Let me get "the local angle" out of the way first. America -- or "the United States," if you prefer -- did not qualify for the 1970 World Cup. We did try, but, as was the case for every one between 1950 and 1990, we simply weren't good enough.
CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, put the U.S. in a Qualification Group Stage with Canada and Bermuda. On October 13, 1968, we lost 4-2 to Canada at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. On October 26, we beat Canada 1-0 at Atlanta (later Atlanta-Fulton County) Stadium. On November 2, we beat Bermuda 6-2 at Kansas City Municipal Stadium. And on November 11, we beat Bermuda 2-0 at their National Stadium in Hamilton.
So we advanced to the Semifinal, where we faced Haiti, a team we should have beaten, but didn't. On April 20, 1969, we lost 2-0 Stade Sylvio Cantor in Port-au-Prince. And on May 11, we lost 1-0 at San Diego (later Jack Murphy) Stadium, ending our bid. Haiti then lost the Final to El Salvador, who eliminated neighboring Honduras, a series of events that included a 2-day "Football War" between the countries.
So the 16 teams involved were:
* From CONCACAF: Mexico (as the host, they qualified automatically) and El Salvador.
* From CONMEBOL, the governing body for South America: Brazil, Peru and Uruguay.
* From UEFA, the governing body for Europe: England (as the defending champions, they qualified automatically), Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Romania, the Soviet Union, Sweden and West Germany.
* From CAF, the governing body for Africa: Morocco.
* From AFC, the governing body for Asia: Israel.
* From OFC, the governing body for Oceania (centered on Australia): No teams qualified.
The Israelis were making their 1st appearance. It remains their only one. Eventually, the Muslim nations of the Middle East would refuse to allow their national teams play them, and would refuse to allow their club teams to play Israel's, resulting in FIFA, the governing body for world soccer (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), moving them into UEFA.
*
This was the 1st time the World Cup was held in a CONCACAF nation. The advantage to playing in Mexico was that the infrastructure was already in place, due to Mexico's solid Liga MX, and also to the country having hosted the Olympics in 1968. The disadvantages to playing in Mexico were the weather (much of the country is desert, so it was hot) and the elevation (the highest in World Cup history, even higher than the mountainous nations of Sweden in 1958 and Chile in 1962, thus the air was thinner, possibly dangerous when hot).
But the infrastructure already being in place meant that it wasn't an especially expensive World Cup to put on -- which helped in 1983, when Colombia, chosen as host for 1986, accepted that their internal strife was too much, and became the only nation ever to bow out as a World Cup host. As FIFA tended to alternate between Europe and Latin America, and Spain had hosted in 1982, they decided that the host had to be another Latin American nation. Mexico had done well as host in 1970, so they put it there again, and it worked pretty well again.
Brazil had hosted in 1950, but lost the Final to neighboring Uruguay, as devastating a loss as has ever been suffered in sports. In 1954, they won their Group, but were defeated in the Quarterfinal by a Hungary team known as "The Magnificent Magyars," which would also be stunned in a Final, by West Germany.
But in 1958, with 17-year-old Edson Arantes do Nascimento, a.k.a. Pelé, Brazil won their 1st World Cup, beating host nation Sweden in the Final. In 1962, in Chile, they won again, with a Final win over Czechoslovakia. Their 1966 experience was hard, with neighbors and arch-rivals Argentina literally kicking Pelé out of the tournament. England won the Final on home soil, over West Germany in extra time.
In the interim between 1966 and 1970, Brazil, as it occasionally does, fell to an autocratic government. What's more, the manager, João Saldanha, refused to pick Pelé for the 1970 team. He also refused to pick Dario José dos Santos, or simply "Dario." (Brazilian stars tend to be known by either just their first names, or nicknames as in Pelé's case.) Told that the military President, Emílio Garrastazu Médici, considered Dario one of his favorite players, and that Saldanha should pick him, Saldanha said, "Well, I also have some suggestions to give in the President's ministry choices."
Finally, his assistant manager quit, saying he was "impossible to work with." So Saldanha was fired. Mário Zagallo, who had played on the 1958 and '62 Cup winners, and had been managing Rio de Janeiro team Botafogo, was named to replace him. He named both Pelé and Dario to the team -- or, in Portuguese, O Seleção, "the Selection."
