Battle of Santiago
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Santiago is the name given to a particularly unsavoury and infamous football
match during the 1962 FIFA World Cup
. It was a game played between hosts Chile
and Italy
on June 2, 1962 in Santiago. The referee was Ken Aston
who later went on to invent yellow and red cards.
in crude terms by two Italian journalists. Chile's organization and preparation of the tournament had been severely disrupted by the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in human history. Italian articles were used and magnified by local newspapers to inflame the Chilean population. The articles are still quoted on the internet http://www.todoslosmundiales.com.ar/mundiales/1962chile/historias/0017chilevsitalia.htm. The journalists, Antonio Ghirelli and Corrado Pizzinelli, had to leave the country before the World Cup fearing for their own safety: a few days before the match an Argentinian journalist, mistaken for an Italian, was beaten up in a bar in Santiago.
The first foul occurred within 12 seconds of the kick-off. Italy's Giorgio Ferrini
was sent off in the twelfth minute after a foul on Honorino Landa
, but refused to leave the pitch and had to be dragged off by policemen. Landa retaliated with a punch few minutes later, but he was not sent off.
English referee Ken Aston
overlooked a punch by Chilean Leonel Sanchez
to Italian Mario David
, which had come in retaliation for being fouled seconds earlier. When David kicked Sanchez in the head a few minutes later, he was sent off.
In the violence that continued, nine Italians vs 11 Chileans, Sanchez then broke Humberto Maschio
's nose with a left hook, but Aston did not send him off. The two teams engaged in scuffles and spitting, and police had to intervene three more times. Chile won the match 2-0 (74' Ramírez; 88' Toro).
When highlights from the match were shown on British television a couple of days later (not the same night, because film of matches still had to be flown back), the match was famously introduced by David Coleman
as "the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football, possibly in the history of the game."
style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center>
ITALY:
|
GK
12
Carlo Mattrel
DF
4
Sandro Salvadore
FW
7
Bruno Mora
(c)
FW
8
Humberto Maschio
FW
9
José Altafini
FW
11
Giampaolo Menichelli
DF
16
Enzo Robotti
DF
18
Mario David
DF
19
Francesco Janich
MF
20
Paride Tumburus
MF
21
Giorgio Ferrini
Manager:
Paolo Mazza
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
match during the 1962 FIFA World Cup
1962 FIFA World Cup
The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final...
. It was a game played between hosts Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
on June 2, 1962 in Santiago. The referee was Ken Aston
Ken Aston
Kenneth George "Ken" Aston, MBE was an English teacher, soldier, and football referee, who was responsible for many important developments in football refereeing.- Early life and career :...
who later went on to invent yellow and red cards.
Details
In this Group 2 clash, already heightened tensions between the two football teams were exacerbated by the description of SantiagoSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
in crude terms by two Italian journalists. Chile's organization and preparation of the tournament had been severely disrupted by the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in human history. Italian articles were used and magnified by local newspapers to inflame the Chilean population. The articles are still quoted on the internet http://www.todoslosmundiales.com.ar/mundiales/1962chile/historias/0017chilevsitalia.htm. The journalists, Antonio Ghirelli and Corrado Pizzinelli, had to leave the country before the World Cup fearing for their own safety: a few days before the match an Argentinian journalist, mistaken for an Italian, was beaten up in a bar in Santiago.
The first foul occurred within 12 seconds of the kick-off. Italy's Giorgio Ferrini
Giorgio Ferrini
Giorgio Ferrini was an Italian footballer.Ferrini was born at Trieste. He started his career at A.S. Varese 1910 , and moved to Torino F.C. in 1959, where he played until 1975, making 443 appearances and scoring 42 goals...
was sent off in the twelfth minute after a foul on Honorino Landa
Honorino Landa
Honorino Landa Vera was a Chilean football player.He was the youngest player of the Chilean team that won third place in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. Once he received his high-school diploma in 1959, he went to play for the Unión Española team...
, but refused to leave the pitch and had to be dragged off by policemen. Landa retaliated with a punch few minutes later, but he was not sent off.
English referee Ken Aston
Ken Aston
Kenneth George "Ken" Aston, MBE was an English teacher, soldier, and football referee, who was responsible for many important developments in football refereeing.- Early life and career :...
overlooked a punch by Chilean Leonel Sanchez
Leonel Sánchez
Leonel Guillermo Sánchez Lineros is a former professional football player.Regarded as one of Chile's most important players, Sánchez holds the record for most games played for Chile with 84 games and 23 goals between 1955 and 1968...
to Italian Mario David
Mario David
Mario David was an Italian football player and coach.David was born at Udine. He played in a defensive role from 1952 to 1966 in Livorno, Lanerossi Vicenza, A.C. Milan and U.C. Sampdoria. He won a European Cup Championship with Milan in Wembley 1963 final. In Italy national football team, he...
