Challenge Your Knowledge of FIFA World Cup Qualifying Upsets and Excitement
To what extent are you familiar with the greatest shocking moments from FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns? Try this challenge to find out how many questions you know.
FIFA World Cup Qualification Test
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Question 1. In 1973, Poland keeper Jan Tomaszewski made a string of blocks at Wembley to deny the hosts a berth at the 1974 edition World Cup. Tomaszewski had been labeled 'a clown in gloves' by what England coach?
- Alf Ramsey
- Brian Clough the manager
- Don Revie
- Ron Greenwood
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Question 2. The French team's greatest FIFA World Cup disappointment came in 1993, when they failed to make it after losing their final two games at in France to the Israeli team and ...
- Bulgarian side
- Romanian team
- Sweden
- Luxembourg team
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3. Who did Gerard Houllier blame responsible for France's elimination, labeling him 'the murderer' of their World Cup chances?
- Cantona
- David Ginola
- Lama
- Didier Deschamps player
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4. During 2006, which 2 Africa nations achieved their only FIFA World Cup participations to this day after denying Senegal and Nigeria in qualifying?
- Togo with Angola
- Botswana and Zambia
- Libya and Tanzania
- Mali and Ethiopia
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Question 5. Italy, the four-times world champions, have failed to qualify for the finals since 2014. Who beat them from the qualifying playoffs in 2022?
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Portugal
- Macedonia
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6. Which nation qualified in front of the Mexican team for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, just to suffer defeat in their opening game ten to one?
- Canada
- The Cuban team
- El Salvador
- Honduras
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Question 7. The 1982 edition finals had a few surprise participants. Which team earned their sole FIFA World Cup showing to now with an 89th minute tying goal against New Zealand?
- Haiti
- The Iraqi team
- The Kuwaiti team
- United Arab Emirates
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Question 8. You'll likely remember that a Thierry Henry's hand ball assisted the French team qualify at the Republic of Ireland's cost in 2009. However which player was Henry assist to get the goal?
- Nicolas Anelka
- Benzema
- Gallas
- Sidney Govou
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9. The only men's World Cup Argentina have attempted and failed to qualify for occurred in 1970. Which side got their spot?
- The Brazilian team
- The Colombian team
- The Peruvian team
- Uruguay
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10. Román Torres' 88th-minute decisive goal against the Costa Rican team won a dramatic World Cup 2018 spot for what nation?
- Honduras
- Mexico
- Panama
- The Uruguayan team
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11. What part was Peter Hore have in Australia's away-goals defeat to the Iranian team in a playoff for the 1998 FIFA World Cup?
- Famous as a notorious troublemaker, Hore went onto the field and broke a net with Australia ahead 3-1 on aggregate. The break in play allowed the Iranian team to recover into the game and score two late goals.
- Socceroos centre-back Hore scored an own goal that sent Iran into the finals at Australia' cost.
- Being Australia minister of foreign affairs, Hore prevented the team from travelling to Tehran, resulting in a 3-0 loss they couldn't overturn in Melbourne city.
- Peter Hore was a former Australian assistant who joined Iran's coaching staff before the playoff matches.
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Question 12. The Australian team at last ended their lengthy wait for a second World Cup participation by defeating what nation on penalties in 2005?
- Iran
- Japan
- The Peruvian team
- Uruguay
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13. The Netherlands side whose 'Total Football' amazed the football world in 1974 almost did not make it, saved by a disputed offside flag against ...
- Belgium
- Czechoslovakia
- England
- The Yugoslav team
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14. Returning in 2009, who got a final minute decisive goal for Argentina against Peru in heavy rain to revive their qualification campaign?
- Gonzalo Higuaín
- Player Mascherano
- Lionel Messi
- Martín Palermo
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Question 15. In the notorious 'Davide Gualtieri game' in 1993, what number of scores did England need to defeat San Marino by to have a opportunity of qualifying for the World Cup?
- 3
- Five
- 7
- 10 goals
Test your own knowledge of these famous World Cup qualification moments and find out how many you got right.