Amazing hypothesis, after 56 years. Was the legendary goalkeeper “poisoned” by the CIA at the World Championship?

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The British media have brought back the 1970 World Cup quarter-final 56 years ago, when England were beaten 3-2 by West Germany, ending any hope of retaining the world title they won in 1966.

Conformable Daily Mailit has been suggested that the defeat may have been part of an incredible, Cold War-style plot by the US.

Some believe foul play was involved as goalkeeper Gordon Banks contracted food poisoning hours before the game.

The absence of Banks, then considered the best in the world, from the Mexico match significantly hurt England’s chances.

Banks first showed symptoms after the final group game against Czechoslovakia but was thought to have recovered before relapsing on the day of the quarter-finals.

He was replaced by Peter Bonetti from Chelseawhich many found guilty of all three goals.

Many people have long believed that Banks – who died in 2019 aged 81 – was “poisoned” on that fateful morning in 1970.

An investigation over the past three years has looked into whether the episode was part of a CIA effort to ensure victory for eventual tournament winners Brazil.

Gabriel Gatehouse, the former international editor of the BBC’s Newsnight, began working on the story after being contacted by Banks’ nephew Ed Jervis. In his autobiography, Banks seemed to blame a bottle of beer for his illness.

But Mr Jervis told the journalist that his grandfather was “always suspicious”, while the goalkeeper’s son Robert added: “He thought it was bloody strange that he was the only one who got sick and very badly.”

This comes after legendary football journalist Brian Glanville wrote in his 2007 book ‘England Managers: The Toughest Job In Football’ that “I gradually came to believe that Banks was the victim of sabotage”.

According to Glanville, another football writer named Bob Oxby told him he had a cousin, Stuart Symington, who was a senator from Missouri from 1952 to 1976.

During Banks’ illness, Mr Symington allegedly said to Mr Oxby: “It was the CIA. You don’t think we’re going to let England beat Brazil, do you?”

The US allegedly intervened to support a military dictatorship in Brazil that Lyndon Johnson’s administration helped install in 1964.

Six years later, at the World Cup, the regime was unpopular and winning the tournament was seen as a good way to boost support.