Thanks to Nytram01 and Hamo1j for inspiring this story.
Part 1: Thursday 6th February 1958
Heinrich Schreiber is not happy, the headlights of the Opel van that he is driving pick out patches of grey slush on the black asphalt of the main runway. The control tower is annoyed with him for delaying a scheduled departure, the pilot of the British European Airways plane with its engines turning at the other end of the runway is annoyed with him because his engines are beginning to overheat, his wife is annoyed with him because she is always annoyed with him; but he curses them all under his breath and mutters that they would be more annoyed with him still if the damned plane were to crash. The tower thinks it will probably be okay, the English pilot is willing to 'Give it a go' (though he has tried twice before to take off and failed) but it is up to him to say whether or not the runway is safe and it isn't.
It is a disgusting February afternoon, the temperature hovers around freezing and flurries of snow blow fitfully across the flat expanses of Munich airport. It isn't even half past three but the clouds are so thick and the weather so miserable that it is already twilight. A layer of cloying wet slush has covered the ground to a depth of about 10 cm, it has been partially cleared but whoever has done the clearing instead of pushing the filthy stuff to the side with the plough has pushed it up to the end of the runway where it is now banked up in grey folds like dirty mashed potatoes.
Just a few years ago, when most aircraft were of the tail sitter type it wouldn't even have mattered, but newer aircraft such as the BEA Ambassador, now waiting to take off haved tricycle landing gear with the main wheels behind the aircraft centre of gravity and trying to take off through slush would be extremely difficult for it. What annoyed Schreiber was that he was probably the only man in the airport who knew this, in the last winter of the Second World War he had been a mechanic servicing the dwindling fleet of Luftwaffe fighter aircraft and his squadron had converted from tail sitting propeller driven fighters to the new tricycle undercarriage jets. Three of them were lost in accidents trying to take off in slushy conditions before they realised what the problem was.
He stops the Opel outside the hut where Anton Schmidt who drives the runway maintenance plough sits reading dirty magazines until someone reminds him to do his job. Schreiber doesn't like Schmidt, people know that he doesn't like Schmidt and ask him why. He tends not to answer the question directly unless he absolutely has to but when he can't avoid giving an answer he simply says that Schmidt is the most lazy, useless, good-for-nothing bastard he has ever had the misfortune to work with.
He walks in and takes off his hat, Schmidt smiles amiably when he sees Schreiber, his dull pudgy face suddenly wears an ingratiating grin. Schmidt has always been a little afraid of Schreiber, Schreiber always seemed to be angry about something. Schmidt doesn't understand people who can't just relax and be happy but he tries to stay on Schreiber's good side.
"Herr Schreiber where have you been, don't you know it's not fit for a dog to be out there? Come and have some coffee." Schmidt gestures to the coffee pot on the stove, Schreiber looks at him evenly.
"Comfortable Anton?"
"Oh yes Herr Schreiber, very comfortable thanks."
"So you cleared the runway did you?"
"Oh yes it is clear."
"Really?" Schmidt hesitates, looks at him unsure.
"Well I..."
"Well you what?"
" I... I...'
"Speak up you halfwit!"
"I... I cleared it - it's clear, you can see for yourself, did you look at it?" Schreiber turns purple with rage and roars.
"Yes I looked at it you silly looking shit! You didn't clear right to the end of the runway did you? Schmidt looks at him mortified
“Did you?” Schmidt begins to splutter an excuse
“Herr Schreiber, I...” but Schreiber cuts him off.
“I don't want to listen to your snivelling excuses you pathetic little prick! Get your useless arse back into that fucking truck and do it properly. How do you think the runway is going to get cleared if you don't do it, what the fuck are you waiting for Schmidt? The hand of God?"
But he is talking to Schmidt's back, the man is running out of the door the dirty magazine falls to the ground splaying glossy pages across the dirty floor of the hut.
Part 2: Sunday 8th July 1990
From the transcript of the ITV commentary on the World Cup Final, hosted by Ian St John and Jimmy Greaves
... and as Terry Butcher lifts the World Cup for England you can hardly hear yourself think here at the Olympico Stadium in Rome.
Yes Ian, the fans have waited 24 years for this...
Well I think they might have had something to do with it here today Jimmy.
Yes the lads were on good form…
I think they went a bit overboard actually Jimmy, every time Maradonna got a touch the whole place seemed to be chanting 'Hand of God' 'Hand of God'.
