History was made for African football 25 years ago at the 1990 fifa coins World Cup Italy? when Cameroon, under inexperienced Russian coach Valery Nepomnyashchy, became the first team from the continent to reach the quarter-finals of the game’s flagship event. The Indomitable Lions shocked the watching world in the Opening Game with a sensational 1-0 win over reigning champions Argentina and followed that up with a run to the quarter-finals, where only Gary Lineker's prowess from the penalty spot allowed England to triumph 3-2.
The 72-year-old is still active in the game, currently coaching Siberian outfit FC Tom Tomsk as he spearheads their quest to return to the Russian Premier League. Nevertheless, Nepomnyashchy still remembers Italy 1990 as if it were yesterday. He recently sat down for an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, and reflected simply: “I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time. I found myself in a team with top-class players and all I had to do was fulfil their potential.”
hellofifa.com: How much did you have to adapt when you first went to Cameroon?
Valery Nepomnyashchy: Honestly, I was shocked by the Cameroonian mentality at the start. I had a strict Soviet upbringing and I just couldn't imagine so many disorganised people. They would tell me all the time that any issue would be addressed “tomorrow”. When tomorrow? At what time? I was completely unaccustomed to the fact that there were never any fixed plans.