Roker Park, Sunderland AFC &
The 1966 World Cup Finals
A unique image taken outside Roker Park by a Russian photographer over for the 1966 World Cup Finals. Look at the cars!
At FIFA’s 1963 world conference in Rome England was chosen ahead of both Spain and Germany to host the 1966 world cup. 1963 was the centenary of the FA, so it was appropriate that for the first time the country that gave the modern game to the planet should be chosen.
A major embarrassment occurred 4 months before the tournament when the Jules Rimet Cup was stolen from a Jewelers’ in London, having been on public display. Fortunately a dog called Pickles came to the rescue and found the trophy under a bush!
The 4 groups of 4 were divided as follows:
- Wembley & White City; England, France, Mexico & Uruguay
- Villa Park & Hillsborough; Argentina, Spain, Switzerland & West Germany
- Goodison Park & Old Trafford; Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary & Portugal
- Ayresome Park & Roker Park; Chile, Italy, USSR & North Korea
Originally St James Park had been on the shortlist as a North East venue, but an alleged unwillingness by the Freemen of the City, who owned the stadium, to pay for renovations and upgrade meant that Sunderland and Middlesbrough received the nod.
As far as Roker Park was concerned seating was put in place, temporarily for the now roofed Fulwell End and permanently for the Clock Stand. The pitch was also extended. Furthermore the ticket office, Club administration and a hospitality suite were built to accommodate not only the increased number of dignitaries during the competition, but to enable Sunderland AFC to expand once the tournament was over. Flagpoles at the back of the Roker End housed the colours of the competing nations, including of course the FIFA insignia.
Minister for Sport at that time was Labour MP Kevin Howley who made several trips to Wearside inspecting the arrangements.
The scene was set. Roker Park would host the following games:
Italy v Chile Group 4 13 July 1966
USSR v Italy Group 4 16 July 1966
USSR v Chile Group 4 20 July 1966
USSR v Hungary Quarter Finals 23 July 1966
Italy 2 v 0 Chile
Sandro Mazzola scores for Italy at the Roker End
It was ironic that the Italians should meet Chile in the 1966 version, after the infamous Battle of Santiago in 1962 between the two sides. On that occasion disgraceful scenes of fighting had marred the entire series, with the incident provoked by overzealous Azzurri media who had made disparaging remarks about the South American host nation. The result was 2 men sent off and Maschio of Italy knocked senseless after being punched in the face.
At Roker Park however, there was no such incidents and indeed the game itself petered out into a fairly tame 2 v 0 Italian victory.
The game was played in drizzly conditions and the Italians went one nil up after Sandro Mazzola latched on to a shot which had been palmed out by the Chilean goalkeeper Olivares. With 2 minutes left Barison scored a beauty, beating full back Eyzaguirre and thrashing it in from a narrow angle.
If uninspiring it did however get the Azzurri off to a good start, although North Korea would famously knock them out at Ayresome Park.
The Roker Park crowd witnessed some of the greatest names in Italian football that day. Albertosi, Burgnich and Facchetti were marvellous players, who would star in Mexico 1970. However in Mazzola, whose father had died in the Torino Surperga air disaster, late 1940’s, and AC Milan’s very own Rivera they had true world stars.
Attendance 27,199 Referee Dienst – Switzerland
Italy – Albertosi, Burgnich, Facchetti, Lodetti, Rosato, Salvadore (captain), Perani, Bulgarelli, Mazzola, Rivera, Barison
Chile – Olivares, Eysuguirre, Villanueva (captain), Cruz, Figueroa, Marcos, Araya, Prieto, Tobar, Fouilloux, Sanchez
Note: Gottfried Dienst would famously go on to referee the 1966 World Cup Final between England and West Germany and controversially gave Geoff Hurst’s third goal after consultation with his Russian linesman Tofik Bakhramov. Dienst died in Basel at the age of 78 in July 1998.
USSR 1 v 0 Italy
1966 Russian Squad with the legendary Lev Yashin 5th from the left on the back row
In a game built up as perhaps the best of group 4 the Italians would find Lev Yashin in inspired form as the men from the USSR overcame the Italians 1 v 0. Yashin was no stranger to Roker Park, having played for Moscow Dynamo against Sunderland on their famous 1955 tour.
The Soviet goal was scored by Chislenko, 10 minutes into the second half, when the usually dependable Facchetti, was beaten all ends up by the Russian, who crashed the ball home with his left foot.
Attendance 27,793 Referee Kreitlein (Germany)
Italy – Albertosi, Burgnich, Facchetti, Lodetti, Rosato, Salvadore (captain), Leoncini, Meroni, Bulgarelli, Mazzola, Pascutti
USSR: Yashin, Ponomaryev, Danilov, Savo, Khurtsilava, Shesternev (captain), Chislenko, Voronin, Banishevsky, Malofeyev, Khusainov
USSR 2 v 1 Chile
Chilean captain pictured before the game
Having virtually qualified the Russians appeared slightly complacent as they rested 8 players for a game that they were expect to win easily. Support for the USSR was not only confined to countrymen, but also fellow communists from North Korea. With large banners on hand the “communists” did triumph although the Chileans, who could have qualified themselves with 2 points, gave them a tough time.
Porkujan, making his first appearance in the tournament scored both goals, on 29 and 87 minutes, with the second a clever lob. Marcos had equalised for the South Americans after 33 minutes.
Heartbreaking for Chile, but the Soviets moved onto the next phase having topped group 4.
Attendance 16,027 Referee Adair (Northern Ireland)
USSR: Kavazashvili, Gatmanov, Korneyev, Ostrovsky, Shesternev (captain), Afonin, Metreveli, Voronin, Serebrianikov, Markarov, Porkujan
Chile – Olivares, Valentini, Villanueva (captain), Cruz, Figueroa, Marcos, Araya, Prieto, Landa, Yavar, Sanchez
USSR 2 v 1 Hungary
The Hungarian squad trains at Roker Park 23 July 1966 with the then massive Roker End watching over them
The Hungarians travelled to the Roker Park quarter final as slight favourites having disposed of the Brazilians, Pele and all, on Merseyside. In both Florian Albert and Ferenc Bene they had 2 players at their very peak.
The Hungarian stars were quite simply marked out of the game as the Soviets kicked everything that moved, but the Magyars were their own worst enemy.
When goalkeeper Gelei failed to hold a Porkujan shot from a corner Chislenko smashed it into the net from close range. The USSR’s second came after 48 minutes when Porkujan, unmarked at the far post, quite simply knocked a Khusainov free kick into an empty net.
Second half, and Meszoly set up a goal for Bene, but it was too little too late, as the Hungarians crashed out. The USSR went on to a semi final defeat at Goodison Park at the hands of the Germans, and would be defeated by Portugal at Wembley in the playoff match.
Attendance 22,103 Referee Gardeazabal (Spain)
USSR: Yashin, Ponomaryev, Danilov, Voronin, Shesternev (captain), Sabo, Khusainov, Chislenko, Banishevsky, Malofeyev, Porkujan
Hungary: Gelei, Matrai, Kaposzta, Meszoly, Sipos (captain), Szepesi, Bene, Nagy, Albert, Farkas, Rakosi
The town of Sunderland had been perfect hosts.
England would famously go on to capture the trophy on a memorable Wembley day, where Geoff Hurst would become the first, and to date only man to score a hat trick in the Final game itself.
