For me Mexico 86 remains the most memorable. Perhaps it's because it's the first that I can remember but these things stand out:
Josimar v Northern Ireland
Strachan scoring and then joking about not being able to climb the hoarding
The amazing France v Brazil quarter final.
Maradona v England
The Germans recovering in the final only to be foiled late on by Argentina.
Fantastic game between Belgium and USSR.
For me now though the World Cup has lost a little magic. Perhaps it's because we're used to seeing these players all the time on the TV and they are not as exotic as they seemed back then.
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia, England or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
———
Agreed Diafol
Maradona v England
.................
This was bad for me because I was down the Falkland Islands having to listen to it on a radio.
comment by Clockwork Red (U4892)
posted 16 minutes ago
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia, England or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
———
Agreed Diafol
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You've already won it once! Would like to see a new winner this year. It's more than possible too.
Italia 90 was a bore fest...
82 and 86 have been my favourites
2010 the worst by some distance
I've a soft spot for 94 oddly... Not great quality but some good knockout games Brazil v Netherlands, Bulgaria knocking out the germans... Baggio dragging the italians to the final single handed.... But then I spent that tournament in ibiza so my perception was maybe a little clouded
This has been very decent so far... Some tasty second round games ahead too
of course the answer is 1966, but I don't think there are many on here who got to see that.
The South Africa World Cup was atrocious.
Thoroughly enjoyed USA 94. Euro 96 remains the pinnacle but we were robbed in 98 - that could’ve been the year it came home if we had VAR.
I think any competition England perform well in gets overhyped, Italia 90 is the lowest goals to game ration of any World Cup and had the most red cards. Creative layers shut down or just kicked out of the game.
Euro 96 was kind of the same, no real stand-out team, England trudged to draws against Switzerland and Spain and could have lost that famous game to Scotland.
All England games were at Wembley ("national" team?) and the grounds at others games were by no means full, despite the revisionist stuff you hear about the tournament. But England got to the semi's, so it was great.
It's hard to look past your first World Cup tbh, USA 94 in my case, I have no idea if the standard of football was good/exciting, I was just buzzing to be watching live football every day as we didn't have Sky.
Yes, in 1998 if only we beat Argentina, who lost to Holland, who lost to Brazil, who lost to France.
comment by JustTrue - (Ronnie wins his 7th Masters Snooker Title) (U13155)
posted 42 seconds ago
Yes, in 1998 if only we beat Argentina, who lost to Holland, who lost to Brazil, who lost to France.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We comprehensively outplayed Argentina and even with 10 men had a goal wrongly disallowed and were still the better side. We were unlucky.
Would’ve fancied us against anyone that year.
I don't know, I thought Holland, Brazil and France were amazing that year.
The Campbell disallowed goal was harsh IMO, but Argentina taking off Batistuta and Lopez when they were a man up was really odd. I agree that this was the last time I felt England played well at a World Cup, until this year (so far).
comment by Clockwork Red (U4892)
posted 50 minutes ago
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia, England or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
———
Agreed Diafol
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree
The WCs we saw as kids are always special so need to make allowances. From my dodgy memory:
I remember my dad watching 82 but nothing of the football myself. A shame because it seems to have been a classic.
86 - lots of great matches and Maradona at his demonic best.
90 - great memories because of England's run but objectively not a classic tournament. It went down in folklore because of Gazza, the penalties and the the three sodding tenors (which in turn made middle class people adopt the game and ushered in gentrification and the Premiership).
As I've grown older and less innocent, the WC has had less and less hold on me. But I'm really enjoying this one so far. I reckon it's the most I've enjoyed a summer tournament since Euro 96.
BruceandPally,
I think also the reason why people liked these tournaments was the host team looked like contenders, Italy in 1990 and England in 1996 (although I personally didn't enjoy the tournament)
Usually when the host are doing well, there's a buzz in the tournament.
It’s tbe spectacle that people enjoy. The games themselves have been hit and miss.
Agreed about it being the last time I felt we could have any success at a tournament.
I think we could’ve beaten Holland. France and Brazil would’ve been tough, but it a one off game and with the likes of Owen, Beckham, Shearer etc all at the top of their game, and a team that actually played like one, who knows?
If we put in a good performance tonight then regardless of the result I will start to believe. If we get thrashed then it’ll ruin the party a bit.
comment by Metro.⚽️ (U6770)
posted 1 minute ago
It’s tbe spectacle that people enjoy. The games themselves have been hit and miss.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure about that.
I perfectly timed my paternity leave for the start of the World Cup, so I’ve watched pretty much every game that hasn’t been on at the same time as another. There’s been some absolute crackers and some real shocks in this tournament.
