June 19 – Pele’s First World Cup Goal

ONLY one man in the history of football has three World Cup winner’s medals on his mantelpiece: Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

Because he played his club football in Brazil and later the USA but never in Europe, most people associate Pele with the World Cup more than any other competition and for most people that was the only time they saw him play. Because of that, and the fact that he won it three times, no player is more closely associated with the biggest sporting event in the world than the brilliant Brazilian.

He was just 17 when he arrived in Sweden to play in the 1958 tournament and although his name was already known in football circles, it was the World Cup that really made him a household name.

It was on this day that he announced his arrival to the world when he scored his first ever World Cup goal. His strike was the only goal in a 1-0 win over Wales that gave Brazil a passage into the semi-finals.

At 17 years and 239 days he was the youngest goalscorer in World Cup history, but he wasn’t finished yet. In his next game against France Brazil were leading 2-1 when Pele made more history by netting a hat-trick.

In the final he bagged two more as hosts Sweden were swept aside 5-2. Brazil had won their first World Cup and the world had a new hero.

As for Wales, the team Pele’s first goal defeated, they were, along with Northern Ireland, participating in their first World Cup finals and both team did better than England by making it to the quarter-finals. Wales’s match against Brazil was their last game to date at a World Cup, having not qualified for one since.

Check out the story of another World Cup match from this day right here, and check us out again tomorrow for more football history.

June 18 – Galactico Beckham

“Never, never, never. Nobody at Real has ever spoken about Beckham and I don’t want to start now. We are very happy with our current team and will never, ever sign Beckham.” Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, April 30, 2003.

On this day in 2003, just six weeks after Perez’s emphatic denial, David Beckham signed for the Spanish giants in a £25m deal.

Becks was one of the golden generation of Manchester United players that came through the academy alongside the likes of Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers, and became the heartbeat of the team that dominated English football in the 1990s.

It was once unimaginable that Beckham would ever leave Old Trafford – he was a key figure for the club both on the field where many a striker benefited from his exceptional crosses from the right wing, and off it where United made a fortune in exploiting his marketability around the world.

But it was precisely this aspect of his life that began to rile Sir Alex Ferguson. While Becks was doing his utmost to cultivate his media presence alongside his celebrity Spice Girl wife and appearing in adverts for everything from aftershave to motor oil, Fergie expected his players to concentrate on the job in hand, namely playing football.

Rumours began to emerge that all was not well in the relationship between the manager and one of his star players and once the press got hold of the story, it was never going to die.

Much was made of the infamous incident when Fergie kicked a boot in a fit of pique after a bad game which hit Becks in the face, although is was probably just a freak accident.

Things began to get worse for Becks when his club took on Real Madrid in the Champions League. Fergie left Becks out of the starting line up for both legs of the tie, although he came on during the second leg at Old Trafford and was the best player on the pitch, even scoring despite Madrid turfing United out of the competition.

After that it seemed the writing was on the wall for Beck’s United career, despite repeated denials that Madrid were interested in him.

His potential transfer became the biggest issue in Spanish football as both Barcelona and Real Madrid battled for his signature.

Eventually Madrid won and Becks became the latest Galactico signing for Perez. The president who had to vehemently denied moving for Beckham said at the press conference: “Beckham is here because we believe in him as a footballer. David, welcome to the dream league. We love Beckham because he makes us the best team on and off the pitch.”

Meanwhile Beckham himself seemed to adopt the classic Brit-abroad approach to speaking to the Spanish people by sticking to the most basic of pronoucements. “I have always loved football,” he said.

“Of course I love my family. I have a wonderful life, but football is everything to me and joining Real Madrid is a dream come true.

“I would like to say thank you to everyone coming and joining me in my arrival. Gracias – hala Madrid!”

He must have though his move was a ticket to a hat-full of trophies as Real were the dominant force in Spain and in Europe at the time while Barcelona were in disarray and struggling in mid table.

If only. Madrid imploded while Barca rallied and Beckham won nothing with the club until the unlikely La Liga triumph in 2007 under Fabio Capello.

