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Decisive game between Chile and the Soviet Union became a historic episode after Soviet boycott at the National Stadium of Santiago.
One of the most unusual matches in World Cup Qualifying history took place on November 21, 1973, in Chile.
That afternoon, the Chilean team took to the field at the National Stadium of Santiago to decide a spot in the 1974 World Cup, held in West Germany.
The Soviet Union did not show up.
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The absence was a direct response to the military regime of Augusto Pinochet, installed after the coup of September 11, 1973, which overthrew the government of Salvador Allende.
According to records from FIFA, BBC Brasil, Associated Press, and El País, the stadium had been used as a detention center, for interrogations and torture of political prisoners.
Game without opponent went down in history
Even without the Soviet team on the field, the match protocol was followed.
In front of about 20,000 fans, the eleven Chilean players positioned themselves on the field and kicked off.
Subsequently, they exchanged passes without any marking.
After a few touches, captain Francisco “Chamaco” Valdés pushed the ball into the empty net.
Right after the goal, the referee ended the match.
With that, Chile confirmed its qualification for the 1974 World Cup.
Soviet boycott had political motivation
The decision of the Soviet Union was made amid the tense climate of the Cold War.
In October 1973, the Soviets announced that they would not play the return match at the National Stadium of Santiago.
The reason was the use of the venue by the Chilean military regime as a space for imprisonment and repression against political opponents.
Thus, football ended up becoming the stage for a diplomatic and ideological crisis.
The case gained even more strength because it involved a direct spot in the biggest national team tournament on the planet.
Confrontation began in Moscow before the boycott
Before the episode in Chile, the two teams had faced each other in Moscow.
The first game took place on September 26, 1973, just over two weeks after the Chilean military coup.
Even with the Soviet favoritism, the match ended in a draw of 0 to 0.
At the time, the Soviet Union was a strong team in the European scene.
The team included important names, including the Ukrainian striker Oleg Blokhin, who was voted the best player in Europe in 1975.
Therefore, the decision for the spot was left to the return match, scheduled for Santiago.
Unprecedented Playoff Marked the Qualifiers
The contest between Chile and the Soviet Union also had technical importance.
That was the first qualifying playoff between a European and a South American team in World Cup history.
The Soviets had finished the European Qualifiers in ninth position.
Meanwhile, the Chileans finished in third place in the South American contest.
Only four years later, in 1977, a similar playoff occurred again, when Hungary defeated Bolivia and secured a spot in the 1978 World Cup.
Elías Figueroa Called Episode Ridiculous
The Chilean defender Elías Figueroa, an idol of the Chilean national team and also of Internacional de Porto Alegre, recounted the embarrassment of that day.
In an interview with BBC Brasil, he stated that the situation was “ridiculous.”
According to Figueroa, the players advanced without opposition until Valdés scored the goal.
For him, entering the field without an opponent and scoring in an empty goal was a completely unusual experience.
A Unique Case in World Cup History
The episode remains the first and only boycott of a match related to the World Cups.
The preserved images show the Chilean team entering the field, greeting the public, and advancing without resistance.
More than a sporting qualification, the case became a symbol of the connection between football, international politics, and the Cold War.
Decades later, the game without an opponent at the National Stadium is still remembered as one of the strangest and most remarkable scenes of the Qualifiers.
What do you think about this episode: did the Soviet Union make the right decision by boycotting the match, or should football have been separated from politics at that moment? Leave your opinion!