Except when Argentina first came on the pitch.
Yes then there were just chanting ‘Cheat, Cheat, Cheat’, I mean it was a bit much wasn’t it?
Well I don't know what you expect from them Ian? I hear tickets were changing hands for a thousand quid just before the match and if Diego Maradonna can't bear a bit of friendly heckling …
Friendly hecking?
While he’s probably got a guilty conscience hasn’t he – he should have.
I expect the England fans who paid £1000 of their tickets will say it was money well spent, of course very few Argentina fans managed to make it here today.
Well that's not exactly true Ian, Argentina got plenty of support.
Not as vocal as the English though.
While that's not the team's fault is it - and besides the Argies didn't play very well, they didn’t play very well at all.
No I agree there.
This whole tournament they’ve played dull, negative football and while the final we’ve just seen wasn't a classic match by any means I don't think England supporters will be complaining too much about the lads bringing home the World Cup a fourth time. Oh and there’s Duncan Edwards the England coach shaking hands with Francesco Cossiga the Italian President…
And there if we have a look at the live feed the camera's right on Franz Beckenbauer, who looks a bit glum.
Yeah well they don't like it up ‘em Ian.
You always say that…
Do I? I hadn't noticed.
Well I'll say this Jimmy, I'd say that semi-final against West Germany was the crucial match of the tournament for England.
Oh there's no question of it Ian, you could never say that that wasn't an excellent game of football and the way Argentina played here today I think there is no doubt that if West Germany had got by England it would be them lifting the cup.
Part 3: The Hand of Gazza
From The Times Tuesday 21st June 1938
England players bring home football World Cup
England's World Cup football squad arrived home yesterday at Croydon aerodrome to a rousing welcome from several hundred delighted fans. Eddie Hapgood, the captain and the rest of the team stopped for half an hour to sign autographs and pose for photographers before returning to their homes for a well earned rest. Hapgood made no attempt to conceal the black eye that he received during the final from Italian centre forward Gino Colaussi. The match has been described as passionate, robust and physical but fortunately was not marred by violence to the same extent as the infamous Battle of Highbury four years ago.
England were undefeated in the four games of the World Cup finals, beating Hungary 3-1 on the fifth of June, Switzerland 1-0 in the quarter-finals on the 12th of June, Sweden 4-0 in the semi-final on the 16th and finally Italy 2-1 in the final on Sunday. This is the first time that England have played in the World Cup finals. (Note 1)
From ‘Who’s Who in England International Football 1872 – 1997’ by Bobby Robson. Faber 1997
Edwards, Duncan was born in Dudley, in the West Midlands on 1st October 1936, he was an English international footballer.
Regarded by many as England's best ever player he could excel in any position on the pitch but usually played as a defensive midfielder. From his youth Edwards displayed an extraordinary footballing ability, and by the time he was playing for his junior school his skill was impossible to miss. One of his teachers watching the 11-year-old in action noted that he 'Told all the other 21 players what to do and where to go and that included the referee and linesmen!' the same teacher later wrote 'I have just seen a boy of 11 who will one day play for England'.
As well as his exploits in an England shirt Edwards will always be associated with Manchester United. He was one of the 'Busby Babes', a group of young footballers groomed by United's Manager Matt Busby in the late 1940's when the club was in a very difficult financial position and unable to buy players from other clubs. Busby and his head trainer Jimmy Murphy decided to utilize a revolutionary youth policy that involved developing the skills of young players to produce the stars of the future rather than purchasing talent from other teams.
Edwards was signed by Manchester United in June 1952 at the age of 16. On his professional debut against Cardiff City on 4th April 1953, he became the youngest footballer ever to play in the Football League First Division. He made his international debut on 2nd April 1955 at the age of 18 in a match against Scotland. (It is worth noting here in this an age of millionaire football superstars Duncan Edwards earned a £15 a week from his club during the season reducing to £12 a week during the summer off season.)