Mário Zagallo
*
Venues for the World Cup were:
* Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the 107,000-capacity (now 87,000-seat) home of Club América, the country's most successful team, and also of club sides Necaxa, Atlante, and soon Cruz Azul and the now-defunct Atlético Español.
* Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, then home to Guadalajara (a.k.a. Chivas, or Goats) and Jalisco; and, then as now, home to Atlas and Leones Negros (Black Lions).
* Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, home of Puebla F.C.
* Estadio Luis Dosal in Toluca, home of Deportivo Toluca. It is now named Estadio Nemesio Díez, and, like the home of Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is nicknamed La Bombonera, or "The Chocolate Box."
* Estadio León, home of Club León. The stadium is nicknamed the Nou Camp, after the home of FC Barcelona in Spain.
Estadio Azteca
As I said, this was the 1st time the World Cup would be broadcast around the world in color, so no longer would teams be seen in shades of gray. Host Mexico would be in green. England, the Soviet Union, Belgium, Bulgaria, Morocco and Peru wore red. Brazil, Sweden and Romania wore yellow -- Brazil's shirt being nicknamed O Canarinho, "The Canary." Italy wore royal blue. Uruguay and Israel wore sky blue. El Salvador and Czechoslovakia wore white for all of their matches. Peru wore white with a red sash. West Germany wore green once, and white for the rest of their matches.
Traditionally, the hosts play the 1st match, and Mexico opened against the Soviets on May 31, playing a 0-0 draw at the Azteca. Both advanced from Group 1. Italy and Uruguay advanced from Group 2, with Israel losing 2-0 to Uruguay, drawing 1-1 with Sweden, and bravely holding Italy to a 0-0 draw. West Germany and Peru advanced from Group 4.
The match everyone wanted to see was in Group 3, in Guadalajara on June 7. A cross at the corner from Jairzinho went right where he wanted it to, a spot soon met by the head of Pelé. As soon as he hit it, Pelé yelled, "Gol!"
This was a man who had already scored over 1,000 goals in all competitions -- and, contrary to what modern fans, citing Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo as the "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time) would say, they were no more "all against farmers" than those current pretenders' goals have been -- so he usually knew what he was talking about.
Not this time. Gordon Banks, as much a reason as anyone why England won 4 years earlier, had been facing Jairzinho, expecting a shot to his left. He had just enough time to switch dive to his right, stick out his right hand, and knock Pelé's shot over the crossbar.
Pelé, who did already speak English: "I thought that was a goal."
Banks: "You and me both."
Bobby Moore, England centreback and Captain: "You're getting old, Banksy. You used to hold on to them." (Banks was 32, Moore 29, Pelé also 29.)
It's been called the greatest save in the sport's history. But Brazil would not be denied. In the 59th minute, Jairzinho put one past Banks, and it was 1-0 Brazil, and would end that way. After the game, Moore, white, and a defender, swapped shirts with Pelé, black, and an attacker, each country's greatest sports legend joining for an act more important than anything that happened in the game.
In spite of the loss, England did advance to the knockout round, as did Brazil. The Quarterfinals, all played on June 14, were loaded with drama. Brazil had a little trouble with fellow South Americans Peru, but beat them 4-2. Uruguay and the Soviets went to extra time at the Azteca. Just when it looked like there might be a penalty shootout, Victor Espárrago scored in the 117th minute, allowing Uruguay, the 1930 and 1950 winners, to advance.
At Toluca, Italy eliminated the hosts. Mexico took an early 1-0 lead, but an own goal tied it up. In the span of 13 minutes in the 2nd half, Luigi "Gigi" Riva, whose spectacular strikes had given Sardinia-based Cagliari its only league title ever a few weeks earlier, scored 2 beauties. In between, Italy also got a goal from perhaps the greatest player they'd ever produced, A.C. Milan star Gianni Rivera.
At León came a rematch of the 1966 Final: England vs. West Germany. Banks came down with food poisoning, and, to this day, there are conspiracy theories that a German fan may have done it to him deliberately. (Shades of what would allegedly happen with Arsenal and Tottenham in 2006.) At gametime, manager Alf Ramsey, so dependent upon Banks 4 years earlier, dropped the Stoke City netminder for Chelsea's Peter Bonetti.