Have a look here to read about one of England’s best performances in the modern era, and come on back tomorrow for more footballing history hijinx.

June 15 – England Sail Past Dogs of War

IT is perhaps hard to think of it now, but back in 2002 Sven-Goran Eriksson was looking like the man England had been searching for for 30 years.

The Swede stepped in to take control after Kevin Keegan had overseen a dodgy start to the 2002 World Cup qualification campaign and while some top names in football including former England boss Glenn Hoddle were suggesting the 2002 tournament was perhaps already beyond England, Sven picked up the pieces and calmly masterminded the wins needed to get England to the finals – not least that night in Munich.

Once there, and buoyed by a jingoistic win over old foes Argentina, people began to believe this might be England’s year, particularly as many of the big names were knocked out early.

Could England go from being within a last-minute David Beckham free kick of not qualifying, to actually winning the tournament?

After coming through in second place in the group stage, England were drawn against Denmark for the second round match on this day, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

Unusually for England, the match was a cake walk, with none of the trademark sloppy defending, heart-breaking near misses or penalty shoot-out misery.

In fact it took just five minutes for England to go ahead after a header from Rio Ferdinand was fumbled into the net by Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen.

Fifteen minutes later England doubled their lead when Nicky Butt, enjoying the form of his life in an England shirt, flicked on a Trevor Sinclair cross to Michael Owen who slotted home from close range for his first goal of the tournament.

It got even better just before half time when Emile Heskey latched on to a David Beckham ball and blasted the ball into the back of the net for 3-0. It was his last competitive goal for England until he netted against Kazakhstan just a few weeks ago.

England were cruising and, with it seemingly ‘job done’ the second half drifted to its conclusion with no more goals.

Eriksson was pleased with the result saying: Eriksson added: “Three nil is maybe too much but we won and we’re in the quarter-finals. In the second half we defended very well. Denmark had the ball a lot but didn’t create very much.”

Captain Beckham was keen to point out it had been a better performance than the 0-0 draw against Nigeria in the last group match. “We have done our job, played some great football, and in the second half we just made sure of it.

“I was pleased for Emile and Michael. It was nice for Michael to get his first goal of the competition. The whole team came in for a bit of stick after the last game. One person described it as awful but we have done a good job today.

“I’m not bothered if we get Brazil or Belgium. I want to play the best team and the best players. Both are good teams. Whoever we get we are in the quarter-finals and happy.”

The result did nothing to dampen the build up of expectation among England fans that this time they really could go all the way – stoked up by the media of course. The BBC’s Phil McNulty reported after the match: “The road to glory is open – and England’s journey is gathering an ominous momentum as the serious World Cup business begins.”

Of course, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Daivd Seaman would eventually rain on the parade when England again failed at the quarter-final hurdle.

England enjoyed another great victory on this day in 1996 when a bit of magic from Gazza sent Wembley wild.

June 14 – Germany Have Their Revenge

SUMMER of 1970 was a good time to be an England fan. Reigning world champions, Sir Alf Ramsey’s team were favourites to defend their crown as they headed out to Mexico. Many said they were an even better team than the one which triumphed at Wembley in 1966 and hopes were high that England would bring the cup home once again.

After a classic match with Brazil in the group stage, two wins in their other two matches ensured the Three Lions would be facing West Germany on this day in the quarter-final – the same team they had beaten four years earlier in the final.

Before the match Sir Alf’s team was dealt a major blow when Gordon Banks, first choice keeper and hero of the Brazil game for his incredible save from Pele, was ruled out with food poisoning.

Ramsey was heard to remark: “I still can’t believe it. Of all the players to lose, it had to be him.” He was right to be concerned – it would prove a decisive factor in the game.

In the match itself England were playing beautifully and seemed to have the game within their grasp after Alan Mullery and Martin Peters both scored to give them a 2-0 lead with just 25 minutes remaining.

