23 August 1995 - Like A Phoenix Rising From The Ashes

On 23 August 1995, the former Heysel Stadium hosted a football match for the first time in almost ten years, as Germany beat Belgium in a friendly.

Originally opened on 23 August 1930, the stadium was the location of one of football's greatest tragedies when it hosted the 1985 European Cup Final between Juventus and Liverpool. Approximately an hour before kick-off, a retaining wall collapsed, leaving 600 people injured and killing 39 others.

It was the last football match played at the stadium for several years, though it continued to be used for other events. By 1995, however, it had undergone a $50 million renovation and re-opened as the home of the Belgian national team.

For the first match in the new structure, renamed King Baudouin Stadium, Belgium hosted Germany in a friendly. A crowd of 33,000 watched as the Germans won 1-2 with goals from Andreas Möller (6') and Fredi Bobic (84'). Belgium's lone goal was provided by Michaël Goossens (17').

1 May 1904 - Game Of Threes

On 1 May 1904, France played their first official international, drawing 3-3 with Belgium in Brussels.

The French had formed an unofficial team in 1900 under the control of the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques and competed in the Olympics that year, winning the silver medal. They played five other matches, including a 6-2 win over Belgium and four losses to England. Then, in 1904, they joined FIFA.

For their first official game, they traveled to Brussels for a friendly against Belgium. The hosts took the lead with a 7th-minute goal from Georges Quéritet, but France surged ahead within five minutes after goals from Louis Mesnier (12') and Marius Royet (13').

Quéritet brought Belgium level in the 50th minute, then they reclaimed the lead with a 65th-minute goal from Pierre Destrebecq. But with three minutes left, Gaston Cyprès scored for France to end the day as a 3-3 draw.

10 October 1999 - So, That's One Big Fish And One Little One

On 10 October 1999, two players got their first caps for England, but went on to very different international careers.

The occasion was a friendly against Belgium, played at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. National team boss Kevin Keegan, then in his first year as manager, collected a team of veterans, including goalkeeper David Seaman, defender Tony Adams, and forward and captain Alan Shearer, each of whom had more than 50 England appearances at the time. But Keegan also included a couple of new faces in the midfield--West Ham's Frank Lampard and Leicester City's Stephen Guppy (pictured). Between the two, Guppy received the lion's share of pre-match attention, with one commentator calling him "one of the country's most gifted left-sided midfielders."

The 30-year old Guppy played all 90 minutes as England won 2-1 with goals from Shearer (6') and Jamie Redknapp (66') (Belgium's lone strike was scored by Branko Strupar (14')). Lampard, who was 21, gave way to Dennis Wise in the 76th minute. The match turned out to be Guppy's only appearance for the England senior side, while Lampard went on to earn a total of 106 caps.

The match did provide one unique distinction for Guppy, making him the only player to appear for England's U-21, semi-pro, B team and full side.

2 September 1920 - Well, That's One Way To Win A Match

On 2 September 1920, Belgium took the gold medal at the Summer Olympics after their opponent in the final, Czechoslovakia, walked off the pitch in protest after only 40 minutes. 

The Czechs had rolled through the preliminary rounds, racking up scores of 7-0 over Yugoslavia, 4-0 over Norway, and 4-1 over France. Belgium, as hosts, entered the tournament one round later and advanced with convincing wins over Spain (3-1) and the Netherlands (3-0). Their referee in the match against the Netherlands was 72-year old Englishman John Lewis, who drew high praise from the Belgian press for his officiating. L'Action Nationale, the Belgian national newspaper, said that Lewis "refereed the game magnificently" and called for him to take charge of the final. He did, along with two English linesmen. 

The match was played before a crowd of 35,000 at the Olympic Stadium in Antwerp. Belgium took an early lead with a 6th-minute penalty from Robert Coppée, then doubled their lead in the 30th minute with a goal from Henri Larnoe. Things continued to get worse for Czechslovakia when Lewis ejected left back Karel Steiner in the 40th minute. That proved to be the final straw for the Czechs, who immediately walked off the pitch and did not return, so the result was awarded to Belgium. 

Czechoslovakia filed a subsequent protest, complaining that both goals were the result of incorrect calls from Lewis and the linesmen, whom they claimed had been biased. Specifically, they complained that "The majority of the decisions of the referee Mr. Lewis were distorted and it was obvious that it gave the public the wrong impression in regard to our game. Also both Belgian goals were the result of incorrect decisions of the referee and we seek a rigorous investigation on that point." 

