5 of the Darkest moments in World cup history
The 2018 World cup has been a joy to behold thus far. The World cup has already provided a spectrum of emotions to the fans and they have been treated to some brilliant football.
From reigning champions Germany crashing out in the first hurdle itself to hosts Russia stunning Spain in the round of 16 combined with the miraculous comeback from Belgium against Japan, it has only added to the spectacle.
The beautiful play on the pitch has also been aided by latest technological advancements such as the Video Assistant Referee or the VAR, which has thus far proved successful in reducing the human impact on the game, thereby leading to better contentment among the fans.
The 2018 world cup has so far been devoid of any major controversies, both on and off the field due to such strict regulations. But such transparency has not always been the case in the earlier World cups as they have been marred by a string of controversial incidents.
Thus, on a controversial note we look back at 5 such incidents in World cup history:
#5 Death of Andres Escobar (1994)
The history of Colombia has been riddled with drug trafficking and violence throughout the 80s and 90s, led by the famous drug lord Pablo Escobar. Andres Escobar, a central defender belonged to the same city of Medellin but were connected in no way.
Taking on the USA in the 1994 World cup, in what turned out to be the defender’s 50th and penultimate cap, Escobar inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net giving the Americans a 2-1 victory.
That goal not only cost Colombia a place in the Knockout round but also proved responsible for taking Escobar’s life. Five days after the elimination of Colombia from the World cup, the Medellin defender was gunned down in the parking lot of a nightclub in his native city.
Escobar was shot 6 times and the killer reportedly shouted Gol! after every shot, once for each time the commentator said it during the live broadcast.
The death of Andres Escobar in 1994, just one year after drug lord Pablo Escobar’s death shook the entire world and brought shame on the nation trying to move away from its violence-plagued past.