Edwards played for England on 122 occasions and scored 23 goals, he took part in four World Cup tournaments as a player in 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970 and two as a coach in 1990 and 1994. He wrote three books on the subject of football including his account of England’s succesful campaign in the 1990 world Cup but the best remembered is 'Tackle Soccer This Way' which he finished at the age of 21. It is still the work most widely recommended to aspiring young players. (Note 2)
From www.FIFA.com/history/tournaments
The 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden were the first to be televised and marked the debut of two extraordinary talents to the world football stage. Brazil were the winners, inspired by the genius of a 17-year-old youngster named Pele. They beat England 3-2 in the final in an epic match noted for superb performances from Brazil's Pele and England's 21-year-old Duncan Edwards. It marked an almost poetic turnaround in Brazil's fortunes, England and Brazil having met in the group stages, England winning 1-0 (Note 3)
Brazil were not so fortunate in the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Pele played only in the opening game against Mexico before being injured. He took no further part in the tournament and Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by England who beat them 2-1. England went on to win the competition beating Chile 3-1 in the semifinals and Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final (Note 4)
England won the World Cup again in 1966 when the tournament was held in the United Kingdom. England are the only team to have won the trophy in two consecutive tournaments. (Note 5)
From www.vivafutbol.co.uk
The 1990 World Cup is widely regarded as one of the least entertaining ever. It produced a record-low goals-per-game average and a record 16 players were sent off for foul play. Most teams relied on defensive play, severe tackling and aggressive intimidation of the referee. In the knockout stage, many teams played it safe for 120 minutes in the hope of forcing a penalty shootout, rather than risk open, attacking play. Three of the 4 quarterfinal matches and one of the semifinals were decided on a penalty shoot-out or a match-winning penalty kick. Runners-up Argentina were the worst offenders scoring only five goals in seven games and lost half their team to injury or suspension by the final. Eventual champions England were one of the few teams to choose an attacking style of play.
With their fourth title England became the most successful World Cup nation for four years, until Brazil also won a fourth title in 1994. The team manager Duncan Edwards became the first footballer to win the World Cup as a player (in 1962 and 1966) and as team manager.
The semi-final between West Germany and England was one of the best games of the 1990 tournament. Played on a sultry night in Turin it was goalless at half-time despite both teams playing with courage and flair. Germany came close to scoring several times, the closest was in the 60th minute when a shot from Andreas Brehme was deflected by Paul Parker and came perilously close to entering the net but for the desperately reaching fingers of Peter Shilton. But then, with only 10 minutes remaining of regulation time, Gary Lineker scored for England.
The bad tempered final between England and Argentina was characterized by the unrelenting barracking that Argentina’s captain, Diego Maradonna, was forced to endure from the England fans. The teams had previously met in the 1986 quarter finals where Argentina had only prevailed due to an infamous handball by Maradonna which the referee failed to see. When questioned about the incident later the Argentine captain said that it had been ‘The hand of God’ a response that was to haunt him in Rome as the mass of England fans chanted ‘Hand of God’ ‘Hand of God’ every time he got the ball. He had one of the worst games of his international career and at times seemed quite unnerved.
The game also produced several football firsts. In the 65th minute, Argentina's Pedro Monzon was sent off for a foul on Peter Beardsley and became the first player ever to be sent off in a World Cup final. Team-mate Gustavo Dezotti received the second red card of the game with only four minutes remaining after he deliberately knocked down Peter Beardsley during a stoppage in play. Shortly before Dezotti's dismissal, the referee awarded a penalty to England, from which Gary Lineker scored the second goal of the game. The 2-0 scoreline provided another first: Argentina were the first team ever to take part in a World Cup final without scoring, having managed just one shot on goal in the process. England’s other goal was scored by Stuart Pearce in the 57th minute.
The game is famous for one other incident, several England players, finding themselves walking down the tunnel at the Rome Stadium next to the dejected figure of Diego Maradona could not resist the temptation to give the Argentine captain a barrage of friendly slaps on the back and shoulders accompanied by mocking cries of ‘Never mind Diego’ and ‘Better luck next time’. Peter Beardsley who witnessed the episode said that it was '…light and playful, completely affable, not aggressive at all, but you should've seen Maradona's expression I just burst out laughing.’
Maradona was not similarly amused and made a complaint to the Mexican referee Codesal Mendez alleging that one of the England players had pinched one of his buttocks. Senior Mendez who having endured the aggressive attentions of all the Argentinian players at every decision he had given against their side, dismissed it out of hand. Maradona however was not inclined to let the matter go and complained volubly to the Argentine papers that his dignity had been offended and that he had been brutalised and assaulted by a gang of English thugs, but outside Argentina very few people took the incident seriously at all.
