Brazil vs. England final, as it should have been (even in OTL), but Northern Ireland will get 3rd.
All To Play For: The Home Nations' Football Adventures
WI Cruickshank/Banks played indeed! Though even if he did play, it might've not gone well even for him considering the reputation of Scottish keepers...
Hi, Mr QTXAdsy
I find your timeline very interesting, and I like that the British teams are better than the OTL versions, mostly because I follow the Premier League and it feels that the nations who invented footy should at least be moderately successful.
I agree with most opinions here, in that 1970 Brazil was an unstoppable beast, but England will probably make it to the final. Brazil should win, but this generation will be remembered as the Golden Age of British Football, for all four teams.
I find the Maradona bit a hilarious foreshadowing.
It's truly a wonderful story.
I find your timeline very interesting, and I like that the British teams are better than the OTL versions, mostly because I follow the Premier League and it feels that the nations who invented footy should at least be moderately successful.
I agree with most opinions here, in that 1970 Brazil was an unstoppable beast, but England will probably make it to the final. Brazil should win, but this generation will be remembered as the Golden Age of British Football, for all four teams.
I find the Maradona bit a hilarious foreshadowing.
It's truly a wonderful story.
Chapter 39: When Best Met Pelé
Chapter 39: When Best Met Pelé
After their dramatic victory over Scotland, England were awarded a place in the Semi-finals with Italy while Northern Ireland had the task of taking on this mighty Brazil team, both games to take place on the 17th June. The main talking point of the game in the build up was simply Pelé vs. Best and that the world's two best footballers in the world were about to face of each other in what was hoping to be an exciting game. When the Northern Ireland team made their way out onto the pitch alongside the Brazilian team in the Estadio Jalisco stadium in Guadalajara, the largely Mexican crowd was in favour of the Brazilians and the Irish players could just make in one corner of the ground were a small number of 200 Northern Ireland trying to make themselves heard with no doubt pretty much all of Northern Ireland would be watching the game live on ITV (England's game would be broadcast live at the same time on the BBC which meant the only thing the average British viewer was going to get was football).
As the game began, the Irish players knew that this, other than the last Semi in 1958, would be the biggest game in Irish footballing history and with the might this Brazilian team had along with the following they had received from the Mexicans, Northern Ireland were clear underdogs. Right from the very start, Brazil were tearing down on the Irish flanks with it looking like that they would score at any moment and in the second minute of the game, Jairzinho nearly opens the scoring but his shot is saved by the hands of Pat Jennings and knocks it out for a corner kick for Brazil.
Bingham has told his players prior to the game to have pretty much hold every player back feeling that this Brazil team will do nothing but attack and only break forward if they see a rare opportunity in the Brazilian defence. It might seem quite a ludicrous idea to play this deep, however and much to everyone's amazing, the plucky Irish defence is holding and no goals have been scored after ten minutes. So astonishing is this that after Jennings saves yet another attempt by Pelé in the tenth minute, some of the Mexican crowd who had been all for the Brazilians start to applaud the Irish for their great underdog character they are showing in the face of impossible odds. Surely it can't be done...?
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While Northern Ireland were taking on Brazil, England were locking horns with the Italians in the Estadio Azteca, a team that had been through a difficult period for not qualifying for the last Word cup and losing the European championship final in their own backyard, all thanks to Scotland of all teams. As Ramsay watched the game with his team nearly taking the lead in the twelve minute thanks to a Hurst attempt on goal that is saved by Italian keeper Enrico Albertosi, he couldn't help but think but wonder if the Scots had gotten this far then it would've been quite likely that the Italians would be out for Scottish blood and the game could've been a riot.
Ramsay had been wondering about that idea since yesterday if Scotland losing had been the right thing, though there was one thing he would thank the Scots for and that was effect of what they'd done to the Italians and that they weren't as strong as many thought they were despite the hot climate out here in Mexican was more suitable for the Italians. England had pretty much the better team throughout this game and it would only be a matter of time until they scored. Then in the fifteenth minute, Riva fires the ball past Bank's hands (now feeling better after his food poising scare) and the England keeper looks back fearing the worse.