At first, things went well for England. Alan Mullery of Tottenham Hotspur scored in the 31st. In the 49th, Martin Peters of West Ham, who had scored in the '66 Final, tallied. Three-quarters of the way through the game, England were up 2-0, and looked like they were headed for a Semifinal date with Italy, who had won Euro 68.
But Franz Beckenbauer of Bayern Munich scored in the 68th minute. And then Uwe Seeler of Hamburg tied the game in the 82nd. The game went to extra time at 2-2, as had the '66 Final. This time, it was "Ze Germans" who found the 3rd goal, from Bayern striker Gerd Müller.
Looking at the tape of the game, I am firmly convinced that Banks would not have stopped any of the 3 German goals. It was England's vaunted defense that was to blame: Moore was the only '66 holdover, and newcomers Terry Cooper of 1969 Football League Champions Leeds United, and Brian Labone and Keith Newton of 1970 Champions Everton were not up to the task.
Another conspiracy theory says that this defeat so depressed the people of England that it held down turnout in the United Kingdom's general election, allowing the Conservative Party to knock the Liberal Party out of power, resulting in Harold Wilson being replaced as Prime Minister by Edward Heath. This theory makes a bit more sense than the one about Banks being intentionally poisoned.
*
The Semifinals were played on June 17. It had been 20 years, minus a month, since Uruguay had humiliated Brazil in the World Cup Final at Estádio do Maracanã in Rio, an event known as Maracanaço, "The Agony of Maracanã." O Seleção wanted revenge.
And, for most of the 1st half in Guadalajara, it looked like they wouldn't get it. Uruguay took a 1-0 lead after just 19 minutes. But Clodoaldo scored near the end of the half. Jairzinho scored the winner in the 76th, and Rivelino added insurance in the 89th, giving Brazil a 3-1 win.
The other Semifinal, between Italy and West Germany at the Azteca, was a wild one, and has gone down in history as "The Game of the Century." It was a lot like the 1958 NFL Championship Game, a.k.a. "The Greatest Game Ever Played," in that it wasn't especially compelling most of the way, but became so, and went to overtime (or "extra time," as soccer calls it), and had a dramatic ending.
Roberto Boninsegna of Internazionale Milano put Italy on the board in the 8th minute. And 1-0 to the Azzurri (Blues) it remained. For whatever reason, Italy manager Ferruccio Valcareggi decided that he couldn’t make his country’s 2 best players, Gianni Rivera and Boninsegna's Inter teammate Sandro Mazzola work together. So, for the 2nd half, he took Mazzola off, and put Rivera on.
Ironically, it was an A.C. Milan player, and a centreback to boot, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, who got Germany the equalizer in the 90th and last minute of normal time. As German TV announcer Ernst Huberty said, "Schnellinger! Ausgerechnet Schnellinger!" (Schnellinger, of all people!)
After the restart, an Italian defensive error led to a goal by Müller in the 94th. But 4 minutes later, another defender leveled the game -- and, perhaps answering fate for fate, it was an ethnic German, Inter's Tarcisio Burgnich, a native of Udine near Italy's border with Austria and Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia).
Riva scored in the 104th minute, and it looked like a 3-2 Italy win. Müller scored in the 110th, and, as English announcer Brian Moore might have said, it was up for grabs now. But just after the restart, Rivera came in and buried one past Bayern goalkeeper Sepp Maier. Italy's famed defense held on for the 4-3 win.
West Germany, having won the World Cup in 1954, would win Euro 72 and the 1974 World Cup. But, for now, it was Italy, winners in 1934 and 1938, against Brazil, winners in 1958 and 1962.
*
It was June 21, 1970, half a century ago. One nation, Brazil, was under a military dictatorship. The other, Italy, was constantly changing governments, as multi-party coalitions fell apart, with the current Prime Minister being Mariano Rumor. The host nation, Mexico, was effectively a one-party state, with Gustavo Díaz Ordaz as President.
The recently crowned champions of the various European leagues were Everton in England (with Chelsea having won the FA Cup), Celtic in Scotland, Saint-Étienne in France, Atlético de Madrid in Spain, Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Borussia Mönchengladbach in Germany, Cagliari in Italy, Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia, Legia Warsaw in Poland, and CSKA Moscow in the Soviet Union. Feyenoord of Rotterdam became the 1st team from the Netherlands to win the European Cup, the tournament now known as the UEFA Champions League.