When the matter came up in an interview on the BBC's 'World of Sport' program Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper, who was one of the players implicated by the pinching allegation was asked about the incident and who in fact had done the pinching. Suspicions rested heavily on England’s young and irreverent midfielder Paul Gascoine but Shilton’s now famous response was that; ‘It must have been the hand of God.’
Notes
Note 1
England were invited by FIFA to play in both the 1934 and 1938 world cups but declined the invitation. In TTL they take the place of the Netherlands East Indies team who in OTL were defeated 6-0 by Hungary in their opening match and eliminated. Between 1936 and 1939 England only played Hungary once. The match was on the second of December 1936 and the result was 6-2 to England.
England played Switzerland once in the same time period losing 2-1 in a close game in Zurich and Sweden once winning 4-0 in Sweden. They played Italy on 13 May 1939, the result was a 2-2 draw in Milan. The battle of Highbury took place on the 14th of November 1934. It was billed by the British press as the real World Cup final and Benito Mussolini offered each Italian player an Alfa Romeo car if they won. The match was extremely violent from the start but England won 3-2
Note 2
Duncan Edwards was and still is admired by all those who knew him. Bobby Charlton, England's all time top goal scorer, said that he ‘wasn't fit to lace Duncan's boots’. Those who played with and against him regard him as the complete footballer, a player without a single weakness in his game. He died in the Munich air disaster of 1958.
"He was incomparable, I feel terrible trying to explain to people just how good he was, his death was the biggest single tragedy ever to happen to Manchester United and English football. I always felt I could compare well with any player - except Duncan. He was such a talent, I always felt inferior to him. He didn't have a fault with his game." - Bobby Charlton
"When I used to hear Muhammad Ali proclaim to the world he was the greatest, I used to smile. You see, the greatest of them all was an English footballer named Duncan Edwards." - Jimmy Murphy
“He is the greatest player I have ever seen.” - Terry Venables
"You can keep all your Bests, Peles and Maradonas, Duncan Edwards was the greatest of them all" - Tommy Docherty
Note 3
In OTL it was a 0-0 draw
Note 4
In OTL Brazil won the tournament.
Note 5
In OTL both Italy and Brazil have accomplished this feat, Italy winning in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil winning in 1958 and 1962.
Part 1: Thursday 6th February 1958
Heinrich Schreiber is not happy, the headlights of the Opel van that he is driving pick out patches of grey slush on the black asphalt of the main runway. The control tower is annoyed with him for delaying a scheduled departure, the pilot of the British European Airways plane with its engines turning at the other end of the runway is annoyed with him because his engines are beginning to overheat, his wife is annoyed with him because she is always annoyed with him; but he curses them all under his breath and mutters that they would be more annoyed with him still if the damned plane were to crash. The tower thinks it will probably be okay, the English pilot is willing to 'Give it a go' (though he has tried twice before to take off and failed) but it is up to him to say whether or not the runway is safe and it isn't.
It is a disgusting February afternoon, the temperature hovers around freezing and flurries of snow blow fitfully across the flat expanses of Munich airport. It isn't even half past three but the clouds are so thick and the weather so miserable that it is already twilight. A layer of cloying wet slush has covered the ground to a depth of about 10 cm, it has been partially cleared but whoever has done the clearing instead of pushing the filthy stuff to the side with the plough has pushed it up to the end of the runway where it is now banked up in grey folds like dirty mashed potatoes.
Just a few years ago, when most aircraft were of the tail sitter type it wouldn't even have mattered, but newer aircraft such as the BEA Ambassador, now waiting to take off haved tricycle landing gear with the main wheels behind the aircraft centre of gravity and trying to take off through slush would be extremely difficult for it. What annoyed Schreiber was that he was probably the only man in the airport who knew this, in the last winter of the Second World War he had been a mechanic servicing the dwindling fleet of Luftwaffe fighter aircraft and his squadron had converted from tail sitting propeller driven fighters to the new tricycle undercarriage jets. Three of them were lost in accidents trying to take off in slushy conditions before they realised what the problem was.
He stops the Opel outside the hut where Anton Schmidt who drives the runway maintenance plough sits reading dirty magazines until someone reminds him to do his job. Schreiber doesn't like Schmidt, people know that he doesn't like Schmidt and ask him why. He tends not to answer the question directly unless he absolutely has to but when he can't avoid giving an answer he simply says that Schmidt is the most lazy, useless, good-for-nothing bastard he has ever had the misfortune to work with.
