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Brian Laudrup was, along with the likes of Gabriel Batistuta, Dennis Bergkamp, Ilie Dumitrescu and Robert Prosinecki, one of the most-hyped teenagers on planet football as 1989 began. His brother had dazzled at the 1986 FIFA World Cup™ and was en route to going down as one of the greatest playmakers of all time. Brian’s precocious gifts suggested he could become every bit as good as Michael.
The younger Laudrup had exploded on to the Danish domestic scene in 1986, made his international debut the following year, and been set to represent Sepp Piontek’s side, at the age of only 18, at UEFA EURO 1988 until a broken collarbone scuppered that dream. Lazio had flashed admiring glances, but now Ajax led the race for the intoxicating creator. Just five days into January 1989, Laudrup was parading his genius to Dutch audiences, though it wasn’t in Amsterdam or even on grass.
It was, curiously, at the FIFA Futsal World Cup™. Climate dictated that the Danish club season ran only from April to October. In the winter months, players, itching action, would compete indoors. It was decidedly different to futsal, but that didn’t dissuade the Danes.
Richard Moller Nielsen, Piontek’s assistant, was appointed coach. His squad would comprise 11-a-side internationals Lars Olsen, Bent Christensen, Kurt Jorgensen and a 19-year-old Laudrup, who, later that year, would give Branco a torrid time on turf as Denmark destroyed Brazil 4-0.
They were far from the only footballers making the temporary transition for Netherlands 1989. Adilio, who had been capped by Brazil and helped Flamengo outplay Liverpool in the Intercontinental Cup, was sent. Francisco Alcaraz, on Paraguay duty at Mexico ’86, was too. Over half of USA’s squad – including Mike Windischmann, Peter Vermes, Tab Ramos and Bruce Murray – would represent them at Italia ’90. Algeria, Australia, Canada and Japan summoned 11-a-side internationals aplenty.
Denmark, despite the intricacies of this new sport, gave hosts and eventual runners-up the Netherlands an almighty test in a 4-2 loss in their curtain-raiser in Rotterdam. Laudrup then hit a late leveller as the Nordic nation drew 2-2 with Paraguay, who’d been futsal practitioners for decades.
Then came a mouth-watering match-up between diamond and legend. Lakhdar Belloumi had been named African Football of the Year, scored the winner for Algeria against West Germany in a seismic upset at Spain ’82, and was widely regarded as his country’s greatest-ever player.
Belloumi was brilliant in Arnhem, registering a goal and assist apiece, but unfortunately for Algeria, Laudrup was even better. The dashing Dane hit a hat-trick and set up another as they won an 8-4 thriller. It was insufficient to get Denmark through – Paraguay’s surprise draw with the Netherlands denied them – but Laudrup and friends loved the experience.
“It was great fun,” he said. “We loved the whole tournament. We got to see amazing talent, different styles.
“It was very difficult at first. Everything was different to us, we were trying to play outdoor football on an indoor court, playing long balls forward, but I think we got used to it and did well.
“People always see Danes as well organised and physical, but I think we showed that we are technically gifted as well – or at least some of us did!”