The titleholders in major North American sports were the New York Mets in baseball, the Kansas City Chiefs in football, the New York Knicks in basketball, the Boston Bruins in hockey, and the Rochester Lancers in the North American Soccer League. Joe Frazier was officially recognized as the Heavyweight Champion of the World, but the undefeated Muhammad Ali was waiting for his chance to take back the title that had been stripped from him.
The President of the United States was Richard Nixon. The Governor of the State of New York was Nelson Rockefeller. The Mayor of the City of New York was John Lindsay. The Governor of the State of New Jersey was William T. Cahill. The New York Nets were playing on Long Island, and the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils did not exist yet. The New York Red Bulls and New York City Football Club? The New York Cosmos did not even exist yet.
The Prime Minister of Canada was Pierre Trudeau (father of the current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau); and of Britain, as I said, Edward Heath. Queen Elizabeth II was head of state of both nations -- that hasn't changed. The Pope was Paul VI. The United Nations' International Labour Organization was the holder of the Nobel Peace Prize. There were still surviving veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Boer War.
Joe Biden had just been elected to his 1st public office, the New Castle County Council in Delaware. Donald Trump had... recently begun working at Elizabeth Trump and Son, his father's company, learning how to institute racist renting practices in apartment complexes. Biden was 27 years old, Trump 24.
Recently-released films included Patton, A Man Called Horse, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Two Mules for Sister Sara, and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. McCloud had recently debuted on television; soon to do so were The Odd Couple, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Flip Wilson Show, The Partridge Family, Josie and the Pussycats, and, more to the point for American sports fans, ABC Monday Night Football.
The Number 1 song in America was "The Long and Winding Road," a record 20th and last chart-topper for the recently broken-up Beatles. The Jackson 5 had recently hit it big. Elvis Presley released the live album On Stage. The Who released Live at Leeds, and gave the 1st performance of their rock opera Tommy at the home of American opera, the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York. Bob Dylan released Self-Portrait, The Grateful Dead Workingman's Dead, and Diana Ross her self-titled solo debut album.
Inflation was such that what $1.00 bought then, $6.65 would buy now. A U.S. postage stamp cost 6 cents, and a New York Subway ride 30 cents. The average price of a gallon of gas was 33 cents, a cup of coffee 44 cents, a McDonald's meal (Big Mac, fries, shake) 94 cents, a movie ticket $1.55, a new car $3,543, and a new house $27,000. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the preceding Friday at 720.43.
The Empire State Building in New York was still the tallest building in the world, but, downtown, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were going up. So was the Sears Tower in Chicago. There were telephones in cars, but not "mobile phones" like we would come to understand the term. There were no desktop computers, nor home video game systems, nor an "Internet" as we would know it: Steve Jobs and Tim Berners-Lee were 15 years old, Bill Gates 14.
Man had first landed on the Moon 11 months earlier. Automatic teller machines were still a relatively new thing, and many people had never seen one. 1968-82: There were heart transplants, liver transplants and lung transplants, and artificial kidneys, but no artificial hearts. There were birth control pills, but no Viagara.
In June 1970, Britain granted independence to the Pacific island nation of Tonga. Norway announced it had found rich oil deposits of its North Sea coast. The U.S. Army announced that Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington would be its 1st female generals. The U.S. Senate repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution of 1964, and President Nixon withdrew ground troops from Cambodia after 2 months. This would be, perhaps, an even bigger mistake than sending the troops in the first place.
The Cincinnati Reds moved out of Crosley Field, and into Riverfront Stadium, and soon hosted the All-Star Game there. The Pittsburgh Pirates moved out of Forbes Field, and into Three Rivers Stadium. The Philadelphia Phillies would wait until the end of the season to close Connie Mack Stadium, formerly known as Shibe Park, and the following Spring to move into Veterans Stadium. The football teams in those cities would also move into the new stadiums.
The NBA would soon welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Buffalo Braves, the team now known as the Los Angeles Clippers. The NHL would soon welcome the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks. Terry Sawchuk, perhaps the greatest goaltender in hockey history, and still an active player, died after a fight with a teammate exacerbated his liver damage from years of heavy drinking.
E.M. Forster, and Alexander Kerensky, and Baseball Hall-of-Famer Ray Schalk died. Gabrielle Giffords, and Mike Modano, and Alexi Lalas were born.