But then disaster: Peter Bonetti, deputising for Banks in goal, let a speculative shot from Franz Beckenbauer to creep into the net, and suddenly the West Germans had a foothold back in the game.

They were hungry for revenge for the 1966 final and now their tails were up.

Ramsey reacted by bringing off Martin Peters and Bobby Charlton, thinking the game won, and wanting to save their legs for the semi-final. It proved a crucial mistake that handed the initiative back to Germany. Free from having to shadow Charlton, Beckenbauer was able to exert more influence on the game and with just eight minutes to go, his side forced an equaliser from Uwe Seeler.

Just like in ’66 England and West Germany would go into extra time, but this time it was the Germans who took control, and in the second period Gerd Muller volleyed home the winner from close range.

West Germany had pulled off a stunning comeback against the World Champions and England were out, their reign as holders of the Jules Rimet cup was over.

Bobby Charlton never played for England again, his final cap was his 106th – a record at the time, not that that provided any consolation.

Germany were knocked out in the semi-final by Italy, who themselves were beaten 4-1 in the final by Brazil.

Also on this day, Exeter City received a visit from their most famous fans. Read that here, and come back tomorrow for more from us to help fill the football shaped void that stretches before us all for the summer.

June 11 – Fair’s Fair at Newcastle

HERE at OTFD we really are starting to wonder how Mike Ashley ever got his hands on his vast fortune in the first place. His decision making seems about as good as that of the Newcastle defence this season yet somehow he amassed enough cash to buy the club in the first place. It is a mystery.

Still, they do say a fool and his gold are soon parted, and what better club to start parting with it than Newcastle United? This once great club has become a byword for a joke, a shambles and generally a right old horlicks of a mess.

Every time you think they have sunk as low as they can, something else happens. This week, we had the most laughable attempt to sell a football club since, well, since the last time Ashley tried to sell it when he simply flew off to the Middle East and started hawking it around to anyone who would listen, which, as it turned out, wasn’t anyone.

Now Ashley has turned to the internet, and all you have to do is send your offer in to admin@nufc.co.uk and the club could be yours – provided you meet his ludicrously optimistic asking price. £100m? He’s dreaming.

It’s all a far cry from the glory days of the club, the very last of which came exactly 40 years ago today in 1969 when they won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup – the forerunner to the Uefa Cup.

The final was a two-legged affair and the Magpies had given themselves every chance of winning it after a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Hungarian champions Ujpest Dozsa at St James’ Park two weeks earlier.

The second leg in Hungary was held today and by half time the Georgies were beginning to get worried as Ujpest had gone in 2-0 up.

Just when it seemed like defeat might be snatched from the jaws of victory, captain Bobby Moncur decided enough playing around, and scored just minute after the restart. Preben Arentoft added anouther four minutes later and then any hopes the Hungarians had of coming back were dashed when substitute Alan Foggon, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes, scored to give Newcastle a 3-2 victory on the night, 6-2 on aggregate.

Since then Newcastle have won precisely nothing. Just some of the English clubs to have won major silverware since then include Wimbledon, Swindon Town, Oxford United and Luton Town.

Bobby Moncur remains the last Newcastle captain to hold any trophy aloft. He recently told the Times: “I would never have imagined that the Fairs Cup would be the last thing we’d win for 40 years.”

“We didn’t realise what it meant. If you mention my name to people now, they associate it with the last Newcastle captain to win a trophy, which is pretty boring after a while. When he was playing, I wanted Alan (Shearer) to be the man to take that title from me. He got quite close.”

Close indeed, but no cigar.

That’s all for today folks, but Scotland fans be sure to click here to read about one of the most celebrated goals ever scored in a blue shirt.

June 10 – Italy are World Champs

After the success of the first ever World Cup in 1930, the powers that be decided to make it a regular gig, and Italy was chosen as the host country for the second tournament in 1934.

It was an unusual World Cup in two respects: first, the holders did not take part for the only time in World Cup history – Uruguay declined an invitation, still hurt after most European teams refused to play in the 1930 contest, although there was also concern that all their best players would sign for Italian clubs and never return home.

