As the World Cup gets underway this week, there have been more than enough controversies over the years that have marred the competition including assassination plots, murders and kidnappings
Johan Cruyff was nearly kidnapped at the World Cup (Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
It might be arguably the biggest sporting competition on the planet but that has not stopped the World Cup from having some truly extreme moments.
There have been murders, kidnappings and assassination plots involving some of the biggest names in football – including David Beckham and Johan Cruyff. And that also includes some of the most notorious criminals to walk the earth – such as Pablo Escobar and Osama bin Laden.
Here at the Daily Star, we have compiled a list of the most extreme incidents to grip the World Cup ever.
Plot to kill Beckham
Osama bin Laden was part of a plot to assassinate David Beckham (Image: GETTY)
Islamic terrorist Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda, was best known for being behind the 9/11 strikes on the US in 2001.
But in the run-up to the 1998 World Cup in France he also backed the Algerian Armed Islamic Group’s horrific bid to butcher the England team at their opening game against Tunisia in Marseilles.
It would have seen goalie David Seaman blown up by a suicide bomber, Alan Shearer shot dead and a grenade thrown into the bench where manager Glenn Hoddle was sitting.
Osama bin Laden planned to assassinate David Beckham, along with other members of the England squad (Image: Getty Images)
Top players Michael Owen and Beckham were also targeted in the plan where jihadis disguised as medical workers would invade the pitch.
Thankfully police foiled the scheme, though the team only found out the truth years later.
Adam Robinson, author of Terror on the Pitch, described the plot as “brutal” and “bloody.”
Killed over an own goal
Andres Escobar was tragically killed by Colombian drug lords (Image: Getty Images)
On June 22, 1994, favourites Colombia lost 2-1 to hosts, the US, during the World Cup thanks to an own goal by defender Andres Escobar.
The defeat would ultimately see them finish bottom of their group and be sent home.
Just a few days later, at 3am, the 27-year-old was in his car outside the El Indio nightclub where he’d been socialising with pals in the city of Medellin.
Andres Escobar scored an own goal that would tragically lead to the end of his life (Image: Getty Images)
Suddenly two men approached and shot Escobar six times shouting “Goal!” for each bullet. He quickly bled to death.
A year later Humberto Castro Muñoz, a bodyguard for a drug cartel said to have lost heavily on betting around the game, was convicted of Escobar’s murder. He only served 11 years.
Cruyff kidnapping
Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff once had a gun pointed at his head (Image: Getty Images)
Dutch master Johan Cruyff known for his legendary “turn” led Holland to the 1974 World Cup final and four years later was expected to help them lift the trophy at the tournament in Argentina.
But the striker baffled football fans by missing the competition and, without him, the Netherlands lost 3-1 to the hosts in the final.
It was only years later that the Barcelona ace revealed an attempted kidnapping made him opt out.
In 1977 he and his family had been held at gunpoint in the city by seven men. He recalled: “I had a rifle at my head, I was tied up, my wife tied up…”
Cruyff, who died aged 68 in 2016, never revealed exactly how – but they managed to escape.
Yet the star was so worried about his family’s safety he decided not to play at the World Cup saying: “There are moments when there are other values in life.”
Johan Cruyff never revealed how he got out of his sticky situation (Image: AFP)
Nazi murder mystery
In 1934 centre forward Matthias Sindelar, known for his brilliant dribbling, captained Austria’s “Wunderteam” to a World Cup semi-final in Italy.
He was preparing to lead them at the 1938 World Cup in France too, until Adolf Hitler’s Germany marched into Austria and annexed it, then unified the two countries’ football teams.
The Nazis staged a final game between the nations, supposed to end in a prearranged draw.
But Sindelar went off script and scored a stunner to help Austria win, before dancing in celebration in front of Third Reich dignitaries. He then refused to play for the new German side.
Ten months later Sindelar was found dead in bed in his flat, aged 36, beside his lover.
An official investigation blamed carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty chimney, but many believe the footballer was secretly murdered by the Gestapo.
