The greatest World Cup matches of all-time

[GIMH]

Wasn't that a thriller last night?? Ukraine V Switzerland. Couldn't sleep afterwards it was so exciting. Or perhaps not, so to rid that atrocity from our minds, let us recall and remember our favourite World Cup matches. They can be all-time classics, or matches that are memorable for you for one reason or another. there is enough people in this forum to have a wide range

The first WC I remember is USA 94, and vague parts of Italia 90, but as a youngster I was a keen student of the game and as such I have watched many greats on video. Off the top of my head here are a few favourites of mine:

England 1-1 West Germany
1990, semi-finals, vaguely remember watching it with my sister, but my memories of this game come from watching it on video. It always annoys me when Waddle hits the post, although I don't think it would have counted anyway, because the ref blew up at that moment....

Bulgaria 2-1 Germany (USA 94)


England 2-2 Argentina (France 98)
Despite the bad result, a classic encounter, and what a goal from Michael Owen. When he scored that goal, i think we all thought we would win the World Cup. Hopefully, in four years he'll round off his World Cup career by scoring another one just like it

Brazil 3-2 Denmark (France 98)
Absolute belter of a semi-final, this was international football at it's best and most exciting, how good was Laurdrup???

Holland 1-2 West Germany (West germany 74, final)
How the Dutch never won this is beyond me. Johan Cruyff....

Mexico 2-1 Ireland (USA 94)
Not a classic, but for personal reasons I will never forget this match. My hero, John Aldridge, became the only Tranmere player to play in the World Cup, and then in this match scored, to put us on the map. The cross was supplied by McAteer as well, who signed for us ten years later

England 4-2 West Germany (England 66)
'nuff said

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I don't remember owt from WC94, apart from crying after Norway refused to score against mighty Eire. Oh, and on that Mexico v Ireland match? *spit*. (though it probably saved the tournament from a lot of boring football)

Norway 2 - 1 Brazil (WC98)

Perfect drama, although it only mattered to one team.

Argentina 2 - 2 England (WC98)

Seriously though, grand game of football. Why Campbell's goal got disallowed I'll never know.

Can't remember much from 2002 - I remember getting cellphone updates from the last round of group games, and Sweden 1 - 2 Senegal was a good game, with Sweden being about two and a half inches from the quarters (I've never seen a harder shot from 10 yards than Svensson's into the post). It got a bit ridiculous tho.

 

[wpdavid]

Italy 3 Brazil 2 in 1982, even though I was gutted about a wonderful Brazil side going out.

 

[Robertinho]

Australia 3 - 1 Japan. Defining moment for soccer in the most powerful, pound for pound, sports nation in the world. Incase a pasty skinned individual sees this as an opportunity to sieze the limelight (or any light other than the soft glow of a computer screen), yes, I am talking about Australia.

 

[Goughy]

Italy 3 Brazil 2 in 1982, even though I was gutted about a wonderful Brazil side going out.

What a side that was. Pity they had no decent forwards.

What a midfield though, Eder, Falcao, Socrates and Zico.

Despite currently disliking the Brazilian side it was not always the case and I shed a tear when Zico missed that penalty with his first touch in '86

 

[Neil Pickup]

Austria 7 Switzerland 5 can't have been bad.

 

[Goughy]

Australia 3 - 1 Japan. Defining moment for soccer in the most powerful, pound for pound, sports nation in the world. Incase a pasty skinned individual sees this as an opportunity to sieze the limelight (or any light other than the soft glow of a computer screen), yes, I am talking about Australia.

See this is where it gets difficult. I agree with your comments about Australia but just when Im thinking positive thoughts about Aussie sports I read the next line having a go at the English.

Its hard work on CW at the moment, why post something at least partially interesting and then devalue it by throwing in some ********?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Norway 2 - 1 Brazil (WC98)

Perfect drama, although it only mattered to one team.

I'm not sure the Moroccan team who might reasonably have expected to advance after beating Scotland had Brazil avoided defeat would altogether agree it only mattered to one team!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I'm not sure the Moroccan team who might reasonably have expected to advance after beating Scotland had Brazil avoided defeat would altogether agree it only mattered to one team!

One of the two actually playing the match, then.

I'm sure the Moroccans still believe the American referee with the lovely name of Esfandiar Baharmast was given a considerable part of the Norwegian state pension fund.

 

[Jono]

Sweden vs. Shaka Hislop.

 

[The Baconator]

I seem to remember the Holland v Argentina match at France '98 being pretty good, probably at least partly due to the result. Can't really remember any really good matches in Korea/Japan though.

 

[GIMH]

Holland V Argentina was a good match. And what a goal.

Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp! Denis Bergkamp!

 

[GIMH]

If anyone was unsure about what I was doing there by the way, a Dutch sommentator said Denis Bergkamp about that many times, and had to be treated for hyper-ventilation afterwards!

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Indeed, Argentina/Holland was the best match at France '98 for mine, absolute cracker. Argentina/England was pretty good too, as was Spain/Nigeria. 98 is the best tournament I've seen until this one, but '94 had some good games too. Mostly it was just ruined by a terrible ending, it was actually a pretty decent world cup in my view.

2002 was a shocker and didn't have much in the way of great games. USA/Portugal was a pretty good one, though the result didn't do much for me.

And yeah, Japan/Australia was an absolute ripper at this tournament. Not only a huge moment for Australian sport, but an amazing comeback in its own right. Mexico/Argentina was sensational too.

 

[GIMH]

Australia's late fightback was good, and in no way is this a(nother) dig at you Aussies, but I do believe there are better fightbacks in World Cup history than coming from one down against Japan. Like West germany coming from two down to beat the World Champions, England, in Mexico 70.

Fair play though, obviously it's a game that will always be remembered over there

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Australia's late fightback was good, and in no way is this a(nother) dig at you Aussies, but I do believe there are better fightbacks in World Cup history than coming from one down against Japan. Like West germany coming from two down to beat the World Champions, England, in Mexico 70.

Fair play though, obviously it's a game that will always be remembered over there

Yeah, no way it was the best comeback in world cup history or anything, but if you consider the stage, match circumstances, heat and the fact that it was three goals after the 84th minute, it was pretty impressive. From a pool of four world cups that I've seen, it's one of the best, even without the Australian factor.

 

[aussie]

England vs Argentina, QF 1986, nuff said..

 

[BoyBrumby]

England vs Argentina, QF 1986, nuff said..

Er, no. One hand-ball, one own-goal & Lineker managed to miss from the goalline. One of the best remembered, possibly, but not the best.

Ironically the best game I can recall was from '86 tho. 2nd round, Belgium beat the Soviet Union 4-3 AET. It was a v strong Soviet team who had won their group ahead of France & Belgium had just squeaked thru as one of the best 3rd placed teams. Has everything but decent defending!

86 probably had the best final I can recall too, but that's not saying much TBF.

Best game with England? Hmm. We've not had too many classics I can recall. 2-2 v yer Argentines in '98 was notable for our tremendous rearguard action & Sol's (incorrectly) disallowed goal. I can't go past Beck's duff pen that dicked them last time round or Platty's volley in the last min of ET in '90 v the sprouts tho. Bugger objectivity!

 

[TT Boy]

One of my favourites is England vs. Cameron 1990, cracker of a game but the commentary is what makes it so memorable, Cecil Rhodes would have been proud.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

One of my favourites is England vs. Cameron 1990, cracker of a game but the commentary is what makes it so memorable, Cecil Rhodes would have been proud.

Very plucky, eh?