World-championship soccer “España 82” II, 1981

Final: Italy - West Germany 3-1

Italy survived the opening round on goal difference and then went on to win the trophy for a third time after a beautiful Brazilian team had bowed out to them in an astonishing match in the second phase. Italy went on to the final and beat West Germany 3-1. Rossi finished top scorer with six goals.

The tournament was expanded to 24 teams, split into six groups of four with the top two advancing to a second stage in which four groups of three played for semifinal places. It proved a laborious and unwieldy format short on knockout action. But it did mean extra places for regions previously under-represented at the tournament. Africa had two teams for the first time while Asia, Australasian and North America also benefited. For the first time a penalty shootout would settle a tie after 120 minutes, and France became the first team to suffer the trauma of elimination without defeat in its semifinal with West Germany.

Date of issue: 21 September 1982

Expiration date:

Design: M. Mathy

Printing: (Chalot s.a., Braine-le-Château, Belgium)?

Perforation: 12

Size stamp: 50 x 35 mm

Size whole sheet: 111 x 85.5 mm

Circulation: 40,700 blocks

No 1149. 10z (always from block 51)

No 1149. 10z Displaced colors

Note: this image is taken from a sheet of 4 blocks with misplaced colors, I do not know if displaced stamps were ever sold.

Block 51. Perforated

Block 51Cu displaced colors.

Note: this image is taken from a sheet of 4 blocks with misplaced colors, I do not know if blocks with displaced colors were ever sold.

Curiosity: whole sheet with the imperforated block 51:

Curiosity: whole sheet with the imperforated block 51 with displaced colors.

Proof (Coll. Kurt C.).