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Which has been your favourite World Cup?
- Thread starter Bry Nylon
- Start date
Gritt23
New member
It's always hard to beat your first World Cup. That's when you truly first fell in love with the game, and will coincide with many favourite players, teams, tournaments and probably your opinion of "how the game should be."
For me, it's 1982, and it will never be beaten, because you can't replace my total immersion in the whole tournament. Running home from school to catch the afternoon games, and the spectacular Brazilians. Eder, Zico, Socrates, flippin' marvellous. the fact they couldn't defend to save their lives just made them all the more magical.
Right down to Tardellis goal celebration, which is still my all-time favourite celebration, everything about that tournament was just magical to me.
For me, it's 1982, and it will never be beaten, because you can't replace my total immersion in the whole tournament. Running home from school to catch the afternoon games, and the spectacular Brazilians. Eder, Zico, Socrates, flippin' marvellous. the fact they couldn't defend to save their lives just made them all the more magical.
Right down to Tardellis goal celebration, which is still my all-time favourite celebration, everything about that tournament was just magical to me.
Gritt23
New member
Was that the game where Alan Hansen collided with someone (Willie Miller?) leaving the forward in acres of space to run on and score the goal to seal their fate? A moment that could only be described as "diabolical defending."
Was that the game where Alan Hansen collided with someone (Willie Miller?) leaving the forward in acres of space to run on and score the goal to seal their fate? A moment that could only be described as "diabolical defending."
Indeed
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To be fair to Scotland, that was a good result against a pretty useful Soviet (or Russians as the commentator keeps calling them) team.
Tony Meolas Loan Spell
Slut Faced Whores
There was. As said on another thread the tournament was one of the most BORING. Its only because England did well that "we" remember it fondly.
It was actually SHITE.
ROSM
Well-known member
Argentina 78 was the first one I remember the build up to - even the draw in dec 77. Scotland taking the lead against Peru before Alan Rough came into his own 
But Spain 82 was such a fantastic tournament - as was mentioned earlier the Brazilians were a joy to watch and their game against Italy (Rossi hat-trick) was such a great game. I too got home from school in time to se the afternoon kick offs - had tea and a kickabout and then ready for the evening game. Proper football in the right timezone at the right time of the year complete with fears about English hooligans (hence why we were put in Bilbao because we would be popular with the basques) and being eliminated despite not losing a game.
But Spain 82 was such a fantastic tournament - as was mentioned earlier the Brazilians were a joy to watch and their game against Italy (Rossi hat-trick) was such a great game. I too got home from school in time to se the afternoon kick offs - had tea and a kickabout and then ready for the evening game. Proper football in the right timezone at the right time of the year complete with fears about English hooligans (hence why we were put in Bilbao because we would be popular with the basques) and being eliminated despite not losing a game.
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
1970 or 1990 for me, for different reasons.
1966 - don't remember it.
1970 - was when my world went into colour properly for the first time (we'd had a colour TV for a year, but the only programmes shown in colour were some trade test transmissions on BBC2 for the engineers to use when they installed your set). Plus there was some damn good football from England (despite the net result) and some Braziliance from Pele, Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto and the rest.
1974. As Gwylan says, was a bit rubbish, apart from Cruyff. Scotland weren't quite bad enough to be amusing, Brazil were probably the worst Brazil team ever, often resorting to kicking the opposition rather than the ball...
1978. Had some amusing high points, not least of all Peru 3 Scotland 1 in their opening match, followed by Scotland 1 Iran 1, the result that left them needing to win by 3 against the Dutch (which of course they almost did).
1982. Not bad. England's opening goal after 27 seconds against France. The first and only tournament in which we won all three group games (those whingeing about the US result would do well to remember that fact). Italy 3 Brazil 2 remains the best game I've ever watched as a neutral. But England's two dismal 0-0s in the second round meant it ended a bit flat for me.
1986. Apart from Lineker's hat-trick against Poland, and Belgium 4 USSR 3 (second best game I've watched as a neutral), it was bit shit wasn't it? Losing to Portugal, only drawing with Morocco, Robson's shoulder, Maradona's hand...
1990. Started shit, but got better. My first WC as a resident of the Netherlands, so I had the double joy of watching England gradually improve as the Dutch imploded. Shame about that penalty shoot-out though. Didn't watch the 3rd/4th playoff.