On the very day of the World Cup Final, Sukarno, the 1st President of Indonesia, under house arrest since a 1967 military coup, died. The Penn Central Transportation Company, formed by the 1968 merger of the Pennsylvania and New York Central Railroads, went bankrupt.
Also on that day, Ball Four was published. It was pitcher Jim Bouton's diary of the 1969 season. Other players hated it because it showed them to be vain, immature and unfaithful to their wives. Team owners hated it because it showed just how badly they had been ripping the players off. Bouton stood by his story for the rest of his life, and Ball Four remains the best-selling sports-themed book of all time – and maybe the funniest.
Also on that day, the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians, 9-8 in 12 innings at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The Indians led 6-1 after 2 innings, 8-5 after 6, and 8-7 after 7, and blew it. Tiger starter Mike Kilkenny didn't get out of the 1st inning, and Indian starter Rick Austin didn't get out of the 3rd. Tom Timmerman pitched 3 scoreless extra innings to become the winning pitcher.
Tiger shortstop Cesar Gutierrez tied a major league record by going 7-for-7: He singled to right in the 1st, singled to left in the 3rd, beat out a grounder to short in the 5th, doubled to left in the 7th, singled to right to drive in a run in the 8th, beat out another grounder to short in the 10th, and singled to center in the 12th.
Also on that day, the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians, 9-8 in 12 innings at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The Indians led 6-1 after 2 innings, 8-5 after 6, and 8-7 after 7, and blew it. Tiger starter Mike Kilkenny didn't get out of the 1st inning, and Indian starter Rick Austin didn't get out of the 3rd. Tom Timmerman pitched 3 scoreless extra innings to become the winning pitcher.
Tiger shortstop Cesar Gutierrez tied a major league record by going 7-for-7: He singled to right in the 1st, singled to left in the 3rd, beat out a grounder to short in the 5th, doubled to left in the 7th, singled to right to drive in a run in the 8th, beat out another grounder to short in the 10th, and singled to center in the 12th.
None of his hits were home runs. But Jim Northrup hit 2, and Al Kaline and Mickey Stanley each hit 1 for the Tigers, Stanley's in the 12th making the difference. Tony Horton, Chuck Hinton and Ted Uhlaender each hit 1 for the Indians.
That's what the world was like on June 21, 1970.
*
In the end, with 107,412 fans watching at the Azteca, it didn’t matter that Valcareggi couldn’t make Rivera and Mazzola work together. Because this was the climax of Brazil’s show. It showed them to be the best national soccer team ever assembled, and Pelé, the best player ever. And if you think either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is better, you are a fool.
Pelé opened the scoring with a header in the 18th minute. Boninsegna tied it in the 37th, and the teams went into halftime at 1-1.
All through the 2nd half, Brazil passed the ball around in the way that led Pelé to call soccer O Jogo Bonito: "The Beautiful Game." Gérson picked the perfect time for his 1st-ever international goal, the 66th minute of the World Cup Final. Jairzinho put the game away 5 minutes later, becoming the 1st man ever to score in every round of a World Cup. Carlos Alberto, the Captain, put the cherry on the sundae in the 86th.
It ended Brazil 4, Italy 1. Brazil were the 1st 3-time winners of the World Cup. Zagallo became the 1st man ever to both play on and manage a World Cup winner.
Hail the Champions:
1 Félix Miélli Venerando, or Félix, goalkeeper, who played his club soccer for Fluminense of Rio de Janeiro. 1937-2012.
2 Hércules de Brito Ruas, or Brito, centreback, Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro. Born 1939 and still alive.
3 Wilson da Silva Piazza, or Piazza, centreback, Cruzeiro of Belo Horizonte. Born 1943 and still alive.
4 Carlos Alberto Torres, a.k.a. Carlos Alberto, or "Capita," right back, Santos of the São Paulo area. 1944-2016.
5 Clodoaldo Tavares de Santana, or Clodoaldo, midfielder, Santos. Born 1949 and still alive.
7 Jair Ventura Filho, or Jairzinho, right wing, Botafogo of Rio de Janeiro. Born 1944 and still alive.
8 Gérson de Oliveira Nunes, or Gérson, midfielder, São Paulo F.C.. Born 1941 and still alive.
9 Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade, or Tostão, forward, Cruzeiro. Born 1947 and still alive.