Their complaint was dismissed, however, and Belgium retained the gold medal. It remains the only time in a major tournament that one of the finalists was disqualified. 

23 August 1995 - Like A Phoenix Rising From The Ashes

On 23 August 1995, the former Heysel Stadium hosted a football match for the first time in almost ten years, as Germany beat Belgium in a friendly.

Originally opened on 23 August 1930, the stadium was the location of one of football's greatest tragedies when it hosted the 1985 European Cup Final between Juventus and Liverpool. Approximately an hour before kick-off, a retaining wall collapsed, leaving 600 people injured and killing 39 others.

It was the last football match played at the stadium for several years, though it continued to be used for other events. By 1995, however, it had undergone a $50 million renovation and re-opened as the home of the Belgian national team.

For the first match in the new structure, renamed King Baudouin Stadium, Belgium hosted Germany in a friendly. A crowd of 33,000 watched as the Germans won 1-2 with goals from Andreas Möller (6') and Fredi Bobic (84'). Belgium's lone goal was provided by Michaël Goossens (17').

20 June 1954 - Goals! Goals! Goals!

On 20 June 1954, the World Cup experienced an offensive explosion, with 25 goals in the day's four matches. At 6.25 goals per game, it remains the highest-averaging daily output in a World Cup.

It was the last scheduled match day in Groups 2 and 4, with the former providing most of the goals. Group 2's Hungary and West Germany played in the day's first match, with Hungary rolling to victory by a margin of 8-3. Hungarian forward Sándor Kocsis was the star of the day, scoring four. In the group's other match, Turkey crushed South Korea by an even greater margin, winning 7-0 with a hat-trick from forward Burhan Sargin.

In Group 4, England beat Switzerland 2-0, while Italy defeated Belgium 4-1.

The day's biggest winners, Hungary and West Germany, eventually met in the Final, where the West Germans won 3-2 to claim their first World Cup title.

15 June 1986 - Belgium Shreds The Iron Curtain

On 15 June 1986, the Soviet Union fell to Belgium 3-4 (a.e.t.), despite a hat-trick from Dynamo Kyiv striker Ihor Belanov, that year's Ballon d'Or winner.

The two teams met in the World Cup's first knockout round, the Round of 16. Belanov (pictured), who had scored only one goal in the tournament's group stage, put the Soviets ahead in the 27th minute with a powerful blast from the right edge of the box. They held their lead through the first half, but in the 56th minute, Belgian midfielder Enzo Scifo slipped behind the Soviet back line to receive a well-timed pass and prodded it past the keeper for the equalizer.

They traded goals again later in the half; an unmarked Belanov received a pass in the box and slotted it home in the 70th minute, then seven minutes later Belgian midfielder Jan Ceulemans again caught the Soviet defense napping to take a high arcing lob on his shoulder and knock it into the goal. The second half ended at 2-2 to send the match into extra time.

In the 102nd minute, center back Stéphane Demol gave Belgium their first lead with a powerful header, then striker Nico Claesen extended it eight minutes later. A 111th-minute Belanov penalty kick gave the Soviets a lifeline, but they were unable to find another.

The Belgians continued their run with a quarterfinal win over Spain on penalty kicks, 1-1 (5-4), before losing 2-0 to eventual champions Argentina in the semifinal, then to France, 4-2 (a.e.t.), in the third place match.

10 October 1998 - Totti Gets Capped

On 10 October 1998, Roma midfielder/second striker Francesco Totti earned his first cap for Italy in a 2-0 win over Switzerland in a Euro 2000 qualifier.

Totti, who was born in Rome in 1976, has played his entire club career for hometown club Roma, whom he joined as a youth player in 1989. By the time the 22-year old Totti received his first call-up to Italy's senior side, he had already won international honors for his country, claiming the 1996 UEFA U-21 European Championship.

In the Euro 2000 tournament, Totti helped the Azzurri reach the Final, contributing a goal to their 2-0 win over Belgium in the group stage, another in their 2-0 win over Romania in the first knockout round, and a penalty kick in their 0-0 (1-3) win over Holland in the semi-finals. Italy lost to France 2-1 in the Final, however, after French striker David Trezeguet scored the golden goal in the 103rd minute. Totti's play earned him inclusion in the 23-player UEFA Team of the Tournament.

Totti and Italy got their revenge on France six years later when they defeated Les Bleus in the 2006 World Cup Final, Totti's last match for Italy. In all, he made 58 appearances for the Azzurri, scoring 9 goals.

