What was your favourite major tournament

monkey9

steelcityblues wrote: »

Why I like it so much is that the standard of players at the time was so high - Stoichkov, Baggio, Maldini, Romario, Klinsmann, Matthaus, Hagi, Bergkamp, Brolin, etc. All of them came up with something special at tournaments.

It really was a stellar lineup for that month, and most of the 'superstar' players of today don't seem to have the same presence, IMHO.

I loved that Bulgarian team!! Letchkov's winner against the Germans in the quarter finals was quality!!

steelcityblues

monkey9 wrote: »

I loved that Bulgarian team!! Letchkov's winner against the Germans in the quarter finals was quality!!

Elected mayor of his hometown, years later. No surprise.

shrewdness

dfx- wrote: »

World Cup 2002 by a long shot - any excuse to post:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKw3EO3xpQc

Always thought that was a brilliant shot of Given after the Spain game, just as he lifts his head the fireworks going off in the background, the contrast between his devastation and the celebrations going on. That was a tough one to take at the time, we were so close!

grenache

USA '94, by some distance. A magical tournament with some great games and quality goals, i thought the Romanians and Bulgarians lit up the tournament, and who can forget Oleg Salenko scoring 5 goals against Cameroon, which sealed him a doomed move to Rangers. The Swedes were also magnificent - Thomas Brolin and his awful Captain Planet goal celebrations aside. The final was a total anti climax though, not helped by FIFA's decision to play the game in the blistering afternoon Californian heat in mid July.

The three Euros that i really loved were 92, 00 and 08. Denmark coming from nowhere in 92 with their best player Michael Laudrup lying on a beach in the Med. Spain, Italy and France lit up the Benelux tournament in 2000, Raul was sheer class. The French were at the height of their powers at the time, the likes of Wiltord, Trezeguet, Anelka and obviously Zidane were unstoppable. I felt so sorry for Italy in the final though, the deserved better and i've adopted them as my second team ever since. Turkey were the highlight of Euro 08 for me, who can forget their game with the Czechs, magnificent finish, or their semi tie with the Germans. Teriffic stuff.

Xavi6

USA 94 for me as well. Some great games and a plethora of superstars, even the 'minnows' had world class individuals. I'll never forget things like Saaed Al Owairan's solo effort, Letchkov's tuft of hair or Leonardo's assault on Tab Ramos.

And of course there was the wonderful penalty taking at either end of the tournament with Diana Ross and Roberto Baggio.

recylingbin

USA 94 was pretty poor imo. I think the heat took it's toll and reduced most games to walking pace. there were some good games, but not enough of them to rate that tournament anywhere other than last in the list of wcs I've seen.

Nuri Sahin

grohlisagod wrote: »

Euro 2000 is my favourite.

Some fantastic matches throughout. So many late goals and comebacks.

Spain's 4-3 win over Yugoslavia.
Slovenia go 3-0 up against Yugoslavia, with Zahovic pulling the strings only for Yugoslavia to score 3 in 5 minutes with 10 men.
Portugal's comeback against England. Romania doing the same. Holland scoring buckets of goals.
Zidane's brilliance.
Incredibly dramatic final and semi-finals.

It really was a brilliant tournament and the first I watched.

Totally agree with this, at least in regards to my lifetime.

Euro 2008 would closely follow it and after that, Copa America 2007.

grenache

recylingbin wrote: »

USA 94 was pretty poor imo. I think the heat took it's toll and reduced most games to walking pace. there were some good games, but not enough of them to rate that tournament anywhere other than last in the list of wcs I've seen.

:eek::eek:

There were plenty of good games: the Swiss tonking a superior Romanian team, the US doing likewise to a highly fancied Colombian side. Russia being destroyed by Sweden, but then scoring six against Cameroon. The plucky South Koreans coming back from 2-0 down against Spain to secure a point, and almost doing the same against Germany to lose by the odd goal in five. The magnificent Bulgarian side of Stoitchkov, Balkov & Lechkov taking a pasting from Nigeria and then give two of their own to Greece and the Argies. Before memorably defeating Germany in the Quarters. Who can forget the drama of our own group, the heat didn't affect the game with Italy in Giants Stadium - that game was played at a mile a minute! All four teams finished level on four points, and had to be separated by goals scored!!

Or there's the Saudis upsetting the Belgians with Owairans excellent solo effort, to finish second in the group. There was lots of great games in the second round and quarters too - Germany beating Belgium 3-2, Roberto Baggio showing his genius to settling an enthralling game with Nigeria, 2-1 for the Italians, the Romanians playing great football to dispose of Argentina, minus the disgraced Maradonna. Then you had the 3-2 ding dong game between the Dutch and Brazil, settled if i remember right by Branco's long range free kick, which i think De Goey should really have stopped! Italy proved too strong for Spain, and as already mentioned Bulgaria shocked ze Germans. Sweden - Romania was another thriller that finished 2-2 and which Sweden won 5-4 on pens.

But it's the goals i'll always remember from USA 94 :cool: I dont think i ever saw so many great long-range strikes in one tournament. Maybe it was easier have a pop from far out than waste energy in the heat with extricit passes around the box!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7m3DaqMqX0

born2bwild

Spain 82 was great - it was the first tournament I was old enough to take in properly.