Secondly, despite being the hosts, italy had to qualify for the right to take part. Luckily they did, or the whole thing could have been something of an embarrassing non-event.

As it was the Italian team, no doubt spurred on by the dubious motivational powers of Mussolini, destroyed the USA in the first round 7-1, before overcoming Spain in the quarter-final 1-0 in a replayed match after the first game ended 1-1.

They then dispatched Austria in a tense and nervy semi-final that was eventually settled by a single goal from Italy’s Argentine-born winger Guaita in the 19th minute.

So far so good for the Italian team, as their winning run ensured Mussolini’s propoganda was based in reality for once.

It was on this day that the second World Cup Final took place. Mussolini had given virtually the whole country the day off in anticipation for the great victory that would surely follow against opponents Czechoslovakia.

Inevitably things did not initially run to the Italian dictator’s script. After a goalless first half it was the Czechs who opened the scoring with just 20 minutes remaining to sour the party inside the del Partiti stadium.

The scorer, Puc, had only just returned to the field after treatment for cramp when his long shot beat Italian keeper Combi after a corner.

Perhaps imagining the frightening consequences that awaited them if they failed, the Italian players stirred into life and Raimondo Orsi equalised with just eight minutes left.

In extra time Angelo Schiavio netted the winner and the whole of Italy rejoiced: they were World Champions.

All of which was a far cry from the fate of future World Champions Brazil and Argentina: both teams had took an 8,000 mile boat trip to reach Italy, promptly lost their opening matches and were out on the spot with just the return journey home as a consolation.

By 1962 the World Cup was back in South America and England had finally decided to enter. Read about the Three Lions striker doing his Rolf Harris bit here, and come back tomorrow for another story from football’s history.

June 7 – England’s (and Becks’) Revenge

IF it’s not Germany inflicting World Cup heart ache on England, it’s invariably Argentina. Whether it’s Sir Alf calling them “animals” in ’66 or Maradona’s volleyball technique in ’86 it’s fair to say the games between England and Argentina are never dull.

At the 1998 World Cup, despite Michael Owen’s best efforts the Argentines again put paid to England’s World Cup hopes. They were aided by David Beckham’s impetuousness in that match and the young winger was vilified by the entire nation.

Four years later, in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Beckham was now captain and rehabilitated in he eyes of the nation after his heroics in the crucial qualification game against Greece.

Waiting for Becks and England were Argentina. One of the pre-tournament favourites, the South American team was drawn alongside England in Group F, dubbed the Group of Death by the press because it also contained Sweden and Nigeria.

In the match itself, played on this day, it was England that began to look like world beaters rather than their much-hyped opposition and it paid off just before half time when Owen was brought down in the box. Penalty. There was only one man who was going to take it, the Hollywood script had Beckham stepping up for spot kick.

The Argentines did their best to put him off, Pablo Cavallero, the goalkeeper, marched over to Beckham and told him where to place the shot. Beckham ignored him. Then Beckham’s nemesis Diego Simeone, whose play-acting had earned Beckham his red card four years earlier tried to shake Becks’ concentration. Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes suggested he leave their captain alone.

The theatrics over with, the referee blew his whistle and Beckham leathered the ball into the back of the net. Beckham’s redemption was complete and he ran over to the England fans pulling at his England shirt and kissing the badge.

England held on to win, and should have even extended their lead during the game but no matter, the team, and Beckham in particular had avenged the defeat in France.

“It is a fantastic feeling. This is probably the sweetest moment of my whole career,” said Beckham after the game.

“It is a victory for the whole nation. When you play one of the best teams in the world, to score the goal that wins the game is very special.

“It puts the ghosts of France 98 to rest once and for all. I have always said I have never been nervous, but I was definitely nervous getting ready to take that. I just ran up and hit it as hard as I can and hoped for the best.

“There were a few antics going on before I took it. The goalkeeper was telling me where I was going to put the ball and Simeone tried to shake my hand. I didn’t shake his hand then, but made sure I did at the end.”

