1990 has been hugley romanticised, and many forget that the football was generally tedious, attritional or just plain bad. That said, it produced lots of brilliant moments. Platt's goal, Lineker v cameroon, gazza's tears, the hope of the semi final etc. For england, strange to say it, but ignore the football, it was a great world cup. As a world cup generally, it was pretty bad.
for me, France 98 was brilliant, and the best recent one. I went to South africa to catch a couple of games, and the football was really bad, and the Vuvuzela completely destroyed, destroyed any chance of having a decent atmosphere.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
It's you that is criticising me for having an opinion, not the other way around.
Quite pathetic that you want to argue that the OP has asked more than one question.
You made a mistake but don't have the balls to admit it.
Don't worry - most people are the same, and as pathetic as it is, it's perfectly normal.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
France 98. Don't know whether it was the best or it was just the first one I can remember. But definitely my favourite.
2006 wasn't great and 2010 was dreadful
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
You're questioning the choice of 1990.
I've never once questioned your choice.
So which one of us has the issue with each other's opinion?
You appear completely disconnected from what you actually write. I guess it stems from making a mistake and refusing to admit it.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Mexico 86 for me.
I was 9 and its the first WC I remember. I think for many people the first one they remember is the one they favour. It just seemed magical.
It seemed such a far away place (I know Mexico actually is far away), not like today with 24 hour news, the Interweb etc... I don't think there was such divisiveness with the national team that there is now (I could be wrong), it was our boys going to a far away place to do the country proud. Lots of entertaining games, plenty of goals.
The thing that made the biggest impression on me was the size of the goal nets. They were absolutely huge, and keepers needed to go on a long walk just to get the ball once they conceded. It made goals more special. Filling 2 Mexico 86 sticker albums, Pique the Jalapeno mascot, a guy sat in the crowd with a snake round his net made it really standout for me. Along with this magical tune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z3-1QLzJzM
1982
the last truly competitive world cup I ever saw
All those since have been laughable displays of divaesque proportions. Largely , perhaps, because players and fans have forgotten it is a team game
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
Right, so would you like to point out where I have suggested 'you seem to think that you can give an opinion but I cannot'?
Good luck with that.
Precious indeed.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Christ the Winston is a right tart
I think how a lot of people view how good a World cup is comes down to their age and also whether England go pretty far, so the vested interest goes up.
Everyone will naturally romaticise the first world cup they remember as for many people, that would have been their introduction to a lot of the players on show.
I have memories of both 86 and 90 as that was the time when I was first getting in to football. At that time, foreign football was not as accessible on TV and there was little movement in terms of players outside of their own domestic leagues. In 86, that was the first time a lot of people saw players like Maradona, Laudrup and Platini, particular for me as a kid of primary school age at the time. It was a world away from watching Steve Redmond from the Kippax every week!
I do think that feeling of romaticism is slightly dissipated nowadays. This is the first world cup my son has properly got into (he's 9), but through FIFA and Sky, he knows the squads and players better than I think most people on here do! With the movement of players nowadays, the Argentina Bosnia match the other night featured three City players that he has seen play multiple times and the Champions League has brought the best of the South Americans over here to ply their trade.
Even with that though, I bet in 20 years time, regardless of the football on show, he will look back and say this one is his favourite world cup and even more so if England manage to go a bit deeper into the competition.
It isn't just about the football on show is essentially what I'm saying, its the memories that it creates and that doesn't always mean the quality of the game, it could be who you watched it with.
Footbal,l as an entertainment form and as a creator of shared memories, doesn't get any better for me.
I thought he was the ultimate midfielder that tournament. Scored goals, defended, box-to-box, either foot. Awesome. Brehme was an outstanding player, but Matthaus was the star of the show for me.
......................................................................
Certainly wouldn't argue that, he was the driving force behind the win. Just didn't particularly take to him, as you do sometimes!. .
Some unit though, must have been sickening as a striker coming up against that wall of a defence.
