QUICK FACT: Chile banned from World Cup
January 2, 2009 | The Beautiful Game | 1 comment
Did you know that Chile was banned from the 1994 World Cup? During a qualifying match for the 1990 World Cup, Chile was down 1-0 to Brazil. A loss would mean elimination from the tournament. Around the 67th minute, the Chilean goalkeeper, Roberto Rojas, fell to the ground due to being hit by a firework. The team refused to continue to play and the match went unfinished. However, after reviewing footage, it was found that the firework never hit Rojas. He faked it hoping to replay the game. FIFA awarded Brazil the win, banned Chile from the 1994 World Cup, and banned Rojas for life.