1994. Was busy moving house. Didn't see much of it. By all acounts I didn't miss much.
1998. Not much memorable sticks in the mind, apart from the Argentina game, which had both good (Owen's goal) and bad (Beckham's foot, the penalties...).
2002 Never really caught fire.
2006 Not bad. The best since 1990.
1966 - don't remember it.
1970 - was when my world went into colour properly for the first time (we'd had a colour TV for a year, but the only programmes shown in colour were some trade test transmissions on BBC2 for the engineers to use when they installed your set). Plus there was some damn good football from England (despite the net result) and some Braziliance from Pele, Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto and the rest.
1974. As Gwylan says, was a bit rubbish, apart from Cruyff. Scotland weren't quite bad enough to be amusing, Brazil were probably the worst Brazil team ever, often resorting to kicking the opposition rather than the ball...
1978. Had some amusing high points, not least of all Peru 3 Scotland 1 in their opening match, followed by Scotland 1 Iran 1, the result that left them needing to win by 3 against the Dutch (which of course they almost did).
1982. Not bad. England's opening goal after 27 seconds against France. The first and only tournament in which we won all three group games (those whingeing about the US result would do well to remember that fact). Italy 3 Brazil 2 remains the best game I've ever watched as a neutral. But England's two dismal 0-0s in the second round meant it ended a bit flat for me.
1986. Apart from Lineker's hat-trick against Poland, and Belgium 4 USSR 3 (second best game I've watched as a neutral), it was bit shit wasn't it? Losing to Portugal, only drawing with Morocco, Robson's shoulder, Maradona's hand...
1990. Started shit, but got better. My first WC as a resident of the Netherlands, so I had the double joy of watching England gradually improve as the Dutch imploded. Shame about that penalty shoot-out though. Didn't watch the 3rd/4th playoff.
1994. Was busy moving house. Didn't see much of it. By all acounts I didn't miss much.
1998. Not much memorable sticks in the mind, apart from the Argentina game, which had both good (Owen's goal) and bad (Beckham's foot, the penalties...).
2002 Never really caught fire.
2006 Not bad. The best since 1990.
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Mellor 3 Ward 4
Well-known member
I was behind the goal in Bilbao when Bryan Robson scored after 27 seconds.
It was an interesting day - roasting hot -loads of English in Bilbao before the game, all the bars packed out - we wondered where the French were.
On getting into the ground we were outnumbered about 4 or 5 to 1 - thousands of French had just been bussed in, straight to the ground.
No segregation whatsoever - if you watch the video, there are pockets of English dotted around the ground and behind both goals, rather than being in one area. I also bizarrely remember a Frechman releasing a Cockerel from a wicker cage on the terraces during the match. How the hell did he get that in the ground!
Tony Meolas Loan Spell
Slut Faced Whores
1982. My first sticker album and a ladybird book to boot that you had to fill in.
Probably the BEST england shirt ever. With Mick Mills AND Steve Foster in the Squad.
A CRIMINALLY OVERLOOKED world cup song.
And the Jocks one by BA Robertson wasnt bad either
Probably the BEST england shirt ever. With Mick Mills AND Steve Foster in the Squad.
A CRIMINALLY OVERLOOKED world cup song.
And the Jocks one by BA Robertson wasnt bad either
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Storer68
New member
QUOTE=pasty;3551632]Italia 90 without doubt. Although was too depressed to watch the 3rd place play-off.[/QUOTE]
I woz there in Bari - quite a good game aktually. and the semi in Turin was quite tasty too
Italia 90 - great tournament- played in a country that actually knew what was going on and had got all excited (USA, S.Korea.Japan,France,Germany were poor by comparisom). Blinding stadia - and England actually ending up to be quite good
Oh and i woz there so It makes it a hundred times better than listening to Townsend drone on and on.
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I woz there in Bari - quite a good game aktually. and the semi in Turin was quite tasty too
Italia 90 - great tournament- played in a country that actually knew what was going on and had got all excited (USA, S.Korea.Japan,France,Germany were poor by comparisom). Blinding stadia - and England actually ending up to be quite good
Oh and i woz there so It makes it a hundred times better than listening to Townsend drone on and on.
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