India, June 26 -- To register his protest, a commentator had stopped calling the match. Another told viewers to switch off. Michel Hidalgo had come to take notes but seeing what was happening, the venerable coach didn't bother. Instead, he said, West Germany and Austria should be given the Nobel Peace Prize.

West Germany were faster off the blocks in the northern Spain city of Gijon, forcing a slew of corner-kicks. Horst Hrubesch, a late bloomer of a striker whose brace helped West Germany become champions of Europe in 1980, made the early pressure count with an 11th minute goal. Not long after, on June 25, 1982, they stopped playing.

Realising that a 0-1 defeat would take both through at Algeria's expense, the teams reduced a World Cup...