World Cup

On this day: Gordon Banks wonder save denies Pele

By Liam Apicella, Features Editor | 07 June 2014

Back on this day in 1970, England's Gordon Banks produces what most people regard to be the best save ever from a header by Brazilian striker Pele.

Pele, perhaps the greatest player to have ever graced a football pitch, scored over 1,000 goals for club and country.

Yet, for all his success, the 73-year-old is arguably best remembered for a moment during which he was unable to add to his goals tally, albeit through no fault of his own.

Forty-four years ago today, holders England met pre-tournament favourites Brazil in the group stages of the World Cup in Mexico. Both had triumphed from their opening fixtures and knew that a victory inside the Estadio Jalisco would all but secure progression to the knockout stages.

Following a nervy opening to proceedings, the 10th minute of the contest marked the point in which Pele and England goalkeeper Gordon Banks would go down in the competition's folklore.

The speedy Jairzinho got away from England left-back Terry Cooper down the right flank and then stood up a cross towards the back post where the clinical Pele lurked. The centre-forward's downward header was powerful and appeared to be heading for the bottom corner of the net unopposed until England goalkeeper Banks threw himself to his right. Not only did the Stoke City stopper reach the ball, he was somehow able to flick it over the bar and away from danger, much to the astonishment of everyone, including Pele.

Brazil's leading goalscorer of all time would later say of that save: "From the moment I headed it, I was sure it had gone in. I had already began to jump to celebrate the goal. Then I looked back and I couldn't believe it hadn't gone in."

As for Banks, he added: "It's something that people will always remember me for. They won't remember me for winning the World Cup, it'll be for that save. That's how big a thing it is. People just want to talk about that save."

Banks was eventually beaten in the second half, though, as Pele prodded a pass through for Jairzinho, who committed England's custodian off of his line before he lashed the ball into the centre of the goal.

It would prove to be the winning goal of a match that is widely regarded to be one of the best World Cup games ever, thanks largely to Banks's miraculous intervention in denying the prolific Pele.

ENGLAND: Banks; Wright, Labone, Moore, Cooper; Mullery, Ball, Charlton (Bell), Peters; Hurst, Lee (Astle)

BRAZIL: Felix; Carlos Alberto, Piazza, Brito, Everaldo; Jairzinho, Clodoaldo, Cezar, Rivelino; Tostao (Roberto), Pele