From accusations of bribery to suspect lasagna, here are some of the biggest conspiracy theories in football history.
Neymar’s Disappearing Act in 2014
When injury ruled Neymar out of the World Cup semi-finals, the Brazilian looked devastated, but some eagle-eyed fans claimed there was more to the story.
Let’s rewind to that tournament. Brazil was under huge pressure to win on home soil. Neymar, only 22, was already the national team star. The Barcelona forward helped Brazil reach the quarters, where they came up against an impressive Colombia side. Brazil won a tight, tense game 2-1, but it wasn’t a completely positive night for the hosts. In a very physical match, Neymar suffered a minor fracture of a vertebra in his back after being kneed by Juan Zuniga. The doctors immediately told him he wouldn’t be fit for the semis against Germany.
That’s the official story anyway. Some fans don’t believe it. They think Neymar faked his injury because he didn’t want to be part of a possible humiliation by the Germans. Conspiracy theorists studied pictures of Neymar being taken to the hospital and claimed that some of his tattoos were missing. They argued Brazil had employed a body double and that Neymar was absolutely fine. Whatever the truth, Brazil lived through their worst nightmare in a 7-1 thrashing by Germany a few days later.
Tottenham’s Dodgy Lasagna
Nutritionists and chefs play a pivotal role in modern football. In 2006, Tottenham found this out in the worst possible circumstances.
It was the final weekend of the Premier League season. For Spurs, the task was simple: beat West Ham and they’d finish in the top four. Tottenham could almost hear the Champions League anthem ringing in their ears. The squad stayed at a hotel before the game at Upton Park, where they were served lasagna in the restaurant the night before the match. The players were in a relaxed mood as they tucked into their food, but a few hours later, several Spurs players were throwing up in their hotel rooms. It wasn’t a coincidence that numerous players fell ill at the same time—the lasagna had given them food poisoning.
Some Tottenham players weren’t able to play the next day; others did play but were far from their best. West Ham won 2-1, and Arsenal qualified for the Champions League instead. Was the chef an Arsenal fan? The hotel was cleared of any wrongdoing, but Tottenham supporters still suspect foul play.
South Korea at the 2002 World Cup
South Korea’s run to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup is often described as a fairy tale, but there’s a much darker side to the co-hosts’ achievement.
With Gus Hiddink in charge, South Korea was determined to do more than just make up the numbers. The Taegeuk Warriors finished top of the group ahead of the USA, Portugal, and Poland. They then beat Italy in the round of 16 before dumping out Spain in the quarters. Hiddink’s side was finally halted in the semis, beaten 1-0 by Germany.
Although Koreans were thrilled by the team’s achievements, Italy and Spain were left flabbergasted by some controversial refereeing decisions. Italy had Francesco Totti harshly sent off and a Damiano Tommasi goal incorrectly ruled out. Spain had two goals chalked up in the quarter-final before their eventual defeat on penalties. Ivan Helguera called it a robbery, and the Spanish media slammed the match officials as “thieves of dreams.” Twenty years later, fans in Italy and Spain still refuse to believe they were victims of just bad luck.
The Holy Water Scandal
You don’t need to be South American to know there’s no love lost between Argentina and Brazil. At the 1990 World Cup, a shocking incident proved how fierce the rivalry is.
The two nations met in the round of 16. One would go through to the quarters, and one would be going home. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and both teams were desperate to win. The game was played in Turin, and during the match, Brazil left-back Branco was offered a drink by the Argentina physio. He gratefully accepted it, but that was a big mistake. All of a sudden, Branco felt lethargic. He’d been man-marking Diego Maradona, but the Argentine genius was now starting to find space. With nine minutes left, Maradona set up Claudio Caniggia to score the only goal of the game.
That wasn’t the end of it. Branco complained that something must have been in the water he was given. Years later, Maradona backed him up, telling the press that the water had been laced with tranquilizers.
Ronaldo at the World Cup
It was the eve of the 1998 World Cup final, and the stage was set for Ronaldo to demonstrate once and for all that he was the most exciting player on the planet. Then something terrible happened.
O Fenômeno was living up to his nickname. He scored four goals, and with his blend of speed, skill, and ruthless finishing, he led Brazil to the final. Ronaldo was unstoppable. Brazil was the favorite against France, but just an hour before kickoff, the world was stunned to discover that Ronaldo had been left out of the starting eleven. In the end, the striker did start but was a shadow of his usual self as France beat Brazil 3-0 to win their first ever World Cup.
