England World Cup hero Jude Bellingham and Romiley pensioner Clive Rothel would appear to have nothing in common. But the 23-year-old Real Madrid superstar and Clive, 69, share a common goal. Indeed, the duo share two common goals; both are Azteca aces having scored doubles at Mexico's iconic national stadium; both finishing on the victorious side.
Rothel's Double Decades Before Bellingham
However, red hot Rothel was on target twice for a touring non-league side nearly 40 years before Bellingham's brace earned Thomas Tuchel's side a quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday. They were the last English side to win at the Azteca before Bellingham and Co re-wrote the history books with a victory for the ages. The similarities don't end there as former law firm accounts manager Rothel, like Bellingham, netted a diving header and a clever close-range finish. And neither managed a Mexican hat-trick!
Memories Flood Back for Spurs Fan
The memories certainly came flooding back for the London born, Spurs fan as ex Tottenham goal machine Harry Kane's penalty earned England a 3-2 win. Rothel starred in a 3-1 win for Cheadle Town, now members of the North West Counties League, over a crack veterans side representing Mexican elite club, Cruz Azul.
"When we kicked off there were about 50 people watching," recalled Clive. "By the end of the game there must have been nearly 50,000 in the stadium. Like Jude, I got the first two goals which was a bit of a surprise to everyone as I wasn't known for my goal scoring prowess."
"But they were similar to Bellingham's. Mine was probably a better diving header because I had more of an angle," he laughed. "People call the first a tap-in. I call it an instinctive reaction, left foot half volley."
Altitude No Concern for Cheshire Amateurs
England's major pre-match concern was playing at altitude with the Azteca sitting 7,000 feet above sea level. But altitude and temperatures held few concerns for the Cheshire amateurs whose Central American adventure was one of many overseas trips organised by Chris Davies, Cheadle's former chairman and Stockport County stalwart, who died last year aged 86.
"It never really bothered us," added Rothel, who with another Cheadle old boy, Phil Jackson and group of friends, recently completed the 200-mile Greater Manchester Ringway walking trail raising more than £25,000 for Cancer Research UK. "And quite frankly we weren't playing at the same pace as England did. Besides, there weren't too many lung busting runs. It was just a joy to be playing in that stadium on a pitch that was like a carpet."
Overseas Adventures Under Chris Davies
Under Davies, Cheadle embarked on numerous trips including to Cuba, Thailand and America. There were no matches though against Norwegian opposition. "However, we did play Keflavik from Iceland one year," remembers Rothel. "But instead of the Icelandic national anthem, Chris, bless him, played the Norwegian anthem instead."
