Charlton v China: when football club sides and national teams collide

The Guardian

19-02-2025

'In 1999, to celebrate their centenary, Barcelona drew 2-2 with Brazil at Camp Nou. What other teams have played against nations and when was the first recorded club v country clash?' asks Masai Graham.
When The Knowledge was growing up, the phrase 'club v country' usually referred to Ryan Giggs pulling out of another Wales friendly, so we were pleasantly surprised by the volume of answers to this question.
Let's start with a bit more on that game between Barcelona and Brazil, taken from an old Joy of Six on club v country friendlies.
Who could possibly be miserable when both Barcelona and Brazil are present? Not when Barcelona were lining up with Figo, Patrick Kluivert and Pep Guardiola – the future manager was replaced by a 19-year-old Xavi Hernández at half time – and Brazil turned up with former Barça alumni Ronaldo and Romario in their attack.
The match finished 2-2, with goals from Ronaldo, Luis Enrique, Rivaldo and Phillip Cocu. Barcelona and Brazil were carrying on a tradition that started a whopping 119 years earlier.
'The first recorded club v country clashes took place on the first three days of 1880,' writes Ben Janeson, 'with Scotland defeating Rangers 3–2 on 1 January, Tyne and District 5–0 on 2 January, and Blackburn 8–1 on 3 January.
'In terms of the club that has faced the most countries, that would be Santos in Pelé's era. They faced (in chronological order): Costa Rica, Bulgaria, Poland, Colombia, Guatemala, Israel, the Soviet Union, Senegal, Gabon, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Republic of Congo, Niger, Algeria, Hong Kong, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Haiti, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, and Bahrain.'
Don't start counting them: we can reveal Santos played against 24 different countries. It's impossible to do a comprehensive list of club v country matches, as there are thousands, so we've picked out some of the more interesting scorelines, tales and memories.
Arsenal 2-0 France (February 1989) 'France used this game as preparation for a World Cup qualifier in Scotland,' writes Dirk Maas. 'Arsenal won 2-0. Three weeks later, France suffered another 2-0 defeat at Hampden Park.' You can read more about that game here.
Charlton 1-0 China (August 1982) 'I remember watching this game at The Valley along with a couple of thousand thrill-seekers,' begins Charlie Connelly. 'Charlton won thanks to an early goal by Steve White. My mum, who knew nothing about football, took me to this game and when the goal went in started getting her things together to leave, thinking that football matches ended when somebody scored. I still have the programme, which reveals China were in the UK for a short tour and also played Hereford United, Wigan Athletic and Rangers.'
Charlton 5-2 France (April 1937) On this occasion, Charlton – who had played Huddersfield the previous day – stepped in at the last minute for a fascist-era Italy side. You can read the full story here.
Manchester City 0-0 Jamaica (May 1998) City had been relegated to the third tier three days earlier, so you can imagine the collective mood going into this one. 'It was part of the Reggae Boyz' preparation for the World Cup,' writes Will Unwin. 'Unfortunately, facing Lee Bradbury was not much of a dress rehearsal for Gabriel Batistuta.'
Bayern Munich 3-2 Netherlands (May 2012) This game was played three days after Bayern had lost the Champions League final to Chelsea in the same stadium. 'The match was played to financially compensate Bayern for the long absence of Arjen Robben the previous season,' says Dirk Maas. 'The Dutch allowed Robben to play with a hamstring problem during the 2010 World Cup, against the will of Bayern's club doctor.' Robben – who missed a penalty in extra time against Chelsea – came on as substitute for the Netherlands and was booed every time he touched the ball by some fans.
Australia 0-2 Man Utd; Australia 0-1 Man Utd (July 1999) 'Manchester United played the Socceroos twice on an infamous pre-season tour in 1999,' begins Chris Lewis. 'In one of the games. A promising youngster called Simon Colosimo, who later went on to play for Manchester City, was stretchered off after what was described as a 'horror challenge' by Andrew Cole.' United won both games and lifted a very big trophy.
Dutch International XI 2-3 Southend United (January 1937) If you were at this game, please write in as we need to know more.
