World Club Championship

[dicko1969]

The south Americans have always taken this seriously, and means so much more to them.

I was looking back at the history.
Some gruelling stories to be told.

European clubs not participating.
One , not financially viable.
Or two , some shocking treatment given out by Argentinan or Uruguayan players.

One game an Italian player was severely knocked out, blood everywhere.

Cruyff refused to play them.

Have a read ... interesting.

[dicko1969]

Racing Club's victory was acclaimed throughout Argentina, even by supporters of rival clubs. Racing Club's defender Basile described the win as an "immense joy that for me as a player was the greatest I ever experienced", noting that even fans of arch city-rivals Independiente celebrated. The Racing Club players all received a new car as well as their promised £2,000 bonus.

Celtic returned to Scotland, with chairman Robert Kelly referring to the game as "an ugly, brutal match containing no football." He also expressed disappointment that Celtic "descended to that level [of Racing Club] to defend themselves."

A few days later the Celtic board of directors fined every player £250 for their behaviour in Montevideo. Reports of the Racing Club players' bonuses only added to the ignominy.

Press coverage of the Montevideo match was scathing. Reuters described the match as "a bar-room brawl with soccer skills abandoned for swinging fists, flying boots and blatant body checking".

L'Équipe described the match as a "sad, lamentable spectacle". They noted that "the Argentinians started the hostilities" but pointed out that Celtic "made use of every opportunity to return the blows".

Subsequent Intercontinental ties would frequently descend again into violence. The following year's clash between Manchester United and another Argentinian side, Estudiantes, was again marred by constant cynical play on the part of the South Americans.

Worse violence would follow in the 1969 tie between Estudiantes and AC Milan, where Milan's Pierino Prati was knocked unconscious and Nestor Combin was battered by several Argentinian players - breaking his nose and cheekbone - before being dragged semi-conscious off a stretcher and arrested by Argentine police on trumped-up charges. The increasing violence of South American teams led to the reluctance of several European clubs to take part in the Intercontinental Cup throughout the 1970s.

The tie also inspired a popular Celtic song, "The World Club Championship song", which describes the match as "the dirtiest game I've ever seen"

[dicko1969]

My first memory 1981 and waking up at 3am to watch Liverpool getting hammered 3-0.

Zico running the show.

Souness saying the only player he never got close too.

I met Zico recently, I got closer. 🤣

[redebreck]

The south Americans have always taken this seriously, and means so much more to them.

I was looking back at the history.
Some gruelling stories to be told.

European clubs not participating.
One , not financially viable.
Or two , some shocking treatment given out by Argentinan or Uruguayan players.

One game an Italian player was severely knocked out, blood everywhere.

Cruyff refused to play them.

Have a read ... interesting.

Is there a book or online site available?