With every team at the 2026 World Cup having now played two fixtures, the competition enters a decisive stage of the tournament. The final group stage games will see many nations either progress to the knockout phase or be eliminated from the competition.

And to make the final group games that bit more dramatic, all games in each group will kick off simultaneously. This will be different from the opening two group matches, where they were contested at different times. And rather than opting for this format for that extra added excitement, the final game format was enforced by events that occurred over forty years ago.

The ruling, which has now been adopted for other football tournaments as well as the World Cup, stems from one of the most controversial episodes in World Cup history.

What Happened during the Disgrace of Gijon

At the 1982 World Cup, the European champions West Germany were in danger of being eliminated at the group stage. In Group 2 with three World Cup debutants — Algeria, Austria, and Chile — an exit at this stage would’ve been particularly embarrassing.

The final Group 2 match between West Germany and Austria took place a day after Algeria had beaten Chile 3-2 to complete their respective group stages. With the final game left to play, Austria and Algeria were joint top with four points each, with Germany in third on two points. Chile had already been mathematically eliminated, having earned zero points.

With West Germany facing Austria in the final group game, both sides were aware that a West German victory by two goals or fewer would send the European sides through and eliminate Algeria.

The mission was clear for West Germany, who took the lead just ten minutes into the match through Hamburg striker Horst Hrubesch. But from then on, what should’ve been a breathless battle for qualification became an exhibition.

With this score in place, qualification was secure for both teams, and as a result, the intensity of the fixture quickly waned. Few passes were played with attacking intent, and nor was there much pressure from either side to retrieve possession.

When the dust settled and the final whistle blew, the anger of the Algerian players and supporters understandably boiled over with accusations of match manipulation by the two German-speaking teams. The match later became known as the “Disgrace of Gijon”, a controversial and football-altering chapter in the story of the sport.

Disgrace of Gijon’s Legacy

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Algeria was on the precipice of history. Had either West Germany or Austria played their part, Algeria would’ve become the first African nation to qualify from the World Cup group stage. So, it was unsurprising to see incensed protests from the Algerians — a feeling that spread to players and fans, regardless of which nation they belonged to.

The Disgrace of Gijon is the most common moniker given to the infamous match, but the universal disapproval of the two teams’ behaviour has led to further titles around the world.

In German, the match is known as “Nichtangriffspakt von Gijon”, which translates to “Non-aggression pact of Gijon”. In Algeria, the description is unsurprisingly forthright: “Scandal of Gijon”. Another widely accepted title is the French description “le Match de la honte”, which translates to “The Shameful Match”. The international press have, on occasion, controversially dubbed the match the “Anschluss of Gijon” in reference to the German annexation of Austria in 1938.

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Despite the Algerian protests and the condemnation of the German and Austrian teams, FIFA argued that no rules had been broken and decided not to overturn the result. However, further backlash eventually forced the hand of the football governing body.

Whilst the result remained intact, FIFA introduced a major new ruling to ensure that a similar incident didn’t occur in the future. From the 1986 World Cup onwards, final group stage matches are played simultaneously, ensuring that teams cannot alter their tactics based on earlier results.

That being said, the controversial progression of West Germany in 1982 did very nearly result in triumph at the tournament. Whilst Austria were knocked out in the second group stage, West Germany made it through to the final. Jupp Derwall’s side fell to the imperious Italy 3-1, but had the West Germans won, the Disgrace of Gijon may have sparked even greater outrage among the global football community.

Liverpool could sanction a deal for one of their stars to join a Premier League rival this summer, as Sky Sports reports that a player is being monitored in the transfer window.

A sale for the Reds could come at an important time in the market, as the club are braced for another summer of huge spending to land key targets.

Work has already been done to complete the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz so far, but Yan Diomande’s move to Anfield now appears to be over, as the winger prefers a switch to PSG.

Attention will turn elsewhere, with Bradley Barcola eyed up, but there could be exits required to help fund such a deal over the coming weeks.

Curtis Jones has been linked with a move away, but so too has Harvey Elliott, who is looking for a fresh start after a frustrating year.

