World cup memories

rekluse

With the world cup just around the corner I'm started to get world cup fever. Always great times. 3 matches a day, lovely long evenings, random players and teams we rarely get to see, heroes and villains created forever. Also plenty of beer Living in a participating country is always a bonus too ( only England unfortunately not Brazil or somewhere more exotic but still better than nothing!).

What are your greatest world cup memories? A few stand out's for me ( 94' is the first one I can really remember - barely )

Remember was doing the LC around this time but was still in the pub for this. Place went absolutely mental, haven't experienced a reaction to a goal like this since.

Absolute genius from Bergkamp in 98.

Michael Owen in 98 stands out for me too. He was 18 years old at the time and I was in awe of this goal as I was thinkin at the time this kid is only 6 years older than me! Remember kickin about with the lads after this game trying to recreate this goal.

Escobar in 94. Remember watching this match and then a couple of months later my dad telling me had been killed because of this goal. Was 9 or so and remember being really confused and sad about it. 'Thanks for the own goal' were the last words uttered to him by his killer allegedly.

Houghton 94. First real world cup memory.

Ghana 2010 - Remember being gutted for Ghana here, would have been great for an African team to get to the semi's. Gyan was heartbroken at the end.

Germany 7 - Brazil 1. A real WTF moment.

Am sure I'm missing a load and some will come back to me, but there's a few of mine to get the ball rolling.

chicorytip

Argentina 1978 was memorable mainly because of the fanatical home support, the goals of Mario Kempes, a wonder goal from Archie Gemill, Willie Johnstone's doping offence, a brilliant Dutch side and Scotland (with Dalglish, Souness et al.) managing only to draw against the mighty Iran!

Mint Sauce

Italia 90, we're all part of Jackies Army, that shoot out, and Italy in the Quarter Finals.

Mexico 86, and my Pique Money Box, and whilst dont remember watching any of the WC at the time, there was something called the Hand of God.

smileyj1987

My funniest memory of the world cup is aldo and charlton going mad on the side lines and also houghtons goal against italy what a moment

Agent Coulson

Brazil vs France in the 86 World Cup was the match that really made me fall in love with football.

Comic Book Guy

I always loved Roberto Baggio so USA 94 for me especially the winning goal he got against Spain in quarter final. Can't link it as I'm on the phone but the sheer roar from the crowd as he scored still gives me goosebumps.

GavRedKing

I can only really remember 94 as my first WC given I was going on 9 at time.

Few memories but Diana Ross missing the penalty in the opening ceremony from about 4 yards always sticks with me. :pac:

prettyboy81

Cameroon beating Argentina in the opening game of Italia 90. The game had it all, shock defeat, red cards, the goal celebration.

I watched it on a hospital ward in the Mater Hospital with my grandad who was recovering from a stroke. My mam snuck in the McDonalds for my grub. I had my big world cup sticker album with me for all the players that my grandad helped me complete by buying the sticker packets for me.....memories don't get much better than this considering I was 9 at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiEBUj0Zu_M&t=12s

Dermo

I can distinctly remember watching this as a child. One of our neighbours brought their tv (an old school tv on it's own trolley. it looked HUGE, but was probably less than 30") out to the front garden and lots of the estate brought chairs & couches from their own homes. Unbelievable scenes.

Benimar

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Brazil vs France in the 86 World Cup was the match that really made me fall in love with football.

Italy v Brazil in 1982 for me.

And to think this was just 3 days before the France v West Germany SF.

Two of the best World Cup games i can remember.

There were so many stories around that World Cup. Rossi coming back from a 2 year ban to be top scorer, Belgium beating Argentina in the opening game, Cameroon holding Italy, Algeria beating West Germany, the 'disgrace of Gijon', possibly the best team not to win a WC in that Brazil team, Northern Ireland beating the hosts, Maradonas WC debut, the two games I already mentioned and Tardellis celebration.

1986 was good for late night football and Maradona. France v Brazil was a fantastic game too.

1990 had Ireland, so was always going to feel great. Cameroon beating Argentina is a great memory too.

Another fantastic game was the Germany v Italy semi-final in 2006. After 119 minutes it was going to be the greatest 0-0 I'd ever seen.

Overall, I have good memories from pretty much all the WCs - except 2010. That was just sh1te!

