R.I.P. Gordon Banks.
Sad news that England’s World Cup winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks has died, aged 81.
It’s funny that Gordon won the World Cup, one of technically only eleven Englishmen to do so but it was a save in a loss and not being present in another game which most people seem to remember.
That save by Banks from Pele’s header, to go with Bobby Moore’s tackle on Jairzinho, during England’s group game against brazil at the 1970 World Cup, in Mexico, are the two moments, in two distinguished careers, that are still repeated to this day to highlight the brilliance of two of England’s greatest. Even though the game ended in defeat.
That save. The save of the century. The greatest save of all time. Pele thought he’d scored. Everyone thought he’d scored. He still doesn’t know how he didn’t score.
After I headed the ball, I had already began to jump to celebrate the goal. Then I looked back and I couldn’t believe it hadn’t gone in. That save is definitely the best save of all time Pele
The other one most remembered with keeper Banks is the game he missed. Food poisoning or just poisoning it wasn’t just his absence that cost England in the quarter final against West Germany but not having the best keeper about didn’t help. Something that Sir Alf highlighted with his statement… Of all the players to lose, we had to lose him
.
FIFA goalkeeper of the year, every year, between 1966 and 1971 and one of that starting XI who should ave been knighted that won the World Cup for England.