Compared to Brazil and South Africa it has been great.
Well being a boring old git, it has to be 1966 when we won the Cup on my 21st birthday.
As I've grown older and less innocent, the WC has had less and less hold on me. But I'm really enjoying this one so far. I reckon it's the most I've enjoyed a summer tournament since Euro 96.
----------------------
Tv coverage of so much football has taken the shine off it imo
Back in the 70s 80s and early 90s there was still a bit of mystery about the south Americans and even the top European countries
You only saw domestic football and highlights of the European/Cup Winners and UEFA cups... And only really until the British sides went out
There's no surprises really anymore... No buzz of anticipation of what Brazil will be like etc... We know nearly all the players well
Its just more football on tv than the event it was when I was younger
From the World Cups I have watched, the best World Cups were:
1982 - most dramatic WC, with unforgettable matches and even among the losers were great teams that are remembered fondly at least in their respective countries
1986 - lots of drama, very exotic, suprising performances by teams like Russia, Belgium ...
1998 - the quality of the matches was probably higher than in any other World Cup; interesting stars (Chilavert, Laudrup, Hadji ...)
1982
the last one that was truly competitive, interesting and about pure football.
all the others since have, largely, been about show ponies looking for the 'break' - and very often getting away with it
comment by I'll be The Judge of that! (U21434)
posted 8 hours, 17 minutes ago
I remember Argentina 78 been special as a kid. Ticker tape, Arie Hann, Mario Kempes and Luque, Scotland wanting their money back and that fixed match: Argy vs Peru.
And yes, England didnt qualify.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That was a great tournament to watch and Kempes and Luque set it alight. I'm trying to remember the one (it may have been 74) where the Argies played Brazil and both sides forgot there was a football involved and just kicked lumps out of each other, There were something like 94 fouls in 90 minutes. Best team ever Brazil 70, best game Brazil 1 England 0.
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Best World Cup?
Page 2 of 2
posted on 28/6/18
For me Mexico 86 remains the most memorable. Perhaps it's because it's the first that I can remember but these things stand out:
Josimar v Northern Ireland
Strachan scoring and then joking about not being able to climb the hoarding
The amazing France v Brazil quarter final.
Maradona v England
The Germans recovering in the final only to be foiled late on by Argentina.
Fantastic game between Belgium and USSR.
For me now though the World Cup has lost a little magic. Perhaps it's because we're used to seeing these players all the time on the TV and they are not as exotic as they seemed back then.
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
posted on 28/6/18
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia, England or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
———
Agreed Diafol
posted on 28/6/18
Maradona v England
.................
This was bad for me because I was down the Falkland Islands having to listen to it on a radio.
posted on 28/6/18
comment by Clockwork Red (U4892)
posted 16 minutes ago
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia, England or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
———
Agreed Diafol
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You've already won it once! Would like to see a new winner this year. It's more than possible too.
posted on 28/6/18
Italia 90 was a bore fest...
82 and 86 have been my favourites
2010 the worst by some distance
I've a soft spot for 94 oddly... Not great quality but some good knockout games Brazil v Netherlands, Bulgaria knocking out the germans... Baggio dragging the italians to the final single handed.... But then I spent that tournament in ibiza so my perception was maybe a little clouded
This has been very decent so far... Some tasty second round games ahead too
posted on 28/6/18
of course the answer is 1966, but I don't think there are many on here who got to see that.
posted on 28/6/18
The South Africa World Cup was atrocious.
Thoroughly enjoyed USA 94. Euro 96 remains the pinnacle but we were robbed in 98 - that could’ve been the year it came home if we had VAR.
posted on 28/6/18
I think any competition England perform well in gets overhyped, Italia 90 is the lowest goals to game ration of any World Cup and had the most red cards. Creative layers shut down or just kicked out of the game.
Euro 96 was kind of the same, no real stand-out team, England trudged to draws against Switzerland and Spain and could have lost that famous game to Scotland.
All England games were at Wembley ("national" team?) and the grounds at others games were by no means full, despite the revisionist stuff you hear about the tournament. But England got to the semi's, so it was great.
It's hard to look past your first World Cup tbh, USA 94 in my case, I have no idea if the standard of football was good/exciting, I was just buzzing to be watching live football every day as we didn't have Sky.
posted on 28/6/18
Yes, in 1998 if only we beat Argentina, who lost to Holland, who lost to Brazil, who lost to France.
posted on 28/6/18
comment by JustTrue - (Ronnie wins his 7th Masters Snooker Title) (U13155)
posted 42 seconds ago
Yes, in 1998 if only we beat Argentina, who lost to Holland, who lost to Brazil, who lost to France.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We comprehensively outplayed Argentina and even with 10 men had a goal wrongly disallowed and were still the better side. We were unlucky.
