Favourite World Cup?

[The Large One]

1962...Group game...Italy v Chile.
If you've never seen it, treat yourself. Two sending-offs, a broken nose and a welter of violence doesn't do justice to the most disgusting game of football ever played. The mood was set by two Italian journalists sending home disparaging articles about Chile which raised local hostility to fever pitch.
From the first whistle the Chileans were spitting in the faces of the Italians. The Italians retaliated and all hell broke loose. A savage left hook, shown around the world, flattened an Italian,breaking his nose but incredibly, the perpetrator got away with it. To make matters worse, two Italians were then sent off for retaliation.
The game was a series of running battles and the English referee, Ken Aston, lost complete control. If you can find David Coleman's commentary, enjoy.
I assure you that you will never have seen anything like this.

To be fair, I don't think the referee was even going to be given the option of being in control.

 

[lawros left foot]

Mexico 1970, the greatest team ever to play football, Pele, Jairzihnio,Tostao, Rivellino, Gerson, Carlos Alberto, what a team, probally made me fall in love with football

 

[Drebin]

Italia 90 was largely boring bar the England excitement and the final was DIRE. If you liked that tournament but have not read one night in Turin/all played out by peter Davies, you absolutely must. DVD is great too

This. All played out is a quality read and a good insight into all the 5h1t that follows the England team around at these tournaments. I was a bit young to appreciate Italia 90 at the time though. France 98 was my favorite but thats because i had absolutely no commitments and just watched hour after hour of WC football without getting bored. Every world cup after that hasn't lived up to the three WC's in the 90s.

 

[Drebin]

For me 1994 when we weren't there. Romaina Argentina is my gretaest moment in world cup history. Slide rule pass from Hagi to Dumitrescu. What a tournament. Great stat for you too here. The only tournament where the only nil nil draw was the final. Take that home and smoke it. USAs first tournament, it was magnificent and yes, we weren't there.

For this reason I remember that Romania - Argentina game very vividly. Great football. Romania were class that year.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

David Coleman's report and commentary are absolutely sublime: here's a clip.

"that was one of the neatest left hooks I've ever seen"

 

[Mo Gosfield]

"that was one of the neatest left hooks I've ever seen"

Not bad was it!.....knocking the Italian out and breaking his nose and still staying on the pitch. It defies belief.

 

[dennis]

1978, I know we weren't there but it was the first one that I remember. Sticker book , my grandads old tartan hat as we were convinced the jocks were going to do it only to see them turned over by Peru.
Most memorable thing was the ticker tape. Probably not the most exciting but for an 8 year old days of late nights and buzzing the next day in the playground.

 

[Beach Hut]

Rossi hat-trick against Brazil was a great game of football

Spain '82 was epic and I do accept Brazil v Italy was probably one of the greatest ever World Cup games.

Rossi was awesome

 

[Guy Crouchback]

1982 for me--our team was even stronger than in 1974, and we got our second bronze medal. I don't remember that world cup, as I was only 3 back then, but I watched all the games many times since then. Poland's best tournament ever.

 

[Deleted member 18477]

I really enjoyed France 98

 

[seagullwedgee]

1978, I know we weren't there but it was the first one that I remember. Sticker book , my grandads old tartan hat as we were convinced the jocks were going to do it only to see them turned over by Peru.
Most memorable thing was the ticker tape. Probably not the most exciting but for an 8 year old days of late nights and buzzing the next day in the playground.

This. I was a teenager, and the fanaticism just took footie to a new level. Kempes, Luque, simply marvellous, jumpers for goalposts................

 

[Gwylan]

Not bad was it!.....knocking the Italian out and breaking his nose and still staying on the pitch. It defies belief.

He didn't break his nose. It was David who was knocked out (and sent off a few minutes later for the kung fu kick). The player who had his nose broken was Maschio, after another punch that the ref ignored.

English refs don't exactly cover themselves in glory at WC games: Ken Aston completely failed to keep control of that game, Graham Poll and his three yellow cards and Howard Webb losing control of the final. Thank god for Jack Taylor.

I'm amazed this has reached three pages and no-one's said 1966. I'll never forget the euphoria I felt at the final whistle. It was a pretty good tournament too: Eusabio's goals, North Korea beating Italy, that amazing Portugal/N Korea QF; the last decent Hungarian team, the last sight of Garrincha.

Having said that, the best WC match was Brazil v Italy in 82. What can beat that?

 

[Milano]

1990 because it was my first World Cup watching in a pub!!
2006 because I went to a couple of England games and it was one big party over there!

 

[herecomesaregular]

Mexico 86 for me. The first one I remember, and some great matches. Plus of course, the quarter final.

This was the first tournament to have a big impact on me, at aged 14. And what an impact Beardsley had. Him and Lineker, fantastic. And a true villain/genius in Maradona to end it all (I still think his second was an own goal).

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

really enjoyed 78 too,I remember 74,but 78 was the first I remember with all the merchandise

other memories

Gemmill's goal

Argentina having to beat Peru 6-0 and did,think the goalie was acually born in Argentina

Jock fans all singing for their money back

Italy beating Argentina 1-0 in the opening game

the Peru free kicks

 

[Dan Aitch]

74 and 78 for me as a 9 yr old and a 13 yr old. Amazing.

 

[forrest]

If you've got BT Sport they're showing the official FIFA 1982 world cup film now. Great seeing Maradonna getting smashed by all and sundry lol

As an England fan Italia 90 for me. But as a a football fan USA 94

 

[John Bumlick]

another vote for 82 here

 

[Max Paper]

Althogh my first world cup memories as a 7 year old were Mexico 86, Maradona vs England and all that, my favourite has to be Italia 90. I Fell in love with football that year. Platts volley, Gazza's tears etc. France '98 was also memorable for other reasons.

 

[rocker959]

1970