Football's Greatest Ever Save

Gordon Banks was already a World Cup Winner, his legacy was secure. However, in the 1970 World Cup Finals in Mexico, his status skyrocketed to new levels. It was for a spectacular save to deny the great Pele that he will be best remembered. A save rightly lauded as football’s greatest ever save.

In the group stage match in Guadalajara, later regarded as the “real final”, Carlos Alberto’s wonderful pass with the outside of a boot picked out Jairzinho and the winger accelerated outside the floundering Terry Cooper. In a sweeping movement, Jairzinho swung the ball into the back post towards the deadly Pele.

The Brazil No 10 drove his header towards the bottom corner of the goal and Banks. In doing so Pele let out a massive scream of “Gol”. So confident of the ball about to nestle in the back of the net. Banks however had other ideas. Flinging himself to his right, in a feat which seemed to defy the laws of physics, he somehow managed with one hand not only to keep Pele’s powerful downward header out but also flick the ball over the bar.

Banks would later go on to say “That save was the best I ever made but, to start with, I didn’t even realise I’d made it at all,” he said.

“I heard Pelé shout ‘goal’ followed by a massive, almost deafening, roar. Even though I’d got a hand to it, I thought he must have scored.

“Then I realised the crowd were cheering for me. Bobby Moore ruffled my hair. I couldn’t believe it. But it was still 0-0 and we had a corner to defend. As I got to my feet I tried to look as nonchalant as possible, as if to say: ‘I make that sort of save all the time.’

It was a save unrivalled. Without a doubt football’s greatest ever save. Despite departing the tournament to Germany in the QF it was Bank’s save and the match against Brazil that everyone remembers….oh and the mighty Brazilian team that ultimately went on to lift the Jules Rimet trophy for the third time.