, which had come in retaliation for being fouled seconds earlier. When David kicked Sanchez in the head a few minutes later, he was sent off.
In the violence that continued, nine Italians vs 11 Chileans, Sanchez then broke Humberto Maschio
Humberto Maschio
Humberto Dionisio Maschio is an Italian Argentine former football player.Maschio started playing at Arsenal of Lavallol to later move to Quilmes Atlético Club where he proved himself a prolific goal-scorer. He joined Racing Club in 1954, and transferred to Italy in 1957...
's nose with a left hook, but Aston did not send him off. The two teams engaged in scuffles and spitting, and police had to intervene three more times. Chile won the match 2-0 (74' Ramírez; 88' Toro).
When highlights from the match were shown on British television a couple of days later (not the same night, because film of matches still had to be flown back), the match was famously introduced by David Coleman
David Coleman
David Coleman, OBE is an English former sports commentator and TV presenter who worked for the BBC for almost fifty years. In 2000, he was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest honour of the Olympic movement....
as "the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football, possibly in the history of the game."
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> |  CHILE: |
||
| GK | 1 | Misael Escuti Misael Escuti Misael Escuti Robira was a football player. His major footballing accomplishment was as starting goalkeeper for the Chilean national team placing third in the 1962 FIFA World Cup.-References:... |
|
| DF | 2 | Luis Eyzaguirre Luis Eyzaguirre Luis Armando Eyzaguirre Silva , also known as Fifo, is a former Chilean football player. He played right midfield in the Universidad de Chile football team known as the Ballet Azul, with which he won four national championships.He played in 1959 Copa América and in the FIFA World Cup he achieved... |
|
| DF | 3 | Raúl Sánchez Raúl Sánchez (Chilean footballer) Raúl Sánchez is a Chilean football defender who played for Chile in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Santiago Wanderers.-External links:*... |
|
| DF | 4 | Sergio Navarro Sergio Navarro Sergio Navarro is a former Chilean footballer. He has played for Universidad de Chile, Colo-Colo and Unión Española and appeared for the Chile national football team in the 1962 FIFA World Cup, held in Chile.... (c) |
|
| DF | 5 | Carlos Contreras Carlos Contreras (footballer) Carlos Contreras is a Chilean football defender who played for Chile in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Club Universidad de Chile.-External links:*... |
|
| MF | 6 | Eladio Rojas Eladio Rojas Eladio Rojas is a former Chilean footballer who played for Everton and Colo-Colo of Chile, River Plate of Argentina and in the Chile national football team in the FIFA World Cup Chile 1962.-Teams: Everton 1954-1962 River Plate 1962-1965 Colo-Colo 1965-1967 Everton 1967-1968-External... |
|
| FW | 7 | Jaime Ramírez Jaime Ramírez Jaime Caupolicán Ramírez Banda was a Chilean football striker.-Club:He was skillful with the ball, he had great technique and even at his height, he had a great heading shot, he played in the junior divisions of Bádminton , Universidad de Chile in the Ballet Azul years, Colo-Colo champion with the... |
|
| MF | 8 | Jorge Toro Jorge Toro Jorge Luis Toro Sánchez is a retired football midfielder from Chile, who represented his native country at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. He scored the second goal in Chile's 2-0 win over Italy at that tournament, in a match that is remembered as the Battle of Santiago.- Honors:-References:... |
|
| FW | 9 | Honorino Landa Honorino Landa Honorino Landa Vera was a Chilean football player.He was the youngest player of the Chilean team that won third place in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. Once he received his high-school diploma in 1959, he went to play for the Unión Española team... |
|
| FW | 10 | Alberto Fouilloux Alberto Fouilloux Alberto Jorge Fouilloux Ahumada is a former Chilean football midfielder or striker who played 70 times for the Chile national team, making him the third most capped player in the history of Chilean international football.... |
|
| MF | 11 | Leonel Sánchez Leonel Sánchez Leonel Guillermo Sánchez Lineros is a former professional football player.Regarded as one of Chile's most important players, Sánchez holds the record for most games played for Chile with 84 games and 23 goals between 1955 and 1968... |
|
| Manager: | |||
 Fernando RieraFernando Riera Fernando Riera Bauzá was a Chilean professional football player and manager, patriarch of Chilean football.Riera was born in Santiago, Chile... |
|||
ITALY:
Carlo Mattrel
Carlo Mattrel was an Italian footballer. He was a goalkeeper who played with Juventus for most of his career, winning three Serie A titles and three Coppa Italia tournaments .He was also part of the Italian squad in the 1962 FIFA World Cup, and made his first and only appearance for the...
