England 1966
Chapter 1
Harold Macmillan (Supermac) was the Prime Minister when England’s bid for the World Cup finals in 1960 was successful. Supermac eminently told the people they had never had it so good. Visitors to London enjoyed beef stew enriched with red wine, garlic onions, mushrooms known as beef bourguignon, and a glass of red bordeaux.
Alex Douglas-Home narrowly lost the General Election by four seats ending thirteen years of Conservative government. The Labour Party under Harold Wilson won the 1964 General Election and oversaw the World Cup finals.
Group Stage
The weather was poor. Frost had taken its toll on the yields. A glorious summer harvest with the grapes in good health. Beloved champagne was Moet & Chardon Brut imperial.
Alf Ramsey resorted to a 4-4-2 formation because of the shortage of quality wing-backs. He stuck with this formation throughout the 1966 World Cup finals. Victor Maslov had invented the tactic several years earlier. He was a USSR football coach who believed in pressing to retrieve the ball rather than running back. He thought that man-marking was humiliating for a defender.
England 0 Uruguay 0
A small country in South America, Uruguay has won the world cup twice. Coach Condiro Viera explained the team tactics to the players by using a table tennis table and salt pots before the game with England in front of an 87,000 crowd.
The two teams had different styles, England Collective and fast Uruguay slow at a walking pace. Rocha lifted the ball over the defender and volleyed just wide of the goal. Bobby Charlton had a shot on goal saved by Mazurkiwicz.
A last cheer of Da da da da da da da da England went out from the crowd before the referee blew the whistle for full-time.
England 2 Mexico 0
Manager Ignacio Trelles guided Mexico to their first World Cup victory against Czechoslovakia 3-1 in Chile. Mexico wanted to improve its 1962 performance after losing to Brazil and Spain. Bobby Charlton opened the scoring with a thirty-five-yard shot. Roger Hunt added the second goal from seven yards.
England 2 France 0
Charles de Gaulle became the President of France after leading Free French Forces against Nazis Germany in the Second World War. The liberation of Paris began when the French resistance and the United States Third Army led by General Patton attacked the German garrison.
France was knocked out in the first group stage in the inaugural World Cup 1930. Hosting the 1938 World Cup helped them to reach the quarter-finals. The 1966 World Cup finals put France (Les Blues) in the same group as Alf Ramsey's England.
Les Blues played skilfully out from the defense into the midfield. The cross into the box just missing the center-forward's head. Jack Charlton headed the ball across the goal for Roger Hunt to tap home after a magical Jimmy Greaves run. England increased their lead in the second half from a breakaway.
France is famous for iconic delicacies such as Crêpe French onion soup: A simple recipe is an Onion halved and thinly sliced, olive oil, butter, sugar, garlic, flour, dry wine, beef stock, baguette, and Gruyere.
Quarterfinals
Juan Carlos Carbella was the president of Argentina after toppling Presidente Arturo Illia in a Coup d’état (Argentina Revolution). Police officers began to invade the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. Professors and students had to leave the country because of physical force.
England 1 Argentina 0
Argentina was runners-up at the first World Cup finals in 1930, reaching the group stage in 1958 and 1962, and was now in the quarter-finals after beating Spain and Switzerland.
England met Argentina at Wembley in front of 90,000 fans. The weather was cool and rainy. It was an ugly encounter between two teams guilty of foul play. Argentina had a man sent off by the referee. Geoff Hurst scored the winning goal. In fury, Alf Ramsey ran onto the pitch at the final whistle, trying to prevent the English players from swapping shirts with Argentina players. A tug of war broke out on the Wembley turf.
Portugal 5 North Korea 4
Taedong River rises in the Rangrim Mountains and flows through Pyongyang (The capital of North Korea) along landmarks such as the Tower of the Juche and Kim Il Sung Square. A popular local dish is Mullet soup, fish, onion, basil, carrots and cream cheese.
It was the first time North Korea and Portugal had qualified for the World Cup finals. North Korea was leading 3-0 after twenty-five minutes before the final whistle star Eusebio had scored four goals for Portugal.
Semi-finals
Russia withdrew from the Olympic Games after the Revolution in 1917. After a change of heart, the Kremlin competed in its first Olympics in Finland in 1952, while six years later they participated in the Sweden World Cup.
Leading against Walter Winterbottom's England team at the 1958 World Cup, the USSR had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Exposed to Brazillian football, the USSR lost 2-0.