10 Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or Pelé, forward, Santos. Born 1940 and still alive.
11 Roberto Rivellino, or Rivellino, midfielder, Corinthians of São Paulo. Born 1946 and still alive.
16 Everaldo Marques da Silva, or Everaldo, left back, Grêmio of Porto Alegre. 1944-1974, killed in a car crash.
Pelé, Carlos Alberto and Clodoaldo would eventually play in America, for the New York Cosmos.
Not playing in the Final:
6 Marco Antônio Feliciano, or Marco Antônio Feliciano, left back, Fluminense. Born 1951 and still alive.
12 Eduardo Roberto Stinghen, or Ado, goalkeeper, Corinthians. Born 1946 and still alive.
13 Roberto Lopes de Miranda, or Roberto, forward, Botafogo. Born 1944 and still alive.
14 José Guilherme Baldocchi, or Baldocchi, centreback, Palmeiras of São Paulo. Born 1946 and still alive.
15 José de Anchieta Fontana, or Fontana, centreback, Cruzeiro. 1940-1980, and I don't know how he died at age 40.
17 Joel Camargo, or Joel, centreback, Santos. 1946-2014.
18 Paulo Cézar Lima, or Caju, midfielder, Botafogo. Born 1949 and still alive.
19 Jonas Eduardo Américo, or Edu, forward, Santos. Born 1949 and still alive.
20 Dario José dos Santos, or Dario, or Dadá Maravilha, forward, Atlético Mineiro of Belo Horizonte. Born 1946 and still alive. And yet, despite being a favorite of the dictator and picked for the team by the manager, he did not play in the tournament.
21 José Maria Rodrigues Alves, or Zé Maria, centreback, Portuguesa of São Paulo. Born 1949 and still alive.
22 Émerson Leão, or Leão, goalkeeper, Comercial of Ribeirão Preto in São Paulo State. Born 1949 and still alive.
And the manager, Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo, born 1931 and still alive. He wore 7 in the 1958 World Cup, and 21 in 1962. He managed Brazil again in the 1998 World Cup, but lost the Final. He is now the oldest living former player, the oldest living former goalscorer, and the oldest living former manager, in World Cup play.
Maybe it's the fact that it was the right time for the Baby Boomers, the largest generation ever, to see it. But the 1970 Brazil team embedded itself in the public consciousness as the greatest soccer team ever. Not just for results, but for quality. They were forerunner of the Netherlands' "Total Football" of the 1970s, the A.C. Milan mixture of Italian steel and Dutch free-flow in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Arsène Wenger's Arsenal of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Brazil won the World Cup again in 1994 and 2002, becoming the 1st 4-time and the 1st 5-time winner. (Italy would win in 1982 and 2006.) But, in spite of legends like Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, it was never quite the same.
Still, in England, these last 50 years, when a team is playing well, their fans will sing, "It's just like watching Brazil."
The late Spring and early Summer of 1970. The Beatles had broken up. The Kent State Massacre had happened. There were wars with no end in sight. So many places in the world were a mess on their respective domestic fronts.
But 11 men from Brazil gave people all over the world something to marvel over. Then, and for the rest of their lives.
It wasn't just O Jogo Bonito, The Beautiful Game. It was Obra-Prima: A Masterpiece.
That's what the world was like on June 21, 1970.
*
In the end, with 107,412 fans watching at the Azteca, it didn’t matter that Valcareggi couldn’t make Rivera and Mazzola work together. Because this was the climax of Brazil’s show. It showed them to be the best national soccer team ever assembled, and Pelé, the best player ever. And if you think either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is better, you are a fool.
Pelé opened the scoring with a header in the 18th minute. Boninsegna tied it in the 37th, and the teams went into halftime at 1-1.
All through the 2nd half, Brazil passed the ball around in the way that led Pelé to call soccer O Jogo Bonito: "The Beautiful Game." Gérson picked the perfect time for his 1st-ever international goal, the 66th minute of the World Cup Final. Jairzinho put the game away 5 minutes later, becoming the 1st man ever to score in every round of a World Cup. Carlos Alberto, the Captain, put the cherry on the sundae in the 86th.
It ended Brazil 4, Italy 1. Brazil were the 1st 3-time winners of the World Cup. Zagallo became the 1st man ever to both play on and manage a World Cup winner.
