England v Brazil…
2nd Group Game
The Build-Up…
Peter Logan:
We were back at the stadium the next day to see Brazil easily beat Czechoslovakia 4-1.
Patrick Burke:
We then witnessed Brazil’s 4-1 win against Czechoslovakia. The Czechs scored first and their scorer went down on his knees and blessed himself – ensuring he would never play for Glasgow Rangers! The England team had left early. I don’t think Alf Ramsey saw anything he didn’t already know about Brazil.
We then witnessed Brazil’s 4-1 win against Czechoslovakia. The Czechs scored first and their scorer went down on his knees and blessed himself – ensuring he would never play for Glasgow Rangers! The England team had left early. I don’t think Alf Ramsey saw anything he didn’t already know about Brazil.
Jasper Cook:
We had watched the Brazil v Czechoslovakia game on the television back at the motel. The Brazilians were a delight to watch, with the brilliant play of their forwards. They were so athletic. They had something in their genes… You had to be careful not to let them have the ball – and that was difficult. But the mid-field general-ship of Gerson remained stamped on my mind for a long time after.
We had watched the Brazil v Czechoslovakia game on the television back at the motel. The Brazilians were a delight to watch, with the brilliant play of their forwards. They were so athletic. They had something in their genes… You had to be careful not to let them have the ball – and that was difficult. But the mid-field general-ship of Gerson remained stamped on my mind for a long time after.
Patrick Burke:
Some experts reckoned that Brazilian team was the greatest of all winning teams. We probably didn’t see it that way at the time, and it was only some decades down the line that we truly appreciate how good a team it was.
Some experts reckoned that Brazilian team was the greatest of all winning teams. We probably didn’t see it that way at the time, and it was only some decades down the line that we truly appreciate how good a team it was.
Jasper Cook:
The Brazilian and West German teams in particular, had wooed the locals in Guadalajara and Leon to an extent that was almost sickening. But certainly, when the chips were down, they enjoyed almost complete support from the home crowds.
The Brazilian and West German teams in particular, had wooed the locals in Guadalajara and Leon to an extent that was almost sickening. But certainly, when the chips were down, they enjoyed almost complete support from the home crowds.
Stanley Lewis:
When they (Brazil) came out, no matter who they played, they brought bunches of flowers and threw them to the crowd – so they had them on their side straight away.
When they (Brazil) came out, no matter who they played, they brought bunches of flowers and threw them to the crowd – so they had them on their side straight away.
Jasper Cook:
We knew that the winning team of this game (England v Brazil) – as probable group winners – would stay in Guadalajara for the quarter-final. So the other team would, in effect, be playing their Quarter-Final game ‘away’.
We knew that the winning team of this game (England v Brazil) – as probable group winners – would stay in Guadalajara for the quarter-final. So the other team would, in effect, be playing their Quarter-Final game ‘away’.
Patrick Burke:
I wasn’t worried. We had won our first game so we could afford to lose this one provided we beat Czechoslovakia in the third game.
I wasn’t worried. We had won our first game so we could afford to lose this one provided we beat Czechoslovakia in the third game.
Peter Logan:
We had been to the stadium to see Rumania beat the Czechs 2-1. There was nothing really to worry about there… (with the Czechs). But the next day was the Big One… England v Brazil…
We had been to the stadium to see Rumania beat the Czechs 2-1. There was nothing really to worry about there… (with the Czechs). But the next day was the Big One… England v Brazil…
Alan Mullery:
There was a lot of bad feeling towards the England team… The night before the game, Brazilian and Mexican fans got together to make sure we didn’t get a wink of sleep. There were Mexican bands playing outside the hotel. Samba rhythms filled the night. Hundreds of cars drove up and down the street, sounding their horns for hours on end. People were shouting and screaming. Fireworks were going off… But the Mexican police did nothing to stop it… We had to move rooms at about 3am, going to the back of the hotel.
There was a lot of bad feeling towards the England team… The night before the game, Brazilian and Mexican fans got together to make sure we didn’t get a wink of sleep. There were Mexican bands playing outside the hotel. Samba rhythms filled the night. Hundreds of cars drove up and down the street, sounding their horns for hours on end. People were shouting and screaming. Fireworks were going off… But the Mexican police did nothing to stop it… We had to move rooms at about 3am, going to the back of the hotel.
Sunday June 7th 1970 – Kick-Off: Midday
Alan Mullery:
If anything, the events of the night (before) made us even more focused on the game ahead…
If anything, the events of the night (before) made us even more focused on the game ahead…
Jasper Cook:
On the day of the game I got the flu… I think it was flu. Could have been something to do with the mosquito bites. The motel arranged for the house doctor to see me. They were very good. But I was so ill I could hardly think about the game. I couldn’t go… The motel was so quiet around kick-off time because pretty well everyone had gone to see the game. I mustered myself to watch it on television in the motel lounge.
