When Bobby met Pele

This iconic image is a personal favourite. It was taken after Brazil had beaten England 1-0 in the group stage match of the 1970 World Cup Finals in Mexico, a match which contained that amazing Banks save, Moore's 'perfect' tackle on Jairzinho, Astle's miss and Jairzinho's cracker.  The photo evokes the respect and friendship between these two footballing greats. Here are the brief highlights including Moore's thoughts about what has been described as one of the best World Cup matches.

I bring up this photo as I've recently read that Pele's shirt from this match is currently owned by the Saracens chairman Nigel Wray and 'displayed' in his online museum. The shirt had been framed and hung in a Brazilian bar for 20 years, gathering dust and cigarette stains until Wray bought it and cleaned it up. Also in his 6,000 item strong collection are an autograph book from the 1936 Berlin Olympics containing the signature of Jesse Owens opposite that of Joseph Goebbels, the bat used by WG Grace in his last innings in 1914, a megaphone used by a starter at the 1908 London Olympics and a Springbok rugby top from South Africa's tour of the UK in 1906-07. He's published a book about his collection with the proceeds going to the Saracens Sport Foundation.

Sporting memorabilia is a buoyant market. George Best's European Cup winner's medal sold for £156,000 at auction. Fast forward sixty years - what price for Wayne Rooney's Euro 2012 winners medal? I can but dream...

Euro 2012 Preview

Spain are rightly a best-priced 14/5 to win the final on Sunday 1st July in Kiev. They are the World and European champions, fantastic to watch with some of the world's finest players but they face a tough opening match against the Italians who beat La Roja when they played last August. Spain have also lost recently to England (1-0) and Portugal (4-0), the injured Villa and Puyol will be sorely missed, and watching Chelsea defeat Barcelona in the Champions League with an all hands to the pump, backs to the wall, hit them on the break strategy will give confidence to their opponents. Granted Spain and Barca are two different teams but they play the same passing game, dominating possession. History is against them as no country has successfully defended the trophy, nor won three international tournaments in a row. Fatigue must play a part as three quarters of the squad play for Barca, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Valencia and Atletico Madrid who all made it through to the Champions League and Europa League semi-finals. For these reasons I won't be tipping Spain to win the tournament, seeing them possibly being dumped out by the injury-ridden underdogs England or the talented French.

Talking of France, they are now undefeated in 20 matches, winning 14 and defeating England, Brazil and Germany in the process. Top form indeed but have they got the temperament and wouldn't it be poetic justice if they were to face Eire in the knock out stages and possibly stare karma in the face for the infamous Henry handball that dumped the Irish out of the last World Cup finals play off?

The expectation for England to do well has been dampened just a little by injuries but they may just surprise us if Roy Hodgson has enough time to organise the team into one that is hard to beat though not scintillating to watch. Think Greece in 2004.

My tip is for the winner to come from the group of death containing Germany, Holland, Portugal and Denmark with the final being contested by the Germans and the Dutch.  The Golden Boot winner may therefore be Van Persie or Gomez. Or for an outside bet, Fernando Torres. The kick off is this Friday at 5 pm on a sofa near you.