| The first World Cup final between two previous winners produced
one of the greatest displays of attacking football ever seen on
the world stage. As the match report in the July 1970 edition of
World Soccer declared: "Here was proof that football, played
the way it was meant to be, with artistry
and skill, can still succeed in the modern era."
Brazil started as strong favourites, with Pele their outstanding
protagonist. For Pele, the game proved to be the fulfilment of all
the promise he had shown as a 17-year-old at the World Cup in Sweden
12 years
earlier. Against Italy, he opened the scoring with a magnificent
header and created two more goals.
For all Brazil's brilliance, Italy never looked out of their depth.
In Sandro Mazzola they had a marvellous inside-forward with a clever
understanding with Roberto Boninsegna. The latter equalised eight
minutes
before half-time after he was gifted the ball from a back-heel by
Clodoaldo.
However, Italy's addiction to catenaccio was to prove too strong
and they made the crucial mistake of letting the Brazilians come
at them. Gerson hit a powerful, low, left-footed cross-shot from
outside the area to make it 2-1 midway through the second half.
Then Jairzinho accepted Pele's lay-off to score the third and achieve
the feat of having scored in every round of the tournament. Captain
Carlos Alberto hammered home the famous fourth, again after a Pele
lay-off, before lifting the Jules Rimet trophy,
which was Brazil's to keep after a third World Cup victory.
Line-ups
Brazil: Felix - Carlos Alberto, Brito, Piazza,
Everaldo - Clodoaldo,
Gerson, Rivelino - Jairzinho, Tostao, Pele.
Goals: Pele 18, Gerson 66, Jairzinho 71, Carlos Alberto 87.
Italy: Albertosi - Burgnich, Cera, Rosato, Facchetti
- Bertini
(Juliano 75), Mazzola, De Sisti - Domenghini, Boninsegna (Rivera
84), Riva.
Goals: Boninsegna 37.
Referee: Glockner (East Germany).
Att: 108,000. |