But the ball just clears past the post and Riva has his hands on his head thinking that Italy had taken the lead, either way, England have been let off the hook here. Then just a minute later after Banks kicks the ball high up the field, Mullery get's himself on to it and passes the ball up the Edwards who see's Cera coming right at him, only for him to think fast and pass the ball downwards towards Charlton who strikes the ball home right into the back of the net. 1-0 to England and the small number of traveling England fans celebrate and can be seen waving their Union jacks along with the occasional St. George Cross flapping around the stand. Just the start Ramsay was hoping for and he's thoughts about the Italians might be about to be proven right.
The England team line up just before the Semi-final match with Italy
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Much like England, Brazil were the better side in their game with Northern Ireland, but unlike England, they hadn't been able to break the deadlock. Granted, the Irish had had a few chances to try and score themselves thanks mostly to Best and to a lesser degree, Dougan, but most of the chances were coming from Brazil. In the thirty second minute of the game, Craig Dave is given a yellow card by the referee and Brazil are awarded a free kick outside the penalty box. Thankfully for the Irish, the attempt is saved by yet another by Jennings. The Tottenham keeper smiles as he gets up with the ball, there have been rumours surrounding him that big offers in Europe are on the cards for him to join some of the biggest clubs out there thanks to his clean sheet throughout this World Cup.
A minute later after the free kick, Jennings kicks the ball up the field where Cowan gets to it quickly before making a lightning fast pass towards Best who decides to take on the Brazilians himself as he plays their silky style of play that is unlike anything the men in green have played before and before anyone knows it, he strikes home a shot to the right that goes past the hands of Brazilian keeper Félix and in an aftermath moment that causes nearly 51, 261 people in the Estadio Jalisco to go silent in shock, little Northern Ireland are a goal ahead against the mighty Brazil.
Best is dogpiled by his teammates as they celebrate that goal and the small traveling supporters can't help themselves but wildly celebrate in the stands. Reportedly as many were watching back in Belfast, their were no criminal activity taking place as the game was being played and when Best scored, pretty much everyone came rushing outside pubs or their home to let out their unconfined joy showing how much this really meant for Northern Ireland as a whole. Despite Brazilian pressure and a very late attempt by Rivelino to try and pull one back, the game ends with the incredible fact that Northern Ireland are leading and are just another forty five minutes from not only creating one of the great shocks in the history of the World Cup, but close to reaching the final.
Some of the Irish fans who had a camera took a picture of the scoreboard that would famous in not only Irish football history, but British footballing history as the scoreboard read...
Brasil 0 - Irlanda del Norte 1
Northern Ireland fans during the first half of the Semi-final with Brazil
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When we left the pitch, I could remember seeing all these Mexicans who were all just staring in shock that the favourite team they wanted to do well was behind. But what really got me was when Billy [Campbell] told me to look up at where our fans where they were causing all the noise in this large stadium that was quiet like a library and some of our fans where clearly in tears as they, probably like the rest of us, couldn't believe what was happening and that we could actually get to the final if things were to stay the way they did. Did we deserve to be in front after how we'd played? Probably not, but we had something special here that neither of us wanted to lose.
The funniest thing about the whole game was our half time team talk which all it did was have Bingham look at us all silently and then burst out laughing which we all joined in. "I don't know how you've done," he said. "But you're ahead in this bloody game! Are you we aren't the real Brazil team in disguise?" Some of us then made our way towards the outside of the Brazilian dressing room when we pressed our ears up against the door to hear their manager giving them an absolute bollocking in Portuguese and we'd only laugh whenever we heard their manager say one of our names. Eventually some member of the Mexican FA saw us and told us to get back to our dressing room, but that had helped ease the tension for most of us.
Excerpts from 'Blessed', Ebury Press 2002
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As the teams returned to the field for the second half, the Brazilians came out looking determined to avoid huge embarrassment. The effect is immediate as within the first minute of the second half, Northern Ireland get off to the worst possible start when Jairzinho pulls off a great move past the Irish defence and finally becomes the first player in this World Cup to get the ball into Jennings' net and Brazil are back in this. The Crowd roar with approval as they make no secret of who they are wanting to win and some of the Irish players can only shake their heads in dismay of losing their advantage so soon.