He walks in and takes off his hat, Schmidt smiles amiably when he sees Schreiber, his dull pudgy face suddenly wears an ingratiating grin. Schmidt has always been a little afraid of Schreiber, Schreiber always seemed to be angry about something. Schmidt doesn't understand people who can't just relax and be happy but he tries to stay on Schreiber's good side.
"Herr Schreiber where have you been, don't you know it's not fit for a dog to be out there? Come and have some coffee." Schmidt gestures to the coffee pot on the stove, Schreiber looks at him evenly.
"Comfortable Anton?"
"Oh yes Herr Schreiber, very comfortable thanks."
"So you cleared the runway did you?"
"Oh yes it is clear."
"Really?" Schmidt hesitates, looks at him unsure.
"Well I..."
"Well you what?"
" I... I...'
"Speak up you halfwit!"
"I... I cleared it - it's clear, you can see for yourself, did you look at it?" Schreiber turns purple with rage and roars.
"Yes I looked at it you silly looking shit! You didn't clear right to the end of the runway did you? Schmidt looks at him mortified
“Did you?” Schmidt begins to splutter an excuse
“Herr Schreiber, I...” but Schreiber cuts him off.
“I don't want to listen to your snivelling excuses you pathetic little prick! Get your useless arse back into that fucking truck and do it properly. How do you think the runway is going to get cleared if you don't do it, what the fuck are you waiting for Schmidt? The hand of God?"
But he is talking to Schmidt's back, the man is running out of the door the dirty magazine falls to the ground splaying glossy pages across the dirty floor of the hut.
Part 2: Sunday 8th July 1990
From the transcript of the ITV commentary on the World Cup Final, hosted by Ian St John and Jimmy Greaves
... and as Terry Butcher lifts the World Cup for England you can hardly hear yourself think here at the Olympico Stadium in Rome.
Yes Ian, the fans have waited 24 years for this...
Well I think they might have had something to do with it here today Jimmy.
Yes the lads were on good form…
I think they went a bit overboard actually Jimmy, every time Maradonna got a touch the whole place seemed to be chanting 'Hand of God' 'Hand of God'.
Except when Argentina first came on the pitch.
Yes then there were just chanting ‘Cheat, Cheat, Cheat’, I mean it was a bit much wasn’t it?
Well I don't know what you expect from them Ian? I hear tickets were changing hands for a thousand quid just before the match and if Diego Maradonna can't bear a bit of friendly heckling …
Friendly hecking?
While he’s probably got a guilty conscience hasn’t he – he should have.
I expect the England fans who paid £1000 of their tickets will say it was money well spent, of course very few Argentina fans managed to make it here today.
Well that's not exactly true Ian, Argentina got plenty of support.
Not as vocal as the English though.
While that's not the team's fault is it - and besides the Argies didn't play very well, they didn’t play very well at all.
No I agree there.
This whole tournament they’ve played dull, negative football and while the final we’ve just seen wasn't a classic match by any means I don't think England supporters will be complaining too much about the lads bringing home the World Cup a fourth time. Oh and there’s Duncan Edwards the England coach shaking hands with Francesco Cossiga the Italian President…
And there if we have a look at the live feed the camera's right on Franz Beckenbauer, who looks a bit glum.
Yeah well they don't like it up ‘em Ian.
You always say that…
Do I? I hadn't noticed.
Well I'll say this Jimmy, I'd say that semi-final against West Germany was the crucial match of the tournament for England.
Oh there's no question of it Ian, you could never say that that wasn't an excellent game of football and the way Argentina played here today I think there is no doubt that if West Germany had got by England it would be them lifting the cup.
Part 3: The Hand of Gazza
From The Times Tuesday 21st June 1938
England players bring home football World Cup
England's World Cup football squad arrived home yesterday at Croydon aerodrome to a rousing welcome from several hundred delighted fans. Eddie Hapgood, the captain and the rest of the team stopped for half an hour to sign autographs and pose for photographers before returning to their homes for a well earned rest. Hapgood made no attempt to conceal the black eye that he received during the final from Italian centre forward Gino Colaussi. The match has been described as passionate, robust and physical but fortunately was not marred by violence to the same extent as the infamous Battle of Highbury four years ago.
