England and Norway renew a rivalry better known for one famous piece of commentary rather than football when they meet in the World Cup quarter-finals in Miami on Saturday.
It was 45 years before Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland were illuminating the current tournament that a Norwegian by the name of Bjorge Lillelien delivered the speech that has assumed legendary status.
Norway, nowhere near the dangerous force they are now in September 1981, had just beaten an England side boasting players of the class of Bryan Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan and Trevor Francis 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier.
The win was a seismic shock, regarded as a national embarrassment for England and Norway’s greatest triumph at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.
Lillelien was not going to let the opportunity to pile on the agony for England pass him by as he directed a message aimed at the country’s political and sporting figures – especially then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
A reserved man in private, he warmed up by accusing Polish referee Jerzy Kacprzak of being “close to receiving English citizenship” by playing what he felt was too much added time as Norway protected their lead.
When Kacprzak finally blew the whistle, Lillelien was ready to let rip on the airwaves as the main radio commentator for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, known as NRK.
A slightly edited version of his wonderfully excitable commentary is: “Lord Nelson. Lord Beaverbrook. Sir Winston Churchill. Sir Anthony Eden. Clement Atlee. Henry Cooper. Lady Diana. We have beaten all of them.”
And then came Lillelien’s most famous words.
“Maggie Thatcher. Can you hear me? We have a message for you. We have knocked your boys out of the World Cup. Maggie Thatcher. As they say in your language, in the boxing bars around Madison Square Garden New York, your boys took a hell of a beating.”
He then repeated for good measure: “Your boys took a hell of a beating.”
The last line, in particular, has been repeated – and altered to suit the occasion – ever since Lillelien delivered it.
England did, contrary to Lillellen’s claim, qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, but no matter.
Social media did not exist in 1981. The impact and traction of his commentary, had it happened now, would be mind-boggling.
Lillelien, who was a hugely popular figure, died six years later aged 60, but has been immortalised by those words, which he always insisted were spontaneous, not prepared.
The emotional speech has been preserved forever by the wonders of YouTube, helped by Lillelien, fluent in English, switching from his native tongue when he said: “Maggie Thatcher. Can you hear me?” and “your boys took one hell of a beating.”
England’s defeat was one of the biggest shocks in their history, having won the first qualifier 4-0 at Wembley a year previously.
In Norway’s moment of triumph, Lillelien’s colourful commentary meant those who represented England in that defeat will never be allowed to forget it.
Every time England meet Norway, Lillelien will be remembered with affection by everyone except those who still have to suffer those painful recollections.
