By Michel Pautot, Esq., lawyer, Doctor in Law, editor-in-chief at LEGISPORT
Yes, in 1986, England’s national team was gifted and dynamic enough to win the World Cup in Mexico, but outstanding Diego Maradona decided otherwise.
After a poor tournament start (1-0 defeat vs Portugal then nil-nil vs Morocco), selector Bobby Bobson, former Ipswich coach, then found the magic formula by hiring Peter Beardsley to help Gary Lineker as an attacker. It was a strike! With a clear victory vs Poland (3-0), then a second 3-0 score in the round of 16 vs Paraguay, the team then reached quarter final full of confidence. Argentina was also confident with its number 10 Diego Maradona who played in Naples in those days, where he asserted himself as a second Vesuvio, always erupting.
It became irrational during the 51st minute. Maradona accelerated, the English were a bit passive and with his arm, he punched the ball into the into the goal with his hand! Despite protests expressed by the English, the referee gave the goal which became a legend! The « hand of God » scored the goal, said Maradona. Video refereeing did not exist and the debate about such need started. Four minutes later, the match then became even more irrational. Maradona took over the ball and ran along, he eliminated several English players and scored. No English player committed any foul – other teams would not have hesitated – it even seem that they were looking at him playing! There had been the hand of God. At that time, God himself descended on the field.
John Barnes joined the game too late!
The English players did not give in. Winger Hohn Barnes should have joined the game long before the 75th minute! Within 15 minutes only, Barnes « destroyed » Argentinian defence, first by offering a goal to Gary Lineker, then he came very close to equalizing by force! It seemed that the English were still doomed!
In our opinion, the English team relied on an exceptional generation of players like striker Gary Lineker who later became the best scorer of the competition (six goals), creative midfield player Glenn Hoddle or defender Terry Butcher as well as famous goalkeeper Peter Shilton! If England had beaten Argentina, the path to win the trophy would have been utterly possible, with Belgium in semi-final and Germany (Frg) in final. With a Gary Lineker in great form, the Three Lions Team was totally able to crush both teams. However, Bryan Bobson, the Captain and « boss », was missing: he was injured at the beginning of the World cup and the Argentinian obstacle still had to be overcome.
Since its world title in 1966, England’s team seemed to have been struck by a curse. Maybe it was related with the 1966 third goal? Had the ball entered or not? In 1970, in Mexico, in quarter final, the team selected by Alf Ramsay lead by 2 goals to 0 against Frg, then lost (3-2) after extra time. Bobby Charlton’s early departure and the absence of goalkeeper Gordon Banks are still discussed. After this elimination, it was a disaster. The English team was not qualified in 1974 and 1978. Difficult to believe. The come-back occurred in 1982 during the World Cup in Spain. England’s team got off to a great start with an excellent 1st round (3-1 victory vs France, 2-0 victory vs Czechoslovakia, 1-0 victory vs Kuwait) but was eliminated at the 2nd round without having lost (twice 0-0, firstly vs Frg, then vs Spain).