FALSE 10: Vengeance for "Disgrace of Gijon" or yet another disgrace?

On paper, this is not the most exciting match of the final group stage at the 2026 World Cup. But the clash between Algeria and Austria in Kansas City carries a weight no other game does. A long-awaited chance for revenge, 44 years in the making.

Result, progress, success, glory — all of it is at stake in almost every match. But pride? That is what is on the line in Kansas City, where the Desert Foxes and Austria meet for the first time since June 1982.

Back then, at the 1982 World Cup, Austria triumphed 2-0 in Oviedo, but that match is not our focus. It's actually the match with numerous nicknames, played four days later.

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"The Disgrace of Gijon", "Non-aggression pact of Gijon", "Scandal of Gijon", "The Shameful Match" - different labels for the same game.

How controversial it had to be to earn all these infamous names?, one may wonder.

Oh, very, very much.

To understand everything, we'll have to fire up the time machine and return 44 years back, to Spain, where the 12th FIFA World Cup was being held.

In Group 2 of the first group stage - back then the competition format consisted of two group stages - West Germany, Austria, Algeria, and Chile battled for the top two places leading to the second group stage.

Paul Breitner of West Germany and Mustapha Dahleb of Algeria in action at the 1982 World Cup (©AFP)

Ahead of the final round, Austria topped the table with four points - at the time, a win was worth two points - having beaten Chile and Algeria, while West Germany and the Desert Foxes had two points each, as the African side stunned Die Mannschaft, who were reigning European Champions.

The calculations were clear: Algeria needed a win over Chile by at least a four-goal margin. Otherwise, they would depend on the outcome of the duel between two neighbouring European countries. The Desert Foxes played their game a day earlier than the rivals from the "old continent" and beat the South Americans "only" 3-2, learning what outcome in the other match they needed to advance: anything but West Germany's win by fewer than three goals.

The problem was Die Mannschaft and Austria knew that, too...

As you can assume, a day later, West Germany broke the deadlock early in the game, in the 10th minute through Horst Hrubesch, and then skilfully defended the lead until the end.

The game was somewhat competitive before the break, but then, aware that they can both advance, the neighbours seemed to have lost interest in changing the result. Instead, they made sure it stayed 1-0.

The Algerians were furious, as it was clear what had happened. They even lodged a formal complaint, but FIFA eventually ruled that neither West Germany nor Austria broke any rules.

The Desert Foxes' maiden World Cup appearance ended amid scandal, while the clash between the two European side earned the infamous nicknames mentioned above.

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The North African country met with Die Mannschaft again in the Round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup, when the Germans won 2-1 after extra time.

Nevertheless, fate did not want to pit them against Austria. They've waited for 44 years and finally, the time for their vengeance has come.

At least that's what everyone thought once the 2026 World Cup draw put them together in Group J alongside Argentina and Jordan.

It was clear even before the tournament started that La Albiceleste would likely advance as group winners - and after Lionel Messi's "terror" and five scored goals in two matches it became evident - while the Asian side has little chances to make a surprise. Algeria and Austria were left to fight it out for second and third place.

Given that they both beat Jordan and lost to Argentina, their final-round clash is supposed to decide their destiny at Mundial.

And while the football world eagerly expected a match that could settled the score between the two teams, shocking news emerged: neither side will want to win!

Why?

Well, because no one wants to face Spain in the Round of 32.

Whoever wins tonight will lock horns against the European champions, as Group J runner-up, while the third-placed team has a chance to play an easier opponent.

And it's not about the Austrians anymore. They've shown their sportsmanship 44 years ago and could only redeem themselves with a professional approach.

This time, it's only about Algeria.

The chance generations have been waiting for has fallen to Riyad Mahrez and Co. But will they even want to seize it?

Will they try to take revenge for what was unjustly taken from them in 1982 and defend the honour of their country?

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Or will they trade the national pride for a potentially easier opponent and betray the people who laid the foundations of Algerian football, without whom the current generation would not be here today? Will football itself be the casualty?

All the answers will come tomorrow morning (05.00).

In the end, we can only hope that "Disgrace of Gijon" will remain the only scandalous World Cup game and that people in a few decades won't remember another clash between Algeria and Austria by its infamous nickname "Disgrace of Kansas City".

WORLD CUP - GROUP STAGE (ROUND 3)

Group J

Sunday

04.00: (3.75) Algeria (2.35) Austria (2.85)

04.00: (13.0) Jordan (6.25) Argentina (1.23)

***odds are subject to change***