The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa

Letter IX: Football's Greatest Stories
My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd,
By now, you have learnt how football is played, how the World Cup began, how the tournament is organised, who some of its greatest heroes have been, and how modern technology helps referees make fair decisions. But the World Cup is much more than a competition. It is also a treasure chest of unforgettable stories—stories of brilliance and blunders, of courage and controversy, of mystery and surprise.
Today, let me tell you four of my favourites. They are part of football's folklore, and every lover of the game knows them.
The Hand of God
The first story belongs to one of football's greatest players—Diego Maradona of Argentina.
During the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Argentina met England in a fiercely contested quarter-final. Early in the second half, the ball floated high into the penalty area. Maradona leapt into the air along with England's tall goalkeeper, Peter Shilton. Instead of heading the ball, Maradona quietly punched it into the goal with his left hand. The referee did not notice what had happened and allowed the goal.
The English players protested, but the decision stood. After the match, Maradona jokingly remarked that the goal had been scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the Hand of God." The name remained forever, and the incident is still one of the most debated moments in football history.
Yet the story has an astonishing ending.
Only a few minutes later, Maradona collected the ball deep inside his own half and began running. He dribbled past one English player, then another, then another, weaving his way almost the entire length of the field before calmly scoring a magnificent goal. Many experts still describe it as the greatest goal ever scored in a World Cup. In one unforgettable match, Maradona gave the world one goal that divided opinion and another that united everyone in admiration.
The Goal That Changed Football
The second story took place twenty-four years later, during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
England was playing Germany when Frank Lampard struck a powerful shot that hit the crossbar, bounced well over the goal line, and spun back into the field. Everyone watching on television could clearly see that it was a goal. The spectators in the stadium could see it. The players could see it.
But the referee could not.
Play continued, and the goal was never awarded.
Around the world, football lovers began asking the same question. If television cameras could instantly reveal what had happened, why should referees not receive help from technology?
That famous incident became one of the turning points in football history. Soon afterwards, FIFA introduced Goal-Line Technology and later the Video Assistant Referee, or VAR, making the game fairer and more accurate than ever before. Sometimes, even a mistake can lead to a better future.
The Dog Who Found the World Cup
Not every famous World Cup story is about footballers.
Before the 1966 World Cup began in England, the Jules Rimet Trophy was put on public display so that people could admire it. One day, to everyone's horror, it disappeared. The trophy had been stolen.
The police searched everywhere but could not find it. Newspapers carried the story on their front pages, and people began wondering whether the World Cup could even begin without its famous prize.
Then something quite extraordinary happened.
A friendly black-and-white dog named Pickles was out for a walk with his owner when he stopped near a hedge and began sniffing at a small package wrapped in newspaper. Curious, his owner opened it.
Inside lay the missing World Cup Trophy.
Overnight, Pickles became an international celebrity. He appeared in newspapers, attended special events, and was even honoured for helping recover football's greatest treasure. It remains one of the happiest and most unusual detective stories in sporting history.
Why Every World Cup Begins with Hope
Perhaps the most beautiful stories of all are the ones that no one can predict.
Every World Cup begins with a few powerful teams that are expected to win. Yet almost every tournament produces a surprise. A small nation defeats a famous champion. An unknown youngster scores the goal of a lifetime. A goalkeeper makes an impossible save. A substitute, who was not even expected to play, suddenly becomes the hero of millions.
That is why football captures the imagination of the world. On the field, reputations matter less than courage, teamwork, and determination. Every match offers a fresh beginning, and every player has the chance to write a new story.
As you continue watching this World Cup, remember that you may be witnessing history being created before your eyes. Years from now, people may speak of a goal, a save, or a young player from this very tournament in the same way that we still remember Maradona, Pickles, and the many unforgettable moments of earlier World Cups.
That is the magic of football. Every World Cup crowns a champion. But long after the trophy has been lifted, it is the stories that remain alive.
In my next letter, I shall tell you about some of the most astonishing records and remarkable achievements in World Cup history. I think you will discover that truth can sometimes be even more surprising than fiction.
With lots of love,
Dadu

(Uday Kumar Varma is an IAS officer. Retired as Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)