13 July 1930 - The Shots Heard 'Round The World

On 13 July 1930, France defeated Mexico 4-1 and the United States beat Belgium 3-0 in the first ever World Cup matches, played simultaneously in Montevideo, Uruguay. The France-Mexico match was played at the Estadio Pocitos before a crowd of close to 3,000, while approximately 15,000 people watched the United States and Belgium at the Estadio Parque Central.

The first World Cup was open to all FIFA members, with no qualification necessary. Due to the distance and travel expense, few European teams were willing to participate, though FIFA President Jules Rimet ultimately persuaded Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia to make the trip. They were joined by nine Western Hemisphere teams; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the United States and hosts Uruguay.

France's inside right Lucien Laurent scored the World Cup's first ever goal with a volley against Mexico in the 19th minute. Marcel Langiller added a second in the 40th minute, followed by André Machinot in the 43rd minute. Mexico's Juan Carreño pulled one back in the 70th minute, but Machinot scored his second in the 87th minute, sealing the 4-1 victory. France completed its group stage with losses to Argentina and Chile, however, and was eliminated from the tournament.

In the other opening match, the United States' Scottish-born forward Bart McGhee scored a quick brace with goals in the 41st and 45th minutes. His fellow forward Bert Patenaude scored the third goal in the 88th minute, while goalkeeper Jimmy Douglas kept a clean sheet. The US finished at the top of its three-team group with a similar 3-0 win over Paraguay, then lost to Argentina 6-1 in the semi-finals to finish in third place overall.

Uruguay claimed the first World Cup trophy with a 4-2 win over Argentina in the Final.

16 March 1909 - Amateur Players, Professional Butt-Kickers

On 16 March 1909, England's amateur side played a friendly against Germany in Oxford, delivering a 9-0 beating that remains Germany's worst-ever defeat. While few details of the match remain, it was the second straight win over Germany for the English amateurs, who had beaten the Germans 1-5 in Berlin the previous year.

Due to the growth of the English league in the early 1900s, the England amateur side was established in 1906 in order to provide a team for players who were good, but not good enough to crack the senior side. The wins over Germany were no flukes, however. Those two matches were part of a greater run for England's amateurs, who were on a ten-game winning streak prior to the match in Oxford. After that win, they rattled off seven more for a total of 17 straight wins before drawing 2-2 with Belgium in Brussels later that month. They won two more matches for a total unbeaten run of 20 before finally losing 2-1 to Denmark in May 1910.

In 1974, the amateur side was disbanded as the FA stopped distinguishing between amateur and professional players. By that time, the amateurs had inflicted record defeats on the Netherlands (12-2 in 1907), Sweden (12-1 in 1908), Belgium (11-2 in 1909), and Hungary (7-0 in 1912, tied with two other matches).

1 May 1904 - Game Of Threes

On 1 May 1904, France played their first official international, drawing 3-3 with Belgium in Brussels.

The French had formed an unofficial team in 1900 under the control of the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques and competed in the Olympics that year, winning the silver medal. They played five other matches, including a 6-2 win over Belgium and four losses to England. Then, in 1904, they joined FIFA.

For their first official game, they traveled to Brussels for a friendly against Belgium. The hosts took the lead with a 7th-minute goal from Georges Quéritet, but France surged ahead within five minutes after goals from Louis Mesnier (12') and Marius Royet (13').

Quéritet brought Belgium level in the 50th minute, then they reclaimed the lead with a 65th-minute goal from Pierre Destrebecq. But with three minutes left, Gaston Cyprès scored for France to end the day as a 3-3 draw.

23 August 1995 - Like A Phoenix Rising From The Ashes

On 23 August 1995, the former Heysel Stadium hosted a football match for the first time in almost ten years, as Germany beat Belgium in a friendly.

Originally opened on 23 August 1930, the stadium was the location of one of football's greatest tragedies when it hosted the 1985 European Cup Final between Juventus and Liverpool. Approximately an hour before kick-off, a retaining wall collapsed, leaving 600 people injured and killing 39 others.

It was the last football match played at the stadium for several years, though it continued to be used for other events. By 1995, however, it had undergone a $50 million renovation and re-opened as the home of the Belgian national team.

For the first match in the new structure, renamed King Baudouin Stadium, Belgium hosted Germany in a friendly. A crowd of 33,000 watched as the Germans won 1-2 with goals from Andreas Möller (6') and Fredi Bobic (84'). Belgium's lone goal was provided by Michaël Goossens (17').

10 October 1999 - So, That's One Big Fish And One Little One

On 10 October 1999, two players got their first caps for England, but went on to very different international careers.

