Vincerà! The story of Italia '90

It’s do or die for both Argentina and the USSR as they face off in Naples – home of Diego Maradona – as early elimination beckons for whoever loses after they both suffered shock defeats in their respective opening matches at Italia ‘90. The Argentine and Neapolitan hero is never far from controversy and today is no different as yet another ‘handy’ intervention helps his team overcome a sticky situation. And while we’re focusing on cheats; today’s topic for discussion is shithousery. The 1990 World Cup had its fair share of cheating, diving, whinging, time wasting, hacking and niggling. But who was the King of the Shithouses?

HOST: Mark Godfrey

GUESTS: Rob Smyth (The Guardian, Nessun Dorma podcast), Sid Lambert (Proper Football on Twitter, Planet Football)

MUSIC: UV Protection

Football and opera? Together? Whose bright idea was that? Yes, we’re talking about Nessun Dorma and the BBC’s inspired decision to use Luciano Pavarotti’s version for the title music of their Italia ’90 coverage from the man that thought it might just work. Also on the show we talk about the Low Countries as Belgium and Holland make their entrance into the tournament. Gullit, Rijkaard, Van Basten and European Champions everywhere you looked – what could possibly go wrong for the enigmatic Dutch?

HOST: Mark Godfrey

GUESTS: Philip Bernie (Head of TV Sport, BBC), Jeff Livingstone (In Bed With Maradona), Martin Cloake (One Step From Glory, Various)

Day 4 and we welcome the Home Nations and Ireland to Italia ’90; not that much was expected from either England or Scotland. Bobby Robson was under intense scrutiny from the English press who not only questioned his managerial ability, they had also begun digging around in his private life. Jack Charlton’s Ireland were their opponents for this opening crunch game in Group F. The heavens opened over Cagliari as the two nations served up a typically brutish ‘Derby’ encounter. The fans, too, were in for ‘special’ treatment from the Sardinian police as our panel recalls. For the Scots; could they finally make it past the group stages at a World Cup? Surely, the unfancied Costa Ricans couldn’t throw a spanner in the works, could they?

HOST: Mark Godfrey

GUESTS: Pete Davies (All Played Out/One Night in Turin), Simon Hart (World in Motion – The Inside Story of Italia 90), Steve Beauchampe (Football Supporters Association fan embassy), Kevin Sheedy (Ireland and Everton)

More of the big guns enter the tournament with both Brazil and West Germany getting their Italia ’90 campaigns under way on this day. For the latter, successive defeats in the finals of the last two World Cups and a semi-final loss in the 1988 Euros which they hosted gave ample incentive for Franz Beckenbauer’s talented squad to get it right this time. Also appearing today were the USA, playing at their first World Cup for 40 years. Could this rag-tag bunch of part-timers and college kids make any sort of mark at Italia ’90 considering all eyes would be on them as surprise hosts in 1994?

HOST: Mark Godfrey

GUESTS: Rob Smyth (The Guardian, Nessun Dorma podcast), Mike Gibbons (When Football Came Home: England, the English and Euro 96), Raphael Honigstein (The Athletic, BT Sport)

MUSIC: UV Protection

Vincerà! - The story of Italia '90 begins on June 8th, 2020.

Welcome to this special preview episode of Vincerà! The story of Italia '90 podcast! To give you a little taste of what to expect from the show between June 8th and July 8th, series host Mark Godfrey and regular guests Pete Davies and Simon Hart set the scene on a World Cup finals tournament that was full of high drama, iconic figures and unforgettable moments. There were shocks and tears; there was Maradona, Milla, Matthäus, Schillaci, and a cheeky chap called Gascoigne; we’ll be discussing them all and a whole lot more during the 24 episodes. Italia ’90 defined the end of one era and the beginning of another for football around the world, all set against the backdrop of cultural and political upheaval. If you remember the glorious summer of 1990 then you won’t want to miss this preview episode or the full series.

HOST: Mark Godfrey

GUESTS: Pete Davies (All Played Out), Simon Hart (World in Motion – The Inside Story of Italia 90)

MUSIC: UV Protection

Coming June 2020

Coming June 2020...