Il 17nd June is not a common date in the world of football, but for many it is the symbolic day of an epic match, commonly defined “the match of the century”. Fifty-four years ago, in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Italy and Germany faced each other, at stake was access to the 1970 World Cup final against Pelè's Brazil. The result? 4-3 for Italy after 120 legendary minutes.
Let's relive that day that consecrated this match to sporting memory, fully placing it in the pantheon of great sporting events, famous for the intensity of the game and the exceptional drama that characterized every moment.
Italy-Germany 1970: the official lineups
The match took place on June 17, 1970 at 16:00 am at the Azteca Stadium of Mexico City, at 2.200 meters above sea level, refereed by Arturo Yamasaki, under a scorching sun and high temperatures. The two teams reached the world semi-final with opposite moods. There West Germany, runners-up at England 1966, had dominated their group and prevailed, recovering from a two-goal deficit, against England in extra time. L'Italy, the reigning European champion, distracted by the controversies and the continuous dualism between Mazzola and Rivera, had difficulties in the initial round, easily overcoming Mexico, the hosts, 4 to 1.
Both teams boasted high level players like Facchetti, Mazzola, Riva, Rivera for Italy and Beckenbauer, Seeler e Gerd Muller (8 goals in 4 games) for Germany.
Italy, led by the coach Ferruccio Valcareggi, lined up in the starting lineup: Enrico Albertosi in goal, with Tarcisio Burgnich, Giacinto Facchetti, Pierluigi Cera and Roberto Rosato making up the defense, in midfield, Mario Bertini, Sandro Mazzola and Giancarlo De Sisti worked to control the game while the attack was composed of the trio Angelo Domenghini, Roberto Boninsegna and Luigi Riva. Grande was excluded from the starting eleven Gianni rivera (which then entered during the match... and was decisive).
The Germany of the historic commissioner Helmut Schön he appeared on the pitch with Sepp Maier in goal, defended by Berti Vogts, Bernd Patzke, Willi Schulz and Karl-Heinz Schnellinger; in midfield, the legendary Franz Beckenbauer and Wolfgang Overath while up front were Jürgen Grabowski, Uwe Seeler, Hannes Löhr and the relentless striker Gerd Müller.
Italy-Germany 1970: the first 90 minutes
The match immediately turned in Italy's favor. In the 8th minute of the game, after a nice combination with Riva, Boninsegna receives the ball and with a powerful left foot overtook Sepp Maier, thus unlocking the score. For the next eighty minutes, the ITalia adopts a wait-and-see tactic, defending effectively and trying to hit on the counterattack. The Italian defense, also helped by the referee who did not award three penalties to West Germany, kept opposing attackers such as Seeler and Müller at bay, the latter missing several opportunities.
The German captain Beckenbauer, despite a shoulder injury in the 65th minute, remained on the pitch with his arm in a bandage (a symbolic image of Kaiser), leading his team's attacks with determination. Albertosi, the Italian goalkeeper, was saved by a crossbar hit by Overath in the 64th minute and saved the result by saving a dangerous header from Seeler one minute from time.
During the recovery, however, the first twist occurs: Schnellinger scores the equalizer for West Germany, bringing the game to a draw two and a half minutes beyond regulation time. This event, unusual for the time, causes disappointment and surprise for the commentator Nando Martellini, who comments: “Two minutes beyond regulation time: a sensational recovery granted by referee Yamasaki!. Thus we went to extra time which would mark the beginning of the "real" match of the century.
Italy-Germany 1970: legendary extra time
Extra time was a nightmare for both teams, exhausted by the heat and tension but a joy for every connected viewer (and also for those who saw the match afterwards). It was all a whirlwind of emotions. There West Germany took the lead in the 94th minute with the ninth goal of the tournament from Müller, who took advantage of a defensive error by Poletti. Four minutes later, Italy responded with a goal from Burgnich, a defender not used to scoring, who took advantage of a German defensive error on a free kick by Rivera. Just before the end of the first extra half, in the 11th minute, the Italy takes the lead again thanks to an individual action of Riva on an assist from Domenghini, finishing with a precise left-footed shot to make it 3-2. All this just in the first fifteen minutes of extra time.
In the second extra time, al 110º minute, the West Germany draws with a powerful header from Seeler following a cross from a corner, which Müller extended with a dive, finding the gap between Rivera and the post.
- Azzurri react immediately and a few seconds later they regain the advantage with a brilliant choral action culminated by Rivera (entered in the 46th minute of the first half in place of Mazzola), who scores the final goal 4-3 on a low assist from Boninsegna.
Le five goals scored by both teams in the thirty minutes of extra time constitute a record for a match in the final phase of a world championship.
At the final whistle, the Italian national team reached the World Cup final after 32 years, sparking celebrations throughout Italy, equated to the victory of the championship itself, which last all night in the squares of the Bel Paese.
A match that went down in history
The “Match of the Century” of 1970 continues to be a point of reference for world football today. The match is considered one of the most exciting moments in the history of Italian and post-war sport and had a significant impact impact on Italian mass culture over the decades, also celebrated in film of 1990 “Italy-Germany 4-3”, which represents this event as a cultural and generational turning point.
Loved by the public who remained glued to the televisions until late at night to follow it, aroused disapproval only among football "purists", due to the apparent abandonment of tactics in favor of intense competition. Despite numerous obvious technical errors, which contributed to a spectacle full of goals and suspense, the match remained epic also for to have been broadcast at night in Italy.
