Football Poets

The Real Story of the 1970 World Cup

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Dateline: 1970; Langley USA
Nixon is meeting with the CIA
Worried by affairs in Latin America
Communist revolution is on the agenda

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 “Chile’s going Marxist” Nixon would say
“Make sure Brazil doesn’t go the same way
Be certain that the next election is won
By a regime sympathetic to Washington”

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 The suits reply, “There’ll soon be an event
called the “Soccer World Cup”, Mr President
The Government should easily be re-elected
When Brazil wins the cup as expected

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Nixon reveals his deathly grin
“You must guarantee that Brazil really win
No room for error; they mustn’t fail
Remove their opponents, so they can prevail”

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 “There’s one rival, with which to contend
The English team, the title they’ll defend”
“Then eliminate them,” Nixon demands
“Do what you need to, do you understand”?

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 So the C.I.A. hatch a plan
To take out Bobby Moore, the central man
When England visit Columbia, he is nailed
with the theft of a bracelet and is jailed

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 “When he’s released”, reported Langley
“He’ll be broken psychologically”
Whilst his team leaves for the Mexico World Cup
Moore is left there, for four days, locked up

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 However he’s cool, calm and collected
Even by the Colombians, he is now respected
A steadfast character doesn’t lose heart
The case is farcical and soon falls apart

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 The plan fails; he’s not broken, in fact
He’s stronger than ever with confidence intact
His accuser flies to the U.S.A.
A green card her prize from the C.I.A.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 Moore’s on the way to join his team
In opening games, his performance is supreme
Playing his greatest game against Brazil
A textbook lesson of anticipation and skill

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 Nixon is enraged when the report he saw
”You told me you’d eliminate this… “Bobby Moore”
But there he is, playing like Superman”
”Sorry Sir, we underestimated the man”

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 “In England’s hotel, we have a sleeper
So go to plan B, eliminate the keeper
Execute it for Germany, their next game
Montezuma’s Revenge is the code name”

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 At the team’s next meal, a poison is placed
Into Banks’ beer, that couldn’t be traced
He’s struck with cramp and a stomach upset
He’s shivering with cold, yet covered in sweat

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 These stomach aches should last just a day
He’s confident he’ll recover in time to play
But he relapses just when he’s on the mend
Throwing the reserve in the deep end

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 Peter Bonetti, was good enough by rights
Now he looks like a rabbit in headlights
Looks good when England take a two-goal lead
But falls apart as three goals they concede

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 The team drank together, only Banks had the bout
It’s enough of a handicap to send England out
Ramsey laments, “The last player I could lose!”
Back in Washington, it’s greeted as good news

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 So, Brazil claimed glory and invincibility
And England sacrificed for Latin stability
Were they unstoppable? The way Brazil were going?
That’s what Nixon has stopped us from knowing

¶ 18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 On a visit by Robert Oxby, a correspondent,
to Senator Symington, after the tournament
He confirmed that it was a C.I.A. fix up
“Nothing could stop Brazil winning the Cup.”