"Rivellino sweeps a 40-yard pass down the line to Jairzinho and the rhythm has suddenly changed. Jairzinho runs at Giacinto Facchetti and, as he turns inside, Pierluigi Cera advances to close him down. Jairzinho pokes the ball on to Pele, perhaps 27 or 28 yards out. Tarcisio Burgnich stands between him and the box, but Pele pauses, turns casually to his right and lays a pass into the path of Carlos Alberto, surging forward from full-back."
"Just inside the box the ball bobbles so it sits up perfectly. Carlos Alberto doesn't have to break stride as he lashes a shot hard across goal, the force of the strike lifting him high off the ground as the ball flies into the bottom corner. For many, it's the greatest goal scored by perhaps the greatest team in the greatest World Cup, a glorious synthesis of team play and individual technical excellence."
Brazil constructed a sweeping, patient attack that culminated in Carlos Alberto's powerful, late strike in the 1970 World Cup final. The move began with Tostao and a slow triangle through Clodoaldo, Pele and Gerson, then Rivellino's long pass to Jairzinho, who fed Pele. Pele's measured lay-off found Carlos Alberto surging from full-back. The ball bobbled perfectly and Carlos Alberto lashed a hard shot across goal into the bottom corner. With four minutes remaining Brazil led 4–1. The goal symbolized Brazil's blend of collective movement and individual technique and became shorthand for their joyful, expressive style of football.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]