Eusebio at Goodison

I wish I had been slightly older so that I could have witnessed that array of talent at Goodison Park.

I remember at The time I was working in the Stile House pub, next to St Nicholas Church, and we were given permission to stay open till eleven during the World Cup, after the first match there were no extra customers and Mr. Brown, the landlord, closed at the normal time for all subsequent matches. The influx of Portuguese, Brazilian and Portuguese supporters never happened for obvious reasons.

I was working, it was my student summer job and I needed the money and only got off for the one game, still it gave me the chance to boast in later life that I had seen Pele and Eusebio live.

Florian Albert was my dad's favourite at Goodison in 1966.

And I don't remember the Brazilian girls – how did I miss that? I do remember Pele being hacked into the centre flag in front of the main stand and limping out of the World Cup. I bet lots of you have never even seen a centre flag.

I was 16 and my Dad got me tickets for all the games – well, see last paragraph. I remember the warm June Saturday afternoon when the Koreans went 3 up before Eusebio did his men against boys act.

My greatest memory was the goal Albert scored for Hungary at the Gwladys Street end (okay, someone may tell me I'm wrong). I think the Hungarian right winger was Bene, and he was sent on a break up the wing and swung a high cross over and Florian Albert had sprinted up the centre and met the cross on the volley just outside the penalty area and put it in the corner of the net.

In those days, you very rarely saw volleyed goals (the ball was much heavier) and this was the best piece of football I'd ever seen. Even better than Roy Vernon, which is saying an awful lot. The best goal I'd ever seen into the best net...

I saw maybe a hundred games from the Boys Pen, when I could afford the ticket, the bus from New Brighton to Seacombe, the Ferry, the 44A from the Pierhead to the ground.

When the semi-final came up the FA cheated and switched venues (imagine that now!), England should have played Portugal at Goodison; it was a night game and instead we got West Germany against Russia. My Mum suddenly discovered an interest in football so my Dad took her and I didn't get to see the World Cup semi-final at Goodison Park...

But one thing I disagree with in Fran's account – I saw this on TV that night – Yashin totally misjudged Beckenbauer's shot and let it go in at his right post at the Park End without trying to save it: 2-1 to West Germany and the famous final was set up. It was nothing like the shot Robles let in against Southampton, just a fair strike from 25 yards out that Yashin must have thought was going wide. I think the Russian linesmen were better than the Russian goalkeeper that year....

I remember Yashin's nickname as The Octopus, or was this only in Ireland? Or am I mixing him up with someone else? Oh what the years do your mind. Enjoyed the article.

And I remember the Brazilian girls being stunning, dancing to their samba band outside the Park End after the Bulgaria game (2-0, Pele and Garrincha round the wall free kicks).

The first match under the lights in pouring rain Hungary v Brazil was just a wonderful match, I think 3 - 1 to Hungary, Florian Albert scoring the winner in the Street end, the first time Brazil had been beaten in about 8 years.

If I am not mistaken, the crowd were all supporting Hungary, the atmosphere under the lights as always seems to be the case even now at Goodison, was electric.....again it was the Street end that enjoyed Eusebio's fantastic 4 goals... Sadly Pele was brutally kicked out of the later match, terrible refereeing as described earlier.

All-in-all an incredible experience... especially those Brazilian drummers in the Upper Bullens and those lovely Brazilian girls, stunning to say the least.

And finally as regards the tickets, you just turned up to the ground, no queue at all. I even bought a ticket for my friend in Manchester for the Hungary v Brazil match; he too agrees it was the best ever match we had seen in our football lives apart from our great Everton games. We had been lucky enough to see them win the league 4 times, the FA Cup 3 times and the Cup Winners Cup in Rotterdam. (My wife and I even managed to get seats on the players' plane, awesome that journey home, drinking champagne out of the Cup with the players!)

Some wonderful memories of the World Cup at Goodison and seeing most of the world's best players then and they still are....

I watched both the Portugal v Brazil match and the West Germany v USSR semi-final at Goodison. Great memories!

The games in that group were played at Goodison and at Old Trafford. If memory serves me right, Portugal only played in the group stages at Goodison against Brazil, and played Hungary and Bulgaria at OT.

The FA did manage to change the semi-final between England and Portugal to Wembley, because of financial considerations. Wembley would probably have been only about two-thirds full for the West Germany v USSR match.

The England v Portugal match was actually switched for "safety reasons" – crap excuse but usual for a World Cup homer!

Fran, excellent piece, well done. I still have fantastic memories having watched all 6 group matches and up to the semi. Eusebio remains to me the greatest player I've ever seen – sheer class and a total gentleman who loved football. And Goodison: what more could you ask for? Pity he never played for us. RIP EUSEBIO

Of course they would never offer financial considerations as the reason for changing the venue. I don't remember the official explanation, but you are surely right.

RIP Eusebio

Instead of being able to spend the day training, they were shoveled down to Lahndahn at extremely short notice. Argentine, Mexico - you name the venue, there is a "homer" frickin bias. Ingerlund were one of the originators and every country has followed our lead since.

Corrupt as shit, the World Cup!

Just before the Portugal v Brazil game, outside the Bullens Road, my uncle Benjamin (who took me to the matches) and I met an old teacher of mine who told me: "We're here to support Portugal, David! Remember that they're our oldest allies [I suppose they still are]! Are kids still taught these gems at school? ;-)