Football unpleasantries between England and Argentina were born at the Empire Stadium in London in 1966, the place more often known as Wembley.
It all kicked off when the Argentine captain, Antonio Rattin, attempted to trip Bobby Charlton, hero of England, when in full forward flight and went into the referee’s book – the equivalent back then of receiving a yellow card. Shortly afterwards he upended West Ham’s Geoff Hurst, later to become the hat-trick hero of the final. By then, a fistful of Argentinians had been booked. Seconds later, a further one was added. Rattin protested to the German referee. He was told to leave the field.
Famously, Rattin did not wish to go. And when, at last, he did, following several minutes of protestations, it was a departure for the ages. There was shock at the time: Argentina’s tactics were uncompromisingly negative and Rattin’s recalcitrance was sensational, confirming everything all of England believed to be unsporting and unmanly about the way the game was played just about everywhere else in the world, and especially in some parts of South America.
But the full glory of Rattin’s exit was most fully immortalised later, in the movie documentary Goal! Footage captures Rattin’s long, slow walk down the touchline, his demeanour exuding a sulphurous mix of wounded pride, furious incomprehension and sullen insubordination as the match, almost mockingly, resumes without him. The moment when he plucks at a corner flag, which is flying a union jack, is simply epic. So is the musical soundtrack.
The match took place almost exactly 60 years ago, on 23 July, 1966. More than 90,000 were in the ground. Rattin’s dismissal took place early the proceedings, at around 35 minutes. Despite facing only 10 men from then on, it took England until the 78th minute to score the game’s only goal, a glancing header by Hurst. It was a bad-tempered affair throughout. Diego Maradona’s Hand of God (1986) and David Beckham’s sending-off (1998) were to come, preceded by the small matter of the Falklands War (1982).
Rattin died three days ago, having left an indelible mark on the capital’s sporting history.
John Vane’s London novel, a political satire called Frightgeist, can be bought from this very website. This article originally appeared on the Substack John Vane: London Stories.
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