Russia launched Sputnik-1 into space, the first artificial satellite. Garrincha kept his feet on solid ground for Brazil.
Adolf Hitler was the chancellor when Germany reached the Quarterfinals in their first World Cup in 1934. Germany didn't get out of the qualifying group in 1938.
West Germany 2 Soviet Union 1
West Germany met the Soviet Union at Goodison Park in Liverpool in front of 38,000 fans. The battle of Stalingrad began with a German goal by Helmut Haller. A fantastic save by Lev Yashin kept the Soviet Union in the game. Physical tackles from the German mid-field got the better of Igor Chislenko who was sent off by the referee for kicking out. Franz Beckenbauer scored the winning goal with a shot from outside the area.
A popular dish with the players at the end of the day was a simple recipe for Steckerl fish: 1lb Trout, lemon juice, salt, ground pepper, Pretzel, and potato salad.
The Romans arrived in Portugal in the second century BC and grew vines on the River banks where wine is still grown. Tinto Cao, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Roriz Grapes from the picturesque Douro Valley are in Ruby Port. The palate is cherries and strawberry jam. A popular port is Quinta Santa Eufemia Fine Ruby Port.
Portugal won the group stage beating Hungary, Bulgaria, and Brazil. Now only Alf Ramsey's England stood in their way for a place in the World Cup final. The day's dish was Cataplana Stew Monkfish, lobster tails, tiger prawns, mussels, crayfish, Tomatoes, onions red and green peppers, and garlic.
On a summer day with a stormy sky, Bobby Charlton opened the scoring with a rocket shot from outside the area. A rifle shot from our Bobby after Half-time made it 2-0. Eusebio pulled a goal back from the penalty spot to make the score 2-1. Eusebio's thunderbolt shot hit Gordon Banks and flew up in the air and away to safety.
World Cup Final 1966
West Germany lost 8-3 to the favorites Hungary (The Mighty Magyars) in the group stage of the 1954 World Cup. The Mighty Magyars were unbeaten for thirty-two games and met West Germany in the World Cup final in Switzerland's Capital Bern. West Germany beat the heavily favored Golden Team 3-2. The match is known as the miracle of Bern in Germany.
West Germany finished fourth in the 1958 World Cup and made the quarter-finals in 1962.
England 4 West Germany 2
England didn't panic and were confident of surviving the blitz after Helmut Haller opened the scoring for West Germany. Bobby Moore's free-kick was headed home by Geoff Hurst. Martin Peters put England 2 - 1 ahead. Late in the game, Wolfgang Weber scored from close range.
England 2 West Germany 2 Extra time
A controversial goal in extra time by Geoff Hurst put England back into the lead. Had the ball crossed the line? Today's computer technology result was the whole of the ball did not cross the line. Bobby Moore saw a hole in the Panzer's defense. Geoff Hurst latched on to the through ball and scored his hat-trick.
Queen Elizabeth couldn't hide her delight when England won the FIFA World Cup. Wild celebrations erupted around the country. People poured onto the street. Alf Ramsey raised a warm smile. Nobby Stiles did a jig with Jeff Hurst as they did a lap of honor.
The Slazenger 4-star orange was the ball used in the World Cup 1966 final. It had 25 rectangular pixels and is sometimes displayed in the National Football Museum, in Manchester.
The Rise and fall of the beautifull game
By Richard O'Connell
Mexico 1970
Chapter 2
Gustavo Diaz Ordaz was president when Mexico won the bid to hold the World Cup finals. It was during a time of high economic growth known as the Mexican miracle. Apollo 11 was launched from the American Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the first man to walk on the moon was Neil Armstrong.
Edward Heath pummelled Harold Wilson in the 1970 general election by 330 seats to Labour’s 287. Jeremy Thorpe's leadership lost half of its seats. The Conservative Party led Britain into the European communities in 1973.
Group Stage
Mexico is a country in North America that covers over 761,000 square miles. The Gulf is to the east, the Pacific Ocean is to the west and the Caribbean Sea is to the South East. Estadio Azteca is located in Mexico City and is the home of Club America. An attendance of over 119,000 was recorded for a Mexico Vs Brazil game. Estadio Cuathleane is located in Puebla City and is the home of Club Puebla. Estadio La Bomborara (The Chocolate Box) is located in the City of Toluca and is the home of the Toluca Football Club. Despite high temperatures, the Mexican World Cup produced high-scoring games. A maximum of 22 players formed a squad.
