Horatio Nelson, football pioneer

By Tim Vickery

Nelson is an unlikely football hero

Lord Nelson could not possibly have foreseen it, even with his good eye, but his greatest naval victory, 200 years ago this week, played a massive role in the development of the world's most popular sport.

The Battle of Trafalgar, on 21 October 1805, is usually remembered as a triumph over the French.

It is often forgotten that Nelson also destroyed the Spanish fleet.

"For Spain," writes naval historian Andrew Lambert, "Trafalgar would be the last hurrah of a once-great service, a glorious defeat."

However glorious, the loss of its sea power effectively cost Spain its empire in the Americas.

The process took a couple of decades to unfold, but without mastery of the waves it was clearly impossible for Spain to control its colonies on the other side of the Atlantic.

Instead, naval dominance established Britain as the key power. The British fleet installed the Portuguese monarchy in Brazil.

Spain's ex-colonies were nominally independent republics.

But liberator Simon Bolivar sought British protection to allow them to survive the difficult, war-ravaged early years of their existence.

They were soon in debt to English finance and had become a captive market for English products.

They had become an informal part of the British empire, without the costs of military conquest.

At first the locals looked on nonplussed while groups of Englishmen kicked a ball around but soon curiosity gave way to a desire to have a go

And as the 19th century wore on, along with their textiles, railways and ships, the British also brought football with them.

At first the locals looked on nonplussed while groups of English sailors and railway workers kicked a ball around.

But soon simple curiosity gave way to a desire to have a go at this new activity.

And it was not long before South Americans discovered one of the secrets of football's success; its beautiful simplicity is so vast that it can be interpreted in many different ways.

There was no need for them to limit themselves to the straight line running, muscular Christianity approach of the British.

They could express themselves through football, evolving a balletic, short passing, twisting and turning style that was made to measure for those with a low centre of gravity.

When the world saw this new style of play it went crazy for football.

Uruguay's gold medal in the 1924 Olympics marks the start of the modern era in the game.

Such enthusiasm was generated that it led directly to the first World Cup, staged and won by Uruguay in 1930.

With nine World Cup wins shared by Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, South America has won the tournament more times than Europe.

The re-interpretation of football by the South Americans has brought international triumphs and recognition to a region starved of both.

The continent has always suffered from a strong feeling of dependence; first on their colonial masters, then on Britain, more recently on the United States and the baffling flows of international finance.

But on the football field they can be masters of their own destiny. That is why the game is so important in South America, and why the shirt of the national team is the most potent symbol of the country's existence.

And this process can be traced all the way back to October 21st 1805, when Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar.

Perhaps the great Admiral's true dying words were "kiss me, Hardy. I've just helped Maradona score a goal."