Remembering John Barnes' Maracana magic and its aftermath

You could be forgiven for thinking that Barnes had an amazing career after that night in Rio. True, he went on to sign for Liverpool in 1987 and won every possible domestic honour with the Reds. He was also adjudged PFA Player of the Year twice and the FWA Footballer of the Year once. However, at the international stage, arguably the scene of his greatest claim to fame, he was simply unable to scale the heights that he was expected to. He racked up 79 England caps during a 12-year period, but he could not contribute much to the English cause. While he was winning titles wearing the red shirt of Liverpool, he would end up being booed when playing for the Three Lions. England great Jimmy Greaves even went on to question Barnes’ loyalty to England.

At his peak, Barnes was undoubtedly one of the best in the world in his position, but that was mainly due to his performances at Liverpool. He was indispensable for Liverpool, and to put it very kindly, erratic underachiever for England. That was always a cause for mystery and it reached its height when fans at Wembley booed him continuously during a match in 1993. Journalists, pundits and even Barnes himself agree that the Maracana goal placed heavy expectations on his shoulders. He was supposed to be the next English superstar who would take them to greatness. It would not be wrong to say that the goal created and destroyed Barnes’ international career.

After all that happened, it’s not, therefore, highly surprising that Barnes has tried to play down the magic that he performed at the Maracana.

In an interview with the Guardian, he said : “I didn’t know what I had done until I watched it back later and thought ‘that looks all right’,” says Barnes. “It has become iconic because it was in the Maracanã, against Brazil, but if I’m being honest the Brazilians never put a tackle in. They probably thought no Englishman could do that. It was also just a friendly; had it been a World Cup match somebody would have tackled me around the neck.”

Nevertheless, I feel we should all sit back and watch the goal once, twice or more and appreciate it for what it is. Agreed, the defending was awful; the Brazilians seemed half-hearted in their attempts to get the ball. But you have to salute an Englishman who tries to do something so-Brazilian at the heart of Brazilian football, and succeeds. It is no wonder that most of the fans at the Maracana that night stood up and applauded Barnes. That says something. Perhaps it was time to consider an alteration to the famous quote : “The English invented it and the Brazilians perfected it.” Barnes showed that it was quite possible for an Englishman to beat the Brazilians at their own game.

Barnes may play it down all he likes, but deep down, even he can’t deny the euphoria that goal must have gifted him that night. For one night in Rio, he might have been on top of the world, oblivious of everything that was to come next.

Watch Barnes’ amazing goal here