It was too good to be true and Northern Ireland now have to try and not to play deep and start moving players up the field more to try and be more adventurous in this second half than in the first. However this Brazil is clearly fired up and is doing all it can to not only take the lead, but win this game handsomely. Attempt after attempt goes by and all of them are from the players wearing yellow shirts and blue shorts. It is clear who might be the winner in this game after all...
Jairzinho celebrates his equaliser for Brazil against Northern Ireland, right at the start of the second half
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Some of the England fans in the stadium, already assuming victory is theirs, start singing 'God Save The Queen' and a little bit of 'Are You Watching Scotland?' However joy does come to the Italians in the sixty eighth minute when Boninsegna finally scores for Italy thanks to a brilliant volley and the confident England fans in the ground start looking at each other with nervous looks. Another ten minutes go by and it becomes quite an open game with Italy making what seems to be a last big push to try and push for an equaliser and maybe even find a last minute winner.
There is great tension now in the stadium and Ramsay shows no emotion as the ball goes back and forward up the pitch and there is a big scare in the eighty third minute thanks to an Italian corner when Riva get's his head to it which almost seems to go in, but in a moment that rivals his wonderful save against Brazil in the group stage Banks somehow manages to keep it with Riva and perhaps everyone else on the pitch stunned at what has happened and leads to a big 'What If' moment in Italian football history. The game seems to drag on with neither side breaking down for another goal to be score and right up in the final minute of the game, Ramsay can be seen yelling at the referee pointing at his watch asking that full time is nearly over.
A moment later, the referee dully applies and England have made to their second final after the tightest of victories winning 2-1 over Italy. As Ramsay comes over the field to congratulate the players, Peters comes up to him and asks him one question that probably every Englishman wants to know. "Sir, do you know who we're playing in the final?"
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To answer Peter's question, Northern Ireland had kept the score level at 1-1 for nearly thirty minutes of the second half and it seemed like perhaps pulling of an upset was possible, though difficult. However, it couldn't last forever as in the eighty second and eighty sixth minutes of the game, a double from Pelé finally put an end for Northern Ireland's impossible dream with Brazil leading 3-1 and cursing to the final. While the players in green had now seemly given up, Best being the captain that he was decided to get the last laugh over Brazil when right in the last seconds of the game, when Brazil were acting more relaxed now, Best scored with the final kick of the game to make the score line 3-2 for Brazil.
Not a second after that goal had gone in, the referee blew his whistle and the Brazilians celebrate for getting into the final. The Irish players are devastated that they just couldn't make it, but he Brazilian players come over to the Irish players and the teams shake hands and swap shirts round with a cameras pointing towards Best congratulating Pelé as two of the tournament's best players see each other as worthy equals in their own rights. Brazil are happy of what they have done, but no team in this tournament had ever given them much of a scare than Bingham's merry men who now have a third place spot to deal with.
For everyone else though, a rematch was on the cards.
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And the plucky Irish are out! Yes, you didn't think I'd let Northern Ireland get past Brazil, right? However with someone like Best in your team, anything is possible for at least. So now we move onto the England/Brazil final and I'm sure we all know what might happen, however do you think I should go on writing the third place game or should we move onto the final? Either I thank you guys so far for liking this story and hearing your comments gives me great confidence to carry on writing. Until then, stay tuned for more...!
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Very well! The plucky Irish are out, but they were out with a bang! Third place match should be first. Northern Ireland wins after a hard match against the Italians. Brazil the champion and England runner-ups.
After WC 74, quick club update? I assume Ajax will still win three European Cups in a row.
Keep up the good work!
After WC 74, quick club update? I assume Ajax will still win three European Cups in a row.
Keep up the good work!
