Book Review: World in Motion by Simon Hart

English and Irish football fans, in particular, remember Italia ’90 fondly. Gazza’s tears, Nessun Dorma, Totò Schillaci’s wild staring eyes, Milla’s dances and “Caniggiaaaaaa…scores!” From a footballing perspective, Italia ’90 was actually quite bland; the goals-per-game ratio was just 2.21, the lowest ever for the World Cup, and it was littered with diving, ill-discipline and a truly disgraceful final. Yet it was memorable for so many other reasons and also marked a watershed in the football’s – and the world’s – history. Simon Hart’s World in Motion provides a brilliant behind-the-scenes story of Italia ’90.

Perfectly timed ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup, Simon Hart’s World in Motion is a wonderful trip down memory lane for those who remember Italia ’90 and will enlighten those who weren’t there what all the fuss was about.

This was a tournament that ushered in new and familiar rules, such as the professional foul, and growing commercialism around the game. This was the tournament where Africa, in the form of Cameroon, finally made an impression on the global stage. It took place at the crossroads of a changing world. As the Cold War thawed, so West Germany played – and won – its last tournament before reuniting with the East; Yugoslavia played its last World Cup before descending into civil war while the USSR would break into its respective states. Czechoslavakia is the fourth nation that no longer exists from Italia ’90.

This was the last World Cup before mass movement of players saw talent flood west from the leagues of Eastern Europe and the last one before television and the Internet took away all the mystery of the global game, and before the advent of the Premier League in England and all-seater stadiums.

Hart’s review meets the characters and stories behind all the teams at Italia ’90, not just the English and Irish perspectives, and he scores some seriously A-list interviews: Argentine coach Carlos Bilardo and goalkeeping hero Sergio Goycochea, for example. From England, Terry Butcher, Bryan Robson, David Platt and the family of the late Sir Bobby Robson; Messrs Sheedy, Moran, Cascarino, Bonner and McCarthy from the Republic of Ireland team.

Other standouts include Cameroonian superstar veteran, Roger Milla; Colombia’s eccentric ‘keeper, Rene Higuita; Scottish team manager Andy Roxburgh;  West Germany captain, Lothar Matthaus and striker Jurgen Klinsmann; and nine members of the Yugoslavia team that may well have gone on to win Euro ’92 had the country not been sent home at the last minute due to conflict, replaced by eventual surprise winners, Denmark.

In fact, Hart’s chapter on Yugoslavia and other changing former Eastern Bloc countries, like Romania – fresh out of dictatorship – are particularly interesting.

Hart dedicates time to discuss the Italian experience at home in a World Cup it was meant to win but ultimately came undone to Maradona’s Argentina in the little genius’ home stadium, the San Paolo in Naples. Hart speaks to key members of that Italy squad, including surprise striking sensation Totò Schillaci, Aldo Serena, and captain Giuseppe Bergomi.

The result is an absolutely gripping and brilliantly articulated journey through each team’s experience of Italia ’90. It’s the definitive biography of the tournament.

And for non-New Order fans who live outside the UK or Ireland, this is where World in Motion takes its name. Look out for John Barnes’ rap…