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How well do you remember the most unexpected events from FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns? Take this challenge to see how many facts you know.

FIFA World Cup Qualifying Test

1. 1. During the year 1973, Polish keeper Jan Tomaszewski made a series of stops at Wembley to prevent the England a spot at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Tomaszewski had been labeled 'a gloved clown' by what England coach?

   • Sir Alf Ramsey
   • Brian Clough
   • Don Revie
   • Ron Greenwood
   Reveal Answer

2. 2. The French team's most embarrassing FIFA World Cup disappointment occurred in 1993, when they failed to make it after losing their final two games at in France to the Israeli team and ...

   • Team Bulgaria
   • Romania
   • Team Sweden
   • The Luxembourg side
   Show Answer

3. 3. Which person did Gerard Houllier consider responsible for France's defeat, describing him 'the assassin' of their World Cup dreams?

   • Eric Cantona
   • David Ginola the player
   • Goalkeeper Bernard Lama
   • Didier Deschamps
   Show Solution

4. 4. During 2006, which two African teams made their only FIFA World Cup participations to date after beating Senegal and the Nigerian side in qualifying?

   • Togo with Angola
   • Botswana with Zambia
   • Libya and Tanzania
   • Mali and Ethiopia
   Reveal Result

5. Question 5. The Italian team, the four-times World Cup winners, have failed to make it for the World Cup since 2014. Who knocked out them from the playoffs in 2022?

   • Sweden
   • Switzerland
   • Portugal
   • Macedonia
   Display Result

6. 6. What team qualified ahead of the Mexican team for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, just to suffer defeat in their opening game ten to one?

   • The Canadian team
   • The Cuban team
   • El Salvador
   • Honduras
   Show Answer

7. Question 7. The 1982 edition finals had a number of surprise qualifiers. Which side earned their sole FIFA World Cup participation to now with an late tying goal against New Zealand?

   • The Haitian team
   • Iraq
   • Kuwait
   • The UAE team
   Show Answer

8. 8. You will probably recall that a Thierry Henry's hand ball aided the French team make it at the Republic of Ireland's cost in 2009. But who did Henry assist to get the goal?

   • Player Anelka
   • Benzema
   • Player Gallas
   • Sidney Govou
   Reveal Result

9. 9. The sole men FIFA World Cup the Argentine team have tried and failed to make it for occurred in 1970. Which nation secured their place?

   • The Brazilian team
   • The Colombian team
   • The Peruvian team
   • Uruguay
   Display Answer

10. 10. Roman Torres' 88th-minute winner against Costa Rica won a dramatic FIFA World Cup 2018 place for which nation?

    • Honduras
    • The Mexican team
    • The Panamanian team
    • Uruguay
    Reveal Answer

11. Question 11. What part did Peter Hore play in the Australian team's away goals defeat to the Iranian team in a qualifying playoff for the 1998 World Cup?

    • Famous as a notorious troublemaker, Hore ran onto the pitch and cut a goalpost net with Australia leading 3-1 on aggregate. The stop in play let the Iranian team to recover into the match and get two late goals.
    • Australian centre-back Hore scored an own goal that sent Iran through the finals at Australia' expense.
    • Being Australia foreign minister, Hore stopped the team from going to Tehran, resulting in a 3-0 defeat they could not overturn in Melbourne city.
    • Peter Hore was a former Australian assistant coach who joined Iran's coaching team before the playoff games.
    Reveal Solution

12. Question 12. Australia finally ended their long drought for a second FIFA World Cup participation by beating which nation on penalties in 2005?

    • Iran
    • Japan
    • The Peruvian team
    • Uruguay
    Display Result

13. 13. The Dutch side whose 'total football' shook the world in 1974 almost didn't qualify, saved by a disputed offside flag against ...

    • The Belgian team
    • The Czechoslovak team
    • England
    • Yugoslavia
    Show Answer

14. 14. Back in 2009, who scored a late winning goal for Argentina against Peru in heavy rain to rescue their qualification bid?

    • Player Higuaín
    • Mascherano
    • Player Messi
    • Palermo
    Display Result

15. Question 15. In the famous 'Davide Gualtieri game' in 1993, what number of scores was the English team require to beat San Marino by to have a opportunity of qualifying for the World Cup?

    • Three
    • 5
    • 7
    • 10
    Reveal Result

Challenge your own memory of these memorable FIFA World Cup qualifying stories and discover the number you answered correctly.