Sandro Salvadore
Sandro Salvadore was an Italian footballer.Born Milan, Lombardy, Sandro Salvadore was picked up by A.C. Milan’s scouts when he was 15, and played in their junior team until he made his debut in Serie A in the 1958/59 season aged 20. While wearing AC Milan’s number 6 shirt he won 2 League titles...
Bruno Mora
Bruno Mora was an Italian football player and coach.He played 13 seasons in the Serie A for U.C. Sampdoria, Juventus F.C., A.C. Milan and A.C...
(c)
Humberto Maschio
Humberto Dionisio Maschio is an Italian Argentine former football player.Maschio started playing at Arsenal of Lavallol to later move to Quilmes Atlético Club where he proved himself a prolific goal-scorer. He joined Racing Club in 1954, and transferred to Italy in 1957...
José Altafini
José João Altafini, is an Italian Brazilian former footballer. He is the joint-third highest scorer in Italian Serie A history with 216 goals. He currently holds the record for the highest no...
Giampaolo Menichelli
Giampaolo Menichelli is a retired Italian footballer.He played for 12 seasons in the Serie A for A.S. Roma, A.C. Parma, Juventus F.C., Brescia Calcio and Cagliari Calcio....
Enzo Robotti
Enzo Robotti is a former Italian international footballer.Robotti was born in Alessandria. During his club career he played for ACF Fiorentina, A.S. Roma and Brescia Calcio. He earned 15 caps for the Italy national football team from 1958 to 1965, and participated in the 1962 FIFA World...
Mario David
Mario David was an Italian football player and coach.David was born at Udine. He played in a defensive role from 1952 to 1966 in Livorno, Lanerossi Vicenza, A.C. Milan and U.C. Sampdoria. He won a European Cup Championship with Milan in Wembley 1963 final. In Italy national football team, he...
Francesco Janich
Francesco Janich is an Italian former footballer.During his career he played for Atalanta , Lazio , and Bologna...
Paride Tumburus
Paride Tumburus is a retired Italian footballer.During his club career he played for Bologna F.C. 1909 and Vicenza Calcio. He earned 4 caps for the Italy national football team, and participated in the 1962 FIFA World Cup as well as the 1960 Olympic Games.-References:...
Giorgio Ferrini
Giorgio Ferrini was an Italian footballer.Ferrini was born at Trieste. He started his career at A.S. Varese 1910 , and moved to Torino F.C. in 1959, where he played until 1975, making 443 appearances and scoring 42 goals...
Paolo MazzaPaolo Mazza
Paolo Mazza was an Italian football manager. He was co-manager of the Italy national football team at the 1962 FIFA World Cup, together with Giovanni Ferrari....
Assistant referees:  Leo GoldsteinLeo Goldstein Leo Goldstein was an American-Israeli association football referee.-Early life:Goldstein, who was Jewish, was a survivor of the concentration camps of World War II.-Career:...  Fernando Buergo Elcuaz |
See also
- Battle of HighburyBattle of HighburyThe "Battle of Highbury" was the name given to the football match between England and Italy that took place on 14 November 1934 at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London...
- Battle of BerneBattle of BerneThe Battle of Berne is used to refer to a quarter-final match at the 1954 World Cup between Hungary and Brazil, played on June 27, 1954 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Berne, Switzerland....
- Battle of Bordeaux
- Battle of Bramall LaneBattle of Bramall LaneThe Battle of Bramall Lane is the informal name given to an English First Division football match between Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion at United's Bramall Lane ground on 16 March 2002...
- Battle of NurembergBattle of NurembergThe Battle of Nuremberg is the nickname of a football match played in Round 2 of the 2006 FIFA World Cup between Portugal and the Netherlands at the Frankenstadion in Nuremberg on 25 June 2006...
- Football WarFootball WarThe Football War , also known as the Soccer War or 100 hour War, was a four-day war fought by El Salvador and Honduras in 1969. It was caused by political conflicts between Hondurans and Salvadorans, namely issues concerning immigration from El Salvador to Honduras...
External links
- http://www.ultimathule.it/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=153 (in Italian)
- http://www.todoslosmundiales.com.ar/mundiales/1962chile/historias/0017chilevsitalia.htm (in Spanish)