Goalkeeper Who Saved Lives now Facing Penalty

TRIVIA: This goalkeeper, allowing a penalty, saved the opposing team's lives. Here's the story.

In an era when football became more than just a simple game, the legend of František Plánička lives on in the collective imagination, even though his name is unjustly overshadowed by more contemporary figures.

Born in what was then Czechoslovakia, Plánička was an unassuming man who became a world-famous goalkeeper during the 1930s. His agility on the field earned him the nickname "The Cat of Prague," and during his time with Slavia Prague, he achieved countless victories, from national leagues to European cups.

However, the most moving episode of his career occurred in 1934, at the World Cup in Italy. In a tense political climate, the Italian hosts had received explicit threats from their dictator, Benito Mussolini: win or face severe consequences. The implications were clear and terrifying.

Czechoslovakia faced Italy in the final, an epic match that saw both teams fighting tooth and nail. With goals from Antonín Puč for the Czechoslovaks and Raimundo Orsi for the Italians, the match went to extra time after a 1-1 draw in regular time. It was in those tense additional minutes when Angelo Schiavio, an Italian forward, unleashed a slow but well-aimed shot towards the corner of the goal.

Plánička, who had made impossible saves throughout his career, did not dive to stop the ball. The ball found its way into the back of the net, and although the crowds erupted in jubilation, the looks exchanged between Plánička and Schiavio told a different story: one of mutual understanding and possibly lives saved.

Italy won 2-1, and while Mussolini enjoyed his victory, Schiavio quietly withdrew from the celebration. That would be his last match and his last international goal. Plánička, on the other hand, returned to his homeland as a hero in his own defeat.

Decades later, when Plánička passed away at the age of 92, a gold medal and a note were found among his belongings. The note was from Angelo Schiavio and read: 'Thank you, you saved our lives.'

Although the story raises ethical questions and there is no conclusive evidence that Plánička intentionally allowed the goal, his legacy as one of the great goalkeepers of football endures. And at the heart of that legend lies an act of humanity that transforms what could have been a mere anecdote into an epic of morality and courage in challenging times.

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