On the day of the game I got the flu… I think it was flu. Could have been something to do with the mosquito bites. The motel arranged for the house doctor to see me. They were very good. But I was so ill I could hardly think about the game. I couldn’t go… The motel was so quiet around kick-off time because pretty well everyone had gone to see the game. I mustered myself to watch it on television in the motel lounge.
Alan Mullery:
… The adrenalin that flooded through me on the way to the stadium more than made up for a bad night’s sleep.
… The adrenalin that flooded through me on the way to the stadium more than made up for a bad night’s sleep.
Peter Logan:
For this one, the 12 o’clock kick-off, we was sitting in the sun… But the sun gradually moved round and I suppose it eventually went off you. But early on, yes, it was hot.
Patrick Burke:
I was satisfied with the team selection for the game but – if anything – I had doubts about Francis Lee.
I was satisfied with the team selection for the game but – if anything – I had doubts about Francis Lee.
Jasper Cook:
I was all by myself at the motel… It was a bit like the Gordon Banks situation in Leon – I’m sure if I had been there, at the game, we wouldn’t have lost 1-0!
I was all by myself at the motel… It was a bit like the Gordon Banks situation in Leon – I’m sure if I had been there, at the game, we wouldn’t have lost 1-0!
Peter Logan:
It lived up to the expectancy. A great game…. Probably the best game of the lot really. England gave as good as they got. We were sitting high-up behind the goal where Gordon Banks made that incredible save from a Pele header. We didn’t probably appreciate what a brilliant save it was until later when we saw it on the television. It’s only then you think “Gord, how did he keep that out?”
It lived up to the expectancy. A great game…. Probably the best game of the lot really. England gave as good as they got. We were sitting high-up behind the goal where Gordon Banks made that incredible save from a Pele header. We didn’t probably appreciate what a brilliant save it was until later when we saw it on the television. It’s only then you think “Gord, how did he keep that out?”
Alan Mullery:
Alf again asked me to man-mark Pele, as I had done a year before (1969 Brazil v England friendly in Mexico City).
Alf again asked me to man-mark Pele, as I had done a year before (1969 Brazil v England friendly in Mexico City).
Patrick Burke:
We could have won it. We were never out-classed at all. Pele was up against Mullery. I think he [Pele] might have been fading a bit by then to be honest. I thought we deserved a draw. We should really have got one. Peters and Astle had very good chances.
We could have won it. We were never out-classed at all. Pele was up against Mullery. I think he [Pele] might have been fading a bit by then to be honest. I thought we deserved a draw. We should really have got one. Peters and Astle had very good chances.
Peter Logan:
England had their chances to win the game, none more so than the Jeff Astle miss. Oh dear, oh dear… That was the end we were at. So, in the end, we missed our chance and they took theirs.
England had their chances to win the game, none more so than the Jeff Astle miss. Oh dear, oh dear… That was the end we were at. So, in the end, we missed our chance and they took theirs.
Stanley Lewis:
The only person who let us down that day was Astle. He missed that gold-plated chance.
The only person who let us down that day was Astle. He missed that gold-plated chance.
Alan Mullery:
We were disappointed to lose 1-0. A draw would have been a fair result, but we just could not score on the day.
We were disappointed to lose 1-0. A draw would have been a fair result, but we just could not score on the day.
Jasper Cook:
Everyone came back to the motel disappointed… Somebody asked me “who do you think’ll win it?” I said “I don’t think – I know it’ll be Brazil!” They were just in another class.
Everyone came back to the motel disappointed… Somebody asked me “who do you think’ll win it?” I said “I don’t think – I know it’ll be Brazil!” They were just in another class.
Peter Logan:
Obviously you want to win all your games. But I don’t remember being too disappointed because we were probably going on at any rate.
Obviously you want to win all your games. But I don’t remember being too disappointed because we were probably going on at any rate.
Jasper Cook:
People didn’t really drown their sorrows too much. I don’t think in our wildest dreams we expected to go out and murder them anyway. It was always going to be a tough one. Generally, at least amongst our party at the motel, we weren’t people who thought we were going to win by ten or lose by ten.
People didn’t really drown their sorrows too much. I don’t think in our wildest dreams we expected to go out and murder them anyway. It was always going to be a tough one. Generally, at least amongst our party at the motel, we weren’t people who thought we were going to win by ten or lose by ten.
Patrick Burke:
As for qualification for the quarter finals? Well, the result was academic in the end – as long as we beat the Czechs.
As for qualification for the quarter finals? Well, the result was academic in the end – as long as we beat the Czechs.
Peter Logan:
We went to all the group games in Guadalajara but I can’t really remember them – apart from this one – the Brazil game…
We went to all the group games in Guadalajara but I can’t really remember them – apart from this one – the Brazil game…
