Azerbaijan and football...so much more than just a linesman
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Whatever happens tonight, Azerbaijan has already played a massive part in the history of English football.
Whatever happens tonight, Azerbaijan has already played a massive part in the history of English football.
Rewind to 1966, when a certain Russian linesman - convinced that Geoff Hurst's shot had crossed the line - all but determined who won the World Cup. Except that Tofik Bakhramov was not Russian at all, but Azeri, and the country's national stadium in Baku bears his name.
The country was still part of the Soviet Union in 1966, which was how the confusion arose. In 1991, it became the first independent republic as the USSR disintegrated.
Bakhramov apart, the country's most famous son is probably the former world chess champion, Gary Kasparov. The "Beast of Baku" recently retired, with the not necessarily wise aim of challenging the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. John Motson will probably conjure up an omen out of the fact that in 1986, Kasparov beat the English challenger Nigel Short in the World Championship final.
Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea, the world's largest lake, which, apart from its strategically crucial oil resources, also provides another source of income: caviar, although declining sturgeon populations means that the industry is in crisis. Azerbaijan was once a stopover on the Great Silk Route, and the country enjoys the distinction of having sunk the world's first oil well, drilled near Baku at the end of the 19th century.
At present, the country is not the safest place to be. In recent years there have been numerous terrorist attacks, while the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, near which the two countries have yet to settle their differences over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, is the site of sporadic dogfights across the border.
Still, for the intrepid traveller there are many captivating sights, including Bronze Age remains, medieval minarets and mosques, and the carpets for which the country is famous. Bond enthusiasts might also want to spend some time there, as it was one of the locations for the 1999 James Bond film The World is Not Enough.
The World Travel Guide contains another caveat. "Visitors should be warned that going to restaurants is treated less as an opportunity to eat and talk as an occasion for competitive toasting and dancing to loud disco music".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments