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To what extent can you recall the most unexpected incidents from FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns? Try this challenge to see how many questions you recall.

World Cup Qualification Test

1. Question 1. During the year 1973, Polish goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski made a string of stops at Wembley to stop the hosts a place at the 1974 World Cup. He had been called 'a circus clown with gloves' by which English coach?

   • Manager Alf Ramsey
   • Brian Clough the manager
   • Manager Don Revie
   • Ron Greenwood
   Reveal Result

2. 2. The French team's most embarrassing FIFA World Cup disappointment happened in 1993, when they failed to qualify after losing their last two matches at in France to Israel and ...

   • Bulgarian side
   • Romanian team
   • Swedish team
   • The Luxembourg side
   Display Result

3. 3. Which person was Gerard Houllier consider responsible for France's elimination, calling him 'the murderer' of their World Cup dreams?

   • Player Eric Cantona
   • David Ginola
   • Goalkeeper Bernard Lama
   • Didier Deschamps player
   Reveal Answer

4. Question 4. During 2006, what two African teams achieved their sole World Cup appearances to date after denying the Senegalese team and Nigeria in qualifying?

   • Togo and Angola
   • Zambia and Botswana
   • Libya and Tanzania
   • Mali and Ethiopia
   Show Result

5. 5. Italy, the four-time champions of the world, have not managed to make it for the finals since 2014. Who eliminated them from the playoffs in 2022?

   • Sweden
   • Switzerland
   • Portugal
   • Macedonia
   Reveal Solution

6. 6. Which nation made it ahead of Mexico for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, just to lose their first match 10-1?

   • Canada
   • Cuba
   • El Salvador
   • The Honduran team
   Show Result

7. Question 7. The 1982 finals had a few surprise qualifiers. What side secured their only World Cup participation to now with an 89th minute leveller against New Zealand?

   • Haiti
   • Iraq
   • The Kuwaiti team
   • The UAE team
   Show Answer

8. 8. You'll probably know that a Thierry Henry's handball aided the French team qualify at the Republic of Ireland's expense in 2009. However who did Henry set up to score?

   • Nicolas Anelka
   • Player Benzema
   • Gallas
   • Govou
   Display Answer

9. Question 9. The sole men World Cup Argentina have attempted and failed to qualify for occurred in 1970. What nation got their spot?

   • Brazil
   • Colombia
   • Peru
   • Uruguay
   Reveal Result

10. 10. Roman Torres' 88th-minute decisive goal against Costa Rica won a exciting World Cup 2018 spot for which team?

    • The Honduran team
    • Mexico
    • The Panamanian team
    • Uruguay
    Display Answer

11. Question 11. What role was Peter Hore have in the Australian team's away goals loss to the Iranian team in a playoff for the 1998 FIFA World Cup?

    • Famous as a serial prankster, Hore ran onto the field and damaged a net with the Socceroos ahead 3-1 on aggregate. The stop in play let Iran to get back into the match and get two last-minute goals.
    • Australian defender Hore scored own goal that sent Iran through the World Cup at Australia' cost.
    • As Australian minister of foreign affairs, Hore prevented the squad from going to Tehran city, resulting in a 3-0 loss they could not overturn in Melbourne city.
    • Peter Hore was a ex Australian assistant who joined the Iranian team's coaching staff before the playoff games.
    Display Answer

12. Question 12. The Australian team finally ended their lengthy wait for a second FIFA World Cup participation by beating which nation on penalties in 2005?

    • Iran
    • The Japanese team
    • Peru
    • Uruguay
    Show Solution

13. 13. The Dutch side whose 'Total Football' shook the world in 1974 almost didn't make it, rescued by a controversial offside flag against ...

    • Belgium
    • Czechoslovakia
    • England
    • The Yugoslav team
    Show Answer

14. 14. Returning in 2009, which player got a last-minute winner for Argentina against the Peruvian team in pouring rain to revive their qualification bid?

    • Gonzalo Higuaín
    • Player Mascherano
    • Lionel Messi
    • Martín Palermo
    Display Answer

15. 15. During the famous 'Davide Gualtieri game' in 1993, what number of scores did the English team need to defeat the San Marino team by to have a opportunity of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup?

    • Three goals
    • Five goals
    • 7
    • 10 goals
    Reveal Result

Check your knowledge of these memorable World Cup qualification events and see how many you got right.