I have a request... I would like to find a film of this save that was taken from behind the goal. At 8 seconds in this video, you can see there is a brief view of Banks from behind the goal. Earlier, as Jairzinho crosses the ball, you can see a cameraman with a film camera sitting on the grass in the area behind the touchline. If anyone finds this man's footage of the save please do let me know. I suspect he was a Mexican or Brazilian film maker. Thank you.
This save by Banks was made in the 1970 Word Cup Finals in Mexico, 1st round group stage. England and Brazil were regarded as the 2 greatest teams in the world, England were reigning World Champions, Brazil had the greatest player in the world, Pelé. This Brazilian team is often regarded as the greatest team of all time. England had Gordon Banks, the greatest goalkeeper in the world. With the score at 0-0, Jairzinho crosses an amazing ball at speed, Pelé rises high above the English defence and heads the perfect shot into the bottom corner. Gordon Banks is about to dive the opposite way, he changes direction, by which time the ball has already gone past him as he is 3 yards off his line, but in a split second he dives back towards his own goal net to reach a ball that is flying towards the net ahead of him (this stadium was at an altitude of 2,200 metres above sea level, the air is very thin and the ball flies even faster), as the ball reaches the goal line, Banks cups the ball with one hand and somehow loops the ball out and throws the ball up 10 feet into the air and over the crossbar. All whilst he is in flight, just 2 feet off the ground.
Many great saves have been made in history, most of them are brilliant reflex saves made to deflect a ball that is fired to the side of a goalkeeper, what makes this save special is Banks had to think, judge how high the ball would bounce up off the ground, then reach backwards for it and not just deflect it around the post like many keepers would, but actually loop it up over the cross bar where nobody could reach it. All within a split second.
Pelé said in his autobiography: "I was ready to celebrate but then this man, Banks, appeared in my sight, like a kind of blue phantom. He came from nowhere and he did something I didn't feel was possible. He pushed my header, somehow, up and over. And I couldn't believe what I saw. Even now when I watch it, I can't believe it. I can't believe how he moved so far, so fast. The greatest save of all time."
