Soccer: The mark of Zico

Adrian Elrick with the framed jersey of Brazilian football star Zico. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Adrian Elrick is under no illusions in looking ahead to Monday's keenly anticipated clash between Brazil and the All Whites in Geneva.

Not that he feels any apprehension for the players in Ricki Herbert's side. He simply acknowledges the enormity of the task they face.

Elrick was on the receiving end first hand when the two countries clashed for the first time - at the 1982 World Cup.

Unsure who he would be marking before the game kicked off, it soon became very apparent that legendary No 10 Zico was "his". "He started the game as an attacking right midfielder but I don't think he spent much time there after that," says Elrick, recalling the game in Seville.

"He dragged me all over the pitch. I remember at one time I was at right wing and he was at left back. I just stood there and wondered to myself, 'What in the hell am I doing here?'."

Scots-born Elrick, a left back who went on to played 91 times for his adopted country, made a reasonable fist of the task - even if Zico did score twice in the 4-0 win.

"One of those goals I could do nothing about. He was just standing there with his back to the goal when he received the ball. Before I could shut him down he unleashed an overhead kick which Frank [goalkeeper Frank van Hattum] could only pick out of the net."

Elrick remembers the campaign fondly, in particular the finale against Brazil, who went out to an inspired Italy in a second-round classic.

"It was a great occasion, especially when they paid us the compliment of fielding their No 1 side. They basically needed only a 1-0 win to be assured of topping the group. We really didn't know what to expect as all we had seen was a bit on television," says Elrick. "Standing in the tunnel waiting to go out you had to pinch yourself - but at the same time ask where else in the world would you rather be. We had our own reasons for wanting to do well. A couple of days earlier a team had been beaten 10-0 and we didn't want to leave Spain known as the biggest loser.

"The whole thing was surreal," says Elrick. "I remember going to the ground in the bus through the narrow streets where everyone was going to the football. When we got to the changing shed - it was better than the hotel we were staying in. Out on the pitch for the warm-ups was amazing. The noise, the drums, the radio-controlled kites and the incessant music.

"Even though it was a while before kick-off it was just about a full stadium. Even warming up it was difficult to concentrate.

"We looked around and wondered just where had all these fantastic women come from. At halftime - down 2-0 - John Adshead said we could not allow our performance to drop. And we didn't, even though I had never run so much in my life. I followed Zico all over the place."

Elrick vividly recalls the last five minutes. "I went man-on-man with Zico. I followed him everywhere. There was no way anyone else was going to get his shirt after the game!"

Elrick, while not always getting near his man, indeed got his shirt.

Later, as he boarded the team bus for the trip back to Marbella, he turned down an offer from a Brazilian fan of US$30,000 for the prized yellow and green No 10 shirt, which he treasures to this day. "When Pele finished, they retired his No 10 shirt, saying it could only ever come back if there was another player as good. Zico was that man.

"Someone told me the Brazilians loved to play to the fans. They set the tempo of the match in tune with the drums from the terraces. It was great.

"I'm sure Monday's game will be little different," Elrick said. "They will play along, get to 2-0 or 3-0 and then perform for their fans. They will dictate the mood of the match."

Elrick will take a keen interest in this match. "We proved we were there not just to make up the numbers. I hope this team can do the same."

* At the 1982 World Cup New Zealand and Brazil finished top equal in the fair play standings, with Brazil taking the honours as they went further in the Cup. They had two yellow cards. The All Whites finished their three matches with a clean sheet.