Argentina 's right - wing junta allegedly bribed Germany with grain and a $ 100 million loan in 1978 . Controversy still reigns over whether it was murder or suicide -- or just an accident . Organizers of Germany 2006 set out to woo the world -- and in doing so , its people . When Iran beat Algeria at the 1998 World Cup , celebrations in Tehran had a destabilizing effect . Algerian players go AWOL rather than represent colonial ##ist France at the Cup .
Argentina 's right - wing junta allegedly bribed Germany with grain and a $ 100 million loan in 1978 . Organizers of Germany 2006 set out to woo the world -- and in doing so , its people . When Iran beat Algeria at the 1998 World Cup , celebrations in Tehran had a destabilizing effect . Algerian players go AWOL rather than represent colonial ##ist France at the Cup .