"Let me stand a few paces behind the wall and I'll deal with the ball," he said Ramsey agreed. When an opportunity arrived for Rivelino and Jairzinho to go through their routine, Moore stepped into a space behind England's mass of bodies. Jairzinho leaned, Rivelino shot and Moore calmly killed the ball before sending a pass forward to Geoff Hurst. Pele was among those who applauded.In the stands, Irish, Scottish and Welsh players whose expenses had been paid by a magazine as part of a promotional exercise, were thrilled by England's football and spirit. Charlie Cooke of Chelsea and Scotland, close to tears, spoke for them all when Ramsey's team failed to pull back the only goal of the game, scored by Jairzinho midway through the second half.

"Everything about England's performance, the skill, the effort, the [Gordon] Banks' save, Bobby Moore's covering and tackling, everything made you want to weep for them when they were beaten," he said. "There isn't any love lost when we come up against England but I felt for them today. They were magnificent."The England team physician, Neil Phillips discovered that his charges lost an average in weight of 8lb per man Alan Mullery shed more than 10lb. England's reward was to be allowed a night to themselves, Ramsey relaxing his strict regime.

"You can have a few drinks," he said, ­ "in your rooms!"England had gone close to achieving a famous victory, good chances falling to Francis Lee, Alan Ball and the substitute Jeff Astle when he was sent on to test Brazil in the air. After the final whistle, as Pele and Moore exchanged shirts, the Brazilian said how much he was looking forward to another meeting in the final.Brazil's coach Mario Zagallo did not think much of the idea. They had only just overcome England in Rio a year earlier, scoring two late goals Another narrow win in Guadalajara. Intensely superstitious, a match for the connoisseur had caused Zagallo to worry about what a third match might bring. But for some unfortunate defensive lapses by England against West Germany in Leon, he would have known some sleepless nights.. Among the 13 million or so South Koreans chanting "Daehan Minguk" [Republic of Korea], there are many scribes, radio and television pundits, as well as fans from the UK, asking me about "the England game".

Never forgetting my allegiance to my native Scotland, I invariably reply, "do you mean the Brazil game?" Among the 13 million or so South Koreans chanting "Daehan Minguk" [Republic of Korea], there are many scribes, radio and television pundits, as well as fans from the UK, asking me about "the England game". An England victory tomorrow is destined to spark off a nationwide party not unlike that in Seoul. As cars drove past, their horns hooting, everything was out of the window – flags, scarves, banners, bodies, the highway code. Yet there were no arrests and I even witnessed dog owners, responding to loudspeaker requests to tidy up their litter, cleaning the pavements fouled by their canine charges – which inevitably were also clad in red.Will it be the same in England? Will the unified discipline and commitment of Sven Goran Eriksson's men extend to the England support which, augmented by thousands of local Beckham worshippers, has so far been exemplary?Revitalised after their functional performance against Nigeria, England stoked fans' hopes by disposing of Denmark with relative ease.