The concrete colossus Aztec stadium with one hundred thousand fans held Mexico's first match against the USSR. Sombreros protected supporter’s faces from the sun. Manager Javier de la Torre took the Mexican players onto the field wearing Green jerseys, white shorts, and green socks. Russia took to the pitch led by Head Coach Gauris Kachalin in Red shirts, white shorts, and red socks. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.
A four-nil win against El Salvador and a 1-nil victory against Belgium put Mexico in the quarterfinals for the first time. Italy won the game 4-1. Local food served in Mexico City was Chilli con carne: Kidney beans, mince, chili peppers, rice, and tomatoes.
England 1 Romania 0
Alf Ramsey's England kicked off their 1970 campaign with a victory against Romania. Geoff Hurst scored the only goal of the game - the ball going through the keeper’s legs. Bobby Moore back in the squad after being accused of stealing a bracelet in Columbia, proved that he was one of the best defenders in the world with exceptional tackling and passing.
A delicious Romanian Dish was Sormale: Cabbage rolls: Sour cabbage leaves, Fresh parsley and dill, Ground pork, Long grain rice, Onion, Vegetable oil, Salt and pepper, Bacon, and Tomato juice.
Brazil 1 England 0
Pele had to leave the field injured in the 1966 World Cup after brutal fouls by the Bulgarian and Portuguese defense. Carlos Alberto shook hands with Bobby Moore at the center circle. Brazil had the vast majority of possession. England's defense held firm. Pele's downward header produced the save of the century from Gordon Banks. Jairzinho attacked down the right wing. Bobby Moore kept his eyes on the ball and finally went in for the tackle like a jaguar hunting his prey. A deft ball by Pele allowed Jachzino to drill the ball into the back of the net. Bobby Moore and Pele swapped shirts after the match.
The game was one of the finest football matches ever played and was the beginning of a beautiful game.
England 1 Czechoslovakia 0
Czechoslovakia's borders are with Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Poland. Hills, plateaus, and mountains run along the border. The Elbe River flows from the giant mountains of Bohemia into Germany and onto the North Sea.
England's final group game was against Czechoslovakia in the Estadio Jalisco Guadalajara in front of 40,000 supporters. Alan Clark scored the only goal from the penalty spot to put England in the quarter-final against West Germany.
A traditional Czechoslovakian dish was Fried carp potato salad: carp fillets, flour, eggs, bread crumbs, and lemon with potato salad: carrots, celery, eggs, ham, pickles, mayonnaise, with an Australlian Chardonnay (South Australia, Adelaide hills) the palate is fruit flavors.
Quarter Finals: England 2 West Germany 3
England's captain Bobby Moore (Mooro) played for Westham United in the East end of London, north of the river Thames by the City of West Minister and the House of Parliaments. Bobby was one of the best readers of the game ever.
England had reached the quarter-finals and met Germany. Alan Mullery opened the scoring with his right foot from seven yards. Martin Peters beat the German goalkeeper at the near post to make it 2-0.
Alf Ramsey's indecision about Bobby Charlton's substitution let the Germans back into the game. Franz Beckenbauer's shot went underneath the goalkeeper. Ouie Siedle's backward header made it 2-2. Gudd Muller's close-range volley won the game in extra time. Memories of the Miracle of Bern came flooding back again.
Brazil 4 Czechoslovakia 1
Brazil was playing unique football with a rhythmic style. Controlling the ball and creating dangerous attacks. Dancing around the Czechoslovakian defense with fluidity and grace. Pele's lob from the halfway line confused the goalkeeper as Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 4-1.
Benito Mussolini was the Prime Minister when Italy won the World Cup in 1934 and 1938. Vittorio Pozzo managed the Italian team that beat Czechoslovakia 2-1 in Rome and Hungary 4-2 in Paris.
Italy 4 West Germany 3
As manager of West Germany Sepp Herzberger won the World Cup in 1954. His successor Helmet Schon lost in the World Cup final against England and was now in the semi-final against Italy. Boninsegna opened the scoring for Italy. Karl-Heinz Schnellinger equalized for Germany in the last seconds of the game.
Extra Time
Gianni Rivera scored the winning goal in extra time. The match is one of the greatest games of the century. Supporters of both sides enjoyed a Pizza after the game with peeled tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, and olive oil.
Semi-finals: Brazil 2 Uruguay 1
Uruguay is famous for producing Melons, apples, peaches, and tangerines and for hosting barbecues. Asado, Asado: Skirt steak, canola oil, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic. Scatter hickory wood chips before you light the BBQ.
