When a few centimetres can change football history

Success in modern football largely depends on talent and resilience — but sheer good fortune also plays its part.

This timeless truth was again shown to the watching world on Saturday, when Chile went within centimetres of astonishingly eliminating hosts and favourites Brazil from the World Cup. In the final minute of extra time, with the score at 1-1 and with a dreaded penalty shootout looming, Chilean forward Mauricio Pinilla played a one-two with Alexis Sanchez and unleashed a tremendous drive that beat Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar — but then rebounded off the crossbar.

A couple of centimetres lower and Pinilla’s shot would have put Brazil out of the World Cup, provoking one of the biggest upsets in football history. But his powerful drive did not go in — and Brazil survived to win 3-2 on penalties. “I should not repeat to you the words I used when I saw Pinilla’s shot coming back off the bar,” said Chile’s midfielder Arturo Vidal on Sunday.

Dutch winger Robert Rensenbrink possibly used similar words back in 1978, when he hit the post in the last minute of the final against Argentina.

With the score at 1-1, the fans in the packed River Plate stadium fell completely silent as Rensenbrink’s drive went between defender Jorge Olguin and goalkeeper Fillol. But the shot came back off the far post, and Argentina triumphed 3-1 in extra time.

“I had not been born in 1978 but of course I know the story. These are shots that might go in or not. This is exactly what happened to us,” said Chile’s assistant coach Sebastian Beccacece on Sunday.

It was a similar but different story back in 1966, in the eventful final between hosts England and West Germany. With the score at 2-2 in extra time, England striker Geoff Hurst drilled a shot against the underside of the German crossbar — and thus provoked what is still the biggest controversy in World Cup history.

Soviet linesman Tofik Bakhramov told Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst the ball had crossed the line, so the goal was given. For almost 50 years the Germans have tried to prove with videos and other technology that the goal should not have stood.

The goalposts have often been important at the World Cup, for example in 1990 when Brazil hit the woodwork three times against Argentina — then lost 1-0.

To win the World Cup needs a little bit of luck, as well as talent and other virtues. Or maybe, as Brazil’s left-back Marcelo said on Sunday, “everything is written already.” In Marcelo’s opinion, “that shot from Pinilla was simply bound to come back off the crossbar.”