World Cup greatest moments - Pele's goal attempt from the halfway line

It happened in the 1970 world cup in Mexico. The game was Brazil versus Czechoslovakia.

Brazil won the match 4-1 with their legendary striker - Pele scoring a goal.

But the highlight of the match was a goal attempt in which Pelé audaciously attempted to lob a shot over Czechoslovak goalkeeper Ivo Viktor from the halfway line, missed the goal by a whisker.

The goal attempt can be seen at 3 minutes and 22 seconds of this video below:

World Cup greatest moments - the save of the century by Gordon Banks

During the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, 2 times world champion Brazil was in the same group with the then reigning world champion - England who won the world cup in the previous tournament in 1966.

The "Clash of the Champions" between Brazil and England lived up to all expectations.

The match is always best remembered for the great and legendary Brazilian striker - Pelé near-miss. His powerful close-range downward header was kept out by an amazing save from England goalkeeper - Gordon Banks, who somehow managed to get down to the ball and flick it upwards and over the bar. The save "stopped the world" and till now Pele still remembers the save of the century and still could not understand why the sure goal, managed to be saved by Gordon Banks!!! Other goalkeepers in the world would have been beaten!!!!

In the end, a single Jairzinho goal was enough to win the game for Brazil. However England too advanced to the next around before being beaten 2-3 by Germany in the quarterfinal.

What happened after the 1970 world cup final??

The 1970 world cup was held in Mexico.

The final match pitted two, two-time World Cup champions, Brazil and Italy.

The final was won by the great Brazilian team, beating Italy 4–1. With their third World Cup triumph, Brazil were allowed to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy permanently.

The Brazilian team, featuring the likes of world greatest player - Pelé (who was in his fourth and final World Cup), Carlos Alberto, Clodoaldo, Gérson, Jairzinho, Rivelino, and Tostão.

This 1970 Brazilian team is regarded as the greatest attacking World Cup team ever.

They won all of their 6 games on the way to the title, and had also won all of their 6 qualifying games on their way to Mexico. This tournament saw the return of free-flowing, attacking play after the physical battles of 1962 and 1966, and is still considered by many fans to be the finest World Cup in history.

The Italians meanwhile are considered the team with the best defence in the world.

But in the end, the attacking fliar of the Brazilians prevailed.

But what happened after the final whistle was blown?? The entire Brazilian players were mobbed by supporters and fans. This resulted in players losing their jerseys, socks and football boots!!! Even the great Pele lost his prized jersey, and nobody knows where that Jersey is now!!!

Don't believe me?? Well here is the video:


After 4.52 of this video - u can see the total chaos in the field at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico... the players being mobbed by fans and supporters and Pele lost his jersey !!!!

Brazil vs Italy, Clash of the Titans

Luis Fabiano celebrates after scoring against Italy


Real Madrid bound Brazilian super stiker Kaka consoling Italy's captain and Real Madrid team mate - Fabio Cannavaro.


In soccer, what will happen if the 5 time World Cup winners squares up against the 4 time World Cup winners???

Brazil the 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 FIFA World Cup Champions met Italy, the 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 FIFA World Cup Champions last night, at 2.30 am Malaysian time in the Confederations Cup in South Africa.

The end result, Brazil 3 - 0 Italy, with all the goals scored in the 1st half by the mighty Brazilians.

The last time Brazil and Italy met was in a friendly match in Wembley, England in February 2009 where Brazil prevailed in a 2-0 win.

This 2 great teams have met each other in 2 World Cup Finals in 1970 and 1994.

In the final in Mexico 1970, the greatest Brazilian team of all time led by Pele, Rivelino, Jairzinho, Tostao and Carlos Alberto outclassed Italy 4-1 in the final in one of the greatest ever match ever witnessed by the world.

Then Italy's star palyers, Luigi Riva, Roberto Boninsegna and Gianni Rivera were no match to the Brazilian firepower superattack.

In that 1970 memorable match, after leading comfortably 3-1, Brazil began playing exhibition football, to the delights of millions of football fans around the globe.

Brazil 4th and final goal was scored by Carlos Alberto.

The goal was dubbed the greatest ever goal ever scored in that tournament.

Carlos Alberto scored after a series of moves by the Brazilian team from the left to the center, where a total of 8 outfield Brazilian players passed the ball around before Carlos Alberto hammered the ball into the corner of the Italian goal following an inch perfect pass across the Italian 18 yard box from Pele.



In the 1994 World Cup final in USA, Brazil inspired by Romario and Bebeto prevailed again against the Azzurris.

Italy had the strongest defence in the world at that time with the legendary Franco Baresi together with Paolo Maldini and Alsesandro Costacurta, and their goal keeper -Gianluca Pagliuca. Their strike force was spearheaded by the current World player of the year Roberto Baggio aka the divine Ponytail.

After extra time, the score was dead locked at 0-0.

Despite relentless attack by Brazil, Italy's defence stood firm.

In the ensuing penalty shoot out - the 1st ever match to be decided that way in the history of the World Cup, Roberto Baggio shot the ball over the crossbar and Brazil was crowned champion of the world for the 4th time.

Back to 2009, in last night match, Brazil scored all 3 goals in the 1st half.

Had Brazil scored one goal less, or Italy scored one goal in that match, then Italy should qualify into the semifinal.

Instead it was United States, the team that was beaten 3-1 by Italy earlier who advanced.

It was magic.

Before the Brazil-Italy match, United States was virtually eliminated, having minus 5 goal differences and zero points.

But then Brazil beat Italy 3-0 and USA beat African Champion Egypt by the same margin.

That means USA, Italy and Egypt had the same points - 3 points. USA and Italy also shared the same goal difference - minus 2 but USA qualified by virtue of scoring more goals than Italy in the group stage.

And now, we are waiting for another dream match. The 5 time World Cup Champion - Brazil against the Euro 2009 champion - Spain...!!! Spain currently boasted a 35 matches unbeaten record!!!

Viva Brazil, Viva Liverpool, You will never walk alone...


After the match, Italy's captain and 2006 world player of the year, Fabio Cannavaro was consoled by Brazil's Kaka - the 2007 world player of the year. Both Cannavaro and Kaka and together with the 2008 world player of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo are now with the same club - Real Madrid!!!