Big Guns Out As Small Nations Fire The Shots In The World Cup

I was coming up to 13 when England won the World Cup in 1966 watching it  with my dad and 9 year old brother on our 20" black and white Rediffusion TV - with the curtains closed in the room as my dad thought that made the picture better.

Three years later Newcastle won the Fairs Cup in the days when Leeds United dominated the old First Division under manager Don Revie.

How Times Change

In 1970 the great Brazilian team of Pele, Jairzinho, Tostao, Rivellino and Carlos Alberto beat Italy 4-1 in the World Cup final - the last goal being one of the greatest ever scored after eight Brazilian's played the ball before Alberto smashed it in from Pele's lay off.

The big change?

Not one of the Brazilian's played outside of Brazil. Every player played for a Brazilian team in their national league.

Now, only 7 of the 26 man squad play for home teams, 19 ply their trade elsewhere, showing how in the last 50 years the world is not just a different place, but football is too.

Top 20 Nations in 1970 v Today

In 1970 England were No.2 in the rankings and could have been in with a chance of retaining the World Cup if they hadn't allowed West Germany to come back from two goals down in the Quarter Final to win 3-2 - a reverse of the scoreline when England lifted the cup in 1966.

However, England were still ranked at No.2 in the world behind Brazil; take a look at these comparative rankings to show how the power base has changed since 1970...

Rank	1970 (World Football Elo Ratings)	Now (Official FIFA Rankings)
1	Brazil	Argentina
2	England	Spain
3	West Germany	France
4	Italy	England
5	Soviet Union	Portugal
6	Czechoslovakia	Brazil
7	East Germany	Morocco
8	Uruguay	Netherlands
9	Spain	Belgium
10	Yugoslavia	Germany
11	Scotland	Croatia
12	Sweden	Italy
13	Argentina	Colombia
14	Bulgaria	Mexico
15	Poland	Senegal
16	Portugal	Uruguay
17	Hungary	United States
18	Romania	Japan
19	Belgium	Switzerland
20	Austria	Iran

Only four of the top 10 teams in 1970 are still in the top 10 today: Brazil, England, Germany and Spain, with all but Spain (now No.1) falling down the rankings.

Since 1970 East and West Germany are no more, now one nation, and the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia no longer exist. Scotland were at No.11, now you can add another '1' :).

Global Diversification from The Old Order

The 1970 list was entirely dominated by UEFA (Europe) and CONMEBOL (South America). Not now.

Today’s top 20 features a much more global distribution, including teams from Africa (Morocco, Senegal), North America (Mexico, USA), and Asia (Japan, Iran). 

To these new top 20 nations we can add the likes of DR Congo, Ghana, Canada, Paraguay and South Korea - teams who were unheard of previously on the world stage.

And, as this World Cup has shown, these nations aren't just there to make up the numbers. Morocco have knocked out the Netherlands, Paraguay have sent Germany home and a brilliant Japan were within two minutes of taking Brazil to extra time.

Mexico, Canada, the USA, Senegal and DR Congo are all through to the last 32 and more big teams could yet be catching an early plane home. England included.

Back in the 70's, 80's and even 90's the smaller nations would often get thrashed 5.6.7 and even 8-0 off the big boys, now those scorelines are a rarity.

The standard of players and tactics has risen enormously with many players of these nations turning out for teams in the top European leagues. Look how good Japan were technically against Brazil, and how unfortunate they were to lose.

Morocco, now 7th in the FIFA rankings are blazing the trail into the top 10 for these upcoming nations. Don't be surprised if others soon follow.

Morocco and Paraguay winning last night has shown that no team is safe from the upstarts and shown the rest of the 'minnows' that the big fish are there to be eaten.

It's made this World Cup all the more dramatic, uncertain, and exciting.

As my dad Bill was fond of telling me... "nowt stays the same son".

How right he was, as football has proven.

The Greatest Goal Of All Time?

One thing that has stayed the same...

I watched the 1970 WC Final between Brazil and Italy and the great Brazil goal scored by Carlos Alberto is etched in my memory.

This was Brazil at their finest, football at it's most glorious, as truly elite players of all time combined to conjure a magical goal as beautiful as the finest work of art.

Eight Brazilian players touched the ball, outstanding skills displayed, culminating in the most glorious of lay offs from Pele and an exquisite finish from Carlos Alberto.

Tostao smashing the ball back into the net after the goal and the way the Brazilian players celebrated just added to the whole magnificence. Pure, pure, magic.

Immediately after the game me and our kid ran up to The Green in Wallsend, got a few other kids together, and replayed Alberto's goal time and again with each taking turns to be Pele and Alberto. Happy days.

Here is the real thing. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZkR5Wb2KQs

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