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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Sid Lowe in Chattanooga

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

Bill Nuttall at Spain’s base camp in Chattanooga, standing by a sign with the Spain team's emblem saying Welcome
Bill Nuttall at Spain’s base camp at Baylor school in Chattanooga. Photograph: Pablo Garcia/The Guardian

At 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.

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