Beckham added: “When we got the penalty, Michael said ‘are you going to take it or me?’ but I wanted it badly. I may have scored the goal, but everyone in the team was fantastic.”

Meanwhile the Argentina players were not gracious in defeat. As Paul Scholes walked past some of them on his way to the coach after the match they yelled out “bastardo” at him. Needless to say, he, and England, had already had the last laugh.

England had another tasty encounter with South American opposition on this day in 1970 which you can read about here. Or if you’ve got something better to do, just pop back tomorrow to see what was happening in the world of football way back when.

June 6 – By the Power of Greyskull!

GAMESMANSHIP, play-acting, simulation; call it what you will, but in OTFD’s old-fashioned jumper’s for goalposts, black and white, sepia tinged eyes, it’s just plain old cheating.

Yes it goes on all the time, in varying degrees, in every single match all over the world, from sunday league to the Champions League, but a line has to be drawn somewhere, but today in 2002 Fifa showed that ‘the line’ was merely a paltry fine.

In a 2002 World Cup match between Brazil and Turkey, the South Americans were fortunate to be winning 2-1 as the game wound down, after a foul by Alpay on Luizao in the 85th minute was clearly outside the box. Alpay was correctly sent off, but then referee Kim Young-Joo pointed to the spot as well.

Brazil had been trailing to a goal from Hasan Sas just before half time but a Ronaldo equaliser and then the converted penalty by Rivaldo gave them the lead.

With the clock on 92 minutes Brazil were awarded a corner and Rivaldo went over to take it. Turkey’s Hakan Unsal kicked the ball towards him and it hit him on the legs. Immediately the Skelator lookaliek clutched his face and flung himself to the ground in apparent agony.

The ref then sent Unsal off for the offence but replays of Rivaldo’s reaction were soon playing around the stadium. It was the worst piece of acting since Crossroads and soon the crowd were booing him and the referee.

With the media baying for blood Rivaldo’s manager defended his actions with an explanation weaker than some of those MPs have been trotting out over the past few weeks.

“The ball hit him on the knee and then bounced upwards. He put his hand on his face to stop being hit in the face,” Luiz Felipe Scolari said.

“Nobody’s talking about this apart from the Brazilian media who are more interested in getting Rivaldo punished than in giving value to his performance.”

Fifa, for one, wasn’t buying it, and on this day they found the Brazil forward guilty of “simulation” but decided against banning him, instead landing him with a £5,180 fine.

Rivaldo himself was unmoved. “I’m calm about the punishment,” he said. “I am not sorry about anything. I was both the victim and the person who got fined.

“Obviously the ball didn’t hit me in the face, but I was still the victim. I did not hit anyone in the face. Nobody remembers what the Turk did. I’m not a player who fakes fouls.”

He also claimed Fifa had made an example of him, saying: “I don’t know if everyone would be punished as I was.”

Meanwhile Fifa mouthpiece Keith Cooper said Rivaldo’s card had been marked. “It has been brought to the attention of the Brazilian Football Federation that if he continues to behave in this manner he may be sanctioned strongly by the Fifa disciplinary committee,” he said.

“It’s regrettable that a world-class player such as Rivaldo has resorted to this type of subterfuge,” added Fifa’s disciplinary chief Marcel Mathier.

“We want to demonstrate that this type of simulation cannot be accepted and cannot go unpunished. Such behaviour means that everybody is cheated, not only the opponents but also the referee and particularly the fans.”

Also on this day, Tottenham’s never-ending search for a new managerial messiah continued. Check that out and pop back tomorrow for more nostalgic ramblings from us.

June 3 – Captain Heskey

THE England team has been skippered by some fine captains down the years: Billy Wright, Bobby Moore, Bryan Robson and, er, Emile Heskey.

The quiet man who has invented his very own new football position (that of non-scoring striker) took the England armband on this day in 2003, when England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson came under fire for yet another game in which he substituted almost the whole team, and was accused of not treating the England captaincy with the respect it deserves.