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
I never said you'd questioned my right to an opinion.
I said you'd questioned my opinion.
Where have I questioned yours?
Why did you say I seem to think I'm entitled to my opinion but you're not entitled to yours?
Of have you realised you're wrong for the second time this thread, and won't admit again?
Oh dear.
What a mess you have made.
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 22 minutes ago
comment by Vertonghen Groove *100% WUM free* (U1546)
posted 43 seconds ago
Italia 90 for me...that tournament had everything
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Except high quality, exciting games...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll rephrase...as an England fan, that tournament had everything
Platini and Tigana were amazing in the 82 world cup. Tigana was my favorite player at that time.
Leepen, I doubt any of the refrees have been biased at all. What this World Cup has shown is refrees from different associations interpret the rules differently! I thought the Dutch ref for the England-Italy game was marvelous! Exactly the way it want the game reffed! Welbeck dived as usual but another red would have awarded Stevie's tumble as a penalty.
None of the refs decisions have influenced the games except maybe in the Brazil game although I thought he was a touch unlucky. Portugal deserved to lose and would have, even if the ref was biased against Germany!
I can't remember a decision in all the games that has seriously altered the course of a football match thus far.
comment by b10 (U18580)
posted 1 minute ago
Leepen, I doubt any of the refrees have been biased at all. What this World Cup has shown is refrees from different associations interpret the rules differently! I thought the Dutch ref for the England-Italy game was marvelous! Exactly the way it want the game reffed! Welbeck dived as usual but another red would have awarded Stevie's tumble as a penalty.
None of the refs decisions have influenced the games except maybe in the Brazil game although I thought he was a touch unlucky. Portugal deserved to lose and would have, even if the ref was biased against Germany!
I can't remember a decision in all the games that has seriously altered the course of a football match thus far.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's not about what you think altered the course of a match. Who knows whether or not Croatia would have equalised if the Brazil penalty wasn't awarded.
Just because the course of the game was going a certain way it doesn't mean the bad decisions should be less criticised.
What bemuses me is the way everyone seems to focus on the referees when a bad decision is made.
How many of those decisions have been influenced by a player cheating, or behaving like an idiot?
The refs aren't above criticism, of course, but surely the blame must start with the player that cheated and made the ref think something had happened, when it hadn't?
It's hard to say after a decision is made how much it altered the course of the game.
I don't get how the croatia goal got disallowed, but the Holland one stood for example, there was a big inconsistency there.
Greatteams and Winston - shut up both of you.
As for the original question, I have to say 1990 - until that point I had no interest in football but for some reason that tournament caught the mood of the nation and I ended up watching most of the England matches with my parents and loving it. I have no idea whether the football was any good at all as I'd never watched any before then, but I do remember Nessun Dorma, World In Motion (complete with the Barnes rap), Platt's goal, Gazza, Roger Milla, Waddle and Pearce missing their penalties etc. There must've been something about it as, as a result, I started watching the footie regularly and haven't looked back since.
My family had always supported Spurs so it was a no-brainer that they'd be my team but the inclusion of Gazza and Lineker in the England team made it all the more exciting, especially as we finished third and won the FA Cup the following season.
So, was Italia '90 the best WC of all time in terms of excitement, standard etc? No idea. But was it my favourite, the one that will always live longest in my memory? Unquestionably. That said, the best match I've seen at a WC, in terms of drama (and obviously an emotional investment played a part) was the '98 England v Argentina match, and I think Euro 96 was probably my favourite tournament, but that was possibly as much to do with general atmosphere in the country, the music and films around then, as the football. But Italia '90 will always have a special place in my heart.