Banjaxed82

Ripping my Ireland jersey off while crying when Lineker scored (I was 8). After all the excitement and build up to Italy 90, as a young lad, I thought we were going to win the thing. Dreams were shattered...

...then Bonner's kick out...Sheedy...Jersey went back on. I was hooked.

klose

2002 world cup is the first one I remember and only began to have an interest in football at the time, I remember my father knocking on my classroom door in primary school to take me out of school to bring me to the pub with a few of my family to one of the games which I was only delighted with as a kid at the time. Remember getting up really early for the Cameroon game too (8 in the morning kick off iirc?) and of course matt Hollands goal from outside the box. Needless to say I balled my eyes out after the penalty shootout with Spain.

I remember my first wall chart too think if was from that rag of a newspapers so think it had a few pairs of tits on the reverse side which my mother wasn't happy about haha

DJIMI TRARORE

Don't actually remember this,but seen it a few times,Bra v Zaire 74. Bra with freekick 25m out,ref blows whistle and a Zaire def runs up and boots it 50m up the field,well worth a Google

Iused2likebusts

Benimar wrote: »

Italy v Brazil in 1982 for me.

And to think this was just 3 days before the France v West Germany SF.

Two of the best World Cup games i can remember.

There were so many stories around that World Cup. Rossi coming back from a 2 year ban to be top scorer, Belgium beating Argentina in the opening game, Cameroon holding Italy, Algeria beating West Germany, the 'disgrace of Gijon', possibly the best team not to win a WC in that Brazil team, Northern Ireland beating the hosts, Maradonas WC debut, the two games I already mentioned and Tardellis celebration.

1986 was good for late night football and Maradona. France v Brazil was a fantastic game too.

1990 had Ireland, so was always going to feel great. Cameroon beating Argentina is a great memory too.

Another fantastic game was the Germany v Italy semi-final in 2006. After 119 minutes it was going to be the greatest 0-0 I'd ever seen.

Overall, I have good memories from pretty much all the WCs - except 2010. That was just sh1te!

The Brazil Italy 82 game is also my first footballing memory. My Da was devastated when Brazil lost he must have had a good few quid on them. The 82 Brazil team was pure class zico , falcao, Socrates , eder.

How Soon Is Now

I taught France 98 was great tournament and of course was huge buzz for Ireland in 2002 we could of done so much better!!

For some reason Senegal beating France in the opening game always comes to mind. It came out of no where and introduced so many players from the Senegal team onto a greater stage.

jester77

I remember my dad waking me up as a kid in 86 to watch the England-Argentina game, thanks dad

Fann Linn

Thinking I had beaten the alcohol ban in Sardinia in 1990 only to have discovered I had bought 2doz bottles of non alcoholic lager instead!

Kevin Sheedy's goal and the craic going back to mainland Italy on the 'Funtrek' train made up for it.

Three weeks of bliss.

Benimar

jester77 wrote: »

I remember my dad waking me up as a kid in 86 to watch the England-Argentina game, thanks dad

You must have been really young. Kick off was 6pm Irish time :pac::D

jester77

Benimar wrote: »

You must have been really young. Kick off was 6pm Irish time :pac::D

I had dozed off, normally he would have just let me sleep it out, glad he didn't.

Gullit being spat on, Romania on penos ("a nation holds its breath"), Toto schillachi, Roger Milla, Van Basten, Lineker crapping himself, Baresi, Baggio Matthaus........I know its widely regarded as one of the worst WCs ever, but i loved it.

Every last kick of the ball.

Fr Tod Umptious

For people of a certain age nothing will ever get close to Italia '90, the soccer was poor, but the occasion was once in a lifetime time and will live long in the memory.

If I could go back in time to it I would, I was doing my leaving cert during it.

SureYWouldntYa

Ronaldos fringe haircut in the 2002 world cup would be my one of my big memories, he looked like a tit but he was so good in helping them win the world cup

Dublin Spur

1986 was epic, it made me a football fan

France v Brazil
Argentina v England
and of course the final

Maradona's 2nd goal against England is the greatest moment in World Cup history in my opinion

rekluse

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

For people of a certain age nothing will ever get close to Italia '90, the soccer was poor, but the occasion was once in a lifetime time and will live long in the memory.

If I could go back in time to it I would, I was doing my leaving cert during it.

