The “Disgrace of Gijón” is the name given to a 1982 FIFA World Cup football match played between West Germany and Austria in Gijón, Spain. The match was the sixth and last game of the first-round Group 2, with the fifth game occurring on the previous day.
Algeria sat in second place after completing its three-game slate, looking like it may advance in its first-ever appearance. Algeria knew a German win by one or two goals would see both advance at Algeria’s expense between West Germany and Austria.
Germany scored in the 11th minute, and whether through collusion or an unspoken understanding, both teams essentially killed time for the remainder of the game. Final score: 1-0.
Algeria protested the result, but FIFA found no evidence of collusion. They did, however, alter the schedule, which is why groups have played their final matches simultaneously at every World Cup since 1986.
Santiago Leon is the Founder and CEO of the Sports Cast. He covers NFL, NBA, and world soccer. He’s also founder of sleon productions, which he specializes in technology and serves clients with solutions to make their business grow.
