McNutt brothers continue World Cup tradition
Dec. 13—Central Texas will be well represented at the Qatar FIFA World Cup this week by a couple of unlikely soccer fans, brothers Bob and Bill McNutt, of Corsicana and Navarro County. When the Argentina and Croatia kickoff their semi finals match Tuesday, Bob will be attending his 13th World Cup and Bill his 12th. Both were at the finals in Germany in 1974.
Attending a World Cup is an experience with few parallels. There's the intoxicating mix of politics, cultures, and drama on the field, which happens only every four years. It is uniquely addicting and keeps fans from all continents coming back for more.
The McNutts will be accompanied by Dan Hunt, chairman of Dallas' host city bid for the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup—the same job his father, American Football League and Major League Soccer Founder, Lamar held for the 1994 competition. It will be Dan's 10th consecutive World Cup.
"I remember Dan being with us in Mexico City as a 10-year-old boy." Bill said. "His brother Clark, then Captain of the Southern Methodist University soccer team, and now the Kansas City Chiefs CEO, was right on top of him. A 10 year old could wander off in the worlds biggest city to never be heard from again."
McNutt highlights from each World Cup:
1974
The Netherlands "Clockwork Orange" soccer team were exciting entertainers, with Johan Cruyff taking the retired Pele's place as the greatest player in the world. Cruyff was the ballet master who danced through every defense on the way to the final with Germany that they lost 2-1. The German Captain was Franz Beckenbauer who won the 1990 World Cup as a coach.
Bob and Bill's father, Collin Street Bakery CEO, L William McNutt, Jr. was the President of the Dallas Tornado of the North America Soccer League that he co-owned with Lamar Hunt. The McNutt's made it a family affair with sisters Katherine and Melanie, and Mom Josephine joining the trip. To promote soccer in Texas they invited famous Dallas sports journalists Verne Lundquist, Blackie Sherrod, and Walter Robertson. The group had a meeting with Pele, to invite him to leave his club Santos if Brazil and play in the United States. He joined the New York Cosmos 3 years later.
1978
"There is nothing like being at the World Cup when the host country wins, as Argentina did in 1978, defeating Holland 3-1, and France did 1998." said Bob McNutt. "The Argentine's celebrate with shredded paper" recalled Bill McNutt "and the paper was ankle deep all across Buenos Aires."
The Lamar Hunt family choose to not travel to Argentina due to the threat of kidnapping. The McNutt's watched a half dozen matches and made a lifetime friendship with the Leibovich family, Argentine industrialists. The family matriarch Teresa Leibovich is 93 years old and still very sharp. Bill McNutt, his wife Susana and his daughters Rabel and Slone McNutt recently visited her in Buenos Aires over Thanksgiving. Her son Hugo will be in Qatar for his 6th World Cup.
1982
The tournament featured the first penalty shoot-out in World Cup competition, The final was won by Italy 3-1, over Germany. The Lamar Hunt family and McNutt family teamed up again for travel. "It was the summer before high school quarter back Clark Hunt's senior football season at St Marks prep school in Dallas" recalled Bill "Mr. Hunt insisted Clark throw the football every day during the trip. I was 27 and had played Tight End at SMU on football scholarship, so I was his designated daily receiver. I think I got blisters from catching so many footballs. " It paid off, the 1982 St Marks Lions team was undefeated.
1986
Argentina and the worlds soccer icon Diego Maradona defeated Germany 3-2 in the high altitude final at Azteca stadium in Mexico City.
Politics changed the 1986 World Cup a dramatic fashion. The tournament was moved from Columbia to Mexico City. Columbia was in the grip of one of the world's most infamous narcotics crises — the Medellin cartel, as globally popularised by Netflix's Narcos.
The Falklands War between Argentina and England was the backdrop for the quarterfinal match. Diego Maradona's performance showed both sides of his footballing personality. The first goal was the famous "Hand of God" goal where Diego Maradona actually punched the ball into the goal by making a fist next to his head. However the decisive movement was the greatest solo run in World Cup history. Maradona took the ball at mid field and dribbled through five English defenders and beating the worlds best goalkeeper of the day, Peter Shilton.
Lamar Hunt, Collin Street Bakery head L. William McNutt and his son Bill McNutt
climbed the Teotihuacan Pyramids and ate lunch at Aztec Charlies restaurant. Mr. McNutt senior warned about eating the cheese enchiladas. He had a chicken breast. The result was 48 hours of Lamar and Bill calling "Ralph" on the porcelain telephone!
1990
A mediocre World Cup played in a great country, Italy. Franz Bechenbauer the German Captain of the 1974 World Cup champions was the German coach, beating Argentina 1-0 in a final marked by poor sportsmanship. The World Cup was coming to America and Dallas in four years. Big D sent Dallas City Councilman Glenn Box, retired Cowboy Coach Tom Laundry and Dallas Sidekicks owner Jimmy Graham to check out the Italian World Cup. There was a funny scene at the famous Splendido hotel in Portofino,Italy when singer Rod Stewart comes to the table to meet Coach Laundry, and the old ball coach has not idea who he might be! Councilman Box did a great job of smoothing over the situation.