1 Félix Miélli Venerando, or Félix, goalkeeper, who played his club soccer for Fluminense of Rio de Janeiro. 1937-2012.
2 Hércules de Brito Ruas, or Brito, centreback, Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro. Born 1939 and still alive.
3 Wilson da Silva Piazza, or Piazza, centreback, Cruzeiro of Belo Horizonte. Born 1943 and still alive.
4 Carlos Alberto Torres, a.k.a. Carlos Alberto, or "Capita," right back, Santos of the São Paulo area. 1944-2016.
5 Clodoaldo Tavares de Santana, or Clodoaldo, midfielder, Santos. Born 1949 and still alive.
7 Jair Ventura Filho, or Jairzinho, right wing, Botafogo of Rio de Janeiro. Born 1944 and still alive.
8 Gérson de Oliveira Nunes, or Gérson, midfielder, São Paulo F.C.. Born 1941 and still alive.
9 Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade, or Tostão, forward, Cruzeiro. Born 1947 and still alive.
10 Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or Pelé, forward, Santos. Born 1940 and still alive.
11 Roberto Rivellino, or Rivellino, midfielder, Corinthians of São Paulo. Born 1946 and still alive.
16 Everaldo Marques da Silva, or Everaldo, left back, Grêmio of Porto Alegre. 1944-1974, killed in a car crash.
Pelé, Carlos Alberto and Clodoaldo would eventually play in America, for the New York Cosmos.
Not playing in the Final:
6 Marco Antônio Feliciano, or Marco Antônio Feliciano, left back, Fluminense. Born 1951 and still alive.
12 Eduardo Roberto Stinghen, or Ado, goalkeeper, Corinthians. Born 1946 and still alive.
13 Roberto Lopes de Miranda, or Roberto, forward, Botafogo. Born 1944 and still alive.
14 José Guilherme Baldocchi, or Baldocchi, centreback, Palmeiras of São Paulo. Born 1946 and still alive.
15 José de Anchieta Fontana, or Fontana, centreback, Cruzeiro. 1940-1980, and I don't know how he died at age 40.
17 Joel Camargo, or Joel, centreback, Santos. 1946-2014.
18 Paulo Cézar Lima, or Caju, midfielder, Botafogo. Born 1949 and still alive.
19 Jonas Eduardo Américo, or Edu, forward, Santos. Born 1949 and still alive.
20 Dario José dos Santos, or Dario, or Dadá Maravilha, forward, Atlético Mineiro of Belo Horizonte. Born 1946 and still alive. And yet, despite being a favorite of the dictator and picked for the team by the manager, he did not play in the tournament.
21 José Maria Rodrigues Alves, or Zé Maria, centreback, Portuguesa of São Paulo. Born 1949 and still alive.
22 Émerson Leão, or Leão, goalkeeper, Comercial of Ribeirão Preto in São Paulo State. Born 1949 and still alive.
And the manager, Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo, born 1931 and still alive. He wore 7 in the 1958 World Cup, and 21 in 1962. He managed Brazil again in the 1998 World Cup, but lost the Final. He is now the oldest living former player, the oldest living former goalscorer, and the oldest living former manager, in World Cup play.
Maybe it's the fact that it was the right time for the Baby Boomers, the largest generation ever, to see it. But the 1970 Brazil team embedded itself in the public consciousness as the greatest soccer team ever. Not just for results, but for quality. They were forerunner of the Netherlands' "Total Football" of the 1970s, the A.C. Milan mixture of Italian steel and Dutch free-flow in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Arsène Wenger's Arsenal of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Brazil won the World Cup again in 1994 and 2002, becoming the 1st 4-time and the 1st 5-time winner. (Italy would win in 1982 and 2006.) But, in spite of legends like Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, it was never quite the same.
Still, in England, these last 50 years, when a team is playing well, their fans will sing, "It's just like watching Brazil."
The late Spring and early Summer of 1970. The Beatles had broken up. The Kent State Massacre had happened. There were wars with no end in sight. So many places in the world were a mess on their respective domestic fronts.
But 11 men from Brazil gave people all over the world something to marvel over. Then, and for the rest of their lives.
It wasn't just O Jogo Bonito, The Beautiful Game. It was Obra-Prima: A Masterpiece.
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