, when they reached the semifinals.
Maradona, who plays for Napoli in the Italian League, is a 25-year-old forward whose strength and nimble footwork make him particularly dangerous. After the Argentines failed to make the semifinals in 1982--after winning the Cup at home in 1978--Maradona promised the team would do better in Mexico.
The United States team lost in the qualifying rounds, with Canada getting the berth. The Canadians, first-time qualifiers like Denmark and Iraq, are considered rank outsiders.
The six nations which have won the title--Italy, Brazil, West Germany, Argentina, England and Uruguay--are here.
Television coverage of the World Cup in the United States will be extensive. SIN, the Spanish-language network, will televise all 52 games. ESPN has 15 contests, including the semifinals, while NBC will do seven games, beginning with Italy-Bulgaria opener and finishing with the championship game.
Here are thumbnail sketches of the 24 teams. GROUP A
ARGENTINA--The winner of the 1978 Cup, Argentina was a major disappointment in 1982. The team has been overhauled, with an emphasis on ruggedness and stamina--the Argentines clearly tired during games in 1982. Diego Maradona remains the star, although he hasn’t approached the level once predicted for him and has a knee problem. Striker Claudio Borghi might be their best player in Mexico.
BULGARIA--A surprise entry from the strong Communist bloc put together a terrific qualifying run, going 5-2-1. A high-scoring outfit which sometimes is too attack-prone, Its best player is defender Emil Dimitrov, the captain.
ITALY--The defending champion remains formidable, although 1982 hero Paolo Rossi, a sensational clutch scorer, has struggled in the past year and might not start. The Italians were an automatic qualifier and have played spottily. But that’s how they appeared entering the 1982 World Cup, when they rode a strong defense and goalkeeping to the title. They’ll miss retired star goalie Dino Zoff, but Antonio Cabrini is one of the best fullbacks in the world.
SOUTH KOREA--Clearly the class of the weak Asian Group, the Koreans are capable of an upset because of their speed. Like Bulgaria, they like to attack, though they aren’t nearly as rugged as the Bulgarians. Their top player is forward Choi Ho Soon. GROUP B
BELGIUM--An offense-oriented team with one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Jean-Marie Pfaff, Belgium will try and play it tight and capitalize on mistakes. At this level, the Belgians won’t force many errors, so midfielder Rene Vandereycken and striker Jan Ceulemans will have to star.
IRAQ--Because of the war between Iraq and Iran, the Iraqi team played all of its qualifying games on the road and still sneaked into the field. Although Iraq, coached by Brazilian Evaristo Macedo, is out of its league at this level, its competition in the group isn’t particularly strong.
MEXICO--Was the deck stacked for the host team so that it could easily advance past the opening round? Regardless, Mexico, led by striker Hugo Sanchez, is a heavy favorite in this group, despite the presence of only two World Cup veterans.
With a 3-17-4 record in World Cup competition, Mexico never has been a soccer power. Nor is it now, although being at home always helps immeasurably, especially in the heat in Mexico. Helping even more is the weak opposition.
PARAGUAY--A team supposedly in turmoil--Coach Cayetano Re almost quit after Paraguay crept into the final 24--Paraguay has a couple of former New York Cosmos in forwards Julio Cesar Romero and Roberto Cabanas. Romero and Cabanas are exciting but will have to score a lot of goals for Paraguay to get far. GROUP C
CANADA--Pity the Canadians, who have their strongest team ever--this is their first World Cup appearance. Canada was undefeated in eight qualifying games and is strong defensively, led by goalkeeper Tino Lettieri and defender Bruce Wilson. But does Canada have the big scorer to keep it competitive in this talented sector?
FRANCE--Ah, c’est magnifique. The French won the 1984 European and Olympic championships and probably are the most balanced squad in the tournament. Led by Michel Platini, one of the world’s best midfielders, France is superb in the middle. Dominique Rocheteau is a dangerous forward and Joel Bats is an improving goalie. One concern for the French is that their key players are over 30 and they are not used to the heat. But neither are the Soviets or Hungarians, their main competition in this group.
HUNGARY--Another suddenly strong Communist nation, Hungary dominated its qualifying sector with a 5-1 record and a 12-4 goals differential. A strange team, the Hungarians upset Brazil this year but also looked pitiful in a tournament played in Mexico last December. Forward Tibor Nyilasi is the main threat.