Mario Zagallo understood that the most talented players would be successful with order and hard work. The idea behind the pass and move was that no player was to stand still. Pele's dummy confused the goalkeeper as Brazil beat Uruguay 2-1.
Brazil is home to the Amazon rainforest which contains millions of insects, plants, and birds. The dish of the day was Feijoada stew: black beans, sausages, bacon, and a cut of pork.
World cup final
Brazil won the world cup for the first time in 1958 beating Sweden 5-2. In 1962 Brazil won it for a second time beating Czechoslovakia 3-1 in Santiago.
Brazil 4 Italy 1
Pele opened the scoring with a downward header that landed in the corner of the net. Bossingegen caught the Brazilian defense napping and equalized for Italy to make the score one-all.
Gerson's goal made it 2-1. Jairzinho knocked the ball over the line to make it 3 1.
Claudio beat four players in his half and passed the ball to Jairzinho, who laid it onto Pele. Carlos Alberto scored the greatest goal ever seen.
The match is one of the most beautiful games. Winning the World Cup three times meant Brazil could keep the Jules Rimet trophy. The cup was stolen from the Brazilian Football Federation building in 1983. It has never been seen since.
The official football used in the 1970 World Cup was the Adidas Telstar. It consisted of 20 white hexagonal panels and 12 black pentagonals. A plastic called Durlast protected the leather and kept it waterproof.
Want to see a world class pitch? Take an Emirates tour.
The Rise and fall of the beautifull game
By Richard O'Connell
Germany 1974
Chapter 3
Willy Brandt was chancellor when the news broke out that West Germany had won the bid to host the 1974 World Cup finals. His ambition was to create friendlier bonds between East and West Germany and develop better relations between Poland and the Soviet Union. He was presented with the Nobel Prize for Peace for his determination. Falling to his knees at the memorial to the Warsaw Ghetto was an admission of guilt for the Holocaust crimes that the Germans committed against the Polish Jews in World War 2.
Albrecht Babler was a German soldier who became a publican after the war. Business was quiet due to the recession. Students frequently upset him with talk about Jewish concentration camps. Albrecht decided to reinvent himself by taking down all his war memorabilia and replacing it with German football stars.
His customers loved the new refurbishments, and the Weihenstephaner began flowing.
When students spoke about the Jews in the Second World War, Albrecht would turn on the television and start reading out the squad names. Maier the goalkeeper, and defenders Beckenbauer, Vogts, Breitner. Midfield Overath, Holzenbein, and upfront Gerd Muller, Albrecht would explain standing proud.
West Germany 1 Chile 0
The Berlin Wall divided East and West Berlin. The Olypiastadion in West Berlin hosted West Germany's match against Chile in front of 81,000 fans. Breitner's 30-yard shot was the only goal of the game
West Germany 3 Australia 0
Hamburg is a northern port city with hundreds of canals, boats, cafes and an 18th-century Church.
West Germany opened the scoring with a long shot by Overath. Cullmann's powerful header made it 2-0. Muller's header from a corner made it 3-0.
West Germany 0 East Germany 1
Generally viewed as a Communist country, East Germany became part of the Eastern Bloc. America and the Soviet Union were in a nuclear arms race. The Cold War had spilled over onto the football pitch.
East Germany's football team caused the biggest upset in World Cup history by beating West Germany 1-0 in Hamburg. Jugen Sparwesser went on a long run, beating two defenders and wrong-footed the goalkeeper.
Edward Heath failed to find a coalition with the Liberals in the 1974 general election. Harold Wilson became the Prime- minister. The Labour party called for another general election later that year, winning by three seats.
England failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. Losing 2-0 in Poland and only managing a draw at Wembley 1-1. Alf Ramsey lost his job as manager of England. The old days of defeats by a bunch of Mega Muffins from the United States came back again.
Group Stage: Scotland 2 Zaire 0
Zaire was the first black African nation to qualify for the World Cup finals and set the competition alight with their attacking football and eccentric style. The African Cup of nation's holders were running the game. Scotland weathered the storm and like true professionals came out winners by two goals to nil.
The Zaire players were informed that there was no money left in the pot to pay their wages. Talked on to pitch to complete their next fixture, which they lost 9-0. President Mobutu stepped in to avoid a disaster. Scotland's brilliant draw against Brazil meant that it all came down to goal average in the last game of the group which was Zaire Vs Brazil. Scotland took their bagpipes and whiskey home after Brazil beat Zaire 3-0.
