Quiz time. How many players have played in consecutive World Cup finals? The Italians did it in 1934 and 1938; Brazil did in 1958 and 1962 – and then in 1998 and 2002; the Netherlands lost the 1974 and 1978 finals; Maradona captained Argentina in the 1986 and 1990 finals; and West Germany went one better by contesting three successive finals between 1982 and 1990.

A few players have graced consecutive finals but only one has done it while representing two different countries: Luis Monti, who starred for Argentina in the first World Cup final in 1930 and then won it for Italy four years later – all while dealing with various threats on his safety.