SOVIET UNION--Always a presence on the soccer scene, the Soviets rarely get very far in the World Cup. They almost never lose at home--although England beat them in March--but, in qualifying, didn’t win away from the USSR, and they recently fired their coach. Having to play France and Hungary early doesn’t help, but the Soviets could surprise if their defense holds up. GROUP D
ALGERIA--In 1982, the Algerians proved more formidable than expected, beating eventual finalist West Germany, 2-1, in the opening round. Many of the players from that team, including captain Ali Bergan and forward Janel Nehad, are back, and Algeria soared through the African qualifying. The experience of 1982 could help the Algerians.
BRAZIL--One of the favorites, champions in 1958, 1962 and 1970, Brazil challenges France for the best midfield in soccer, led by Zico, Falcao and Socrates. Coach Tele Santana has expressed concern about his team’s offense--there are no Peles up front--and injuries. Most of Brazil’s stars have been playing in other countries, which has hurt the team’s cohesiveness. So has apparent team dissension following the roster selection.
The Brazilians are strong but not fearsome and have been through much turmoil--until January the team had no coach. Then Santana, who quit after the 1982 tourney, was reappointed.
NORTHERN IRELAND--Heat could take its toll on the Irish, who are at a distinct disadvantage in this group. They must slow the tempo and let forward Norman Whiteside and 40-year-old goalie Pat Jennings take charge. If they can keep the scores down, the Irish might have a chance to advance.
SPAIN--In 1982, playing at home, the Spanish made it to the second round. This is a young team which was runner-up in the European championships and has been impressive in warmups for the Cup. Emilio Butragueno, called “The Vulture,” and goalie Antonio Zubizarreta are the stars. The key to the entire tournament for Spain is its opener against Brazil. GROUP E
DENMARK--The Danes make their World Cup debut in the toughest group. But Denmark is formidable and has attracted much support from the soccer community for its relentless, wide-open attack. Four players--Jan Molby (Liverpool), Michael Laudrup (Juventus), Soern Lerby (Bayern Munich) and Frank Arnesen of PSV Eindhoven (the Netherlands)--played for national champions. Coach Sepp Piontek has built a strong team in a short time.
SCOTLAND--Never a pushover, the Scots rely on experience. Striker Kenny Dalglish is missing, due to injury, but the Scots will be difficult to score against. If their defense can hold down Denmark, West Germany and Uruguay, the Scots will be a favorite to win it all. But that’s asking a lot.
URUGUAY--Brazil and Argentina get all the attention but this might be the best team in South America. Making its first appearance in the Cup in 12 years, Uruguay has a strong offense. In forwards Enzo (The Prince) Francescoli, Wilmar Cabrera and Jorge da Silva, Uruguay might have the best 1-2-3 punch in the world.
WEST GERMANY--An awesome qualifying tournament--5-1-2 record, 22 goals scored, 9 allowed--makes the West Germans scary. Coach Franz Beckenbauer has juggled his lineup for months, yet the West Germans still win. Sometimes plodding, rarely gambling, the West Germans revolve around defender Karl-Heinz Foerster and midfielder Pierre Littbarski, who has an ankle injury. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge could be the tournament’s leading scorer. GROUP F
ENGLAND--The English were upset when they were placed in this group, which will play at Monterrey, where the game-time temperature averages 90 degrees. Coach Bobby Robson said before the draw that “it would be impossible for a team based in Monterrey to win.”
England will try to advance behind the goalkeeping of Peter Shilton, one of the world’s best, and a quick-striking attack led by Mark Hateley. The British were outstanding in qualifying with a 4-0-4 record and 21-2 goal differential.
MOROCCO--The only way Morocco can win is if it keeps opposition scoring to an absolute minimum. The Moroccans go for a scoreless tie from the outset, and they have a tight defense and a steady goalkeeper in Baodu Zaki. Fullback Timoumi probably is the best player in Africa.
POLAND--The best team from the Communist bloc, Poland was a semifinalist in 1982 and easily could get that far again. Don’t believe its low ranking in Europe--the Poles often save their best for the biggest games, although they bring a very young squad to Mexico.
This is another team which could be hurt by the heat. In Zbigniew Boniek and Darius Dziekanowski, the offense is strong.
PORTUGAL--Portugal got to the final 24 largely on the strength of its stunning upset of West Germany in qualifying. Fernando Gomes twice has been the leading scorer in Europe and midfielder Carlos Manuel is star quality. If the Portuguese benefit from the heat and England and Poland suffer from it, there could be a surprise here.