England opponents were Serbia & Montenegro and the match was a friendly in preparation for some Euro 2004 qualifiers.

It was held at Leicester City’s Walkers Stadium – the first international to be played at the new ground, and old softie Sven decided to give Heskey the nod in the starting line-up for the game in his home city – leaving the great young hope Wayne Rooney on the bench.

In David Beckham’s absence, Michael Owen started the game as captain but it was Steven Gerrard that gave England the lead after 35 minutes.

Just before half time Nenad Jestrovic scored from a corner to level the score before the break.

Sven then made five substitutions, including taking Owen off for Rooney. With his captain having gone off, Sven further indulged Leicester boy Heskey by allowing him to take the armband. “And no, that wasn’t a typo – Emile Heskey is captaining England,” read the Guardian’s live internet feed of the game, summing up the incredulity of everyone watching.

After 62 minutes of play Sven suddenly woke up and realised he hadn’t subbed anyone for far too long so hauled off Heskey, Lampard and Danny Mills, with Vassell, Joe Cole and Jamie Carragher coming on.

Third captain of the night? Phil. Neville. We s**t you not. Phil Neville. *shakes head disbelievingly*.

But the shuffle proved to be inspired management from Sven when, just as it looked like another boring and pointless England friendly destined to lurch to an unsatisfying draw, Joe Cole stepped up and scored from a free kick with just eight minutes left.
Sven decided to celebrate the only way he knows how during an England friendly, and made some more subs, bringing the total number of players on the pitch who started the game to just one. James Beattie came on for Phil Neville, his brief reign as England captain mercifully over. Gareth Barry replaced Matthew Upson in the other change.

By now England were on to their fourth captain of the night, easily a record for one match, with Jamie Carragher now taking the armband as England saw out the match to win 2-1.

It was a win of England but Sven found himself targeted by the press for the nonchalant treatment of the honour of wearing the captain’s armband.

The Guardian’s Richard Williams, in his summing up of the match said: “Perhaps because he wears rimless spectacles, Eriksson is sometimes suspected of lacking a sense of humour. Nevertheless there are those who will see his decision, after half-time, to bestow the captaincy of England first on Heskey and then on Philip Neville as a joke, rather than the sign of a desire to salute the contribution of England’s two most widely criticised players.”

More tomorrow folks, but in the meantime, check this out for the story of another of England’s more maligned players of recent years.

June 2 – Heysel: The Aftermath

AFTER the terrible events at the 1985 European Cup Final at Heysel when 39 fans were killed, the authorities began looking for someone to blame.

The tragedy had gone beyond the football world and even Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher weighed in with her opinion. “We have to get the game cleaned up from this hooliganism at home and then perhaps we shall be able to go overseas again,” she said.

Immediately after the disaster Liverpool announced they would not be taking part in European competition next season.

Then, on May 31, the FA banned English clubs from European competition.

“It is now up to English football to put its house in order,” said FA secretary Ted Croker outside Number 10 Downing Street after discussions with the PM.

“It was very important that the FA took positive action and immediately,” he said, adding it was the most difficult decision he had ever had to take.

Next in line was Uefa, who, on this day in 1985 announced they were imposing their own ban on English clubs for an indefinite period.

Reacting to the decision, football league president Jack Dunnett said: “It is unfair to punish clubs which had nothing to do with the Brussels tragedy”. Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton were all denied entry to European football in the first year of the ban.

But the move was welcomed by Ted Croker who said: “There are many of us who don’t want to see us back in Europe until we have got our own house in order.”

A British representative on Uefa’s 11-strong executive committee said he had unsuccessfully tried to push for the ban to be limited to a set period. But David Will, president of the Scottish FA, said: “The feeling in Uefa is very, very strong”.

In the end the ban lasted for five years for all English clubs bar Liverpool, who were banned for six.

Also on this football day, some pretty bad scenes at a game, but this time (thankfully) on the pitch rather than in the stands.