1983: Spain v Malta

There are some football matches in the distant past that will forever be shrouded in suspicion. Those results that give growth to conspiracy theories, accusations, and general doubt over sporting integrity. Often first impressions are proved right - not much consolation to Nottingham Forest fans in 1984 - but there are others that may never be confirmed one way or the other.

Fans of the Dutch national team could be forgiven if they cast their minds back to one particular match in December 1983. On the brink of qualification for Euro 84, there was only one possible result that could prevent an orange invasion of France as Spain prepared to play Malta in the final Group Seven match in Seville.

After the Netherlands had beaten Malta 5-0 in Rotterdam on December 17, the Dutch collectively had one foot in France. Top of the group, the Netherlands were two points ahead of Spain - in the era of two points for a win - and held a whopping eleven goal advantage over the team below them. Only a victory by eleven goals or more would see Spain qualify.

With only one win in the group against Iceland, Malta had shipped eleven goals in the two matches against the Netherlands, and just a month before they had lost 8-0 to the Republic of Ireland. Yet, to slightly misquote Muhammad Ali, Spain seemed to have two hopes; slim and none. And slim had left town to leave none booking in for bed and breakfast.

Malta had suffered significant reverses since their first international match in 1957. West Germany inflicted 8-0 thrashings in 1976 and 1980, with East Germany and Austria both winning 9-0 in 1977. But losing by eleven goals to Spain was surely a step too far, especially as Spain had struggled to beat Malta 3-2 in the away match back in May 1983.

Malta's goalkeeper John Bonello was seemingly unworried. "Spain couldn't even score 11 goals against a team of children," was his bullish comment prior to the match, adding that he would not return to Malta if he conceded eleven goals. Bonello, along with his battered teammates, would certainly not be welcome in the Netherlands come the final whistle.

Spain had hardly set the group alight. Scoring just 12 goals in their seven group matches before the Malta fixture, the task ahead looked beyond them. The Guardian stated that the Dutch were "virtually certain of qualifying" and Spain faced an "almost impossible task". But on a night of rare drama all logic flew out of the window.

The Spanish had prepared for the fixture in Seville by postponing all La Liga matches on the Saturday before the midweek clash. Yet it would be the rain that would impact Malta's plans beforehand. Heavy rain soaked the playing surface of the Estadio Benito Villamarín, meaning the visitors were unable to train at the venue. 

Understandably, Spain manager Miguel Muñoz opted for a 3-3-4 formation, hoping that early goals would fan the flames within the tight stadium holding 25,000 passionate fans. However, when Juan Antonio Señor struck a post with a third minute penalty it looked like the ideal opportunity to build early momentum had been missed.

Real Madrid's Santillana did break the deadlock in the 15th minute, but any hopes that the floodgates had been opened were crushed when Malta's Silvio Demanuele equalised nine minutes later. Santillana would go on to complete a hat-trick by half-time yet with Spain only 3-1 up it looked as if reaching France was a distant fantasy.

The Spanish needed eight goals in the second half and possibly snookers. But what followed would be remarkable for those in the ground, watching on television, and for anyone associated with the Netherlands. The wheels well and truly came off for the Maltese, their players drowning in the waves of Spanish attacks. 

Hipólito Rincón placed the first crack in the dam, scoring a minute into the second half before netting Spain's fifth in the 55th minute. But it would be three goals in as many minutes that made the impossible seem possible. Centre back Antonio Maceda scored on the hour, added another two minutes later, before Rincón grabbed his third with a superb effort in the 63rd minute.

Leading 8-1 with just under half an hour to go, Spain still had to find four more goals. But Malta were visibily creaking under the strain. Santillana (75) and Rincón (78) both scored their fourth goals of the evening either side of Malta's Michael Degiorgio being sent off for a second yellow card earned for timewasting. Just a minute later, Manuel Sarabia put Spain 11-1 in front. 

Spain now had a little over ten minutes against ten men to find another goal. The knockout blow would arrive in the 86th minute. After weak shouts for a Spain penalty were dismissed, Señor fired home from 18 yards, as the stadium erupted. Redemption for Señor after his earlier miss from the spot. Glory for Spain. Despair for the Netherlands.

There was still time for Spain to have a goal disallowed, yet it did not matter. Astonishingly, Spain had reached France, their 12-1 win edging out the distraught Dutch on goals scored as the elated fans spilled on to the pitch. "It's a miracle," Muñoz declared. "Now, I've seen everything." When news of Spain's 12-1 win over Malta appeared on John Craven's Newsround then you knew something remarkable had happened.

A Reuters Amsterdam report filed in the Times noted that the reaction in the Netherlands. "Dutch players and supporters reacted with disbelief to a Spanish goal avalance against Malta. The Dutch, who were able to watch the game live on television, had confidently expected to qualify, but in the aftermath they aimed most of the blame for failure at themselves, rather than the pathetic Maltese defence."

As ever with a result of this nature, there were a few eyebrows raised. Rumours circulated that Malta's players had been bribed, allegations circulating of shady meetings taking place between national officials. The performance of the referee was also questioned. But nothing has ever been proved.

The most serious accusations came 35 years after the match, with Demanuele and coach Victor Scerri suggesting drugs had played a significant role on December 21, 1983. Demanuele described white foam coming out of the mouths of the Spanish who could not stop drinking water, linking this back to the use of steriods.

Coach Victor Scerri mentioned a mysterious figure in a white coat handing out half-time lemons, with the players later complaining that they felt drunk after consuming these. "We have no proof, and I hope not because if there is, football is finished," Scerri stated. The Spanish FA threatened legal action.

Amid the hints and allegations there was one man who decided to move on and take a sad situation and make it better, in true Gareth Southgate style. Bonello appeared in a Spanish advert campaign for Amstel lager in 2008, welcomed back to the country with open arms. Inevitably this did not endear him to everyone in Malta. What people might have made of it in the Netherlands would be interesting to discover.

Spain would go on to lose the Euro 84 final against France, which may or may not have provided some consolation to Dutch fans. But true salvation would come four years later, as Ruud Gullit lifted the Henri Delaunay Trophy above his head. The journey from the pain in Spain was completed after ecstasy in Germany.