Pelé leads Gordon Banks tributes as England World Cup winner dies aged 81
Pelé led the tributes from around the world on Tuesday after the death of Gordon Banks, widely regarded as England’s greatest ever goalkeeper and a key member of the 1966 World Cup winning side. The Brazil forward’s name will be forever linked with that of Banks as a result of one of the 1970 World Cup’s most memorable moments, with Pelé generously suggesting he is happy the goalkeeper kept out his famous header because it led to a subsequent friendship.
“I have great sadness in my heart today and I send condolences to the family Gordon was so proud of,” Pelé said. “I scored many goals in my life but people always like to ask about the one I didn’t score, because of that save. While it was indeed phenomenal my memory of Gordon is not defined by that but his friendship. He was a kind, warm man who gave so much to people. I am glad he saved my header because it was the start of a friendship I will always treasure. Whenever we met it was like we had never been apart.”
The former Chesterfield, Leicester and Stoke goalkeeper was 81, and had been suffering from kidney cancer. Though ever-present in England’s run to the World Cup final Banks was responsible for few heroics or outstanding performances in 1966. His reputation for being virtually unbeatable, almost certainly the best in the world at the time, was largely based on the World Cup four years later, with one save in particular catapulting him into the ranks of lasting legends.
The venue was Guadalajara in Mexico, the opposition Brazil, and Jairzinho was running full pelt down the right wing. Most people who witnessed what happened next can vividly remember being momentarily perplexed at where the ball had gone when Pelé headed the cross powerfully towards goal, but Alan Mullery was on the pitch at the time so is bestequipped to tell the story.
“Jairzinho clipped it to the far post, and Pelé – who climbed to such a height better than anyone else – headed the ball downwards,” Mullery said. “Gordon went from one post to the other, flicked the ball with his fingertips and it went over the crossbar. As a joke I said ‘why didn’t you catch it?’ and the abuse that came back was unbelievable.”
Banks himself recalled that Pelé had already started to shout “goal!” before his celebrations were abruptly curtailed. “As I got to my feet Pelé came up to me and patted me on the back,” the goalkeeper said. “He said, ‘I thought that was in’, so I said ‘You and me both!’ If you watch television footage of the game it shows me laughing as I turn to take up my position for the corner. Bobby Moore had just told me I must be getting too old because I used to be able to hold on to those. Like hell I did!”
Banks won 73 England caps before his career came to a premature end when a 1972 car crash cost him the sight in one eye. He won Fifa’s goalkeeper of the year award on six occasions, and was voted Footballer of the Year in 1972 – the year his semi-final penalty save against West Ham helped Stoke win the League Cup – becoming the first goalkeeper to receive the honour since Manchester City’s Bert Trautmann in 1956. Banks described beating Chelsea in the League Cup final as his proudest moment in club football.
He was prouder still of some of his international achievements, though the 1970 World Cup in Mexico ended in disappointment when he was forced to miss the quarter-final against West Germany with food poisoning. With late replacement Peter Bonetti in goal, England let a two goal lead slip and went out of the tournament when Frank Beckenbauer led a German comeback and Gerd Müller scored a winner in extra time. Until that point it had been one of England’s more convincing World Cup campaigns, they were growing into the tournament and playing like holders, and though Bonetti was not greatly at fault there was inevitable speculation about whether Banks would have been beaten three times.
Leading the English tributes, fellow World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton said: “Gordon was a fantastic goalkeeper, without doubt one of the best England had ever had, I was proud to call him a teammate and he will be deeply missed. Obviously we shared that great day in 1966 but it was more than that. Even though I was on the pitch and have seen it many times since, I still don’t know how he saved that header from Pelé.”
Nearly 49 years later, Pelé remains equally baffled. “As a footballer you know straightaway how well you have hit the ball,” the Brazilian said. “I had hit that header exactly as as I had hoped, put it exactly where I wanted it to go, and I was ready to celebrate. But then Banks appeared in my sight like a blue phantom and somehow pushed my header up and over. Even now when I watch it I can’t believe it, I can’t believe how he moved so far, so fast. The save was one of the best I have ever seen. Rest in peace my friend, you were a goalkeeper with magic but also a fine human being.”
Ray Clemence, who with Peter Shilton took over England goalkeeping duties when Banks retired, said receiving help and advice from a personal hero had been invaluable. “Gordon made it look easy, and everybody who has played the position knows it is not,” the former Liverpool and Tottenham player said. “He was the greatest goalkeeper England have had and when Peter and I followed him he was always willing to talk to us.”