Wembley return for Rattin

Antonio Rattin, the Argentinian footballer responsible for the most notorious scenes ever witnessed at Wembley, is to return 41 years later as a VIP guest when the rebuilt stadium stages its first international match on 1 June.

Rattin, captain of the 1966 Argentina World Cup team, who infamously refused to leave the field after being sent off in the quarter-final against England, has asked his old adversary Sir Bobby Charlton to arrange an invitation to the game, saying: "After all, I am part of Wembley history."

And Charlton confirmed last night that he will do so. "I will be pleased to have him as my guest," he told me. Rattin's request was made via another Argentinian sporting legend, the former Pumas rugby captain and sports minister Hugo Porta, in Barcelona, where both he and Charlton attended last week's Laureus Sports Awards.

Said Charlton: "In fact I have met him and other members of that team in Argentina in recent years and we have become friends. Actually, he is quite a nice chap." However, the England team and their manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, did not think so at the time. The imposing, 6ft 4in defender, now 70, and until recently an MP in Buenos Aires - the first footballer to be elected to the Argentine Congress - created an international sensation when dismissed by the Germany referee Rudolf Kreitlein for "violence of the tongue" after disputing a decision. His refusal to leave the field delayed the match for 20 minutes and as he was finally led off he grabbed a Union Jack corner flag and squatted defiantly on the red carpet which led to the Royal Box where the Queen was seated.

Ramsey later described the Argentina side as "animals" and refused to let his players exchange shirts after the match which Rattin had dominated before England went on to win 1-0 and later defeat the former West Germany in the final. Argentina were one of the nations approached by the Football Association for the 1 June game but England's opponents are now expected to be Brazil.