Chapter 40: Little Giants
Chapter 40: Little Giants
A huge crowd had gathered in the Estadio Azteca, but the day wasn't the 21st June which was the date of the final, but it was the 20th in which the third place game would take place between Northern Ireland and Italy. Many often say that the third place game is often a game neither side or fan wants to witness as it is considered a wooden spoon award for whoever wins but others like to think of it as a warm up match before the final and the latter idea to the game was one that Bingham wanted to try and use as motivation for his players. As the players lined up in the field, the Italians all had grim looks on their faces compared to the Irish as to them, it wasn't the sort of game no one wanted.
Indeed, rumours of the Italians being under pressure have been all round and Bingham takes this news for granted as he knows the Italians are not as mighty as many like to think and can be beaten. After all, he was part of the team that prevented the Italians from qualifying that famous night in Belfast. From the very start of the game, the Italians don't look to be right into the game and right into the fifth minute, Dougan nearly fires Northern Ireland ahead but only for only the hands of Albertosi to prevent it from getting anywhere near goal. Incredibly for the next ten minutes of the game, Dougan actually manages to outshine even George Best with him trying to help Northern Ireland get the lead, it is said though that the only reason for him playing like this is of rumours that a big offer has been sent from AC Milan, ironically an Italian club, to Wolverhampton Wanderers to bring him over to Italy to play. If Dougan was to go to Milan and score the winner against the Italians, the irony would not be lost on anyone especially the Italian supporters in their part of the ground.
Then in the twenty sixth minute of the game, Best is brought down by Rosato and is awarded a free kick in quite a good position outside the box. He careful exams his position and see's what he has to do. The referee then blows for him to take the kick and he sends the ball in a wonderful curling position that the poor Italian keeper can't do anything as he dives to the left to try and grab it, but the ball is way out of his reach as it goes in and puts Northern Ireland 1-0 on Italy. It is a wonderful free kick that only George Best could score and the team celebrate taking the lead.
Best during the Third Place match in 1970
At the end of the first half, it has been a good end to end game and the Northern Irish players head off feeling quite good about themselves for what they have done, but there is still a long way to go. In the second half, it proves to be a less eventful affair with the Italians struggling to score thanks to Irish determination to keep this precious lead. Dougan then almost scores in the fifty third minute but his ball goes over the bar and this causes several Italian fans to throw their hats and little flags to ground in disgust and start heading for the exits. Bingham notices this and can't help but feel a little bit sorry for the fans who would've spent a lot of money to get out here. In contrast, the Northern Ireland fans begin to rub salt in the wounds by chanting, 'Is there a fire drill?' at the leaving supporters.
Nothing of note really happens from then on and the only in the sixty fourth minute is when something happens in which Domenghini fouls Tommy Jackson and see's a yellow card come to him. As the game goes on, it is clear that Northern Ireland are having the better chances despite Italy having more of the ball and one would have to think that Northern Ireland deserved the victory. Bingham then looks towards the crowd and see's the small Irish group of fans making a fair bit of noise before suddenly, his attention is diverted when he hears the referee blows his whistle and looks around to see that Northern Ireland have been awarded a penalty in the seventy first minute due to Best being fouled in the box.
Now was the chance to end the game and everyone expected Best to take it, but instead he motions Dougan to come over and point to the penalty spot for him to take it. It is clear that Best wants everyone in the team to be remembered too other than him and Dougan, still stunned at this offer, goes up to take the penalty. He strikes it into the top right hand corner of the net making the keeper go the wrong way and put Northern Ireland go 2-0 up. By now pretty much everyone of the Italian fans have given up and start heading for the exits and right up towards the end of the game, that is the result. Northern Ireland win 2-0 and are the third best team in the world, going one step better than in 1958, with the famous shot of Bingham being carried on the players shoulders and given a lap of honour round the park.
The story of the Northern Ireland team at the 1970 World Cup become almost legendary with it them being remember as the team that scared Brazil and in 2000, on the 30th anniversary of that World Cup, the BBC would make the critical hit documentary film called 'Little Giants', which told the story of Northern Ireland's brave exploits and featured interviews from Bingham, Best, the rest of the squad and even some of the lucky fans who went to Mexico. They may have not won the World Cup, but when they returned to Belfast, they were greeted at the airport by a huge crowd of 50,000 souls to welcome them home and many wanting Bingham to be knighted and with all the mad celebrations that followed the squad when they returned, one has to wonder what if they had managed to win the World Cup.
