What happened with Austria and Algeria in 1982? 'Disgrace of Gijon' changed World Cup
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As Algeria and Austria meet in the World Cup on Saturday night, there is a 44-year old ghost hanging over the game.
What was the Disgrace of Gijon?
On June 25, 1982, in Gijon, Spain, West Germany and Austria played a game neither one wanted to win too much. Horst Hrubecsch put the Germans up in the 10th minute, and that was the score both teams needed to advance. So that was the score line both teams kept. For 80 minutes, they knocked the ball sideways and backward and barely got close to either goal.
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Algeria, watching from the outside, was eliminated on goal difference.
Algeria had played its last group game the day before, so the two European teams knew a 1-0 German win would benefit them both. That is exactly what they produced.
Why it still stings for Algeria
This was no pushover getting bounced. Algeria had stunned West Germany 2-1 to open the tournament and beaten Austria, too. It won two of three games and still went home. The crowd in Gijon saw what was happening and turned on the teams. Algerian fans waved money at the players, insinuating the game had been fixed. A West German fan set his own flag on fire. Algeria filed a protest and FIFA shrugged it off. No rules were broken.
Why World Cup games now kick off at the same time
FIFA could not ban a team for passing backward, so it went after the loophole instead. Starting with the next World Cup in 1986, the final games in every group kicked off at the same time so no one could play knowing how the other matches would affect them. It's since become common practice in tournaments around the world.
The 2026 scenario
Now two of the three teams from that mess are back across from each other in Kansas City. Argentina has already won Group J. Austria and Algeria are tied on three points. The Austrians are in second based on goal difference. A draw is enough for both to advance. A loss sends Algeria home and Austria has to beat Iran and Senegal in goal difference.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happened with Austria and Algeria in 1982? 'Disgrace of Gijon' changed World Cup