With the retirement of Samuel Eto’o, how many players to have featured at France ‘98 continue to be lively?” tweets JBfaeDundee. “Buffon becomes in the Italy squad, however, didn’t in reality play.” We had masses of solutions to this one, but the most complete came from Pete Tomlin. “I have truly managed to locate seven players who had been in their country’s squad for the 1998 World Cup and are nevertheless (sort of) actively playing,” he tells us. “Firstly, Brazilian shielding midfielder and previous captain Emerson (Ferreira da Rosa), who’s presently 43 years old, is listed on the playing roster of US side Miami Dade FC. He is also listed as a member of the government. Back in 1998, Emerson got here on alternatively within the sector last against Denmark and the semi-very last towards the Netherlands.
“Another 43-12 months-old still gambling is Joseph N’Do, an attacking midfielder who started all 3 institution games for Cameroon in 1998. He is now a participant/trainee for Achill Rovers in Ireland’s Mayo League.” N’Do has spent more than 15 years in Ireland as a participant – there’s extra on his tale here. “Lee Dong-gun, a South Korean striker who came on in their organization game in opposition to the Netherlands, is still playing in the K-League at forty. He has made 18 appearances for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors this season, scoring four. Saudi Arabia defender Hussein Abdulghani was protected in his web of An’s 1998 squad but didn’t play in France. Now forty-two, he currently plays and captains Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.”
Japan made its World Cup debut in 1998, and three individuals in their squad are yet to take their field. “Forward Masashi Nakayama started all 3 institution video games and scored his usa’s first-ever World Cup goal, against Jamaica,” adds Pete. “He is now listed as a player for Azul Claro Numazu within the J3 League, who additionally encompass 1998 non-playing midfielder Teruyoshi Ito of their squad. Ito is now forty-three, even as 39-12 months-vintage Shinji Ono, who came on towards Jamaica, now plays for FC Ryuku in the J2 League.” Nakayama might be fifty-two next week and is the oldest active player using ways to have featured at the 1998 World Cup. He also distinguishes himself as the simplest participant in Panini’s legit sticker album who is yet to retire.
Russell Yong also flagged up trivia favorite Kazu Miura, who’s also playing at fifty-two, for J2 League facet Yokohama FC. “Miura was key to Japan’s qualification marketing campaign for 1998, scoring 14 goals, however, he became exceedingly controversially overlooked by coach Takeshi Okada, who said he couldn’t even envision a role for him instead. Miura became as important in qualification for the USA ’94 and might almost certainly have been in the squad. However, Japan didn’t qualify.”
“I distinctly recall looking at a few fits at the small screen television inside the overdue-Seventies/early-1980s and being exceptionally amused while an extended ball was performed towards Kenny Dalglish, who inexplicably stood flawlessly nonetheless and caught the ball with both his hands,” writes Frank Hames. “I take into account a cacophony of hooting and jeering from the crowd, bewildered expressions being worn with the aid of teammates and combatants alike, Kenny searching comically shamefaced as he obtained admonishment from the referee, and the commentator having a whale of a time. However, a cursory seek of the net did not find any point in this episode. Was this some Spangles-and-Findus-Crispy-Pancakes-induced youth fever dream?”
The answer, Frank, is perhaps. “I keep in mind looking Richard Gough instinctively trap the ball above his head and then look very embarrassed approximately it, especially after seeing the inevitable purple card,” writes Nick Thorp. “But that changed in 1992, so perhaps he becomes stimulated using Dalglish!” Gough’s second moment of insanity came in a World Cup qualifying defeat in opposition to Switzerland. His teacher, Andy Roxburgh, claimed afterward that the ball had struck a sprinkler on its way into the center-return’s hands. “I have a completely comparable reminiscence, but it wasn’t Kenny Dalglish,” writes Michael Thomas (possibly now not that one). “I don’t forget watching an Old Firm fit, probably mid-to-past due to the 80s, wherein Terry Butcher – I assume – stuck a ball that changed into flying over his head and out for a throw. He becomes booked for it, as I recall.”
