Garrincha’s Dog

Subsequent investigations after the criminal Pires-Henry penalty have revealed further offences. Cruyff and his Danish accomplice have been stealing the credit for spot-kick innovation where none is due.

On 21st November 1964, Plymouth Argyle put Manchester City to the sword with a passed penalty, breaking a 2-2 deadlock at Home Park. Engineered by John Newman - who laid on a goal with the same ruse the previous season - Mike Trebilcock squeezes the ball into the net.

It’s not quite as elegant as the Total Football version: When Newman taps the ball to his left, the 20,000-strong home crowd show their faith in him with sighs, groans and murmurs of disapproval that don’t make for a very pleasing collective sound. But the disquiet gives way to an almighty cheer when keeper Alan Ogley can’t stop the shot.

So, are the Pilgrims responsible for the earliest passed penalty in football history? Inquiries continue.

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Internazionale embarked on Saturday’s game against SS Lazio with no fewer than seven left-footed players in their side: Cesar, Materazzi, Mihajlovic, Favalli, Cambiasso, Adriano and Martins are all footballing southpaws. Recoba and Samuel - who both featured as substitutes - also favour the foot which most players use to stand on, if nothing else. Inter must be the most left-sided team in top-flight world football.

So, trivia addicts can role up their sleeves and enjoy a hit. And pundits who think that the lefties are in league with Satan can point to Mihajlovic and watch the world nod in agreement.

If you can have a balanced side with a majority of right-footed players, the reverse should also be true. Inter fans will have to cling to this hope, even if ten points off the Serie A pace suggests otherwise.

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