England were undefeated in the four games of the World Cup finals, beating Hungary 3-1 on the fifth of June, Switzerland 1-0 in the quarter-finals on the 12th of June, Sweden 4-0 in the semi-final on the 16th and finally Italy 2-1 in the final on Sunday. This is the first time that England have played in the World Cup finals. (Note 1)
From ‘Who’s Who in England International Football 1872 – 1997’ by Bobby Robson. Faber 1997
Edwards, Duncan was born in Dudley, in the West Midlands on 1st October 1936, he was an English international footballer.
Regarded by many as England's best ever player he could excel in any position on the pitch but usually played as a defensive midfielder. From his youth Edwards displayed an extraordinary footballing ability, and by the time he was playing for his junior school his skill was impossible to miss. One of his teachers watching the 11-year-old in action noted that he 'Told all the other 21 players what to do and where to go and that included the referee and linesmen!' the same teacher later wrote 'I have just seen a boy of 11 who will one day play for England'.
As well as his exploits in an England shirt Edwards will always be associated with Manchester United. He was one of the 'Busby Babes', a group of young footballers groomed by United's Manager Matt Busby in the late 1940's when the club was in a very difficult financial position and unable to buy players from other clubs. Busby and his head trainer Jimmy Murphy decided to utilize a revolutionary youth policy that involved developing the skills of young players to produce the stars of the future rather than purchasing talent from other teams.
Edwards was signed by Manchester United in June 1952 at the age of 16. On his professional debut against Cardiff City on 4th April 1953, he became the youngest footballer ever to play in the Football League First Division. He made his international debut on 2nd April 1955 at the age of 18 in a match against Scotland. (It is worth noting here in this an age of millionaire football superstars Duncan Edwards earned a £15 a week from his club during the season reducing to £12 a week during the summer off season.)
Edwards played for England on 122 occasions and scored 23 goals, he took part in four World Cup tournaments as a player in 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970 and two as a coach in 1990 and 1994. He wrote three books on the subject of football including his account of England’s succesful campaign in the 1990 world Cup but the best remembered is 'Tackle Soccer This Way' which he finished at the age of 21. It is still the work most widely recommended to aspiring young players. (Note 2)
From www.FIFA.com/history/tournaments
The 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden were the first to be televised and marked the debut of two extraordinary talents to the world football stage. Brazil were the winners, inspired by the genius of a 17-year-old youngster named Pele. They beat England 3-2 in the final in an epic match noted for superb performances from Brazil's Pele and England's 21-year-old Duncan Edwards. It marked an almost poetic turnaround in Brazil's fortunes, England and Brazil having met in the group stages, England winning 1-0 (Note 3)
Brazil were not so fortunate in the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Pele played only in the opening game against Mexico before being injured. He took no further part in the tournament and Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by England who beat them 2-1. England went on to win the competition beating Chile 3-1 in the semifinals and Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final (Note 4)
England won the World Cup again in 1966 when the tournament was held in the United Kingdom. England are the only team to have won the trophy in two consecutive tournaments. (Note 5)
From www.vivafutbol.co.uk
The 1990 World Cup is widely regarded as one of the least entertaining ever. It produced a record-low goals-per-game average and a record 16 players were sent off for foul play. Most teams relied on defensive play, severe tackling and aggressive intimidation of the referee. In the knockout stage, many teams played it safe for 120 minutes in the hope of forcing a penalty shootout, rather than risk open, attacking play. Three of the 4 quarterfinal matches and one of the semifinals were decided on a penalty shoot-out or a match-winning penalty kick. Runners-up Argentina were the worst offenders scoring only five goals in seven games and lost half their team to injury or suspension by the final. Eventual champions England were one of the few teams to choose an attacking style of play.
With their fourth title England became the most successful World Cup nation for four years, until Brazil also won a fourth title in 1994. The team manager Duncan Edwards became the first footballer to win the World Cup as a player (in 1962 and 1966) and as team manager.
The semi-final between West Germany and England was one of the best games of the 1990 tournament. Played on a sultry night in Turin it was goalless at half-time despite both teams playing with courage and flair. Germany came close to scoring several times, the closest was in the 60th minute when a shot from Andreas Brehme was deflected by Paul Parker and came perilously close to entering the net but for the desperately reaching fingers of Peter Shilton. But then, with only 10 minutes remaining of regulation time, Gary Lineker scored for England.
