How Great Were England 1986? Bobby Robson, Maradona and the World Cup That Became MythWas England’s 1986 World Cup campaign a glorious failure, a missed opportunity, or simply the moment Bobby Robson’s side ran into Diego Maradona at the peak of his powers?In this traditional end-of-season England special of By Far The Greatest Team, Graham and Jamie are joined by Steve Double to place Bobby Robson’s England 1986 under the ranking microscope. From the chaos of Mexico’s heat and altitude to England’s stuttering start, Bryan Robson’s injury, Ray Wilkins’ red card, Gary Lineker’s Golden Boot surge, and the tactical reshuffle that accidentally brought Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid and Steve Hodge into sharper focus, this is a deep dive into one of England’s most fascinating World Cup campaigns.And then, of course, there is Argentina.The quarter-final at the Azteca gave football two of its most famous goals: The Hand of God and The Goal of the Century. One England could never forgive. One England could never deny. We revisit the build-up, the Falklands shadow, Maradona’s genius, Peter Shilton’s protest, Terry Butcher and Terry Fenwick’s pursuit, and the late arrival of John Barnes — whose cameo almost changed the entire story.We also explore the afterlife of the match, including Steve Hodge’s swap with Maradona and the famous shirt that decades later sold for a world-record fee.Key TakeawaysHow Bobby Robson was viewed before Mexico 86Why England’s original shape struggledHow injuries and suspension forced a better tactical balanceGary Lineker’s rise from pressure to Golden Boot winnerWhy England vs Argentina became more than just a quarter-finalThe two Maradona goals: controversy, genius and football immortalityJohn Barnes’ late impact and the great “what if?”Steve Hodge, Maradona’s shirt and the mythology of football objectsWhere England 1986 belongs in the Greatness RankingsKeywords: 1986 World Cup, England football, Bobby Robson, Diego Maradona, Hand of God, Goal of the Century, England vs Argentina, Gary Lineker, Steve Hodge, John Barnes, Ray Wilkins, Bryan Robson, football history, World Cup analysis, By Far The Greatest TeamIf you enjoy these podcasts, please don't forget to subscribe and give us a rating and also tell everyone about them!

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