Zairean’s favorite dish was Chicken Fajitas: Red onion, chicken breast, red pepper, red chili, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic cloves, and Olive oil. Tortillas (flat Bread) Mixed salad and fresh Salsa: chopped tomatoes, chili, and lime.
Aart Aaldenberg was a Dutch farmer who lived within the Beemster region. He planted tulips, roses, carnations, daffodils, and lily flower bulbs. Aart was writing a poem for his fiancee's birthday.
'A windmill in the countryside, a bicycle outside a farmhouse. Heidi went for a walk, around a dyke, over sea dunes on a sandy beach. Tip-toed through red, purple, and yellow flowers along the canal, down the footpath with clogs on her feet and tulips in her hands. Heidi went for a walk.
About 21 percent of the Netherlands is below sea level. The European part of the Country is flat. Holland has numerous rivers, lakes, and canals. Coastal dunes, windmills, and dykes protect it from flooding.
Rinus Michel Holland’s manager invented tactics known as total football. Any player is allowed to play anywhere on the pitch. Lining up for the National anthem in a bright orange shirt and long hair. Johan Cruyff (the Flying Dutchman) lived 5 minutes from Ajax Stadium in Amsterdam. The Flying Dutchman was one of the best players in history, picking up three Ballon dors. He was famous for the Cruyff turn, a soccer move that involves a quick change of direction by dragging the ball behind the left foot.
The Dutch beat Uruguay 2-0. A draw with Sweden and a 4-0 victory over Belgium was enough to put them through to the second group stage against Argentina, East Germany, and Brazil.
The Netherlands was playing Argentina at the Parkstadion Gelsenkirchen. Johan Cruyff took the ball around the goalkeeper and tapped the ball into the empty net. The game ended in a 4-0 win for the Netherlands. Goals from Neeskens and Resenbrin saw off East Germany 2-0. Only Brazil could stop the Netherlands from reaching the World Cup final.
Holland 2 Brazil 0
Holland only needed a draw against Brazil to qualify for the World Cup final. Neeskens passed the ball out to the wing. Johan Cruyff passed it back into the penalty area. Neeskens floated the ball over the goalkeeper to give Holland the lead. Razenbruk passed the ball to Kroll. Johan Cruyff finished off the move with a tap into the net.
Brazil couldn't cope with Holland's total football tactics. Dutch Prime Minister Joop den Uyl celebrated Holland's achievement of reaching the 1974 World Cup final at his Dutch official residence in The Hague. The dish of the day eaten in Holland at the time was Poffertjes with melted butter and icing sugar.
West Germany 1 Poland 0
Wisent, bison, Lynx, Gray wolfs white storks, Eagles, and red Poppies can be found in Poland's forests. A popular food among the local people is Zapiekanka: a long loaf sandwich with meat, mushrooms, onions, melted cheese, and ketchup.
Poland participated in the FIFA World Cup in 1938, losing to Brazil 5-6 after extra time. In the group stages of the 1974 World Cup, Poland had beaten Argentina 3-2, Hati 7-0, and Italy 2-1.
West Germany met Poland in the Waldstadion Frankfurt for a place in the World Cup final. The match was named the Water Battle of Frankfurt because of the waterlogged pitch. Bomber Muller scored the only goal of the game.
1974 World Cup final
Munich is a southern city the football ground (Olympiastadion) was the main venue for the 1972 Olympics. A big beer festival happens once a year not far from the old town. Germany is famous for producing the finest beer in the world: Pilsner or Pils is a light golden German beer with a dry-hopped aroma. Its name originates from a town in Czech called Pilse.
West Germany 2 Holland 1
German land is devoted to agriculture and forests. Plants include Beeches, Oaks, conifers, spruce, and pine. The three main rivers are the Rhine, the Danube, and the Elbe.
West Germany met Holland at the Olympiastadion in Munich. The Dutch artist took the lead from the penalty spot. West Germany equalized with a penalty of their own. The game was delicately poised at 1-1 when the ball landed at the feet of Gudd Muller. A twist, a turn, and the ball was in the back of the net.
Helmut Schmidt had replaced Willy Brandt as Chancellor shortly before the games Bagan. He was a controversial figure who fought at the siege of Leningrad, picking up the Iron Cross second class. Coach Helmut Schon and Captain Franz Beckenbauer celebrated with the Chancellor after winning the World Cup.
The Rise and fall of the beautifull game
By Richard O'Connell
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