In the countdown to next weeks' World Cup finals in South Africa, the Evening Standard's Michael Hart looks back on the 11 tournaments he has covered...
Two elements are necessary to generate a spectacular World Cup - a great Brazil team and a Latin host nation. Mexico provided both in 1970.
But not everyone thought Mexico an ideal venue. Heat, altitude and TV's insistence on noon kick-offs presented unique problems. Brazil spent three months acclimatising. Sir Alf Ramsey took England, the defending champions, to Mexico in 1969 to experience the heat and win friends.
After a 0-0 draw against Mexico in the Aztec Stadium Ramsey was asked if he would like to say something to the local press.
"A band played outside our hotel until five this morning," he complained.
Diplomacy was not one of Ramsey's strengths. When England returned to defend the trophy a year later they were described by the Mexican press as "thieves and drunkards".
Despite all the problems - and these included Bobby Moore's arrest in Colombia on a trumped-up theft charge - England beat Romania and Czechoslovakia and, after a sleepless night in a hotel surrounded by chanting fans, narrowly lost 1-0 to Brazil.
England then faced old foes West Germany in the quarter-final in Leon. The uncertainty of goalkeeper Peter Bonetti, deputising for Gordon Banks who was mysteriously taken ill hours before kick-off, and Ramsey's decision to take off Bobby Charlton and Martin Peters proved costly. Two goals ahead after 50 minutes, England were to lose 3-2 in extra-time.
But the fabulous Brazilian team - Pele, Rivelino, Tostao, Gerson etc - cruised past Peru (4-2) and Uruguay (3-1) before demolishing Italy 4-1 in the final. It was a triumph for creativity over the destructive.
