England Flashback: John Barnes’ Goal vs Brazil in 1984

John Barnes made his England debut in May 1983. A year later (June 1984) he scored the above goal in a friendly vs Brazil at the Maracanã, dribbling through half the Brazilian team and then around the keeper before tapping home.

Fascinating to hear Barnes’ retelling of the goal:

“The Brazilians were just shocked and I suppose that’s why they didn’t tackle me, because they thought ‘there’s no way an Englishman is going to do this so.. we’ll let him try and do whatever he wants’.”

I think that says a lot about the inferiority complex England players had – and still have – when facing Brazil. We just don’t think we’re as good with the ball as they are. Mostly because we’re not. But for that one brilliant moment, an England player beat Brazil at their own game (their own game being achingly beautiful moments of football genius).

John Barnes England career is widely regarded as a disappointment thereafter, especially when compared to his from in a Liveropool shirt.

I personally think that’s harsh, because it’s unfair to compare a left winger’s performances for an all-conquering Liverpool team with his performances in a decent but not quite so all-conquering England team.

Attacking players always look better in teams that do a lot of attacking, and Barnes had to a lot more defensive work on England’s left wing than he ever did for that ridiculously good Liverpool team.

I don’t think we really appreciated how important Barnes was to England until after he’d gone. His last game for England was in 1995, and fourteen years later we still haven’t found a proper left footed left winger to replace him.