Topic: Name the best and the worst World Cup so far

[Lycan]

Usa 94 was brilliant, Maradona starting on fire then drug banned, Romania and Bulgaria ripping it up with Hagi and Stoichkov, Sweden having a great tournament, the irish, Romario vs Baggio , some cracking goals and big upsets. England werent there too, which made the coverage much more even. The only disappointment was the final, but they all are.

Each to their own, but I thought it was shite. The less said about the final, the better.

[afc tukrish]

  2014 ran out of puff late on, but having said that they did produce the greatest game of them all

Dunno...

Hungary/Uruguay(reigning champions) in 1954 was supposed to be brilliant, we should ask Black Bull...
Brazil/Italy in 1982
Brazil/Netherlands in 1974
France/W Germany in 1982

Assuming you're referencing Germany absolutely pantsing Brazil 7-1, greatness implies at least some measure of a contest, no?

[Iska]

I suppose there are types of greatness but for sheer jawdroppingness there’ll never be anything like it.  I suppose Liverpool have got close twice in recent years but even those didn’t have that element of utter horror to them.

[Sheer Magnetism]

The one I enjoyed most at the time was 1998 because I bought the shirt and watched it with my mates. But I think all things being equal, the top three are:

1970. Peak Brazil, probably a better England team than 1966, Beckenbauer/Muller West Germany, an Italy side based around 60's Inter and the title-winning Calgiari team, plus The Game of the Century, that demolition final, West Germany pulling back a two-goal deficit against England and arguably the best team, goal and save ever. Lots of goals and the small numbers meant it felt suitably epic. There's a great book about the tournament, Back Home, by Jeff Dawson and I recommend it.

1986. The other Mexico tournament and probably the greatest ever conflagration of great international teams. Maradona's Argentina, that formidable West German team that got to six finals in eight tournaments, Platini's French Euro '84 winners, Danish Dynamite, Tele Santana's Brazil (this time with Careca), the World Cup holers Italy, an England team with packed with flair players and, a Portuguese team with six starters for the next European Cup winners some decent outsiders like Spain, USSR, Uruguay and Scotland. Again, lots of goals, some great games and a lot of memorable moments.

1982. Again, all of the above but probably hampered by the stupid rules. Brazil v Italy and West Germany v France up there with the best games ever.

Worst I remember is 2010 but to be honest I don't think many have been very good the last few years. Too many teams, countries that have no business holding it and players who are exhausted.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Yeah, '94 for me as well, for all the reasons above.  As for worst, maybe 2014 as I can't remember any of it (Was that were Iceland beat England?).

Idk, i quite enjoyed 2014. I think it was the best of all 2000s and 2010s

[Black Bull Nova]

I suppose what this thread is saying is that if I give up modern day football, there is enough archive footage to get me to my end. Some games I may not even know the score. Hell, I could probably watch the last 50 years of South American club football.

[19th Nervous Title]

For me the best was 98, and the worst got to be 2010

What's your take?

Which games did you go to in 2010?

[child-in-time]

Best I would say '06 as I dont really remember '98. Although I was really excited about '02, in hindsight it was ruined by referee decisions so its the worst imo

[Red Bird]

For me the best was 98, and the worst got to be 2010

What's your take?

I’m now a bit confused— is it for the quality of football on show or for/including other things?

[vblfc]

82 for me. That Brazil team was just amazing. All were superstars and easily (for me) should have won the whole thing. Also loved Gerry Armstrong’s goal for 10 man Northern Ireland beating the host nation. But, on Brazil, also hard to argue against ‘70.  Feels like, more recently, playing European football somehow changed the Brazilians.

[Iska]

the ball that was like one of those 50p balls you bought that bent every way and direction after a toepoke

Oh man, I’d forgotten about that.  For a while there was always some stupid new innovation that they hadn’t even trialled beforehand and that fucked up a load of the early matches.  I remember a crackdown on high feet or something at USA, leading to Zola coming on for Italy and being sent off immediately for nothing much, then Baggio being subbed off cos they were down to ten men.  It was actually pretty good drama because Italy were hanging by a thread, but that was purely accidental.  He never really get a chance in a World Cup poor lad.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

Best for me would be a toss up between 78 and 82, but the Brazilian team in 82 were great, and Socrates remains one of my favourite all time players so it really needs to be 82.

It will go a long way to get any worse than the current tournament, but FIFA will no doubt get there with the next one, as they seem to be getting steadily worse. People may go the games now, but there don't seem to be any fans. The atmosphere is more like a test match at some games. It seems to have been like for a few tournaments now.

[elsewhere]

Best - Italia 90

Worst - South Africa 2010

[rob1966]

The 1978 world cup did introduce my favourite ball ever

[I've been a good boy]

2002 was my favourite one. Just looks great

[24/7]

2002 was my favourite one. Just looks great

Is that cos it looks remarkably like the Cream logo, ya bad raver?!

