We’re not saying England’s fortunes have been dodgy over the past 56 years, but it says a fair bit that their solitary international tournament triumph outside Britain has essentially been condensed to 47 seconds on YouTube. Oh, and it doesn’t even feature any England players in it.
“Why not?” chuckles Andy Gray on co-commentary. “A 30-yard free-kick with a 20-yard run-up…” It was just a bit of fun really, as Roberto Carlos set his thunderous thighs whirring off towards Fabien Barthez’s goal. On the bench, France’s Frank Leboeuf asked team-mate Patrice Loko whether he had ever seen the Brazilian strike a ball. He hadn’t. “Just watch,” said Leboeuf.
What came next was genuinely mind-bending; a stunning act of force and skill that has since been analysed by physicians and replayed millions of times. As Roberto Carlos spanked the ball towards goal, fully two yards outside a post, it played chicken with a petrified ball boy before swinging back inside at the last minute, blowing a kiss at the woodwork on its way in. Brazil’s leftback had just scored the most famous freekick of all time at 1997’s Tournoi de France.
These days, that much is remembered: the who, the when, the where of Bobby C’s missile. But what about the ? Why did four of the world’s finest international sides
