1970 World Cup kit-tracker – Group 2

The second part of our look back at the colours worn in Mexico in 1970 – see here for Group 1.

This section provided two of the semi-finalists in Italy and Uruguay, but it was a close battle – Italy topped the group on four points but Uruguay only edged out Sweden on goal-difference while Israel finished bottom with two.

Uruguay 2 Israel 0

With three teams in first-choice shirts of varying shades of blue, pleasing there was logic shown in that each country changed once. Israel were in a reversal of their normal jerseys.

To combat the Mexican heat, both they and Sweden had Umbro shirts in the new Airtex fabric (thanks to Simon Shakeshaft for this information), with tiny perforations running through the material to allow greater breathability.

Italy 1 Sweden 0

Sweden also had Umbro Airtex and the fact that the other three countries wore blue meant that they played all three games in their home kit, with goalkeeper Ronnie Hellström in the same green shirt.

English referee Jack Taylor wore one of the few shirts which didn’t have buttons or a zip all the way down the front.

Uruguay 0 Italy 0

Uruguay’s change shirts were plain white, with the same shorts and socks used.

Sweden 1 Israel 1

Oddly, the white socks worn with Israel’s home shirts were different to the plain set used with the away. Ethiopian referee Seyoum Tarekegn wore socks which had as much white on them as black, as well as massive cuffs on his shirt.

Sweden 1 Uruguay 0

Israel 0 Italy 0

Having changed to red for the game against Sweden, Israel goalkeeper Itzhak Vissoker stayed in it. Italy’s change shorts were of a slightly darker shade of blue, while the shirt design remains, to our minds, a classic.