Would’ve fancied us against anyone that year.
posted on 28/6/18
I don't know, I thought Holland, Brazil and France were amazing that year.
The Campbell disallowed goal was harsh IMO, but Argentina taking off Batistuta and Lopez when they were a man up was really odd. I agree that this was the last time I felt England played well at a World Cup, until this year (so far).
posted on 28/6/18
comment by Clockwork Red (U4892)
posted 50 minutes ago
I have enjoyed this World Cup though and I'd love it if someone like Croatia, England or Mexico won just for something a bit different.
———
Agreed Diafol
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree
posted on 28/6/18
The WCs we saw as kids are always special so need to make allowances. From my dodgy memory:
I remember my dad watching 82 but nothing of the football myself. A shame because it seems to have been a classic.
86 - lots of great matches and Maradona at his demonic best.
90 - great memories because of England's run but objectively not a classic tournament. It went down in folklore because of Gazza, the penalties and the the three sodding tenors (which in turn made middle class people adopt the game and ushered in gentrification and the Premiership).
As I've grown older and less innocent, the WC has had less and less hold on me. But I'm really enjoying this one so far. I reckon it's the most I've enjoyed a summer tournament since Euro 96.
posted on 28/6/18
BruceandPally,
I think also the reason why people liked these tournaments was the host team looked like contenders, Italy in 1990 and England in 1996 (although I personally didn't enjoy the tournament)
Usually when the host are doing well, there's a buzz in the tournament.
posted on 28/6/18
It’s tbe spectacle that people enjoy. The games themselves have been hit and miss.
posted on 28/6/18
Agreed about it being the last time I felt we could have any success at a tournament.
I think we could’ve beaten Holland. France and Brazil would’ve been tough, but it a one off game and with the likes of Owen, Beckham, Shearer etc all at the top of their game, and a team that actually played like one, who knows?
If we put in a good performance tonight then regardless of the result I will start to believe. If we get thrashed then it’ll ruin the party a bit.
posted on 28/6/18
comment by Metro.⚽️ (U6770)
posted 1 minute ago
It’s tbe spectacle that people enjoy. The games themselves have been hit and miss.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure about that.
I perfectly timed my paternity leave for the start of the World Cup, so I’ve watched pretty much every game that hasn’t been on at the same time as another. There’s been some absolute crackers and some real shocks in this tournament.
Compared to Brazil and South Africa it has been great.
posted on 28/6/18
Well being a boring old git, it has to be 1966 when we won the Cup on my 21st birthday.
posted on 28/6/18
As I've grown older and less innocent, the WC has had less and less hold on me. But I'm really enjoying this one so far. I reckon it's the most I've enjoyed a summer tournament since Euro 96.
----------------------
Tv coverage of so much football has taken the shine off it imo
Back in the 70s 80s and early 90s there was still a bit of mystery about the south Americans and even the top European countries
You only saw domestic football and highlights of the European/Cup Winners and UEFA cups... And only really until the British sides went out
There's no surprises really anymore... No buzz of anticipation of what Brazil will be like etc... We know nearly all the players well
Its just more football on tv than the event it was when I was younger
posted on 28/6/18
From the World Cups I have watched, the best World Cups were:
1982 - most dramatic WC, with unforgettable matches and even among the losers were great teams that are remembered fondly at least in their respective countries
1986 - lots of drama, very exotic, suprising performances by teams like Russia, Belgium ...
1998 - the quality of the matches was probably higher than in any other World Cup; interesting stars (Chilavert, Laudrup, Hadji ...)
posted on 28/6/18
1982
the last one that was truly competitive, interesting and about pure football.
all the others since have, largely, been about show ponies looking for the 'break' - and very often getting away with it
posted on 28/6/18
comment by I'll be The Judge of that! (U21434)
posted 8 hours, 17 minutes ago
I remember Argentina 78 been special as a kid. Ticker tape, Arie Hann, Mario Kempes and Luque, Scotland wanting their money back and that fixed match: Argy vs Peru.
And yes, England didnt qualify.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That was a great tournament to watch and Kempes and Luque set it alight. I'm trying to remember the one (it may have been 74) where the Argies played Brazil and both sides forgot there was a football involved and just kicked lumps out of each other, There were something like 94 fouls in 90 minutes. Best team ever Brazil 70, best game Brazil 1 England 0.
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