What was your favorite World cup?

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

italia '90.

it was the cross-over point between how football used to be - romantic and visceral - and the modern-day game - glossy commercial and accessible. it was right at the top of the tipping point of football's transformation in my opinion. football was never the same after italia '90 in both good and bad ways

For those of you who said Italia 90 do you not remember how poor the majority of the football was?

 

[sod1]

Italia '90 with out a doubt as it was the first tournament i attended ,despite the third rate accommodation during the first phase . Im sure Mr Blobby would confirm this

 

[les dynam]

For those of you who said Italia 90 do you not remember how poor the majority of the football was?

not really. just remember being enchanted by it all. i think the football was better at both france 98 and usa 94 though

 

[Trufflehound]

I cannot for the life of me understand anyone choosing 1990 - diving, cheating, brutal fouls and low scoring matches are what I remember. Take out England's excellent couple of games and it was an awful tournament.

I agree. I really don't understand this support for 1990, the second worst WC I've seen (1994 was even worse).

I'm also surprised so many people say 1990. Presumably it's because we reached the SFs.

The standard of football across the board was terrible, especially from England - apart from the first 45 mins against Germany. The only reason Germany won the tournament was because they weren't quite as bad as anyone else.

Got to be Spain 82 for me - see my avatar!

- some fantastic matches (Italy v Brazil)

Absolutely this. The best game of football I have ever watched as a neutral...

1970 was great too, although being 8 my memories of it are less clear, and I remember us messing up the QF against West Germany more than I do the final..

Too young to remember 1966.

 

[strings]

USA '94. It was the first world cup I properly remember, and the only one where I haven't been utterly disappointed by England. Irelands green army was amazing - they really lit the tournament up.

 

[Pat McCrotch]

1990

 

[fly high]

Argentina 78 for me.

I was old enough to appreciate it and the atmospheres at most games seemed incredible.

The scottish farce made it really enjoyable too. The drug thing and All those fans singing "we want our money back"

I'm with you on this one, even though England weren't there or perhaps because of it (no angst). There were some really open, end to end games, I seem to remember Italy v France being a particularly entertaining match. As you say added bonus of watching Scotland implode after arrogant bastards had been banging on about how they were going to win it! Wasn’t that the one they shouldn’t have even qualified for, Joe Jordan & incompetent refereeing cheating Wales out of a place. Also a bit dubious how Argentina just happened to score just enough goals to get out of the group stage on goal difference, 7 or was it 8? Give Scotland there due though, that Gemmell goal against Holland must be up there with the best & still lost.

 

[Storer 68]

1990 only cos I was there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Farehamseagull]

Watching the Gazza interview with Piers Morgan reminded me just how much I loved the 1990 World Cup.

No other tournament has come close to it for me no matter how questionable the standard/entertainment of football was to some. Italy is also by far my favourite country in the world which has also probably influenced me.

 

[pasty]

I have a sneaky suspicion it's going to be this one.....

Jesus. Just how much more wrong could I possibly have been

 

[Trufflehound]

I'm very confused now. Just saw a note on another thread referring to this as a bounced thread, and on closer inspection it appears to have been me who bounced it. But I haven't been further back than page 2 of the recent threads...

So how the hell did that happen? Any offers?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Spain 82

 

[Pavilionaire]

Italia '90 had the lot. England's edgy opener vs Big Jack's Ireland, Gazza emerging as a world star vs the Dutch, the tense final group game for qualification vs Egypt, Platty's goal against Belgium, the classic against Cameroon, then arguably the best game I've ever seen re the semi vs West Germany.

There was drama everywhere in that tournament. Ireland drawing lots against the Dutch for 2nd place, then beating Romania 5-4 on pens, then going ahead against the hosts in the Quarter-Final and daring to dream of a place in the last 4, Voller gobbing at Rijkaard in the Holland/Germany match. I could go on...

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Spain 82. England going unbeaten and beating France. Northern Ireland beating Spain. Narey's goal v Brazil. That Brazil team of Socrates, Eder and Falcao - when Brazil truly were flamboyant. Classic clashes such as Italy v Brazil, West Germany v France. All those Adidas pinstriped kits. Magical.

 

[The Buttery Biscuit Base]

1998 was a festival of attacking football!

Plus. It had THIS goal!



Without a doubt, one of the greatest goals EVER!

 

[Trufflehound]

1998 was a festival of attacking football!

Plus. It had THIS goal!

Without a doubt, one of the greatest goals EVER!

I've never got the hype about this goal. Undeniably a superb finish, granted, but the build up is basically a giant hoof upfield.

Especially since as an Englishman living in the Netherlands, I spent most of the 1990s listening to the Dutch slagging off English football as nothing more than a giant hoof upfield (with some justification, admittedly).

 

[Deleted member 18477]

2002 - we beat the argies! loved the indoor stadium where we beat them and beckham is a legend!

also south korea doing over the italians was brilliant

rivaldo getting hit in the knee and holding his head hahaha!

fat ronaldo showed he was the best in the final even with that ridiculous haircut.

france did shit!

ireland v germany had a great finale.

the fans were MENTAL!!!

NO vuvuzela's!!!!

 

[e77]

I have a soft spot for 1986. As per normal we started slowly but were it not for you know who we might have done well.

Saying that, you know who had he best tournament of any player I have ever seen.

1990 was great for England once we reached the knockouts but the final was awful.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

1970

Brazil were the best team ever, and England were the best England team ever

 

[The Buttery Biscuit Base]

I've never got the hype about this goal. Undeniably a superb finish, granted, but the build up is basically a giant hoof upfield.

Especially since as an Englishman living in the Netherlands, I spent most of the 1990s listening to the Dutch slagging off English football as nothing more than a giant hoof upfield (with some justification, admittedly).

Certainly not! It's a pin point pass, perfectly timed, Bergkamp times the run to perfection!
THEN, the way he takes it down!

It's not an aimless, hopeful hoof of a ball, a la Stoke. De Boer knew what Bergkamp was capable of!