A SAVE SO MIRACULOUS EVEN GORDON DIDN’T THINK HE HAD MADE IT
because Jairzinho pushes the ball forward, and he can’t cross it until he gets to the ball, I have got time to have a quick look to analyse where people are in the area.
“And who do I see racing into the box? The greatest player I have ever seen in my life, Pele.
“He was racing in at his marker Alan Mullery, who must have stood in ready-mix concrete before he came out – he was about a yard behind him!
“Rivelinho was further in, and if he got it on his left foot this man could really hit a ball. That was when I knew the true adrenaline!
“So Jairzinho lifts it to the centre of the goal. I race from the near post to the centre of my goal. I never stood on my line in normal play, I always stood two or three yards off it.
“The reason was if I had to reach back for the ball it would not be over the line. Now this came to fruition. First of all, I had to wait for
That Brazil side was the greatest footballing machine I have seen
colour of him to head it. Once he had punched it I knew it was going just inside the righthand post. The hardest part of the save was because it was going to bounce just about a yard in front of my dive.
“So now I know that I have got to get across there quickly and at the same time anticipate how high the ball is going to bounce off a hard surface, reach back and get my hand to it, which I did do.
“But it hits the top of my hand and goes upwards and backwards. Honest to God, I thought it was a goal!
“Now I’m breaking my fall and I don’t know where it has gone. As I hit the floor, the momentum of the save brings my head round, and I now see the ball bounce behind the goal. And I said to myself: “Banksy – you lucky ******* !”
Another abiding image of the save is England skipper Moore, on the goalline, stopping, holding his hands up in shock and then applauding his team-mate. Pele admitted after the game he had been halfway through shouting “Goal!” when he realised that Banks had saved his effort.
Banks pulled off several other fine saves that baking hot afternoon, but he was eventually beaten in the second half, when Jairzinho scored as Brazil won 1-0 to go through to the quarterfinals.
England did beat Czechoslovakia in their final group game to make it to the last eight, but there, with Banks missing because of a stomach bug, they lost 3-2 to West Germany.
“So I am glad he saved my header – because that act was the start of a friendship between us that I will always treasure. Whenever we met, it was always like we had never been apart.
“I have great sadness in my heart today and I send condolences to the family he was so proud of.
“Rest in peace, my friend. Yes, you were a goalkeeper with magic. But you were also so much more. You were a fine human being.”