On This Day – 7th July
Peter Shilton made his 125th and final cap for England on this day back in 1990, in the Third and Fourth Place Play Off against hosts Italy at the World Cup.
The England goalkeeper was just short of 41 years old at the time and was one of the oldest players in the tournament. He played every minute of England’s run to the Semi Final, where they lost on penalties to the eventual winners West Germany.
Shilton made his England debut against East Germany in November 1970. England didn’t qualify for the 1974 or 1978 Finals and so his first World Cup came in 1982.
England should have qualified for the 1974 finals but Shilton let an easy shot go under his body into the back of the net against Poland in the last qualifying game. The game ended 1-1 and Poland qualified at England’s expense.
Shilton was the England goalkeeper who was beaten by Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal in 1986. Many fans blame him for not reaching the ball before Maradona, who stood six inches shorter than the goalkeeper.
He shares the record of 10 clean sheets in World Cup Finals with France’s Fabien Barthez. The last World Cup game that he played in would end in embarrassment after Shilton was dispossessed by Roberto Baggio for Italy’s opener.
Sadly for goalkeepers, fans tend to remember the mistakes but Shilton must have been a great goalkeeper to have spent 20 years as England’s number one.
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