1994
2.5 million soccer fans went to the large American stadiums to watch the matches that lasted from June 17 to July 17, 1994. This was one million more than attended the World Cup four years later in France. The best match of the World Cup was in Dallas that ended Brazil 3 and the Netherlands 2. The final was a disappointing affair ending 0-0 after extra time. Roberto Baggio of Italy was the best player in the world at the time and they ended up as champions. The death of the McNutt grandmother, 94 year old Anna "Mama Mae" McNutt took the family back to Texas from California for the service. But Bob and Bill returned to the Rosebowl for the final.
1998
The joy of the host country winning the World Cup and the thrill of a nation winning the World Cup for the first time, was combined in 1998 by France's historic upset of Brazil and their famous striker Ronaldo. The final was France 3- Brazil 0 with two goals from Zinedine Zidane. When the US lost to Iran 2-1 fans recall Iranian fans sobbing in the stands with uncontrollable joy. To go to the final, Bill McNutt spent 4 hours walking around the lobby of a large Paris hotel with a sign that said "need one ticket for the finals." Sure enough it paid off, and he sat 20 rows up from the pitch.
The McNutt's and the Hunts always have dinner the night before the final. In Paris it was at the restaurant Le Taillevent. "Mrs Norma Hunt and I wrongfully predicted the Brazilians would win due to the fact the French would not be able to stop the 3 time FIFA World Football Player of the year Rolando." said Bill McNutt "We were wrong."
The locals said the French victory, bring home their first World Cup, was the greatest celebration in the French Capital since the iberation of Paris in 1944 from the Germans
2002
The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. This precedent was set in 2002 when Korea and Japan, who were historic enemies, jointly hosted the games. Brazil defeated Germany 2-0 in the final match, on two goals by Ronaldo, who was playing at Real Madrid at the time.
Lamar Hunt was working on plans for the reconstruction of Arrowhead Stadium in KC and he visited all 20 stadiums. Traveling alone for much of the time, he had his briefcase with all his tickets stolen at a train station. But he had them replaced, and joined the McNutts for a fun dinner the night before the finals in Tokyo.
"The U.S. making its only quarter final appearance demonstrated soccer was coming of age in our country." said Bill McNutt "The years of major financial losses by the MLS was making a different on the U.S. National Team" "
2006
Italy and France were tied 1-1 at the end of the World Cup final at the Olympic stadium in Berlin, Germany. In overtime, the best player in the tournament,Zidane's was sent off
after he headbutted the Italian player Materazzi.
The 1974 World Cup in Germany had taken place in a historic wet summer. The 2006 World Cup was the hottest summer in decades. The McNutt brothers road the Autobahn in two vans. Bob's with air conditioning and Bill's without! Traveling friend Harold Rosbottom called the efficient German Hertz help line and the response was "Please read zee operational manual! Zee procedure is for rolling down ze window!"
Lord Ned Guinness of Ireland and David Wolfe from Virginia Beach, Virginia flew in for the finals. Berlin is as flat as a pancake, and the group took many bicycle tours to see the
Berlin Wall and historic Natzi sites.
2010
The first championship in Africa. The World Cup in South Africa. Spain defeated Holland 1-0 in the finals, playing a "total football" style brought to their country by Legendary Dutch coach Rinus Michels. Bob McNutt made the trip, brother Bill did not, breaking his streak of World Cup finals at 9.
2014
No county is better equipped to host the World Cup than soccer mad Brazil. Sports fans all over the globe were hoping for the two South American giants, Argentina and Brazil to play for the Jules Rimet Trophy, but it was not to be. Bill and Bob sat with FC Dallas President Dan Hunt for the historic 7-1 semi final. in a massive show of dominance, Germany led 5 — 0 within 29 minutes, with four goals being scored inside a six-minute span. Dan Hunt said "I have scene over 100 World Cup matches, but I have never witnessed anything like that before."
FC Dallas Coach Schellas Hyndman and his daughter saw every match played in the famous Maracanã Stadium in 2014. Hyndman was born in Macau, China to a Portuguese father but fled China in the hold of a cargo ship after the communist revolution.
2018
The final in Moscow witnessed France add a second star to their National Team jersey, defeating Croatia 4-2. Bob's McNutt's wife Amber, and Bill's wife Susana watched their first World Cup final in Luzhniki Stadium. Bill's two daughters Rabel and Slone McNutt made the trip. taking in the semi final match between Croatia bettered England 2-1.
"From the standpoint of organizational preparedness, and cleanliness no World Cup surpassed what the Russians achieved in 2018." said Bill McNutt
2022
The McNutt brothers have tickets to attend both semi finals and the final. Surely Bob McNutt must be in very rare company indeed attending his 13th consecutive World Cup.
