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How much are you familiar with the greatest surprising events from FIFA World Cup qualification history? Try this quiz to discover how many answers you remember.

FIFA World Cup Qualifying Test

1. Question 1. In the year 1973, Polish keeper Jan Tomaszewski made a series of saves at Wembley to stop the England a berth at the 1974 World Cup. Tomaszewski had been called 'a clown in gloves' by what English manager?

   • Alf Ramsey
   • Brian Clough the manager
   • Don Revie the coach
   • Coach Ron Greenwood
   Display Result

2. Question 2. France's most embarrassing World Cup disappointment occurred in 1993, when they did not manage to make it after defeats in their final two games at in France to Israel and ...

   • Bulgarian side
   • Romania
   • Swedish team
   • Luxembourg team
   Show Result

3. 3. Which person was Gerard Houllier blame responsible for France's loss, labeling him 'the murderer' of their World Cup chances?

   • Cantona
   • Ginola
   • Goalkeeper Bernard Lama
   • Deschamps
   Show Solution

4. Question 4. During 2006, which two African teams made their sole FIFA World Cup showings to date after beating the Senegalese team and the Nigerian side in qualifying?

   • Angola and Togo
   • Botswana and Zambia
   • Libya with Tanzania
   • Ethiopia and Mali
   Display Solution

5. Question 5. Italy, the four-times world champions, have failed to make it for the finals since 2014. Which team knocked out them from the qualifying playoffs in 2022?

   • Sweden
   • The Swiss team
   • The Portuguese team
   • Macedonia
   Display Solution

6. Question 6. Which team qualified in front of the Mexican team for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, just to lose their opening match 10-1?

   • The Canadian team
   • Cuba
   • El Salvador
   • The Honduran team
   Show Solution

7. 7. The 1982 edition finals had a number of surprise qualifiers. Which side earned their only World Cup participation to date with an late equalizer against the New Zealand team?

   • Haiti
   • Iraq
   • Kuwait
   • The UAE team
   Display Result

8. 8. You'll probably remember that a Thierry Henry's hand ball aided the French team make it at the Ireland's expense in 2009. However who was Henry pass to to get the goal?

   • Nicolas Anelka
   • Karim Benzema
   • Gallas
   • Player Govou
   Show Result

9. 9. The sole men World Cup the Argentine team have tried and failed to make it for was in 1970. What side got their berth?

   • Brazil
   • The Colombian team
   • The Peruvian team
   • The Uruguayan team
   Reveal Result

10. 10. Roman Torres' 88th-minute winner against Costa Rica secured a dramatic FIFA World Cup 2018 berth for what team?

    • Honduras
    • Mexico
    • Panama
    • The Uruguayan team
    Display Result

11. 11. What role was Peter Hore play in the Australian team's away-goals loss to the Iranian team in a play-off for the 1998 FIFA World Cup?

    • Known as a notorious joker, Hore ran onto the pitch and damaged a goal net with Australia leading 3-1 on aggregate. The stop in play allowed Iran to recover into the game and score two last-minute scores.
    • Australian defender Hore scored an own goal that put the Iranian team through the finals at Australia' expense.
    • Being Australia minister of foreign affairs, Hore prevented the team from travelling to Tehran city, leading to a 3-0 defeat they could not reverse in Melbourne city.
    • Peter Hore was a ex Australian assistant coach who moved to Iran's coaching team before the play-off games.
    Show Solution

12. Question 12. The Australian team finally finished their long drought for a second FIFA World Cup participation by beating what nation on penalties in 2005?

    • The Iranian team
    • Japan
    • The Peruvian team
    • Uruguay
    Display Solution

13. 13. The Dutch team whose 'total football' impressed the football world in 1974 almost didn't qualify, rescued by a disputed offside flag against ...

    • Belgium
    • The Czechoslovak team
    • England
    • The Yugoslav team
    Show Result

14. Question 14. Back in 2009, which player got a late winner for the Argentine team against Peru in heavy rain to revive their qualifying campaign?

    • Gonzalo Higuaín
    • Player Mascherano
    • Messi
    • Martín Palermo
    Show Solution

15. 15. During the infamous 'San Marino game' in 1993, how many scores was the English team require to beat San Marino by to have a chance of qualifying for the World Cup?

    • Three
    • 5
    • 7
    • 10 goals
    Display Answer

Check your own memory of these famous World Cup qualifying stories and discover how many you answered correctly.