It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast

Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. In this second part two of our three-part special on Colombian football and the tragedy of Andrés Escobar.

Co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper dissect one of the greatest World Cup qualifying matches ever played: Colombia's stunning 5-0 victory over Argentina at El Monumental in Buenos Aires. This episode explores the dramatic buildup to the match, the hostile reception faced by the Colombian team, and the extraordinary performance that shocked the football world. The discussion then examines the dangerous euphoria that followed, as Colombia began to believe that they could win the 1994 World Cup, and the dark realities of the narco state.

You can listen to this episode ad-free over on our Patreon - Follow the link here - or go to Patreon.com and search for It Was What It Was. You will also get access to our World Cup countdown, magazine retrospectives and bonus episodes as well as a monthly Q&A with Rob and Jonathan.

01:39 Colombia's Mindset Before the Match & The Hostile Reception
04:07 The Lineup: Colombia vs Argentina at El Monumental
11:25 The Match Begins: Early Tension & Argentina's Miss
14:05 The Plane Incident: A Bizarre Moment at El Monumental
16:01 GOAL: Rincón Opens the Scoring
17:26 Maturana's Psychological Tactics at Half Time
18:05 GOAL: Asprilla Makes It 2-0
18:47 GOAL: Valencia Volleys In the Third
19:56 GOAL: Asprilla's Exquisite Curler Makes It 4-0
21:00 GOAL: Valencia Completes the Rout - 5-0
22:14 The Monumental Applauds Colombia Off the Pitch
24:32 The Celebrations: 100 Deaths & National Hysteria
30:55 "Now We're F***ed": The Burden of Expectation
33:19 World Champions Before the Tournament Begins
39:25 21 Friendlies & The Cash Grab
44:51 The Dark Side: Meeting With the Cali Cartel
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. We’ve just hosted our first live Patreon Q&A, where Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson answered questions directly from members, covering football history, stories from the game and much more. Here is a section from the conversation, watch and listen to the full episode only on Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. In this first part of our three-part special on Colombian football and the tragedy of Andrés Escobar.

Co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper explore the extraordinary history of Colombian football leading up to the 1994 World Cup. This episode covers the intersection of football and narco-culture, Pablo Escobar's involvement in the sport, the tense rivalry with Argentina, and the dramatic road to qualification culminating in the legendary 5-0 victory at El Monumental.

You can listen to this episode ad-free over on our Patreon - Follow the link here - or go to Patreon.com and search for It Was What It Was. You will also get access to our World Cup countdown, magazine retrospectives and bonus episodes as well as a monthly Q&A with Rob and Jonathan.

01:39 The El Dorado League & Early Colombian Football
10:11 Francisco Maturana: The Dentist Who Revolutionised Colombian Football
19:02 Maturana's Influences: Total Football Meets South American Flair
27:43 Navigating Narco-Culture: Pablo Escobar
36:11 René Higuita: The Sweeper-Keeper & The Kidnapping
41:25 Building Rivalry: Colombia vs Argentina at Copa América 1993
48:12 World Cup Qualifying Begins: Asprilla's Controversies
54:03 The Road to Buenos Aires: Setting Up the Five-Nil
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're on Patreon! As a treat to our loyal listeners, here's a sneak peek of what you'll be getting if you join the "It Was" Patreon community.

This week Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper are joined by author Bill Buford to round up their series on hooliganism.

BONUS EDITIONS
Exclusive deep dives, specials & extended conversations from one-off specials to extra episodes that expand on our weekly free shows, you’ll get fresh, members-only content - including our “Bonus Editions” strand where Rob and Jonathan go deeper into football’s biggest stories and hidden histories.

WORLD CUP WEDNESDAYS!
Our countdown to 2026 - every tournament revisited Join Rob and Jonathan as they walk through every World Cup from 1930 to today, exploring the drama, evolution, legends, controversies and cultural impact of each tournament.

RETRO MAGAZINE COLLECTION
Flicking through the archives of classic football culture A nostalgic series diving into the pages of Shoot! and other retro football magazines - revisiting the stars, forgotten features, and football fandom of decades past.

MONTHLY LIVE Q&A WITH ROB & JONATHAN
Your chance to ask two of football’s leading writers anything. Submit your questions about recent episodes, football history, their journalism, or upcoming projects — and hear their answers in our LIVE members-only Q&A.

JOIN THE IT WAS COMMUNITY
Connect with fellow fans & nostalgia lovers Meet other members who share your passion for football history. Be part of the conversation and help shape the future of the show.

What’s included
Exclusive content
Q&As
Ad-free episodes
Private community

Follow the link here - or go to Patreon.com and search for It Was What It Was
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. In this second part of our two-part special on football hooliganism, co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper trace the roots of football violence from the 1890s through to its transformation into organised ‘firms’ in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. They discuss the origins of the word ‘hooligan’, early crowd disorder and FA crackdowns, and how post-war prosperity, youth subcultures, away travel and ‘taking ends’ helped create a new kind of fan conflict. The episode also covers the European and England-team flashpoints of the 1970s and 80s, the political and policing response to the Popplewell Report, with later links to post-Hillsborough reforms and why large-scale hooliganism declined.

You can listen to this episode ad-free over on our Patreon - Follow the link here - or go to Patreon.com and search for It Was What It Was. You will also get access to our World Cup countdown, magazine retrospectives and bonus episodes as well as a monthly Q&A with Rob and Jonathan.

01:39 Where the Word ‘Hooligan’ Comes From (1890s London)
04:03 Football Fever: Mass Crowds and Class Anxiety
12:17 What Early ‘Hooliganism’ Looked Like: Pitch Invasions & Crowd Control
17:43 Players Under Attack
20:25 Fan-on-Fan Violence Emerges & the Rise of Away Travel
22:08 Cup Finals, ‘Football Specials’ & Patronising Press Panic
27:27 Post-War: The 60s–70s Gangs Are Coming
29:02 Teddy Boys, Rock ’n’ Roll Panics & Mods vs Rockers
31:02 Merseyside: Away Travel & the Rise of Chanting
36:53 Taking Ends: Territory, Undercover Trouble & the New ‘Game’
41:58 Europe & England Abroad: From Paris 1975 to Euro 1980
44:00 1980s Casuals, Designer Gear & Firms Arranging Fights
48:43 1985: Luton–Millwall, Heysel, Thatcher & the Popplewell Report
51:28 Aftermath: CCTV, ID Schemes & Taylor Report
53:50 Global Legacy: Ultras, Copycat Firms & Why Football Identity Endures

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.