Archive for June, 2014

Did India Withdraw From the 1950 World Cup Because They Were Not Allowed to Play Barefoot?

SOCCER/FOOTBALL LEGEND: India withdrew from the 1950 World Cup because they were not allowed to play barefoot. India surprised the world with their performance in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. The Indian national football team, with every player playing without footwear (some players played in socks while most played barefoot), lost to France […]

Was Pele Paid to Tie His Shoelaces at the 1970 World Cup?

SOCCER/FOOTBALL URBAN LEGEND: Pele was paid to tie his shoelaces in the 1970 World Cup Final. Nowadays, the idea of athletes endorsing sneakers is well ingrained in the public consciousness. Seemingly every draft class in the NBA has at least one player sign an endorsement deal with one of the major sneaker companies in the […]

Did the Queen of England Give a Golden Whistle to a Linesman Who Made a Controversial Call in Favor of England in a World Cup Final?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the soccer/football urban legends featured so far. SOCCER/FOOTBALL URBAN LEGEND: A linesman who made a controversial call on a goal in the World Cup final of England’s […]

Did British World Cup Fever in 1966 Lead to the Election of a British Prime Minister?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the soccer/football urban legends featured so far. SOCCER/FOOTBALL URBAN LEGEND: British World Cup fever in 1966 led to a Prime Minister being elected. You can see this […]

Did Johan Cruyff Really Sit Out the 1978 FIFA World Cup as a Political Protest?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the soccer/football urban legends featured so far. SOCCER/FOOTBALL URBAN LEGEND: Johan Cruyff sat out the 1978 FIFA World Cup as a political protest. There is a long […]

Did 40,000 Prostitutes Enter South Africa and Germany for the Last Two World Cups?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the soccer/football urban legends featured so far. SOCCER/FOOTBALL URBAN LEGEND: 40,000 prostitutes enter the country hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2006 and 2010. The World Cup […]

Did a Dog Seriously Discover the Stolen World Cup Trophy Before the 1966 World Cup?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the soccer/football urban legends featured so far. SOCCER/FOOTBALL URBAN LEGEND: A dog discovered the stolen World Cup trophy soon before the 1966 World Cup began. In 1966, […]

Did Benito Mussolini Threaten the Italian National Team With Death if They Lost the 1938 World Cup?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the soccer/football urban legends featured so far. SOCCER/FOOTBALL URBAN LEGEND: The Italian national team was threatened by death by Benito Mussolini if they lost the 1938 World […]