Words Joe Brewin
W
e’re not saying England’s fortunes
have been dodgy over the past 56
years, but it says a fair bit that their
solitary international tournament
triumph outside Britain has essentially been
condensed to 47 seconds on YouTube. Oh,
and it doesn’t even feature any England
players in it.
“Why not?” chuckles Andy Gray on
co-commentary. “A 30-yard free-kick with
a 20-yard run-up...” It was just a bit of fun
really, as Roberto Carlos set his thunderous
thighs whirring off towards Fabien Barthez’s
goal. On the bench, France’s Frank Leboeuf
asked team-mate Patrice Loko whether he
had ever seen the Brazilian strike a ball. He
hadn’t. “Just watch,” said Leboeuf.
What came next was genuinely mind-
bending; a stunning act of force and skillIn 1997, England triumphed at a fun-filled tournament that
featured Italy, France and Brazil. Le Tournoi has since become
synonymous with one event, but it’s also the Three Lions’ sole
notable success in 25 years. FFT flicks on the nostalgia filter...that has since been analysed by physicians
and replayed millions of times. As Roberto
Carlos spanked the ball towards goal, fully
two yards outside a post, it played chicken
with a petrified ball boy before swinging
back inside at the last minute, blowing a kiss
at the woodwork on its way in. Brazil’s left-
back had just scored the most famous free-
kick of all time at 1997’s Tournoi de France.
These days, that much is remembered:
the who, the when, the where of Bobby C’s
missile. But what about the why? Why did
four of the world’s finest international sides
face off in a random summer tournament,
irking even some of those involved? How did
it offer an ominous insight into the future, in
more ways than one? And, most importantly
of all, how did England actually manage to
win the thing?L E
TOURnOIFourFourTwo July 2022 75