Amazing football facts

Did you know… (part II)

In 1950 India withdrew form the World Cup because FIFA refused to let their team play barefoot.

In 1954 Turkey knocked out Spain from during a World Cup qualifier by drawing straws. Blindfolded Italian boy Luigi Franco Gemma picked the straws to decide the winner.

There was a game in 1945, while Arsenal was playing Moscow a dense fog suddenly rolled onto the field. The referee didn’t want to reschedule the game because visiting team came from a very far distance. The game soon got out of hand. A player from the Russian team was sent off the field, but snuck back on the field and wasn't spotted in the fog. The Russian's were suspected of having 15 players on instead of 11. The goalie from the Russian team ran into the goal post and was knocked unconscious. A spectator ran onto the field and filled in for the rest of the game.

In 1996 George Weah paid for his teammates uniforms and expenses so that Liberia could enter the African Nations Cup.

Football goalies didn't have to wear different colored shirts from their teammates until 1913.

Jean Langenus of Belgium wore a suit jacket, golfing plus fours and a red striped tie when he refereed the 1930 World Cup final.

In the 1938 World Cup semifinal, Giuseppe Meazza of Italy's shorts fell down as he was taking a penalty shot. He held his shorts up and calmly scored past Brazil's Valter.

In 1998 English referee Martin Sylvester sent himself off after punching a player during a game in the Andover and District Sunday League.

Luigi Riva once broke the arm of a spectator with one of his powerful shots.

Under Herbert Chapman, The Arsenal changed their name to simply Arsenal in order to appear at the top of the alphabetical list of old Division One clubs.

In 1999 Leganes coach Enrique Martin received a ten game ban for running down an opposition player who was clean through on goal.

On soccer field in Brazil there was a small bird (called a lap wig). The bird was flying over the field and reflected the winning shot with 3 minutes left in the game.

Manchester United was first known as Newton Heath. They changed their name in 1902.

In 1997 Nigerian international Celestine Babayaro broke his leg while celebrating a goal in his Chelsea debut during a preseason game.

Non-flying Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp's fear of flying caused him to miss many international and European games for Arsenal.

When Fernando d'Ercoli (team Pianta) was given a red card in a game, he became so mad that he snatched the card from the referee and ate it.

When Mike Bagley (of Bristol) was written up for swearing, he got so mad at the referee that he took his notebook and ripped out the page, and ate it!