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The best World Cup
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posted on 17/6/14
1990 has been hugley romanticised, and many forget that the football was generally tedious, attritional or just plain bad. That said, it produced lots of brilliant moments. Platt's goal, Lineker v cameroon, gazza's tears, the hope of the semi final etc. For england, strange to say it, but ignore the football, it was a great world cup. As a world cup generally, it was pretty bad.
for me, France 98 was brilliant, and the best recent one. I went to South africa to catch a couple of games, and the football was really bad, and the Vuvuzela completely destroyed, destroyed any chance of having a decent atmosphere.
posted on 17/6/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/6/14
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
It's you that is criticising me for having an opinion, not the other way around.
Quite pathetic that you want to argue that the OP has asked more than one question.
You made a mistake but don't have the balls to admit it.
Don't worry - most people are the same, and as pathetic as it is, it's perfectly normal.
posted on 17/6/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/6/14
France 98. Don't know whether it was the best or it was just the first one I can remember. But definitely my favourite.
2006 wasn't great and 2010 was dreadful
posted on 17/6/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/6/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/6/14
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
You're questioning the choice of 1990.
I've never once questioned your choice.
So which one of us has the issue with each other's opinion?
You appear completely disconnected from what you actually write. I guess it stems from making a mistake and refusing to admit it.
posted on 17/6/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/6/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/6/14
Mexico 86 for me.
I was 9 and its the first WC I remember. I think for many people the first one they remember is the one they favour. It just seemed magical.
It seemed such a far away place (I know Mexico actually is far away), not like today with 24 hour news, the Interweb etc... I don't think there was such divisiveness with the national team that there is now (I could be wrong), it was our boys going to a far away place to do the country proud. Lots of entertaining games, plenty of goals.
The thing that made the biggest impression on me was the size of the goal nets. They were absolutely huge, and keepers needed to go on a long walk just to get the ball once they conceded. It made goals more special. Filling 2 Mexico 86 sticker albums, Pique the Jalapeno mascot, a guy sat in the crowd with a snake round his net made it really standout for me. Along with this magical tune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z3-1QLzJzM
posted on 17/6/14
1982
the last truly competitive world cup I ever saw
All those since have been laughable displays of divaesque proportions. Largely , perhaps, because players and fans have forgotten it is a team game
posted on 17/6/14
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
Right, so would you like to point out where I have suggested 'you seem to think that you can give an opinion but I cannot'?
Good luck with that.
Precious indeed.
posted on 17/6/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/6/14
Christ the Winston is a right tart
posted on 17/6/14
I think how a lot of people view how good a World cup is comes down to their age and also whether England go pretty far, so the vested interest goes up.
Everyone will naturally romaticise the first world cup they remember as for many people, that would have been their introduction to a lot of the players on show.
I have memories of both 86 and 90 as that was the time when I was first getting in to football. At that time, foreign football was not as accessible on TV and there was little movement in terms of players outside of their own domestic leagues. In 86, that was the first time a lot of people saw players like Maradona, Laudrup and Platini, particular for me as a kid of primary school age at the time. It was a world away from watching Steve Redmond from the Kippax every week!
I do think that feeling of romaticism is slightly dissipated nowadays. This is the first world cup my son has properly got into (he's 9), but through FIFA and Sky, he knows the squads and players better than I think most people on here do! With the movement of players nowadays, the Argentina Bosnia match the other night featured three City players that he has seen play multiple times and the Champions League has brought the best of the South Americans over here to ply their trade.
Even with that though, I bet in 20 years time, regardless of the football on show, he will look back and say this one is his favourite world cup and even more so if England manage to go a bit deeper into the competition.
It isn't just about the football on show is essentially what I'm saying, its the memories that it creates and that doesn't always mean the quality of the game, it could be who you watched it with.
Footbal,l as an entertainment form and as a creator of shared memories, doesn't get any better for me.
posted on 17/6/14
I thought he was the ultimate midfielder that tournament. Scored goals, defended, box-to-box, either foot. Awesome. Brehme was an outstanding player, but Matthaus was the star of the show for me.
......................................................................
Certainly wouldn't argue that, he was the driving force behind the win. Just didn't particularly take to him, as you do sometimes!. .
