World Cup Nostalgia Thread

[Uppercut]

Anyone else spent the past couple of weeks reminiscing about past tournaments? I was boring Ms. UC over lunch the other day recalling where I was and what I was doing for every one I've been alive for.

Also loved https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/world-cup/2018/the-hod-complex-england-and-the-1998-world-cup_sto6795833/story.shtml on France '98 and this https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0b4fx2q/scotland-78-a-love-story incredible documentary on Scotland's 1978 tournament.

 

[sledger]

One random fun memory I have is watching Japan beat Russia at Pothas' house. Junichi Inamoto having his 5 minutes of fame. Really enjoyed that tournament, despite it's obvious awfulness.

 

[sledger]

Another funny memory from 2002 is doing Pothas' dad's work fantasy football competition for him. I seem to remember we made a team that was full of great attacking players, most of whom played for teams that had a terrible tournament and went out immediately. Rui Costa, Batistuta and Veron I seem to remember being particularly disappointing. I think we may have had Mendieta as well, and a few other Argentina players.

But anyway, after the group stages finished Pothas made the decision to transfer out some of the dross and bring in Ronaldo. Nearly every other player had Oliver Khan, so despite our initial problems we actually ended up doing rather well, particularly considering how Khan/Ronaldo fared in the final.

 

[Pothas]

Think we came second or something, sure we had Hakan Sukur as well.

The World Cup is just the greatest thing, even the fairly rubbish ones like 2010 I have great memories of.

 

[Pothas]

Also it is so weird that there are proper adults out there that don't remember World Cup 98. They then point out that they were 4 years old or something.

 

[sledger]

Also it is so weird that there are proper adults out there that don't remember World Cup 98. They then point out that they were 4 years old or something.

Some of my students weren't even born when Euro 2000 took place. Just wrong.

 

[wpdavid]

Some of my students weren't even born when Euro 2000 took place. Just wrong.

Now that was a great tournament.

A few memories since I've been watching ....

1970
The final, as it's one of the matches that was shown at a time I was allowed to watch and it didn't involve England losing. But it was an incredible display, and Carlos Alberto's final goal was the stuff of wet dreams for donkey right backs like myself.

1974
Holland beating Brazil 2-0 in the semi final group phase. They were so unbelievably good.

1978
Holland beating Italy 2-1. That was the game when Arie Haan decided that they needed to stop faffing around with their passing game and belted in the winner from about 40 yards. It was a decent tournament, actually, and visually was great when Argentina played and their fans covered the pitch with confetti.

1982
Brazil beating Russia 2-1. Truth be told, Brazil didn't play that well and were a bit lucky to win, but both goals (Socrates and Eder, since you ask) were astonishing. And the atmosphere was out of this world. Great tournament all round, despite Brazil not winning it. The final was great too, not least Tardelli's celebration after scoring.

1986
Lineker's hat-trick against Poland. And Maradona's performance against Belgium. Shame he didn't do anything else in the tournament.

1990
Platt's goal against Belgium. Massing's assault on Caniggia.

1994
Nothing at all springs to mind. Dullest tournament ever.

1998
Owen's goal against Argentina, obviously. And Bergkamp's goal against the same opponents.

2002
Scandalous home town refereeing to see S Korea past Spain and Italy. We did laugh, tbh.

2006
Italy 2, Germany 0 is one of the classic matches. Grosso's goal was lovely, but the whole match was terrific. Maybe the best semi final I've ever seen.

2010
Puyol scoring the winning goal against Germany. I've always liked Puyol, a kind of old fashioned centre half at the heart of the tikka takka masters.

2014
Brazil getting their just deserts in their semi final.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Never realised wp was so old.

Funnily enough I played bowls last week against a guy who used to captain our spud side many years ago. I reminded him that we watched the David Platt goal in the pub miles away from home after our match and he was terrified he'd get in trouble as his 3 passengers in the car had school the next day.

 

[Burgey]

I remember Brazil getting knocked out in 82 and couldn’t believe it. Fmd they were an amazing side.

Was watching highlights of Aus v Japan from 06 yesterday. Simon Hill’s call was a highlight all its own, especially Aloisi’s goal.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Enjoyed Owen "earning" the penalty versus the Argies in 2002. Felt like some measure of payback for 98.

& also remember Sol Campbell's disallowed goal from that second round game in France too. We were still jumping around the pub when we realised it'd been ruled out, the Argentines had taken a quick free kick and were bearing down on our goal.

 

[Ausage]

I'll never forget us qualifying in 2006. Hard to explain what it meant to non Australians (Kiwis the only possible exception). Even now qualification doesn't feel momentous like that one did.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah that was one crazy night. Bresciano's goal to level up the tie then that shoot out. FMD when Aloisi scored that penalty I reckon it was the biggest single mass celebration ever in Australia.

Until Howard lost his seat the next year anyway.

 

[straw man]

1994
Nothing at all springs to mind. Dullest tournament ever.

First one I was old enough to remember. Bulgaria the story of the tournament, balding Hristo Stoichkov scored lots of goals. Carlos Valderrama's huge hair didn't save Colombia. That poor Ecuadorian bastard. Italy had Roberto Baggio, but Brazil had Romario and several others whose names I can remember (helped by Fifa games) and found a way to win, even if the final was dull (to my eyes).

 

[Ausage]

Baggio's penalty the 94 moment that sticks out for me.

 

[straw man]

just watched replay - sad

 

[OverratedSanity]

98 was the first one I watched from beginning to end. Always annoys me when people stroke themselves off to Zidane for that WC when in reality he was atleast 10 times better in 06.

 

[vcs]

His performance against Brazil in 2006 was one for the ages. Probably my favorite midfield performance ever.

 

[Burgey]

What's your favourite Indian football WC performance?

 

[sledger]

Has to be the time they withdrew from the 1950 tourament after FIFA banned them from playing barefoot surely.

 

[Daemon]

Has to be the time they withdrew from the 1950 tourament after FIFA banned them from playing barefoot surely.

They even had this fun fact on the loading screen in one of the FIFA games iirc