Robson, Waddle, Wilkins and Hateley, and the team put on a show guaranteed to wake up the supporters who had dubbed this “the group of sleep”. Lineker grabbed the headlines with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win.
England were unbeaten in qualifying for the World Cup finals, although they had been held to a draw by Romania, Finland and Northern Ireland. Defeat by Portugal and a goalless draw against Morocco left Bobby Robson’s men facing an early exit. He was hampered by a shoulder injury to his inspirational captain, Bryan Robson, whose tournament was over. Vice-captain Ray Wilkins was sent off against Morocco, the first England player to be given his marching orders in a major tournament. Star striker Gary Lineker, who had topped the scoring chart with 30 goals for Everton, was playing with his arm in plaster. England needed to beat Poland in the final group match and did so in style. Hodge, Reid, Steven and Beardsley came in for
Maradona’s “Hand of God”
Another brace by Lineker helped England to a 3-0 victory over Paraguay, setting up a quarter-final clash with Argentina. The best and worst of Diego Maradona caused England’s downfall. He picked up the ball on the halfway line and beat half the team to score tlie goal of the tournament and one of the greatest of all time. But before then he had punched the ball into the net when challenging for a high ball with Peter Shilton. Lineker made it 2-1, heading in his sixth goal of the tournament. He would be the tournament’s hotshot, but the “hand of God” along with the genius of Maradona had put paid to England’s hopes.
Opposite left: Glenn Hoddle of Spurs on the ball in an England World Cup qualifying game.
Opposite right: Goal-scorer Norman Whiteside holds aloft the FA Cup after Manchester United defeat Everton by a goal to nil in extra time in the 1985 Cup Final.
Above: Gary Lineker, by now Everton’s star striker, celebrates scoring for England against Northern Ireland in 1986.
World History
