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WORLD CUP WALLY
played all their matches in the comfort of their capital city, while the fancied Portugal team was sent to Manchester, Liverpool and then to London to meet England in the semifinal where they narrowly lost.
that, together with decades of hooliganism, the tournament has not been held in England since.
It is especially so in the World Cup. Non footballing countries such as the USA, South Africa, South Korea and even Saudi Arabia (with Arab support) have all advanced to the knock out stages on their own territory, where they have the support and can call the shots.
Any detraction from England’s World Cup victory in
1966 is considered sacrilege. It is too widely perceived as our greatest achievement of the last century, ahead of the 1940 Battle Of Britain, the 1947 foundation of the NHS and our 1974 admission to the EEC. World Cup Willy was a mascot introduced for the 1966 World Cup taking place in England. In that year the FIFA president was English. England
Blatant tactical decisions by English referees had already ensured the early elimination of the strongest teams (Brazil and Hungary). Brutal fouls on Pele and his teammates were not penalised. Against England, Argentina’s captain was sent off after half an hour for no explicable reason. Argentina’s 10 men lost to a late goal by England.
Finally, England was awarded a winning ‘goal’ in the final against West Germany when the ball had not crossed the goal line. Everything was contrived to guarantee a World Cup for England. In these circumstances it is not surprising
To this day, England is the only World Cup winner not to have won it (or even reached the final) on foreign soil.
Over 56 years later, there is still no end to the gloating over England’s 1966 triumph every time the World Cup is mentioned, but the ‘fixing’ (or assisted passage) of the results is never mentioned. “Football’s coming home” they chant every four years, as if England has an unalienable right to lift the trophy. Surely, the true home of football is Brazil or Argentina, Germany or Italy.
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