Who’s going to win out of Germany and Italy tonight?
Unfortunately, we can’t do our usual in-depth analysis based on old Focus articles out of Shoot! in the 1970s, because German and Italian players were never featured. So we have to turn to alternative sources to divine the likely outcome…
At first glance, you might think that Germany’s inclusion of Sid Vicious in the all-important top-right position might be an influential decision; but on closer inspection you’ll notice that two of the other stars also have trendy vertical hair in a 70s-ish clowny style. Which was cool then.
Italy retaliate against Stielike’s fearsome Village People tash with a comedy classic from Renato Zaccarelli. Altobelli piles in trying to look like one of those fat cherubs in classical art, complete with little wings, DIY perm and butter that wouldn’t melt in his mouth (except when he was jabbing someone in the throat off the ball, and throwing himself to the turf as if he’s been poleaxed). Ah, good old Italian tactics!
But the clincher is undoubtedly Ruben Buriani – a hard man with a square head, a Roman nose and silver locks, not to mention a name straight off a 1970s curry house menu. Tasty was hardly the word.
The omens are clear. Italy to nick it!
There’s 224 pages of mud, clogging and football cards from when England were ace (and other magnificently timewarped memories) in ‘Got, Not Got – The A to Z of Football’s Lost Culture, Treasures and Pleasures’ – get it here…
Totally topical Twitter update: Cheers to @richoliver1966, who just tweeted: “All footy fans over 40 need @GotNotGot. FACT.”
Got, Not Got 
Right again!