Craziest World Cup moments 8: Zaire's infamous 1974 free kick | OneFootball

June 22, 1974. Brazil are 2-0 up against first-timers Zaire in Gelsenkirchen. There’s 75 minutes on the clock but what would transpire would go down as one of the strangest passages of play in World Cup history.

The reigning champions were already through to the next round whilst the African nation was going home after previous group defeats to Scotland and Yugoslavia

Rivelino and Jarzinho were stood over a free kick within scoring distance but before they could have a strike on goal, Mwepu Ilunga would take his place in tournament infamy.

He rushed out and booted the ball away with BBC commentator John Motson calling it “a bizarre moment of African ignorance”. It was though, anything but.

What people watching at home didn’t realise was that back in Zaire, totalitarian chief Marshal Mobutu had been so embarrassed by the country’s previous 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia, that he threatened the entire squad with deportation if they were to lose by more than four goals to Brazil.

So with 15 minutes remaining, and the score poised at 2-0, instead of Ilunga being guilty of “ignorance” he was instead just trying to allow his team mates to see their families again.

And they say football and politics shouldn’t mix.