The Butterfly Effect

It has been said something as small as the flutter of the butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon across the world

- Chaos Theory

Ever wondered about the large disastrous consequences of minute incidents? A single mistake that would leave a black mark on your life forever. In the field of football, small decisions that could change the fate of a team or a footballer. Dreadful mistakes on and off the field that are pondered about and repented throughout the entire lifetime.

1. Buffon’s magnificent block

9th of July, Berlin hosts the FIFA World Cup 2006. An all European final battled between Italy and France. This was the last professional game for the Maestro Zinedine Zidane. The game is locked at 1-1 and heads into extra time. In the 104th minute, Willy Sagnol’s cross is met by Zidane’s head. The look on the face of the French supporters is truly unexplainable. Zidane powers the header into the net. France are the winners of the World Cup ’06.

Wait! Did that really occur? Willy Sagnol’s cross is met by Zidane’s head. Zidane powers his header only to see Buffon pull of a miraculous save. Moments later, a frustrated Zidane powers his head into Materazzi’s chest and is sent off controversially. With Zidane sent off, the game moves into a penalty shootout where the Italians are triumphant. The Italians become the ” Champions of the World ” . Zidane retires as a professional footballer and the French team fail to make it past the consequent EURO and World Cup group stages.

Still thinking about Buffon’s save? Materazzi’s theatrics?

Zidane had scored twice with his head to help France win the '98 World Cup. Only this time, Buffon was the smallest hurdle to the Maestro's second World Cup. A game changing save.

2. Andres Escobar’s own goal

A glimpse into the past, the ’94 FIFA World Cup. Columbia found themselves in a group that contained Romania, Switzerland and the United States of America. Columbia had lost their inaugural game against Romania and had to win against the United States of America to keep their hopes alive to progress into the knockout stages. After an entertaining half an hour of football, the game was set to explode.

A low cross is drilled in from the left flank into the box. Andres Escobar tries to intercept it but fails. He sends the ball into his own net and the United States take the lead in the most bizarre fashion. The United States win 2-1 eventually with the own goal being the difference at the end of the game. Columbia as a result failed to progress past the group stages.

Known as the ” Gentleman of football ” , Escobar was hated by his countrymen and was held as the sole reason for Columbia’s exit. He returned back to his country, on one day decided to go out with his friends to a bar. Escobar was shot dead in the parking lot of the bar by a group of 3 men.

A life changing goal.

The men who shot Escobar have been reported to have said " Gracias por el auto gol en la propia puerta! " meaning " Thanks for the own goal ! "

3. Sir Alex Ferguson’s potential sacking

Sir Alex Fergusson was appointed as the manager of Manchester United in ’86. After 3 years of no success, Sir Alex invested a lot of money to bring in the likes of Paul Ince and Mike Phelan. The ’89-’90 season as Sir Alex describes as ” the darkest period he had ever suffered in the game ” went from bad to worse. Banners such as ” Three years of excuses and it’s still crap..ta-ra Fergie. ” were displayed following a winless run.

Manchester United came into the game against Nottingham Forest in the F.A. Cup 3rd round with a lot of pressure on Sir Alex. It is rumoured that if United don’t beat Nottingham Forest, he’ll be sacked. United won the game courtesy a solitary goal from Mark Robins. Since then, Sir Alex Ferguson has never looked back and has built an empire. In his 25 years on ongoing service, Manchester United have won 12 English Premier League Titles, 5 F.A.Cups, 4 League Cups, 10 F.A.Community trophy domestically and an astonishing couple of Champions League and Intercontinal Cup. They have literally knocked Liverpool off their perch.

It’s definitely hard to imagine United’s success had Sir Alex been sacked.

Mark Robins ensures Sir Alex gets to spend another day in office or rather 20 additional glorious years

4. John Terry‘s slip

An all English final in the Champions League. A tough contest between Manchester United and Chelsea. The pitch in Moscow had raised many eyebrows before the start of the final. The game started with United taking the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo, only for Lampard to equalise.

Following Drogba’s sending off, the game went into penalties. Soon after Cristiano Ronaldo’s decisive miss from the spot, the final was to be decided on the last spot kick with both the teams even. Chelsea’s glorious captain, John Terry came ahead to take this decisive spot kick. He sent Van Der Sar the opposite way only to see himself shoot narrowly wide following a slip while taking a penalty.

Chelsea have never come this close, that would’ve surely sealed thier inaugural Champions League trophy. As for John Terry, he was involved in a serious of scandalous affairs and stripped off his captaincy for the England national team to become one of the hated personnels in England.

So close yet so far!

5. Lampard’s disallowed goal

Back into the future, England and Germany locked heads in the decisive round of 16 encounter in the ’10 World Cup. Germany displayed some beautiful counter- attacking football to reach the knock out stages while England sealed their spot on the final matchday.

Germany took a 2-0 lead through Miroslav Klose and Lucas Podolski. England showed a lot of grit and hit back with a header from Upson. Frank Lampard blasted the ball from outside the box to see his effort hit the post and rebound past the line. The official was never convinced that the ball crossed the line although the replays suggest that the ball had clearly crossed the line. Germany came back stronger in the second half to score a couple more and send England’s ” golden generation ” home.

What goes around comes around! West Germany were disallowed a similar sort of goal in the ’66 World Cup against England as the latter went on to win it.

As they say Karma's a bitch

Right from Roberto Baggio’s penalty miss in the ’94 World Cup to Diego Maradona’s ” Hand of God ” in the ’86 World Cup, there have been drastic consequences.

Every moment, every decision, every mistake changes everything!