Major Historical Events in Football
2010 – Spain wins its first FIFA World Cup Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time in the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg. Andrés Iniesta scored the winning goal in the 116th minute, securing Spain’s first world title.
1982 – Italy wins third World Cup Italy beat West Germany 3–1 in the 1982 World Cup final in Madrid. Goals from Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli, and Alessandro Altobelli completed a famous triumph.
2014 – Louis van Gaal steps down after Netherlands finishes third After leading the Netherlands to a third-place finish in the 2014 World Cup, Van Gaal ended his tenure and prepared to take over at Manchester United.
2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal’s Euro 2016 celebrations Although injured early in the final, Ronaldo played a key role in rallying his team from the sideline. The victory over France was Portugal’s first major trophy.
2004 – Andriy Shevchenko wins Ballon d’Or Ukraine’s Shevchenko, fresh off a brilliant season with AC Milan, was announced as the winner of the 2004 Ballon d’Or on this day.
2021 – Italy wins Euro 2020 on penalties Italy defeated England 3–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at Wembley. Gianluigi Donnarumma was named Player of the Tournament after saving two penalties in the shootout.
1998 – Brazil legend Bebeto retires from international football World Cup winner Bebeto played his final match for Brazil, ending a successful international career with 39 goals in 75 appearances.
Notable Football Birthdays – July 11
- Michael Laudrup (1964): Danish legend, known for his grace and intelligence at Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid.
- Carlos Alberto Parreira (1943): Brazilian coach who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title.
- Stephen Ames (1964): Trinidadian footballer turned coach.
- James Rodríguez (1991): Colombian playmaker, Golden Boot winner at the 2014 World Cup.
- Martin Škrtel (1984): Former Slovakian captain and Liverpool center-back.
- Souleymane Diawara (1978): Senegalese defender who starred in Ligue 1.
- Antonín Panenka (1948): Czech football legend, known for his iconic penalty technique.
- Oussama Idrissi (1996): Moroccan winger with experience in Eredivisie and La Liga.
- David Ospina (1988): Colombian goalkeeper, known for World Cup heroics.
- José Enrique (1986): Spanish full-back who played for Liverpool and Newcastle.
Memorable Moments
Spain’s first world title (2010): Iniesta’s strike deep into extra time delivered the World Cup to Spain, completing a golden era that also included Euro 2008 and 2012 victories.
Italy stuns England at Wembley (2021): Leonardo Bonucci equalized in regular time, and Italy triumphed in the penalty shootout, with Donnarumma cementing his reputation as a world-class keeper.
Tardelli’s celebration (1982): Marco Tardelli’s emotional goal celebration in the final became an enduring symbol of Italy’s World Cup victory.
Trivia of the Day
Who scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final? Answer: Andrés Iniesta
Quote of the Day
“I just hit the ball and hoped it would bring joy to a country that waited so long.” — Andrés Iniesta (on his World Cup-winning goal, 2010)