The occasion was a friendly against Belgium, played at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. National team boss Kevin Keegan, then in his first year as manager, collected a team of veterans, including goalkeeper David Seaman, defender Tony Adams, and forward and captain Alan Shearer, each of whom had more than 50 England appearances at the time. But Keegan also included a couple of new faces in the midfield--West Ham's Frank Lampard and Leicester City's Stephen Guppy (pictured). Between the two, Guppy received the lion's share of pre-match attention, with one commentator calling him "one of the country's most gifted left-sided midfielders."

The 30-year old Guppy played all 90 minutes as England won 2-1 with goals from Shearer (6') and Jamie Redknapp (66') (Belgium's lone strike was scored by Branko Strupar (14')). Lampard, who was 21, gave way to Dennis Wise in the 76th minute. The match turned out to be Guppy's only appearance for the England senior side, while Lampard went on to earn a current total of 89 caps and counting.

The match did provide one unique distinction for Guppy, making him the only player to appear for England's U-21, semi-pro, B team and full side.

2 September 1920 - Well, That's One Way To Win A Match

On 2 September 1920, Belgium took the gold medal at the Summer Olympics after their opponent in the final, Czechoslovakia, walked off the pitch in protest after only 40 minutes.

The Czechs had rolled through the preliminary rounds, racking up scores of 7-0 over Yugoslavia, 4-0 over Norway, and 4-1 over France. Belgium, as hosts, entered the tournament one round later and advanced with convincing wins over Spain (3-1) and the Netherlands (3-0). Their referee in the match against the Netherlands was 72-year old Englishman John Lewis, who drew high praise from the Belgian press for his officiating. L'Action Nationale, the Belgian national newspaper, said that Lewis "refereed the game magnificently" and called for him to take charge of the final. He did, along with two English linesmen.

The match was played before a crowd of 35,000 at the Olympic Stadium in Antwerp. Belgium took an early lead with a 6th-minute penalty from Robert Coppée, then doubled their lead in the 30th minute with a goal from Henri Larnoe. Things continued to get worse for Czechslovakia when Lewis ejected left back Karel Steiner in the 40th minute. That proved to be the final straw for the Czechs, who immediately walked off the pitch and did not return, so the result was awarded to Belgium.

Czechoslovakia filed a subsequent protest, complaining that both goals were the result of incorrect calls from Lewis and the linesmen, whom they claimed had been biased. Specifically, they complained that "The majority of the decisions of the referee Mr. Lewis were distorted and it was obvious that it gave the public the wrong impression in regard to our game. Also both Belgian goals were the result of incorrect decisions of the referee and we seek a rigorous investigation on that point."

Their complaint was dismissed, however, and Belgium retained the gold medal. It remains the only time in a major tournament that one of the finalists was disqualified.

20 June 1954 - Goals! Goals! Goals!

On 20 June 1954, the World Cup experienced an offensive explosion, with 25 goals in the day's four matches. At 6.25 goals per game, it remains the highest-averaging daily output in a World Cup.

It was the last scheduled match day in Groups 2 and 4, with the former providing most of the goals. Group 2's Hungary and West Germany played in the day's first match, with Hungary rolling to victory by a margin of 8-3. Hungarian forward Sándor Kocsis was the star of the day, scoring four. In the group's other match, Turkey crushed South Korea by an even greater margin, winning 7-0 with a hat-trick from forward Burhan Sargin.

In Group 4, England beat Switzerland 2-0, while Italy defeated Belgium 4-1.

The day's biggest winners, Hungary and West Germany, eventually met in the Final, where the West Germans won 3-2 to claim their first World Cup title.

15 June 1986 - Belgium Shreds The Iron Curtain

On 15 June 1986, the Soviet Union fell to Belgium 3-4 (a.e.t.), despite a hat-trick from Dynamo Kyiv striker Ihor Belanov, that year's Ballon d'Or winner.

The two teams met in the World Cup's first knockout round, the Round of 16. Belanov (pictured), who had scored only one goal in the tournament's group stage, put the Soviets ahead in the 27th minute with a powerful blast from the right edge of the box. They held their lead through the first half, but in the 56th minute, Belgian midfielder Enzo Scifo slipped behind the Soviet back line to receive a well-timed pass and prodded it past the keeper for the equalizer.

They traded goals again later in the half; an unmarked Belanov received a pass in the box and slotted it home in the 70th minute, then seven minutes later Belgian midfielder Jan Ceulemans again caught the Soviet defense napping to take a high arcing lob on his shoulder and knock it into the goal. The second half ended at 2-2 to send the match into extra time.

