World Cup's 101 Most Memorable Moments: The Disgrace of Gijón
By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
Editor's note: Each day between now and the kickoff of the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 20, we'll unveil a different memory from World Cup history. The countdown from 101 continues with the Disgrace of Gijón.
Austria and West Germany understood the situation. Heading into their final group stage game at the 1982 World Cup, the European neighbors knew that a 1-0 or win by the Germans would send both teams to the second round at the expense of Algeria, who had already played their final first round match.
The fans in Gijón, Spain, were also aware of this. So when Horst Hrubesch gave West Germany the lead just 10 minutes in and players on both sides suddenly seemed a lot less interested in attacking, they — and many more watching on television across the globe — assumed that the fix was in.
Algeria lodged a formal complaint but the Austrians and Germans escaped punishment; no pre-match collusion was ever proven. The "Disgrace of Gijón" did have a lasting impact, though: Since the next World Cup in 1986, the final set of group stage matches have been played simultaneously to ensure that no team knows ahead of time the result they need to advance.
The Disgrace of Gijón
One of the leading soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