Crystal Palace Want Harvey Elliott

Elliott has made his return to Liverpool this summer, a year on from agreeing a loan move to join Aston Villa with an obligation to make the deal permanent once certain criteria had been met.

The midfielder was quickly discarded by Unai Emery, however, as the manager didn’t want to give him the appearances required to trigger the £35 million transfer switch.

In the end, Elliott was stuck in limbo until the end of the season, and his return to Liverpool comes at a time when he is looking to take on a new opportunity.

Fortunately for him, and for the Reds, there is interest this summer. Sky Sports reports that Premier League rivals Crystal Palace are monitoring a possible deal for the 23-year-old.

It’s unclear whether the Eagles will ramp up their efforts to land the star, who has been described as a “special” talent in his time, but there may still be a way back for him at Anfield.

The report adds that Elliott will be given the chance to impress Andoni Iraola, with the possibility that he will make an impression and stake a claim in the squad for next season onwards.

It hands him a potential lifeline, either at Liverpool or elsewhere, after a challenging season.

Tough Elliott Decision To Follow

Liverpool will have a tough decision to make surrounding the future of Elliott, regardless of whether he stays or leaves this summer.

The 23-year-old only has one year left on his deal, which means an exit would be the last chance for the club to make some money back on a sale, but it would likely not reach the £35 million they had agreed before.

If the star does stay, then Liverpool may need to consider protecting his value by offering a contract extension, so they don’t lose yet another star as a free agent.

That may have to come with guarantees over game time, however, which played a potential part in his original exit from the club to Aston Villa.

Regardless of whether he stays or leaves, Liverpool are not in the most ideal position and will have to see what the future holds for Elliott in the weeks to come.

Rangers are ramping up their efforts to improve the squad for the upcoming season, as TeamTalk reports that one star is close to joining the club, while another is about to leave in the opposite direction.

It’ll be the fourth bit of business that the Ibrox outfit complete this summer, having already made moves to give Derek McInnes a chance to impress in his first campaign in the dugout.

Lawrence Shankland was the first arrival, signing for free from Hearts after the club triggered a clause in his deal that allowed him to join his boyhood club.

Ross McCrorie made his long-awaited return to Rangers shortly after, while Ben Godfrey also joins on a season-long loan from Atalanta this summer.

With the backline and frontline already addressed, the next area of focus is the goalkeeping department, with a move now agreed for a double deal.

Rangers Close To Ivor Pandur Transfer

According to TeamTalk, Rangers are closing in on the signing of Ivor Pandur from Hull City this summer to help with a drastic overhaul between the sticks.

The 26-year-old will join from the newly-promoted Premier League club on a long-term deal, while the move will help push through a second switch elsewhere.

Hull are expected to sign Jack Butland from Rangers in a transfer going the other way, though it is a separate move and not described as a swap deal.

That is due to the Tigers facing financial restrictions upon their surprise return to the top tier of English football, with sales required by the start of next month to comply.

The move for Pandur is believed to be in the region of £6 million, securing a deal for the goalkeeper who has received plenty of plaudits in his time at the MKM Stadium.

That earned him a place in the Croatia squad for the World Cup, though he is currently playing as the second-choice to Dominik Livakovic.

Pandur is expected to undergo a medical in North America to complete a swift deal, while Butland is now set to travel to Hull to complete his move there.

It’s quite the accelerated switch from Rangers, helping to transform the goalkeeping ranks to strengthen the team moving forward.

What Rangers Need Next

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Rangers have moved quickly to address several issues within the squad, with the goalkeeping changes showing that the club mean business in getting back to the top.

Having already added two defenders, a striker, and a goalkeeper, it would make sense for the transfer business to turn back towards the midfield ranks.

Nicolas Raskin is expected to leave the club, and considering how important he has been in recent seasons, a replacement will certainly be needed.

Lewis Ferguson has been linked, though a deal with Bologna seems unlikely while they hold out for a large fee to sign the Scotland international.

It remains to be seen who else could be linked with a switch in that position, but Rangers could move quickly to add yet another impressive option to McInnes’s squad.