Nonetheless, little Northern Ireland were out of this World Cup and the world would tune in to watch the rematch they were all looking forward too...
Northern Ireland 1970, third best team in the world
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Well done, but Northern Ireland becomes weaker when Best retires, so they may not be within a shout until the noughties....
Chapter 41: All Against Us
Chapter 41: All Against Us
When Pelé had time to chat to Duncan Edwards after their group match a good few days ago, he wished him and his team well and saying that they'd meet again in the final. Few would've thought it would've happened that the two teams would meet again, but in the end it had happened. For many, it was the final that everyone predicted and even hoped would happen and it was interestingly the first time that the two winners from the last two World Cups would meet in a final so there was indeed a great deal of interest from a world wide audience and sadly, not many for England.
While England had gotten to another World Cup final which was greeted with great delight back home, they haven't been all that like ever since they arrived in Mexico as for starters, Bobby Moore was arrested in Columbia for apparently stealing a bracelet though later the charges were later dropped and what really was the real stinker for the whole campaign was comments made by Ramsay and especially the English media criticising the country from the poor food and how ramshackle everything was. Not surprisingly this didn't go down well with the Mexicans and the England team found themselves jeered by most of the Mexican crowd and they had only gotten more and more hated the further they went on.
But even if all of the above hadn't happened for the English contingent, they still wouldn't find any sympathy from the locals as pretty much every Mexican all wanted Brazil to win and not because they were a neighbouring country, but because of the way Brazil had played throughout this tournament which had gotten them many fans along the way. On the day of the final early in the morning, the England team are all gathered in the hotel lobby where they are watching highlights of previous Brazil games in this World Cup and currently, they are watching the highlights from the game with Northern Ireland. Ramsay then turns the volume down to get his players attention, they themselves are all, like many others, amazed by the skills of this Brazil side.
"So, we're in our second final," Ramsay begins before pointing towards the television. "And this Brazil team is who we'll be playing against that hope to take the World Cup from our hands."
There is silent among the players who are all curious to hear what he has to say, not to mention several hotel staff members who are ears dropping too, Ramsay speaks up again with a notable disdain in his voice. "They might the darlings of this World Cup, but let me tell you a little secret...they are a bunch a bloody con men!"
There is a gasp among the players with several of them exclaiming in shock at their manager's statement.
"You're joking!" Peters calls out.
"Rubbish!" Keith Newton adds.
"Silence!" Ramsay commands. "How are we suppose to beat them if you have that attitude? They might as well have won then. Listen here, they are preparing for the biggest con trick in football and there is a weakness to them..."
The players lean forward with curiosity at a supposed weakness in that team that Ramsay had spotted. "Everyone is going on about what a great attacking side they are, but have you heard any of them talk about their defence now...?" His words leave his players silent with many of them thinking for a moment about that supposed fact and several of them muttering 'no' to Ramsay.
"Exactly," Ramsay carries on. "Our Irish friends have shown the world a crack in that Brazil team that no Tom, Dick and Harry has ever bothered to comment on and Northern Ireland almost knocked them out had it not been for two late goes from that Pelé. In summery, they might be pretty up front but their defence is hopeless and I think we have nothing to fear for today, it's time to defend that trophy and bring it home."
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It is a determined looking England squad that line up in the final with the packed Estadio Azteca, all of which are in favourite of the men dressed in yellow and blue and England have to make do of being the pantomime villains of denying the trophy to Brazil. However Ramsay has also instructed his players that it's not a bad thing that everything seems to be against them as it will make them play better as winning it will good 'take that' feeling to anyone who wanted them to fail. From the start of the game, it proves to be quite an exciting encounter with England putting the Brazilians under the cosh on their flanks and during the opening period find themselves getting quite deep in that Brazilian half, maybe Ramsay was right about this Brazilian team?