The bad tempered final between England and Argentina was characterized by the unrelenting barracking that Argentina’s captain, Diego Maradonna, was forced to endure from the England fans. The teams had previously met in the 1986 quarter finals where Argentina had only prevailed due to an infamous handball by Maradonna which the referee failed to see. When questioned about the incident later the Argentine captain said that it had been ‘The hand of God’ a response that was to haunt him in Rome as the mass of England fans chanted ‘Hand of God’ ‘Hand of God’ every time he got the ball. He had one of the worst games of his international career and at times seemed quite unnerved.
The game also produced several football firsts. In the 65th minute, Argentina's Pedro Monzon was sent off for a foul on Peter Beardsley and became the first player ever to be sent off in a World Cup final. Team-mate Gustavo Dezotti received the second red card of the game with only four minutes remaining after he deliberately knocked down Peter Beardsley during a stoppage in play. Shortly before Dezotti's dismissal, the referee awarded a penalty to England, from which Gary Lineker scored the second goal of the game. The 2-0 scoreline provided another first: Argentina were the first team ever to take part in a World Cup final without scoring, having managed just one shot on goal in the process. England’s other goal was scored by Stuart Pearce in the 57th minute.
The game is famous for one other incident, several England players, finding themselves walking down the tunnel at the Rome Stadium next to the dejected figure of Diego Maradona could not resist the temptation to give the Argentine captain a barrage of friendly slaps on the back and shoulders accompanied by mocking cries of ‘Never mind Diego’ and ‘Better luck next time’. Peter Beardsley who witnessed the episode said that it was '…light and playful, completely affable, not aggressive at all, but you should've seen Maradona's expression I just burst out laughing.’
Maradona was not similarly amused and made a complaint to the Mexican referee Codesal Mendez alleging that one of the England players had pinched one of his buttocks. Senior Mendez who having endured the aggressive attentions of all the Argentinian players at every decision he had given against their side, dismissed it out of hand. Maradona however was not inclined to let the matter go and complained volubly to the Argentine papers that his dignity had been offended and that he had been brutalised and assaulted by a gang of English thugs, but outside Argentina very few people took the incident seriously at all.
When the matter came up in an interview on the BBC's 'World of Sport' program Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper, who was one of the players implicated by the pinching allegation was asked about the incident and who in fact had done the pinching. Suspicions rested heavily on England’s young and irreverent midfielder Paul Gascoine but Shilton’s now famous response was that; ‘It must have been the hand of God.’
Notes
Note 1
England were invited by FIFA to play in both the 1934 and 1938 world cups but declined the invitation. In TTL they take the place of the Netherlands East Indies team who in OTL were defeated 6-0 by Hungary in their opening match and eliminated. Between 1936 and 1939 England only played Hungary once. The match was on the second of December 1936 and the result was 6-2 to England.
England played Switzerland once in the same time period losing 2-1 in a close game in Zurich and Sweden once winning 4-0 in Sweden. They played Italy on 13 May 1939, the result was a 2-2 draw in Milan. The battle of Highbury took place on the 14th of November 1934. It was billed by the British press as the real World Cup final and Benito Mussolini offered each Italian player an Alfa Romeo car if they won. The match was extremely violent from the start but England won 3-2
Note 2
Duncan Edwards was and still is admired by all those who knew him. Bobby Charlton, England's all time top goal scorer, said that he ‘wasn't fit to lace Duncan's boots’. Those who played with and against him regard him as the complete footballer, a player without a single weakness in his game. He died in the Munich air disaster of 1958.
"He was incomparable, I feel terrible trying to explain to people just how good he was, his death was the biggest single tragedy ever to happen to Manchester United and English football. I always felt I could compare well with any player - except Duncan. He was such a talent, I always felt inferior to him. He didn't have a fault with his game." - Bobby Charlton
"When I used to hear Muhammad Ali proclaim to the world he was the greatest, I used to smile. You see, the greatest of them all was an English footballer named Duncan Edwards." - Jimmy Murphy
“He is the greatest player I have ever seen.” - Terry Venables
"You can keep all your Bests, Peles and Maradonas, Duncan Edwards was the greatest of them all" - Tommy Docherty
Note 3
In OTL it was a 0-0 draw
Note 4
In OTL Brazil won the tournament.
Note 5
In OTL both Italy and Brazil have accomplished this feat, Italy winning in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil winning in 1958 and 1962.