Some unit though, must have been sickening as a striker coming up against that wall of a defence.
posted on 17/6/14
Greatteamswinit4times I'm dogmatic (U6008)
I never said you'd questioned my right to an opinion.
I said you'd questioned my opinion.
Where have I questioned yours?
Why did you say I seem to think I'm entitled to my opinion but you're not entitled to yours?
Of have you realised you're wrong for the second time this thread, and won't admit again?
Oh dear.
What a mess you have made.
posted on 17/6/14
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 22 minutes ago
comment by Vertonghen Groove *100% WUM free* (U1546)
posted 43 seconds ago
Italia 90 for me...that tournament had everything
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Except high quality, exciting games...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll rephrase...as an England fan, that tournament had everything
posted on 17/6/14
Platini and Tigana were amazing in the 82 world cup. Tigana was my favorite player at that time.
posted on 17/6/14
Leepen, I doubt any of the refrees have been biased at all. What this World Cup has shown is refrees from different associations interpret the rules differently! I thought the Dutch ref for the England-Italy game was marvelous! Exactly the way it want the game reffed! Welbeck dived as usual but another red would have awarded Stevie's tumble as a penalty.
None of the refs decisions have influenced the games except maybe in the Brazil game although I thought he was a touch unlucky. Portugal deserved to lose and would have, even if the ref was biased against Germany!
I can't remember a decision in all the games that has seriously altered the course of a football match thus far.
posted on 17/6/14
comment by b10 (U18580)
posted 1 minute ago
Leepen, I doubt any of the refrees have been biased at all. What this World Cup has shown is refrees from different associations interpret the rules differently! I thought the Dutch ref for the England-Italy game was marvelous! Exactly the way it want the game reffed! Welbeck dived as usual but another red would have awarded Stevie's tumble as a penalty.
None of the refs decisions have influenced the games except maybe in the Brazil game although I thought he was a touch unlucky. Portugal deserved to lose and would have, even if the ref was biased against Germany!
I can't remember a decision in all the games that has seriously altered the course of a football match thus far.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's not about what you think altered the course of a match. Who knows whether or not Croatia would have equalised if the Brazil penalty wasn't awarded.
Just because the course of the game was going a certain way it doesn't mean the bad decisions should be less criticised.
posted on 17/6/14
What bemuses me is the way everyone seems to focus on the referees when a bad decision is made.
How many of those decisions have been influenced by a player cheating, or behaving like an idiot?
The refs aren't above criticism, of course, but surely the blame must start with the player that cheated and made the ref think something had happened, when it hadn't?
posted on 17/6/14
It's hard to say after a decision is made how much it altered the course of the game.
I don't get how the croatia goal got disallowed, but the Holland one stood for example, there was a big inconsistency there.
posted on 17/6/14
Greatteams and Winston - shut up both of you.
As for the original question, I have to say 1990 - until that point I had no interest in football but for some reason that tournament caught the mood of the nation and I ended up watching most of the England matches with my parents and loving it. I have no idea whether the football was any good at all as I'd never watched any before then, but I do remember Nessun Dorma, World In Motion (complete with the Barnes rap), Platt's goal, Gazza, Roger Milla, Waddle and Pearce missing their penalties etc. There must've been something about it as, as a result, I started watching the footie regularly and haven't looked back since.
My family had always supported Spurs so it was a no-brainer that they'd be my team but the inclusion of Gazza and Lineker in the England team made it all the more exciting, especially as we finished third and won the FA Cup the following season.
So, was Italia '90 the best WC of all time in terms of excitement, standard etc? No idea. But was it my favourite, the one that will always live longest in my memory? Unquestionably. That said, the best match I've seen at a WC, in terms of drama (and obviously an emotional investment played a part) was the '98 England v Argentina match, and I think Euro 96 was probably my favourite tournament, but that was possibly as much to do with general atmosphere in the country, the music and films around then, as the football. But Italia '90 will always have a special place in my heart.
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