How England vs Argentina’s fiercest rivalry began with Argentina’s ‘robbery’ claim in the 1966 World Cup
The 1966 ‘robbery’ that lit the fuse on England and Argentina’s bitter feud
We have a fascinating England versus Argentina World Cup semi final ahead. Whenever these two teams face each other, it is never just about football. The rivalry runs deep, shaped by moments that go far beyond the pitch. The Falklands War, Diego Maradona’s infamous Hand of God goal in 1986, and David Beckham’s red card in 1998 have all added layers to the tension.
But where did it all truly begin?
But where did it all begin?
England comfortably beat Argentina 3-1 in the group stage of the 1962 World Cup, but the rivalry truly exploded four years later on English soil. Even today, many in Argentina refer to that 1966 World Cup quarter final as El Robo or The Robbery.
At the heart of the controversy was Antonio Rattin, the legendary Boca Juniors captain who passed away on Saturday at the age of 89. Rattin was sent off by West German referee Rudolf Kreitlein for allegedly abusing him. The bizarre part was that Kreitlein did not speak Spanish, while Rattin knew neither German nor English. There were no yellow or red cards in football at the time, with referees making cautions and sendings off through verbal decisions. Nobody really knows what Rattin said, if he said anything at all. Kreitlein later claimed it was the Argentine captain's behaviour and the look on his face that made him decide to send him off. What an irony.
Rattin was left completely bewildered. He repeatedly asked for an interpreter and refused to leave the pitch, convinced he had done nothing worthy of a dismissal. He eventually walked off after a lengthy delay, sat defiantly on the red carpet in front of the Royal Box, who was pelted with beer and Aero chocolate bars by sections of the crowd.
The extraordinary scenes exposed the communication problems in football and directly inspired former referee Ken Aston to create the yellow and red card system, which FIFA introduced at the 1970 World Cup.
England went on to win the match 1-0 before lifting their only World Cup title, while Argentina left convinced they had been robbed. Sixty years later, that controversial afternoon at Wembley remains the moment that truly started one of football's fiercest rivalries, but it is a chapter that many people don't really talk about.
