Official World Cup Poster - Spain 1982

Quite simply this poster is an outstanding example of World Cup art that has passed beyond the borders of sport to become a defining image of modern Spain. It is the symbol of a World Cup in which the Italians would achieve victory by overcoming the West Germans 3-1 in the final.

The 1982 finals were certainly graced with moments that will be etched into the fabric of World Cup history. The foul on French striker Patrick Battiston by German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher in the semi-finals, will be remembered as arguably the most cynical in World Cup history. The West Germans eventually won the game on a penalty shoot out and went on to face and lose to the Italians in the final. Right up there with the Schumacher foul was the wretched game 'played' out between allies West Germany and Austria. The way the competition had panned out, both teams knew that if the West Germans won 1-0 both teams would progress to the second round. The Germans scored an early goal and both teams then proceeded to play out the remainder of the game kicking the ball about aimlessly. The tactics led to widespread condemnation and resulted in a change of rules so as that final group games in the future would be played simultaneously to avoid another debacle.After the Italian victory, the Spanish King Juan Carlos, presented the forty year old Azzurra captain, Dino Zoff, with the World Cup trophy ending a fantastic tournament. This would be the Italian's third World Cup triumph, equaling the Brazilians as the most successful World Cup nation. This poster is set to become one of the most collectible in the series. It is so much more than a World Cup print - it truly is a wonderful piece of art.