In the 102nd minute, center back Stéphane Demol gave Belgium their first lead with a powerful header, then striker Nico Claesen extended it eight minutes later. A 111th-minute Belanov penalty kick gave the Soviets a lifeline, but they were unable to find another.

The Belgians continued their run with a quarterfinal win over Spain on penalty kicks, 1-1 (5-4), before losing 2-0 to eventual champions Argentina in the semifinal, then to France, 4-2 (a.e.t.), in the third place match.

16 March 1909 - Amateur Players, Professional Butt-Kickers

On 16 March 1909, England's amateur side played a friendly against Germany in Oxford, delivering a 9-0 beating that remains Germany's worst-ever defeat. While few details of the match remain, it was the second straight win over Germany for the English amateurs, who had beaten the Germans 1-5 in Berlin the previous year.

Due to the growth of the English league in the early 1900s, the England amateur side was established in 1906 in order to provide a team for players who were good, but not good enough to crack the senior side. The wins over Germany were no flukes, however. Those two matches were part of a greater run for England's amateurs, who were on a ten-game winning streak prior to the match in Oxford. After that win, they rattled off seven more for a total of 17 straight wins before drawing 2-2 with Belgium in Brussels later that month. They won two more matches for a total unbeaten run of 20 before finally losing 2-1 to Denmark in May 1910.

In 1974, the amateur side was disbanded as the FA stopped distinguishing between amateur and professional players. By that time, the amateurs had inflicted record defeats on the Netherlands (12-2 in 1907), Sweden (12-1 in 1908), Belgium (11-2 in 1909), and Hungary (7-0 in 1912, tied with two other matches).

10 October 1998 - Totti Gets Capped

On 10 October 1998, Roma midfielder/second striker Francesco Totti earned his first cap for Italy in a 2-0 win over Switzerland in a Euro 2000 qualifer.

Totti, who was born in Rome in 1976, has played his entire club career for hometown club Roma, whom he joined as a youth player in 1989. By the time the 22-year old Totti received his first call-up to Italy's senior side, he had already won international honors for his country, claiming the 1996 UEFA U-21 European Championship.

In the Euro 2000 tournament, Totti helped the Azzurri reach the Final, contributing a goal to their 2-0 win over Belgium in the group stage, another in their 2-0 win over Romania in the first knockout round, and a penalty kick in their 0-0 (1-3) win over Holland in the semi-finals. Italy lost to France 2-1 in the Final, however, after French striker David Trezeguet scored the golden goal in the 103rd minute. Totti's play earned him inclusion in the 23-player UEFA Team of the Tournament.

Totti and Italy got their revenge on France six years later when they defeated Les Bleus in the 2006 World Cup Final, Totti's last match for Italy. In all, he made 58 appearances for the Azzurri, scoring 9 goals.

13 July 1930 - The Shots Heard 'Round The World

On 13 July 1930, France defeated Mexico 4-1 and the United States beat Belgium 3-0 in the first ever World Cup matches, played simultaneously in Montevideo, Uruguay. The France-Mexico match was played at the Estadio Pocitos before a crowd of close to 3,000, while approximately 15,000 people watched the United States and Belgium at the Estadio Parque Central.

The first World Cup was open to all FIFA members, with no qualification necessary. Due to the distance and travel expense, few European teams were willing to participate, though FIFA President Jules Rimet ultimately persuaded Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia to make the trip. They were joined by nine Western Hemisphere teams; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the United States and hosts Uruguay.

France's inside right Lucien Laurent scored the World Cup's first ever goal with a volley against Mexico in the 19th minute. Marcel Langiller added a second in the 40th minute, followed by André Machinot in the 43rd minute. Mexico's Juan Carreño pulled one back in the 70th minute, but Machinot scored his second in the 87th minute, sealing the 4-1 victory. France completed its group stage with losses to Argentina and Chile, however, and was eliminated from the tournament.

In the other opening match, the United States' Scottish-born forward Bart McGhee scored a quick brace with goals in the 41st and 45th minutes. His fellow forward Bert Patenaude scored the third goal in the 88th minute, while goalkeeper Jimmy Douglas kept a clean sheet. The US finished at the top of its three-team group with a similar 3-0 win over Paraguay, then lost to Argentina 6-1 in the semi-finals to finish in third place overall.

Uruguay claimed the first World Cup trophy with a 4-2 win over Argentina in the Final.