India, Nov. 7 -- "God had sent me here to do something good," Shafali Verma said after being chosen as replacement for injured opener Pratika Rawal. Brilliant and belligerent in equal measure in Sunday's Women's ODI World Cup final, Varma's statement reminded me of two comments made 52 years apart in football World Cup finals. The first was Amarildo being called the one possessed (o possesso) in the 1962; the second was made by Joachim Low to Mario Gotze before he came on in the 2014 final: "Show Messi that you are better than him," said the Germany coach.

Substitutions have been allowed in football World Cups since 1970. From 1954, injured players could be replaced in the qualifying campaign but it was in Mexico that substitutes, tactic...