Iran Under-23 0-2 Manchester United (October 1977) United played a mid-season exhibition match in Tehran, reportedly as a quid-pro-quo after the British government helped lift a ban on European games at Old Trafford. All travelling players needed cholera vaccinations: a number had bad reactions and either missed or struggled through successive 4-0 defeats to Porto (in the Cup Winners' Cup) and West Brom.
Fulham 2-0 India (July 2000) 'I attended an international match between Fulham and the India men's national team, around July 2000,' writes Chris Lewis. 'I remember my childhood hero Karl-Heinz Riedle scored both goals in a 2-0 win at Craven Cottage.'
Norway XI v Liverpool (various, 1994-97) 'Liverpool played friendlies against Norway in Oslo every year from 1994-1997,' writes Arne Bjarne Fjøsmælås. 'In the 1997 game, Robbie Fowler was injured by Jarle Flo and missed the first month of the season. After that, no more Liverpool visits. Could be a coincidence!'
Southampton 6-2 Japan (August 1971) 'I believe Saints had already toured Japan the year before, playing the national team four times,' writes Andy Grace. 'Oh, to relive those heady days when we used to win now and again.'
USA 2-1 Derby (July 1999) 'It turns out my memory of turning on the telly while on holiday in America to watch the US national team play Derby County wasn't a fever dream,' writes David Hopkins. 'Sure enough, the Rams played the full USA team in a pre-season friendly in Denver.'
Aylesbury 0-7 England (June 1988) This was part of England's preparation for Euro 88, a tournament that many people fancied them to win. They thrashed Aylesbury but found the Republic of Ireland, Netherlands and Soviet Union a bit tougher.
In last week's Knowledge we looked at eye-catching tables, and here are some more league ladders good enough to go on your wall.
Nemzeti Bajnokság I 1988-89: Sometimes art needs explaining, so thanks to Péter Guber for telling us which bit of the Hungarian top-flight table we should be looking at.
For one season only, as Hungary transitioned from two to three points for a win, drawn games were settled by a penalty competition. Teams earned three points for a win in the match itself, two for a win on penalties, one for a defeat on penalties and diddly squat if you lost in 90 minutes.
Videoton, who Manchester United fans of a certain age may be surprised to read were not very good at penalties, finished fourth in the table. They would have been champions in both 1987-88 (2pts for a win, 1pt for draw) and 1989-90 (3pts win, 1pt draw). Instead, Videoton (now known as Fehérvár FC) had to wait until 2010-11 to become champions of Hungary for the first time.
Liga I 2024-25: 'May I humbly propose the current Romanian league standings for your collection of tip-top tables?' asked Jim Hearson last week. At that stage, with four league games to play, there was only one point separating the top five teams (see below).
It has changed since then, with Dinamo Bucharest losing at the weekend, but it's still a thing of beauty. With three matches remaining there are only two points between the top four. Oh, and the teams currently in first and second, FCSB and Universitatea Craiova, play each other in the last game of the season.
'German football magazine 11Freunde asked for 'two further football players beside the ever-present George Best' to find on the cover of Oasis's Definitely Maybe. I'm only able to spot Rodney Marsh – is there another?' asked Ulrich Stolze in 2018.
This is the problem with MP3s: you can't consult them when you need to answer obscure questions for weekly internet-based football columns. We did find the front cover, but despite studying it so hard that our visual acuity went down by 22.24%, we could only find the aforementioned Best and Marsh.
Thankfully, Graham Randall prefers the tangible to the digital. 'On the inside cover of the vinyl version, Liam is reading a newspaper,' says Graham. 'On the back page is Leicester's Steve Walsh celebrating his winner in the 1994 play-off final against Derby.'
Read the full story here, and enjoy more football-themed record covers here.
'Watching Lazio draw with Napoli wearing their unadorned white shirt, I noted the similarity between their club crest and the logo of the shirt sponsor, Mizuno. Are there any other notable examples of this in world football?' wonders Eddie Eyers.
'It's 88 matches and 23 months since Carlisle United won consecutive league games. Is this an unwanted record?' asks Brendan Jackson.
'Exeter v Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup,' begins Pete Cordwell. 'Only three of Exeter's outfield players started and finished the game: there were five subs, a concussion sub and a sending-off. Is this a record?'
Mail us with your questions and answers