Highlights:
Norn Iron's win over Spain.
Italy's 3-2 win over Brazil.
That insane foul by the German goalie in the semi.

The last world cup was great because the best team in the world won.

Doesn't always happen - think about 74, 78, 82.

From a fan's point of view Italia 90 was the greatest ever. In terms of football it was a low point.

kincsem

World Cup 1990. Ireland's first appearance, and I backed West Germany at 13/2 and made £1,500.

kincsem

I've watched World Cups on television from 1966 (final only), every game in every tournament, although in recent competitions the feckers put on two games at the same time. In 1990 (?) I watched four games live in a day (twice?).

For football I would pick World Cup 1974. The Netherlands played wonderful football. Thank you.

J Cheever Loophole

For those old enough to be in a position to make the call, Mexico 70 is seen as the mother of all great football tournaments. The wonderful Brazil team strode that tournament like a colossus - no easy thing with probably the greatest ever English team present and very strong competitors in Uruguay, West Germany, Italy, Soviet Union and Mexico putting in a good host performance and Peru lighting up the tournament on occasions with a young Cubillas starring. Both Italy and West Germany between them could field an eleven of household names.

Probably the best tournament for me was the last Euro Championships - simply for the goals, great matches, competitive excitement with so many good teams, and a great team winning out.

Although it was a tournament in the loosest sense of the word only, the European Nations Finals in Yugoslavia in 1976 (two semi-finals, a third place play-off and the final) had four games with plenty of goals, controversy and excitement.

For me personally though, I would struggle to seperate the 1974 and 1978 World Cup Finals as my favourite ever.

1974 was my first major tournament, and as a football mad kid, the sheer dizzy excitement of seeing so many matches live at a time when there were only two or three matches shown live a year (FA Cup Final, European Cup Final and England v Scotland) was mind blowing. On top of that, the amount of goals was great - as a kid I was jumping up and down with excitement at seeing Yugoslavia slam nine past Zaire and Poland put seven past Haiti.

As for the teams, there was the great Dutch team of Cruyff, Neeskens, Krol, Rep etc, a wonderful Poland team who showed that their shock elimination of England was in fact no shock at all - Deyna, Lato, Szarmach (sp?), Gadocha, Tomaszweski, Lubanski and of course the organised and brilliantly efficient Germans - Beckanbauer, Muller, Overath, Hoeness, Vogts, Maier etc.

Some great games too - the Dutch taking a fading Brazil team in Dortmund, West Germany edging Poland in the flood in Frankfurt - West Germany defeating Sweden, Holland destroying Argentina, Scotalnd's heroic and undefeated elimination etc.

1978 was wonderful too - the matches were on late at night, and live football was still a rarity. Argentinian TV had beat the clock to get coloured tv pictures in, and the traditional 'Group of Death' which was Group One, Argentina, Italy, France and Hungary, produced probably the greatest set of games in the history of the tournament.

Back then too the world was a much larger place - that meant many, many great players were totally new to us in Europe - only Valencia's Kempes from Argentina played outside South America - and the mystery of these great unknown players was, for a football fan, genuinely thrilling. The tickertape receptions that greeted Argentina were also some sight.

That tournament had the rollercoaster ride that was Scotland - Cubillas ending his career - as did Rivelino for Brazil - wonder goals from Haan, Nelinho, Dirceu, Brandts, Clive Thomas blowing full time with the ball en route to Zico's head for the 'winning goal' against Sweden, a cool new adidas football called the Tango and great theme music on BBC - Argentine Melody. That list could go on forever.

Simply wonderful.

froog

jesus hardly any votes for italy 90! i was only 7 or so, but the excitement was unbelieveable, first world cup, real camaraderie around the place. innocent times, no cynicism.

kitakyushu

froog wrote: »

jesus hardly any votes for italy 90! i was only 7 or so, but the excitement was unbelieveable, first world cup, real camaraderie around the place. innocent times, no cynicism.

I think if anyone thought WC90 was the best then it was probably for non-footballing reasons. Iirc 90 had the lowest goal average of any world cup, negative play was generally more rewarded than in any other tournament and 7 of the last 8 games were decided on a penalty kick.

monkey9

froog wrote: »

jesus hardly any votes for italy 90! i was only 7 or so, but the excitement was unbelieveable, first world cup, real camaraderie around the place. innocent times, no cynicism.

That World Cup was great, but only because of the Irish angle. Purely on footballing terms as a nuetral, the matches weren't great!!! Great memories though!

The_Kew_Tour

monkey9 wrote: »

That World Cup was great, but only because of the Irish angle. Purely on footballing terms as a nuetral, the matches weren't great!!! Great memories though!

Bar West Germany, Ireland and Cameroon everyone else more likely hates 1990.

But like you say it still one my favs too, hell nobody was going try run our fun, in our first WC.

chopperbyrne

2002 for me.

The Korean crowds were brilliant and there was some quality football played, with lots of upsets and crazy moments.

Plus, we got to sing the Gary Breen song.

_blank_

chopperbyrne wrote: »

2002 for me.

The Korean crowds were brilliant and there was some quality football played, with lots of upsets and crazy moments.

Plus, we got to sing the Gary Breen song.

Breen was linked to Barca at the time too

Felexicon

Des wrote: »

Breen was linked to Barca at the time too

Rightfully so after that screamer against the Suadis!