It’s been 20 years since the ‘canarinha’ lifted the title for the fifth time World Cup. It is June 30, 2002 at Korea and Japan World Cup against Germany with two goals from ronaldo and with a Ronaldinho on the eleventh of scolari that he would sign a year later for FC Barcelona.
On the same day, 4,000 km away, two teams jumped onto the stadium field limitedin Thimphuthe capital of Bhutan, with the same illusion and desire to win their game. They are the players from the worst ranked teams FIFA: Bhutan in position 202 and the Caribbean island of Montserrat in 203.
The idea, from two Dutch
Hate to see that their choice, mate Zenden, Van Nistelrooy, Cocu, Kluivert Y Van Bommeldid not enter the final stage of 2002 World Cup by being third in group 2 behind Portugal and Ireland, Johan Kramer Y Matthijs de Jonghfrom the communication agency kesselskramerthey wonder which team they should cheer for.
In a humorous tone, they looked for the worst teams in the world and, determined, they began to fix the match. They will also record a documentary with the aim of informing fans that football does not have to be professional only and that there is sportsmanship that crosses all national borders.
it’s just a joke
The match is not as easy to fix as one might think. First, it is organized by individuals rather than the relevant football federations. Both sides thought the idea unrealistic at first, and the leaders of Bhutan Y Montserrat they thought the party’s initial suggestion was just a joke. MontserratIn need of publicity and tourists after volcanic eruptions crippled its economy, , has agreed to travel to the small Himalayan country, while Bhutan wants to finally win an official battle. Sponsored by FIFA and with the referee of Premier League Steve Bennett between them, it was played in the morning and brought together about 15,000 people.
The result is the smallest
In the documentary it is interesting to see how the inhabitants of one country and another look for each other in a globe. The match has all the elements that we often see in professional soccer fields. Narrated by a Bhutanese announcer, a dog appeared on the pitch and players made red card-worthy tackles. They suffer, get tired, give everything, celebrate goals and show their frustration. The photos take on a sepia tone at times with very careful editing and music.
The result is the smallest. Won Bhutan by 4-0 with a ‘hat-trick’ of That’s Dorji and a goal from Chetri. So he kept his position at the front Montserrat. The island’s players blamed fatigue caused by the altitude above sea level (2,334 meters) where they were not used and upset the Bhutanese goal a bit.
Half a cup
In the documentary, the players of Montserrat Animated conversation on the pitch with Bhutanese children, after the game, showing the connection of the language of football. In an act that had already been prepared, the Cup that had been delivered was split in two so that each team would take home a souvenir of a unique match that almost never happened. As the Italian international said Roberto Baggio: “In these times when everything is commercialized, a naive project like this shows love for the game. Football is a language that everyone can speak”.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