What had happened to R9? Reports soon emerged that he’d had a seizure the night before the game. Surely Ronaldo shouldn’t have played; it didn’t make any medical sense. But countless Brazilians believed the conspiracy that the all-powerful hand of Nike had a huge say. Nike’s influence on the Brazil national team back then was massive. Remember all those brilliant adverts like the one in the airport lounge? Well, some believe there was a darker side to the $105 million partnership. Nike couldn’t afford for Ronaldo to miss the biggest game in world sport. He was their most marketable star, and his absence from the final would have been unthinkable. Seizure or no seizure, Ronaldo had to play.
Steven Gerrard’s Secret Plan
Club captain, star player, and boyhood fan, Steven Gerrard would do anything to win for Liverpool. But on one occasion, maybe he actually wanted the Reds to lose.
It’s hard to imagine. During his 17 seasons as a first-teamer at Anfield, Gerrard gave his blood, sweat, and tears for the cause. He could have left Liverpool on several occasions, but Gerrard never abandoned the club he loved. So why do some conspiracy theorists believe the midfielder once missed a penalty on purpose? Well, it’s exactly because he wanted the best for the club.
In 2011, Liverpool was going through a terrible period under Roy Hodgson. The former Fulham boss was unpopular with the supporters. At one point, the Reds were even in the relegation zone. In a 3-1 loss to Blackburn, Gerrard missed a penalty. It wasn’t even close—the ball went sailing over the bar. Stevie G looked disappointed, but was it all an act because he wanted Hodgson gone? Well, if it was, it worked. Roy was sacked within days.
Hosting the World Cup
England and the United States were the favorites to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. But in December 2010, when the vote was held, both countries were left stunned by the result.
The host nations were chosen at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich. For the 2018 edition, England had a strong rival in Spain and Portugal, but they felt they’d done enough to win the vote. As for the US, they fancied their chances of landing the 2022 World Cup ahead of South Korea and Japan. To the surprise of almost everyone in attendance, Russia won the hosting rights for 2018. Then something incredible happened. When Sepp Blatter opened the envelope for 2022, the name of Qatar was inside.
There have been allegations of corruption and bribery ever since. American prosecutors accused Russian officials of paying millions of dollars to FIFA voters. There were also allegations made against Qatar. A leaked email sent by FIFA’s general secretary Jérôme Valcke suggested they’d bought the hosting rights. Qatar is a tiny nation with zero football heritage. Either they managed to persuade FIFA with some very well-crafted arguments and dazzling PowerPoint presentations or—well, you can probably guess where we’re going with this.
Howard Webb’s Favorite Club
For a long time, Howard Webb was seen as the best referee in England. But in 2015, an inflammatory comment from the retired ref left many supporters up in arms.
Webb became a Premier League referee in 2003 after quitting the police force. He quickly rose through the ranks, winning respect for his no-nonsense style of officiating. In 2010, Webb was effectively recognized as the best referee on the planet when FIFA appointed him to take charge of the World Cup final. He wasn’t universally popular, though. There were suspicions back in England about Webb’s allegiances after a string of pro-Manchester United decisions. The Yorkshireman was accused of secretly being a Red Devil. Liverpool fans were particularly irate when, in 2009, Webb gave United a controversial penalty against Tottenham. United had been losing 2-0, but they fought back to win the game and remain in control of the title race. Then in 2015, Webb quipped that United had got worse since his retirement and suggested it might not be a coincidence. The ex-ref was just making a joke, but not everyone saw the funny side.
Barcelona’s Sponsorship
With his Real Madrid team up against one of the greatest Barcelona sides of all time, José Mourinho was more than happy to play dirty to gain an advantage. But at one point, the Special One claimed it was Barça who were up to no good.
For a large chunk of their history, Barcelona played without a shirt sponsor. Their motto is “Més que un club”—more than a club—and this initiative seemed to show it. In 2005, Barcelona finally agreed to have a sponsor’s logo on their shirts, but instead of a multinational corporation, it was a charity that got the nod. The UNICEF logo adorned Barça’s shirts for the next five years, with the club paying the humanitarian aid organization for the privilege. It was an arrangement that earned Barcelona a huge amount of praise, but Mourinho had his doubts. After Pepe was sent off in El Clásico, José put on his conspiracy theorist hat. The Madrid manager accused referees of giving Barcelona favorable decisions because of their support for UNICEF. “I don’t know if it’s the UNICEF sponsorship or if it’s because they’re nice guys,” Mourinho said. “I don’t understand.”
Conclusion
Football is a sport filled with passion, drama, and, sometimes, controversy. These conspiracy theories add another layer to the beautiful game, showing that behind every great match, there might be an even greater story waiting to be told.
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