Looked good craic in ‘The Van’ alright !

thebaz

loads of memories - but 2 players spring to mind -

The brilliance (and yet madness) of Maradonna - how one man nearly won a WC in '86.

and Paul McGrath - the brilliance of those performances in '90 and '94

Iang87

remember houghton scoring in 94 and baggio missing but didn't take in the magnitude of it all. The first time i realised I was truly watching a moment was in 98. My da, who is normally fairly calm, screaming at me to come in and look at what just happened because "they'd be showing this for the next 50 years" and i get in to see the replay of Bergkamp scoring that goal.

20 years on I still love that goal

Comic Book Guy

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Gullit being spat on, Romania on penos ("a nation holds its breath"), Toto schillachi, Roger Milla, Van Basten, Lineker crapping himself, Baresi, Baggio Matthaus........I know its widely regarded as one of the worst WCs ever, but i loved it.

Every last kick of the ball.

That spitting thing was Rudi Voller. It was Frank Rijkard that spat on him. Only reason I remember is dunphy doing an analysis of it saying "hold it there" and then usingthe white pen to show the spittle to the viewer. Was hilarious!

IncognitoMan

Comic Book Guy wrote: »

That spitting thing was Rudi Voller. It was Frank Rijkard that spat on him. Only reason I remember is dunphy doing an analysis of it saying "hold it there" and then usingthe white pen to show the spittle to the viewer. Was hilarious!

Please say there's a YouTube video of that

Turtyturd

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

Don't actually remember this,but seen it a few times,Bra v Zaire 74. Bra with freekick 25m out,ref blows whistle and a Zaire def runs up and boots it 50m up the field,well worth a Google

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Go8Ny9haDw

theoneeyedman

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Brazil vs France in the 86 World Cup was the match that really made me fall in love with football.

What a game.
The performances of El Diego in that tournament convinced me was the greatest ever, and I haven't been convinced otherwise since tbh.

rekluse

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Brazil vs France in the 86 World Cup was the match that really made me fall in love with football.

Any decent link do for this a lot of people seem to be mentioning it !

Richard Hillman

The 1/4 Finals of the 06 World Cup.

Eng v Portugal: The Ronaldo Rooney incident.

What would have happened if the situation just amicably petered out, the ref didn't see the stamp? Somebody wins, Ronaldo goes back to England in August as a bit of a show pony that has lots of potential but time and patience is running out.

Instead what happened, happened. Ronaldo goes back as a villain. For the first time in his life he couldn't afford to be a luxury player anymore. If he didn't perform he would have been hounded and mocked at every ground in the league. It was when he grew up and became a leader. Changing football forever.

Germany v Argentina

2 moments. Firstly the substitution of Riquelme and the non substitution of Messi. Riquelme taken off in his pomp as a defensive move and Messi the unused Sub. Argentina were blowing away all that was in front of them and the manager suddenly lost it and got defensive. Messi loses out on what could have been his only World Cup, Riquelme potentially losing out on becoming a worldwide household name instead of being a cult hero.

The other moment being Lehmann and Kahn making up before the shootout. For a good year before the world cup there was a massive, heated, sometimes nasty rivalry to see who was Germany's number 1. Lehmann was eventually announced as the number 1 with the two still not talking to each other. Kahn eventually breaks the ice before the shootout to give Lehmann a shake of the hand and a well wish. The fans see it on the big screen and go absolutely berserk. Germany win.

Brazil v France

A washed up France team, fresh from flopping at WC02 and Euro04. An ageing team living off past glories, led by a retiring Zidane who probably should have packed it in a few years earlier. Playing against a Brazil side (the holders) that were, if I remember correctly, near odds on favorites for the trophy. Boasting Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Adriano as their attacking line up.

This game was such a non competition that it was the only game of the World Cup that I missed because it was just an easy 3-0 for the Brazilians. Was I wrong!!!

Old Man Zidane marshalls his team to an almost single-handed victory in what is believed one of his career defining games.

Italy-Ukraine
3-0 to Italy. Italy became the people's team for hammering Ukraine after their disgraceful second round game against the Swiss. Each goal cheered by every nationality as sweet, sweet revenge for the 2 hours of tripe served up in the previous round.

Jimbob1977

Biyick winner in the Cameroon v Argentina in Italia 90.... and Cameroon's murderous tackling.

