OF MEXZICO

Nicholl & Co were humbled in the Guadalajara heat but shirt of the great Brazilian was a nice consolation prize

JIMMY NICHOLL’S face lights up as he wonders aloud if legendary Brazilian Zico has his No.2 shirt proudly on display in his adopted home on the east coast of Japan.

“He probably has it in a glass case,” chuckled the former Northern Ireland defender as his mind spins back to a sun-baked day in Guadalajara.

Nicholl and Zico’s paths collided 34 years ago today when Brazil cruised to a commanding 3-0 win at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The electric Careca scored twice and raiding full-back Josimar bamboozled Pat Jennings from siege gun range as Northern Ireland exited the tournament.

Memories merge but a comical story persists that Nicholl asked Zico in the heat of battle to swap shirts in the bowels of Estadio Jalisco after the game.

Fast forward 25 minutes and Northern Ireland players, entirely in the dark about their team-mate’s ploy, were invited into the opposing changing room.

The impish David Mccreery returned a short time later, incredulity etched on his face.

“Nic,” he exclaimed. “Zico insists he’ll only swap his shirt with the Irlande numero two.”

“Well,” came the reply. “If he’s desperate to have my jersey, I suppose he can have it.”

“I’ve maybe milked that story a bit over the years,” laughed Nicholl all these years later. “We weren’t allowed to swap jerseys after the game so I asked Zico during a halt in play. It isn’t like me because I don’t like players doing that and I was probably grovelling but it was great to get it and I still have it to this day.

“I always hoped to bump into Zico so he might sign it but our paths never crossed. I’d be tempted to say, ‘Any chance of getting my jersey out of that glass cabinet?’”

Years later, a fan sent Nicholl a photograph of him tackling Zico – who scored a remarkable 48 goals in 71 games for Brazil – to sign.

“I’d never seen the photo before so I went straight to Boots and got 20 copies,” he said.

“Zico was 33 in 1986 but he was fantastic. For Brazilians, only Pele was rated higher and seeing him up close in Mexico, he had a sixth sense.

“He wasn’t a Maradona but he had a fantastic football brain. You’re closing him down and thinking, ‘I’ve got him’. But you don’t. He’s gone.”

Nicholl, part of Michael O’neill’s backroom staff at the Euro 2016 finals in France, watched the Brazil game back for the first time a handful of years ago.

Now 63, the former Manchester United and Rangers defender said: “It’s funny, when people used to mention that World Cup to me I’d say, ‘I didn’t enjoy it’.

“Losing 3-0 to Brazil? For many years I felt embarrassed because you felt inferior and inadequate as a player.

“But I watched the game back and we actually did alright. Sammy Mcilroy and Colin Clarke had efforts on goal and we created chances.

“But they had Socrates and Junior on the ball, Careca was everywhere and Josimar scored a wonder goal to make it 2-0 just before half-time.

“The moment you thought you were OK against them, the goals flashed in. They’d go ‘Slow, slow...whoosh!’ Their movement was fantastic.

“Zico only came on for the last 25 minutes but it was long enough to see first hand what a fantastic player he was.”

Long enough for Nicholl to garner a shirt and wonderful anecdote in the process.