Uncovering the man behind 1982 refereeing incident

If you watch any documentary for 1982 World Cup, you must see Fahad Al-Ahmad, the man behind one the most contraversial refereeing incidents in the history of the World Cup



Kuwaiti players heared a whistle from the fans and steopped thinking a French player is off-side. Fahad Al-Ahmad, head of Kuwaiti football federation, went down to the field and threatened to pull out of the game. FIFA officials and Referee agreed to disallow the goal. Then, of course French players and coach got very mad.

The incident didn't impact anything in the game, as it was 3-1 at that moment, and it ended 4-1 for France anyhow, I think it was very bad interference and very bad decision from the referee to negotiate his decision.

All docmunetaries and World Cup books end the story here. What you don't know about this man (unless you are a Kuwaiti) is more contraversial and interesting.

Fahad Al-Ahmad is a hero in Kuwait, for everything other than that incident.

His heroic death:
Fahad died in 2nd of August, 1990, that was the day Iraqi forces of Saddam Hussain invaded Kuwait after midnight. All royal family members evacuated the palaces and houses towards Saudi Arabia, except one man, Fahad Al-Ahmad.

He took a machine gun and defended his home till the last second. It was like watching Troy or Brave Heart movie. He was the only Kuwaiti Royal family member to lose his life that night.

I cannot be sure if that was the best decision to take. May be he would have more value to his country if he was prudent and evacuated. Yet, without a doubt, it was very brave of him.

The man who gathered Iraq and Iran:

What is more contraversial, that Kuwait held a "Friendship Tournament" few months before the Iraqi invasion, in which Iraq and Iran played for the first time against each other since the begining of their war in 1980. Fahad Al-Ahmad took big PR out of that as a man of gathered both rivals in Kuwait, only few months before his death on Iraqi forces

His character
Fahad was a man of spotlights, was very bold and liked challenges, may be this what made him go down that game in 1982 World Cup. However, he was also down to earth with his national team. He mingled with them in camps and trainings, wearing shorts, and he was great motivator and leader.

Kuwaiti national team players used to run into the fans side, where Fahad was sitting, and raise their fist to the sky (victory) as a way to communicate with him.

Fahad also knew how to read the game very well. Prior to 1982 World Cup, he decided to give the coaching to a great assistant coach (Carlos Alberto Parriera) and not Zagalo. 12 years later, Carlos won the World Cup with Brazil.

With him, "The Blue" (Kuwaiti national team) achieved everything an Asian team dreamed of at that decade.

'The Blue' achievements:
We have to remember at the 1970s, Football was very different. Smaller fishes had very little dream to embaress the big ones. Kuwait had only 1,600 registered players, and it was a very small nation of 1.5 million population only.

Let's review that day, at Kuwait and France game, what Kuwaiti teams achieved:
- Gulf Cup: It is a regional cup of 5 to 7 countries. Kuwait won 5 out of 6 competitions.
- 1980 Olympic Games: qualified in a sensational way and had great appearance:
Kuwait x Nigeria 3-0
Kuwait x Columbia 1-1 with a wonderful goal
Kuwait x Czechoslovakia 0-0
Kuwait played the Quarter Final vs. Soviet Union in Moscow and scored goal of the tournament with their legendary player Jasem Yaqoub vs. the Soviet legendary keeper Dassaiev. Kuwait played great game and hardly lost 1-2



- 1980 Asian Cup: Won their first and only title beating South Korea 3-0 in the final.
- 1982 World Cup: Kuwait qualified to the World Cup, and they had great game tying with Czechosolovakia 1-1 with a goal to remember:



At that moment, as I said, Kuwait had everything an Asian team would dream of in 1982.
When they played France, they kinda lost balance. I saw so many interviews with Kuwaiti players, and all say that they lost balance and under-estimated France. They lost 1-4. Last game Kuwait lost to England 0-1 after a fair game.

Kuwait with Fahad Al-Ahmad left great memories and great goals to remember for long time.
This is one of those goals during the golden age