The Berry van Aarle and Hans van Breucklen mix-up in Italia 90

Ireland v Romania in Genoa

Robbie Keane late equaliser v Germany in 2002.

Zidane head butting Materazzi. He would have nailed his penalty in the shootout.

Richard Hillman

On the subject of Germany 06, Gol Di Grosso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzihn2msbKg

Tom Mann Centuria

rekluse wrote: »

Any decent link do for this a lot of people seem to be mentioning it !

It's on YouTube, with French commentary.

brianregan09

Saudi Arabia vs Belgium in USA 94 I think, the saudi striker sa'eed al owarain I think was his name scored the only goal of the game one of the best I've ever seen at a world cup as he solo's all the way from his own half past a load of belgians and fires in a goal for there first ever wc goal and win i think aswell

Benimar

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Biyick winner in the Cameroon v Argentina in Italia 90.... and Cameroon's murderous tackling.

How many games (years!) would Massing be suspended for if it happened now:)

He was only booked for it too!

lawred2

1990 is my first world cup memory. I would have been eight.

I remember my Dad buying that World Cup 90 magazine every week for me. Ended up being a big folder with loads of world cup history and goals etc.. the cover had Ruud Gullit if I remember.

Was a fantastic thing. Must see if I could dig it out of the folks place.

lawred2

Robbie in 2002 sticks out as well..

lawred2

Wish I could go back to loving football as much as I did then. (1990 I mean)

Arne_Saknussem

lawred2 wrote: »

1990 is my first world cup memory. I would have been eight.

I remember my Dad buying that World Cup 90 magazine every week for me. Ended up being a big folder with loads of world cup history and goals etc.. the cover had Ruud Gullit if I remember.

Was a fantastic thing. Must see if I could dig it out of the folks place.

Classic stuff

lawred2

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Classic stuff

That was it

Ah the memories..

Can still remember the smell of it

eagle eye

One of the greatest matches of all time was in the 1982 World Cup, there were a couple of great ones in that World Cup but nothing beats the West Germany vs France semi-final. This game had it all, from great goals and performances, to a great comeback in extra-time to a horrendous challenge by a goalkeeper that should have been red-carded but wasn't. The referee actually gave a goal kick, not even a foul. The unfortunate man on the receiving end, Battiston, ended up unconscious and lost a couple of teeth.



I remember being gutted and feeling that the world was unfair after this game finished.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBCf-r1ACc4

Fann Linn

1974 and Total Football. Cryuff, Beckenbaur, Neesken, Breitner, Hohness,

PLUS

West Germany, CCCP, Czechoslovakia,and all those other countries that no longer exist!

Iused2likebusts

IncognitoMan wrote: »

Please say there's a YouTube video of that

50 greatest world cup moments is a good watch. Its in that along with a few other incidents that have been mentioned.

patmac

So many but the Brazilian team of 1970, Pele’s kickoff against Uruguay as the keeper was praying and the dummy in the same game, Pele vs Moore. But the fourth goal for Brazil in the final was a thing of beauty, Pele’s pass without looking maybe he got a shout, maybe not.
Edit just watched a half hour documentary on YouTube, he didn’t get a shout he knew he would be there as they had practiced it in training, best team goal ever.

Benimar

https://issuu.com/s_gramosli/docs/panini_album_1982

The Panini sticker album from 1982. I still have it in hard copy:)

IncognitoMan

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

50 greatest world cup moments is a good watch. Its in that along with a few other incidents that have been mentioned.

The Dunphy analysis bit? I've seen the incident but I haven't seen Dunphy break it down

Arghus

"Would they kill their granny?"

rekluse

brianregan09 wrote: »

Saudi Arabia vs Belgium in USA 94 I think, the saudi striker sa'eed al owarain I think was his name scored the only goal of the game one of the best I've ever seen at a world cup as he solo's all the way from his own half past a load of belgians and fires in a goal for there first ever wc goal and win i think aswell

Had forgot about that great goal. Also reminded of the Russian fella Salenko who bagged 5 goals in one game against Cameroon to become the (joint) top scorer of the tournament.

NabyLadistheman

Sweden V Romania. USA '94, remember it more vividly not than the big Irish win. Tomas Brolin free kick routine, Martin Dhalin & Hagi captured my imagination. Was Sweden form then on in World Cup games with the lads!