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Two days ago marked 28 years since the last World Cup meeting between England and Belgium. The Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna was the stage where Peter Shilton, Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker, among others, came up against Michel Preud'homme's and Enzo Scifo's side. Belgium's performances at Mexico '86 and their victories over South Korea and Uruguay in the group stage gave every reason to fancy a win. Those good Belgian vibrations contrasted sharply with the fractious atmosphere around the England camp. Back home, the press had launched a campaign against their manager — a campaign that the admirable Bobby Robson silenced with results on the pitch.
In Bologna there was far more at stake than there is today in Kaliningrad. Both sides were aware that the small details would prove decisive, as was clear from the very first minute. Ceulemans, the Belgian captain, rattled the post before England had a goal wrongly disallowed. Gascoigne combined with Lineker, who spotted Barnes unmarked and delivered a perfectly weighted cross. The English forward volleyed the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out. The referee flagged a phantom offside, even though Michel De Wolf had played the iconic Liverpool winger John Barnes onside.
On 70 minutes, David Platt came off the bench. The 23-year-old midfielder had enjoyed a fine campaign at Aston Villa and was a regular substitute option for Robson. Despite his best efforts, he wouldn't change the game's pattern until the 120th minute. Gascoigne was driving forward trying to avoid a penalty shootout when he was brought down by a Belgian defender. Free-kick given. Everything came down to this one delivery. "Gazza" floated the ball into the box, hoping that after two hours of deadlock something might finally happen. In that instant, a bit-part player became the protagonist. The ball cleared the defence and dropped to David Platt's right foot — and he connected with an unstoppable volley that even Preud'homme couldn't reach. That anxious, pained look on Bobby Robson's face turned to sheer joy. Euphoria swept through every English player and supporter, and rightly so. There was no time for anything else. England were in the quarter-finals.
A lot of time has passed since that 26th of June, but the situation maps well onto the present day. When two sides know each other so well individually and the talents cancel each other out, the protagonists can be the most unexpected figures imaginable. Recent World Cup history shows that there are always bit-part players who deliver performances worthy of an Oscar. Mario Götze in Brazil, Asamoah Gyan in 2010 or Fabio Grosso in Germany 2006 are perfect examples. With both sides already through, Kaliningrad is the ideal stage for players to put their names forward.
From 8pm, we'll see a Belgian side with an unmistakably Anglo-Saxon feel — Roberto Martínez is on the bench, and many of their key players ply their trade in the Premier League. Given that balance, on the Belgian side the likes of Axel Witsel or Michy Batshuayi — likely to start — could well step forward. On the England side, both Loftus-Cheek and Jamie Vardy occupy that supporting role. Both have the credentials to write a memorable chapter in World Cup history. As it happens, England haven't produced a great World Cup exploit since 1990. If Southgate's side manage something similar to Platt's goal, David Platt will be smiling — just as he smiled on that 26th of June, 1990.
Written by Mario Tena
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