England and Brazil line up for the final on the 21st June 1970
To be fair, it had been an open game in which either side could score the first goal and in this case, Brazil get that vital goal. Now Brazil start to play as the team they have been throughout this World Cup and Gérson nearly makes it 2-0 in the twenty third minute only for Banks to stop it from going in. The whole game is a true meeting of two brilliant football nations with either side showing of their skills such as Brazil playing silky football and England with their strong physical game which makes for interesting comparisons. Edwards is really pushing himself to his limit as before this game started, he knew that this was going to be the toughest game he has ever faced in a England jersey and tries to make a pass to Peters only for it to be snatched by Everaldo who punts the ball up the field.
Both sides trying to outdo each other
England fans celebrate the goal that makes the score read 1-1
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The second half begins and the game starts at quite a tight pace with both sides trying to outdo each other like a chess game with the silky style of Brazil and the physical style of the English both making for very different contrasts to each other. Then in the forty seventh minute of the game, Moore manages to replicate that tackle from the group game and passes it up to Peters who makes a run with it before giving it to Hurst who without thinking, fires the ball into the top left of the goal which, to everyone's amazement, puts England 2-1 up in the final.
Peters before passing the ball up the field
Despite Brazilian pressure, England do hold off a wave of attacks though the heat and humidity is starting to get to some of the players and no more so than Edwards. In the fifty third minute while making a sprint with the ball, he is ruled offside despite it looking like he was on and the England captain confronts the referee to express his displeasure. However the referee is having none of it and Edwards is given a yellow card for his verbal actions, much to the delight of the Mexican crowd.
Not much happens then but Ramsay is worried that Edwards is growing more agitated by the minutes and knows that anymore reckless actions by him could see him sent off and losing a man in the final would be the last thing Ramsay needs. So in the sixty first minute when Brazil get a throw in, Ramsay makes the substitute of bringing on Francis Lee for Edwards.
Edwards passes the captain's armband to Moore and it does seem good timing as the now former captain looks like he wants to start another argument. The stadium crowd is quite subdued up until four minutes later when Moore passes the ball up to Terry Cooper, but his shot proves to be just a tad too powerful as Cooper stumbles forward trying to get a foot on it, only for then Jairzinho to snatch it off his foot, run with it, cross it to Pelé before he in turn strikes it past Banks to put Brazil 2-2 in the game and send the crowd roaring in approval. The fact that Pelé scored in the sixty sixth minute, a number meaning so much to any Englishman, in the final against England means that the irony is not lost on anyone in the know.
With the crowd cheering them on, Brazil start to crank up the pressure and the England team is now starting to look disjointed. This relentless attacking pays of as in the seventy first minute, Jairzinho curls in a wonderful volley that outwits the England back four and sends Brazil 3-2 into the lead.
View from the England bench before the goal.
In the end, that would be it, the game ends and Brazil are the new World Champions and England have lost their grip on the cup. The England players are exhausted and are nearly trampled in the pitch invasion that follows from Brazil's delighted fans, but many would agree that this Brazil team did deserve to win it. But it has been a terrific game with Pelé and Moore coming over to congratulate each other for the game.
Granted England may go home empty handed but Ramsay is sure that a lot more will be seen of not only England, but the other British teams in finals in the not too distance future. A new decade of football has started with a bang.
Moore and Pelé after the game.
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The German side that won OTL's European Championship was one of the greatest of all time - better than the team that (deservedly) beat The Netherlands in the 1974 WCF, IMHO.
Coulsdon Eagle
Monthly Donor
Very true - although Wimmer was perhaps a weak link.
On 1970's Brazil the defence wasn't that bad but the goalkeeper Felix - can only assume FIFA looked at a team containing Rivelino, Jairzinho, Tostao & Gerson, let alone the nonpareil Pele, and decided to introduce a handicap system to retain interest.
OTL group match vs England was one of the best international games I had the pleasure of watching in terms of sheer quality [Jeff Astle not withstanding!]
How many did England put past Felix? The Guadalajara game was probably Moore's finest ever game, and it needed to be.
My other memory of the group was Romania, one of the dirtiest teams I've ever seen.