Did the CIA poison England's World Cup goalkeeper?
A new podcast investigates claims that England goalkeeper Gordon Banks was poisoned before the 1970 World Cup quarter-final.
In 1970, the England football team traveled to Mexico to defend their World Cup title. Goalkeeper Gordon Banks was in peak form, having famously denied Pele with a spectacular save earlier in the tournament. However, just a day before the quarter-final against West Germany, Banks was struck by an illness that ruled him out of the match, which England ultimately lost 3-2 after extra time.
For decades, a theory has persisted that the former Stoke City goalkeeper was poisoned by the CIA to ensure a victory for Brazil, whose military government sought a popularity boost. A new podcast, Foul Play, has revisited these allegations through a three-year investigation led by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse and the player's grandson, Ed Jervis.
«Something dodgy went on. I don't know what, but why did I get so ill?» — Gordon Banks.
Jervis, who initially dismissed the idea as nonsense, began to find the theory plausible after digging into medical and intelligence documents. The investigation revealed that the Brazilian squad had received assistance from NASA during their pre-tournament training, a detail that deepened the suspicions of those involved in the project.
Although the team doctor at the time diagnosed the keeper with acute gastroenteritis, the mystery has continued to haunt English football history. The podcast, which launches this Thursday, explores the emotional impact on Banks' family and why many still view that day as a pivotal curse for the national team.