The Daily Telegraph - Sport

How Stiles tamed mighty Eusebio in a performanc­e for the ages

The midfielder repaid Ramsey’s strong backing with his greatest display, writes Jeremy Wilson

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Perhaps it is the passage of time. Perhaps it was the drama of extra time, penalties and playing against Germany, but there is also still something rather British in how the one major internatio­nal semi-final that England have actually won is also the least remembered of all.

And yet there it will forever stand in the record books: July 26, 1966. Wembley Stadium. England 2 Portugal 1. And three goals shared by two of the greatest footballer­s of any era in Bobby Charlton and Eusebio.

Most of those involved will also tell you that it was not just the highest-quality match of the entire 1966 tournament, but also England’s best performanc­e. Perhaps, even, ever.

Portugal have still never had a team better their eventual third place at a World Cup and, with Eusebio in his absolute prime in a competitio­n that ended with him scoring nine goals and winning the Golden Boot, there was a sense that he was poised to surpass Pele as the world’s greatest player. Portugal had already emphatical­ly dispatched Pele’s Brazil – who had won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and would do so again in 1970 – in the group phase. It was a day, though, when Manchester United midfielder Nobby Stiles was inspired in patrolling the space in front of England’s defence.

Two incidents in the years leading up to the match were especially significan­t. England had played Portugal to a 1-1 draw in Sao Paulo in the 1964 Nations’ Cup and Stiles, says team-mate Terry Paine, had left a psychologi­cal scar on Eusebio.

“The modern-day equivalent of Nobby would be N’golo Kante,” says Paine, who himself was part of the 1966 squad and played in the 2-0 group win against Mexico. “Nobby was what you would now call a midfield destroyer. He didn’t take any prisoners and, to be completely honest, I think Eusebio was a little bit afraid. I think there was a part of him that didn’t fancy it.”

What would not be fully revealed until years later was also how administra­tors at the Football Associatio­n had been putting pressure on manager Alf Ramsey not to pick Stiles. Some of his tackling had prompted criticism among pundits and Ramsey had been urged by members of the selection committee to drop him for a game. The England manager simply responded by saying that they would need to find a new manager, mid-tournament, if there was any interferen­ce.

Speaking in 2002, Stiles recalled how Ramsey’s handling of the situation had deepened the squad’s loyalty to their manager. “I got slaughtere­d in the papers,” said Stiles. “You can’t play if you haven’t got the ball. My job was to win it, give it to Bobby [Charlton] and let him get on with it. The criticism never put me off.

“It wasn’t until going on the coach to the semi against Portugal that I realised something was going on in the country. The atmosphere was unbelievab­le. The adrenalin kicked in and you started doing things you never thought you could.”

Among the placards, says George Cohen, that greeted the players as they arrived through the swathes of England fans was, “Nobby Stiles for Prime Minister”. There were 94,493 people inside Wembley for what was a 7.30pm kick-off.

England, who were in their usual white shirts, took the lead after 30 minutes, when left-back Ray Wilson passed the ball over the Portuguese midfield towards Roger Hunt. In surging for goal, Hunt was challenged by goalkeeper Jose Pereira and the rebound landed in the worst possible place for Portugal: at the feet of Bobby Charlton. Utterly deadly from that range, he finished crisply with his right instep.

The 50 minutes that then followed were tense but of the highest quality. Stiles was immense in shadowing Eusebio, but so was Jack Charlton in containing striker Jose Torres. It was, according to Paine, a pleasure to have a touchline seat.

“Even allowing for Cristiano Ronaldo now, I have not seen a more formidable Portugal side,” he says. “As well as Eusebio, they had a giant striker in Torres but we had Jack, who matched him.”

The 80th minute proved decisive. Cohen chipped a 40-yard pass deep into the Portugal half to Geoff Hurst. The West Ham striker turned and took a touch before rolling a pass to the edge of the area, where Bobby Charlton blasted a trademark rising finish inside Pereira. The mutual sportsmans­hip was such that several Portugal players shook Charlton’s hand.

And yet two minutes later it was 2-1. Torres finally did get the better of Jack Charlton who, in desperatio­n, used his arm to prevent a certain headed goal.

The penalty, scored by Eusebio, was the first goal that a formidable England defence of Gordon Banks, Cohen, Charlton, Bobby Moore and Wilson had conceded in more than seven hours. It ensured a dramatic finale, with Banks then making a wonderful save from Mario Coluna.

Eusebio was crying as he left the pitch and, like Paul Gascoigne in Turin 24 years later, the match would become known in Portugal as the game of tears.

Bobby Charlton duly received most headlines but, writing only

 ??  ?? Classic duel: Nobby Stiles blocks a Eusebio header during England’s 2-1 win against Portugal at Wembley in 1966 – the striker (left) won the Golden Boot with nine goals
Classic duel: Nobby Stiles blocks a Eusebio header during England’s 2-1 win against Portugal at Wembley in 1966 – the striker (left) won the Golden Boot with nine goals
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