MIAMI, Florida – The FIFA World Cups of the 1970s and 1980s proved to be a positive period for Concacaf, as several more nations from the Confederation would qualify for the tournament for the first time.

1974 Germany

In the 1974 World Cup in Germany, Haiti became the fifth team from Concacaf to qualify for the tournament after winning the 1973 Concacaf Championship. The Caribbean nation was drawn into Group 4 where they would face Italy, Poland and Argentina.

Haiti’s first ever World Cup match would come on June 15, 1974 at the Olympiastadion in Munich and it started with plenty as promise when they took a 1-0 lead in the 46’ through Emmanuel Sanon. 

It was the first goal scored against Italy in 12 international matches and ended legendary GK Dino Zoff’s streak of 1,142 minutes without allowing a goal. However, in the end, three straight goals from the Italians resulted in a 3-1 defeat for Les Grenadiers.

1982 Spain

Another Concacaf nation would add its name to the list of World Cup participants at the 1982 tournament in Spain, with Honduras becoming the sixth Concacaf team to appear in a World Cup.

The first ever World Cup match for the Catrachos occurred on June 16, 1982 at the Estadio Luis Casanova in Valencia and it came against host country Spain. With the whole stadium backing the home side, Honduras silenced the nearly 50,000 in attendance with the opening goal through Hector Zelaya, whose right-footed finish gave the Central Americans a 1-0 lead in the 8’.

Spain would answer though in the second half, with Roberto Lopez Ufarte converting a penalty in the 65’ to pull the hosts level 1-1, but it would stay that way until the final whistle, giving Honduras a point in their first ever World Cup match.

1986 Mexico

Four years later in 1986, the World Cup was once again back on Concacaf soil as Mexico became the first nation to host two World Cups and it started with a bang as El Tricolor downed Belgium 2-1 on June 3 thanks to goals from Fernando Quirarte and Hugo Sanchez at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Canada etched their name in Concacaf history as they became the seventh nation to play in a World Cup after qualifying for Mexico ’86. The Canadians debuted against European heavyweights France at the Estadio Nou Camp in Leon on June 1 and more than held their own against Les Bleus, keeping the match scoreless until the 79’ when France’s Jean-Pierre Papin struck for the game’s lone goal.

Mexico’s strong run in 1986 continued with an impressive 2-0 triumph over Bulgaria in the Round of 16 in front of 114,580 spectators at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Goals from Manuel Negrete and Raul Servin punched El Tricolor’s ticket to just their second World Cup quarterfinal.