Major Historical Events in Football
1966 – England wins quarter-final at World Cup England defeated Argentina 1–0 in a tense World Cup quarter-final at Wembley, with Geoff Hurst scoring the decisive goal. The match was infamous for the sending off of Argentina captain Antonio Rattín and marked a turning point in England’s road to the 1966 title.
1994 – Brazil defeats Netherlands in World Cup thriller Brazil edged the Netherlands 3–2 in the World Cup quarter-finals in Dallas. Branco’s late free-kick sealed the match after goals from Romário and Bebeto were matched by Dutch strikes.
2000 – France wins UEFA Euro 2000 David Trezeguet scored a golden goal as France beat Italy 2–1 in the Euro 2000 final. Sylvain Wiltord equalized in stoppage time before Trezeguet’s volley sealed back-to-back major trophies for Les Bleus.
2010 – Uruguay eliminates Ghana in dramatic shootout Luis Suárez made headlines by handling the ball on the goal line in extra time, leading to Ghana’s missed penalty and Uruguay winning the shootout 4–2. It was one of the most controversial moments in World Cup history.
2013 – Edinson Cavani signs with PSG Paris Saint-Germain announced the signing of Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani from Napoli for a then club-record fee. The move marked the beginning of Cavani’s prolific spell in France.
2018 – Sweden knocks out Switzerland in World Cup Round of 16 A solitary goal from Emil Forsberg helped Sweden secure a 1–0 win over Switzerland and advance to their first World Cup quarter-final since 1994.
Notable Football Birthdays – July 2
- José Antonio Reyes (1983–2019): Spanish winger, known for spells with Sevilla, Arsenal, and Atlético Madrid.
- Johnny Weir (1975): Scottish defender, part of the historic Kilmarnock side of the 1990s.
- Stefano Okaka (1989): Italian striker who played for clubs across Italy and England, including Roma and Watford.
- Ilya Kutepov (1993): Russian center-back and World Cup 2018 squad member.
- Yuto Nagatomo (1986): Japanese full-back and longtime Inter Milan player.
- Johnny Russell (1990): Scottish winger, known for his work ethic at Derby County and Sporting KC.
- Daniel Van Buyten (1978): Belgian defender, key member of Bayern Munich’s treble-winning 2012–13 side.
- Felipe Melo (1983): Brazilian midfielder, known for his aggressive play with Juventus, Galatasaray, and Palmeiras.
Memorable Moments
France’s golden goal comeback (2000): Trailing 1–0 in the 90th minute, France stunned Italy with a stoppage-time equalizer and Trezeguet’s golden goal winner to take Euro 2000.
Luis Suárez’s infamous handball (2010): Suárez’s deliberate handball stopped a certain Ghana winner in extra time. Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty and Uruguay advanced, igniting global controversy.
Cavani’s record move (2013): The Uruguayan striker signed for PSG in a €64 million deal, which set the tone for the club’s aggressive pursuit of star players in the years that followed.
Trivia of the Day
Which team won both the World Cup and Euro Championship within two years of each other? Answer: France – 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
🗣 Quote of the Day
“Football is a game of mistakes. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins.” — Johan Cruyff