On This Day at the World Cup – June 28: Alexis Sanchez Causes a Stir in Brazil

Alexis Sanchez and Chile nearly pulled off one of the great World Cup upsets on this day in 2014, but they were ultimately knocked out on penalties by hosts Brazil.

Sanchez, who was still a month away from joining Arsenal from Barcelona, cancelled out David Luiz’s 18th minute opener with 32 minutes on the clock in the first half as La Roja gave the Selecao an almighty scare in Belo Horizonte.

Their star striker, however, was one of the three Chilean players to miss from the spot along with Mauricio Pinilla and Gonzalo Jara as Brazil set up a quarter-final showdown with Colombia.

Better known to English audiences because of his spells at Arsenal and Manchester United, Sanchez made his name in Serie A at Udinese, scoring 21 goals in 126 appearances in all competitions and then rattling in 24 goals across 142 games in three spells with Inter Milan, winning two Serie A titles and one Coppa Italia in the process.

If you are planning a visit at the San Siro, you better hurry up as one of football’s greatest cathedral is set to be demolished by 2032. Our stadium guide has all the tips you need to plan your pilgrimage, including how to buy tickets for both clubs.

If Milan is one of the great football cities in the world, then Udine, tucked away in the picturesque region of Friuli Venezia Giulia is one of Italy’s hidden jewels and often escapes the attention of travellers. It is also a proud football city, with Udinese a Serie A staple and now playing in one of Italy’s most modern grounds.