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“It was at the ’78 World Cup. Italy defeated the home team 1-0.

The play that set up Italy’s goal drew a perfect triangle on the field, inside which Argentine defenders were left as lost as blind men in a shoot-out. Antognoni slid the ball over to Bettega, who slapped it toward Rossi, who had his back to him. Rossi returned it with a backheel while Bettega infiltrated the box. Bettega then overpowered two players and beat the keeper Fillol with a tremendous left.

Though no one knew it then, the Italian team had already begun to win the World Cup that would take place four years later.”

Galeano, 156-157

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“It was 1979. At Wembley Stadium, Arsenal and Machester United were battling the final of the English FA Cup.

A good match, but nothing aroused suspicions that this would suddenly turn into the most electric final of all that had occurred in the Cup’s long history since 1871. Arsenal was ahead 2-0 and the game was nearly over. The game was decided and people began to leave the stadium. Suddenly a cloudburst of goals was let loose. Three goals in two minutes: a sure shot by McQueen was followed by a pretty penetration by McIllroy, who eluded two defenders and the keeper, giving United the equalizers between the 86^th and 87^th minutes. But before the 88^th minute was over Arsenal regained the lead. Liam Brady, who as usual was the outstanding player of the game, put together the final play, and Alan Sunderland took a clean shot to make it 3-2.”  Galeano, 157

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“It was at the ’78 World Cup. Holland, who was doing well, played against Scotland, who was doing poorly.

Scottish player Archibald Gemmill got the ball from his countryman Hartford and was polite enough to ask the Dutch to dance to the tune of a lone bagpiper.

Wildschut was the first to fall, his head spinning, at Gemmill’s feet. Then he left Suurbier reeling in the dust. Krol had it worse: Gemmill put it between his legs. And when the keeper Jongbloed came at him, the Scot lobbed the ball over his head.” Galeano, 156

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“It was at the ’70 World Cup. Brazil was playing England.

Tostao got the ball from Paulo Cesar and scurried ahead as far as he could, but all of England was spread out in the penalty area. Even the Queen was there. Tostao eluded one, then another and on more, then he passed the call to Pele. Three players suffocated him on the spot. Pele pretended to press on and the three opponents went for the smoke. He put on the brakes, pivoted and left the ball on the feet of Jairzinho, who was racing in. Jairzinho had learned to shake off his markers on the sandlots of the toughest slums of Rio de Janeiro: he came on like a black bullet and evaded one Englishman, before the ball, a white bullet, crossed the goal line defended by the keeper Banks.

It was the winning goal. Swaying to the rhythm of a fiesta, Brazil’s attackers had tossed off seven guardians of the steel fortress, which simply melted under the hot breeze blowing from the south.” Galeano, 135-136

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