The 14th FIFA World Cup otherwise referred to as ITALIA 90 took place from June 8 to July 8, 1990, in Italy’s 12 cities and 12 stadiums with 24 countries taking part. The Olympic Stadium [Stadio Olimpico] in Rome hosted the final match which was won by West Germany 1-0 against Argentina.
It must be noted that this was the last to feature West Germany as they got united with their Eastern Germany brothers and sisters to now attend subsequent editions as a unified Germany. Argentina against all odds lost 0-1-to-nine-man Cameroon. Francois Omam-Biyik scored the lone goal in the 67th minute just six minutes after his brother Andre Kana-Biyik was shown the red card in the 61st minute.
The match was seen as a major upset in world cup history and if it was possible, the referee Michel Vautrot would have forced Argentina to win as he issued another red card to Cameroon’s Benjamin Massing in the 88th minute, but the damage was already done inside Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan. It looked like the Argentine’s sun would set early as groups of fans gathered and dancing and singing to the epic song: ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ a 1976 concept album Evita by Julie Covington. Argentina refused to cry but held on until the final.
Before I delve into, the ITALIA 90 World Cup proper, permit me to take you to the beginning. I had hinted of how we lost our world cup qualifying match in Yaounde on the 27th of August 1989. We needed a draw to qualify but we lost our goalkeeper David Ngodigha early in the match due to injury and an unprepared novice Aloy Agu had o make his debut in borrowed jersey as the one he had clashed with the colors of Cameroon. Aloy also wore an oversized shoe. Really Laughable! A lot of events worked against Nigeria within a space of two weeks. The loss of midfielder, Sam Okwaraji on the field of play on August 13th, the changing of the Coaching crew and the dropping of Peter Rufai as first choice goalkeeper and the injury to Ngodigha all joined to weigh Nigeria down.
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Our inability to qualify seriously affected the marketability of the world cup as regards sponsorship for FRCN coverage of the world cup. We were looking forward to Nigeria qualifying for the world cup and we had prepared for 6-man crew o effectively run live commentaries on all the matches. As would be sponsors now reneged, we had to cut the number to two, prioritized Nigerian/African matches to enable the two-man team of commentators cope and to save costs. Who will make the team was known only to FRCN management as all six nominated were asked to proceed to Lagos for the journey.
I was barely six months into marriage, my wife was still in Enugu, but I called her to intimate her of the journey. We all assembled but didn’t know the management had decided that only two out of six w0uld go on the coverage. Hugs, handshakes, pecks exchanged and with goodbyes, we moved armed with our passports, return tickets, estacodes in our kitty, we were already dreaming of the Basilica, only the management knew the true situation.
Tolu Fatoyinbo replaced Ernest Okonkwo as team leader because Ernest’s illness had advanced so irretrievably, but life must go on. We drove towards the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, Tolu looked at his watch and said: “Oh, Emekus, can we drive in, we still have a lot of time before our ALITALIA flight?” Of course, I nodded in agreement.
We drove right inside up to the boxing gym and stopped. Tolu said, “Yes, Emekus, please read out this memo aloud as If you are presenting your sports news, we laughed out loud, oblivious of the content………and then the bombshell! Like the coup leaders announcing their coup, I read out the order: “that Emeka Odikpo, Richard Asiegbu, Pius Osemwegie and Richard Asiegbu should drop off and submit their estacodes to Tolu Fatoyinbo who now proceed to Italy with Buno Uwabor”.
I heaved a deep sigh, and my eyes welled up but steadied myself and before questions could be asked, I submitted my estacode, Umar did, then Pius and Richard who decided to proceed immediately to Enugu, his base.
But why did they not tell us earlier so that those outside Lagos would not suffer to come? Why did they not even tell us at the Broadcasting House instead of giving the impression that we were travelling? Why the drama, why not say it direct to our face? Well, the world did not end, but I kept on thinking and analyzing, pent up rushing in my adrenaline, suppose we refused to hand over the estacode as demanded?
Well, another day broke and the biggest challenge and embarrassment would be how to get to the office, how to face the deluge of questions, what to say, how to react in order not to ruffle feathers and how to compose oneself so that one does not become a laughingstock among the enemies and pretenders? I abandoned the idea of going to the office, instead I drove straight to the stadium.
I was busy at Madam SWAN spot in the stadium when somebody drove in and said he was looking for me. I came out and it was from Mike who said I must come to the NFA to fill my travelling form as I was nominated to go to Italy under the Federal Government delegation [ I was the Lagos SWAN Chairman at the time] So by default, I was in Italy for the world cup but not on the FRCN team.
My not being part of the FRCN Team gave me great opportunity to tour the world cup venues and visit the Basilica for first hand communion with my God. Perhaps people may be correct to say that every disappointment is a blessing. When I met Tolu and Buno at one of the world cup venues, they wanted me to join them, but I politely declined. Theirs was a plethora of woes but the best I could do was to dispense a little welfare to them.
It was then it became clear to me that going under FRCN ticket which we felt was a huge luxury was just a mere tip of the iceberg. I am not making any insinuations, but those who know, know what I am driving at.
FIFA World Cup, ITALIA 90 was a glorious one for Cameroun and Africa for their exploits on the field of play especially the legendary Roger Milla who came out of retirement to join the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at 38 years and scoring 4 goals out of 5 games, becoming the oldest outfield player to do so in the world cup. Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper was however the oldest player in the tournament at 40 years. Equally elating was Milla’s makossa dance at the corner flag after scoring each goal. That dance on its own became infectious all through the cities of Italy and the world of football.
Those of us in black skin became emergency Cameroonians as the passers-by would shout: Cameroon! Cameroon!! Each time we passed, and we would gladly and gleefully accept and acknowledge the cheers. Roger Milla’s 4 goals in 5 games averaged 0.8 goal per match. Salvatore Schillaci, an Italian player who won the golden boot in the tournament scored 6 goals in 7 matches averaging 0.86 goals per match.
The hosts Italy came 3rd overall after beating England 2-1 in the 3rd place match. West Germany won the cup for the last time as a country as the West and East Germany got united and presented a common front in the next edition of the world cup in USA in 1994. West Germany’s winning goal came via a penalty against Argentina in the 85th minute of the match through defender Andreas Brehme who took the kick in place of Captain and first choice penalty taker Lothar Mathaus who we heard declined to take because of his wrong boot. Cameroon set an African record as they became the first to reach the quarter finals of FIFA World Cup
Turin’s Stadio delle Alpi and Bari’s Stadio San Nicola were the new stadia added to the existing ones which underwent extensive renovations to make a standard 12 venue tournament. Out of these stadiums, four had been used for the 1934 FIFA world cup like San Siro, Luigi Ferraris, Comunale of Florence, and Renato Dall’Ara.
One unique feature of my ITALIA 90 participation was the great opportunity one had to visit and explore the spiritual content of the Vatican. I thoroughly ploughed through San Pietro in Vaticano [St. Peter’s Basilica]. Had a guided tour of the relics of Saints Paul’s and Peter’s skulls and the table Jesus dined at during the last Supper; San Paolo Fuori le Mura [St Paul Outside the Walls] and Santa Marie Maggiore [Papal Basilica of St Mary Major] now the burial place of Pope Francis, April 22,2025. As a catholic, nothing could be more fulfilling.
