"The 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico was one of those iconic football tournaments that lives long in the memory of those who watched it unfold. A hosting that, somehow, survived a devastating earthquake just eight months before it kicked off at Mexico City's iconic Azteca and was littered with superstars, iconic moments and imagery. An Argentine by the name of Diego Armando Maradona would, of course, dominate said imagery, as many individuals do at these tournaments."
"And, when Scotland walked out into the thin air and stifling heat at the Estadio Neza in Nezahualcoyotl, standing opposite them were the team known as "Danish Dynamite". It was Denmark's first ever World Cup finals match. They had their own stars. Soren Lerby, Frank Arnesen, Michael Laudrup, Martin Olsen and Preben Elkjaer had the entirety of Denmark dreaming of becoming world champions."
"Two years earlier, they had taken Spain to penalties in the semi-finals of the European Championship in Lyon. Elkjaer missed the decisive spot-kick. He would make amends in his next big tournament match. In Mexico, and despite the big beasts of the footballing world around them, Denmark were seen as one of the favourites. Elkjaer fired past Jim Leighton to beat Alex Ferguson's Scotland,"
The 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico combined memorable moments, superstar players and dramatic context, with the host nation overcoming an earthquake months earlier. Diego Armando Maradona became a dominant image of the tournament, while other nations showcased stars such as Hugo Sanchez, Emilio Butragueuno, Enzo Francescoli, Michel Platini and Gary Lineker. Denmark made their first-ever World Cup finals appearance as the side nicknamed "Danish Dynamite", featuring Soren Lerby, Frank Arnesen, Michael Laudrup, Martin Olsen and Preben Elkjaer. Elkjaer, after missing a decisive Euro penalty in 1984, scored against Scotland in Mexico, helping Denmark progress alongside resounding wins over Uruguay and West Germany. Denmark faced Spain again in the last 16.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]