Bill Nuttall on saving Pelé’s penalty and building a US team from scratch

A t the foot of Signal Mountain on a bend in the Tennessee river, over the little level crossing like a postcard of America, past the sheriff at the gate and through an avenue of pines, the perfect pitch awaits Lamine Yamal, Rodri and the rest. So does a man. He’s 6ft 3in, 78 years old, his name is Bill Nuttall, and he’s here every day. “I’ve got nothing else to do,” he says, laughing. He’s done it all: he cleaned out Pelé and got cleaned out by Gordon Banks, coached Gerd Müller and built a US national team from scratch, the hosts making history in 1994. He also brought Spain here, an even better host now than he was back then. “Isn’t that a story and a half?” he says at the selección ’s training base five miles outside Chattanooga, home to the World Cup favourites. Well, it’s one of his stories. He has hundreds and, boy, can he tell them. The only problem is knowing where to start. Let’s begin at the beginning. It’s 1976 and Pelé has just hit town. It’s the North American Soccer League season opener, the New York Cosmos at the Miami Toros at Tamiami Park. The Cosmos are winning 1-0 when the ball reaches Pelé, all alone, on the edge of the area. Enter, Nuttall. “I was the Toros goalkeeper. I’m looking around, can’t see anyone, so I go out and flatten him,” he says. “Today, you’re gone. I didn’t even get a yellow, but it was a penalty. Pelé looks at me, walks up and … I push it wide. There was no footage then but some guy got a couple of stills. …