[Samie]

2002 was the first time they used panels that were stitched on or some bullshit to make it aerodynamically fly acrss the air.

[jizzspunk]

Argentina 78 was a good watch..some cracking goals..
Scotland couldn't beat Iran but then beat Holland, who went on to make the final
Often forgotten the excellent Robbie Rensenbrink hit the post in the last minute of the final for Holland before losing in extra time

Espana 82
the 2nd group stage paired Brazil Argentina Italy...
All 3 were classic matches
Maradona sent off versus Brazil
Zico was brilliant in every game, what a player he was

Not seen a better WC since those two

[TepidT2O]

Best - Italia 90

Worst - South Africa 2010

There were some great results in 90, but much of the football was rather stale

[McSquared]

Can only go on ones I’m old enough to have watched at the time.

Best - Germany 2006
Worst - South Africa 2010

I tend to enjoy the Euros more. Euro 2008 remains the best tournament I’ve ever seen.

Vuvuzelas !

[McSquared]

The 1978 world cup did introduce my favourite ball ever

Iconic football!

[4pool]

A story from USA 94.

The International secretary from the company i worked for took a day off to go watch Brazil train. Probably couldn't do that nowadays. I think it was a Quarter Final match. She was from Guatemala and was a big and I mean BIG Romario fan. Anyway, she comes back to work the next day. Tells me that Brazil went through their warmups, etc. Then they brought the dogs out. Literally. She told me she couldn't believe it but Brazil trained with dogs. Rondo's to keep the ball away from the dogs. Dribbling and passing between teammates past them. Running sprints to keep control of the ball whilst the dog was nipping at their feet/ball. She said now she understood why Brazilian players were so good with either foot and so quick to use either one.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

2002 was my favourite one. Just looks great

1970 Adidas Telstar, an all time classic football.

[Iska]

1930 or 1938 balls for me.  The 1962 ball looks like it should come with a police warning about a dodgy batch circulating at Glastonbury.

[darragh85]

1958 for me. keep it simple.

the tango and questra balls were great.

best footballs of all time: adidas tango and questra, the Nike one from the late 90s that just had the Nike tick on it and that Uhlsport one they used in serie a in the 90s.

[vblfc]

There’s something magic looking at the evolution of the old footballs. I Love that, especially compared to the crap about WC22 and FSG exit etc.   Football used to be much more simple/basic/romantic. I miss it.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Vuvuzelas !

The only good thing about that tournament was Suarez the crazy bastard 

[darragh85]

best thing about the 1994 world cup was that England werent in it.

[Crosby Nick]

best thing about the 1994 world cup was that England werent in it.

That’s why it goes down as one of the worst. Missed our swashbuckling brand of football.

[afc tukrish]

That’s why it goes down as one of the worst. Missed our swashbuckling brand of football.

"Do I not swash that buckle?"

[TepidT2O]

best thing about the 1994 world cup was that England werent in it.

It was rubbish. It was so hot no one could play proper football.  Matches were earlier in the day for European audiences so at peak heat times

[Bullet500]

Difficult to choose the best. I have enjoyed all World Cups I have watched.

Worst? I'd have said this one, but I have been enjoying the upsets and the general mockery.

[child-in-time]

2002 was my favourite one. Just looks great

The Roteiro ball for Euro 2004 was amazing too. I still have it somewhere at home.

[Statto Red]

There were some great results in 90, but much of the football was rather stale

Italia 90 was largely dull boring football, Argentina spawned their way to the final, scoring only 2 goals in the knockout rounds, Cameroon vs England was the only decent match in the knockout rounds, most of the group matches were a snooze fest too, although Italia 90 was the last world cup to feature USSR & Yugoslavia

US 94 was dull to, largely affected by the heat & humidity, like Ireland playing their match in Florida in June with a midday kickoff, the final too midday kickoff in LA in July, with temperatures 38C[or 100F] at kickoff time

[Iska]

The semis in 1990 were both epics, though possibly the occasion more than the match for the Italy-Argentina one.  You’ll forgive that though if it’s meaningful.

[redan]

Just for pure nostalgia France 98 was the best for me. It was my first real World Cup, I remember parts of USA 94 but with France 98, I had the sticker album, the Coins, I remember everything about it! The BBC intro music, the starting line ups, the kits, the results, the lot!

Worst was 2002 for me. I was doing my GCSE exams at the exact same time and due to the time difference hardly saw any games. I also remember the final being really one sided. I remember being really let down after my wonderful memories of 98

[KillieRed]

78-82-86 were my favourites because I was still a kid enjoying this weird, different thing (and my country actually qualified for them). 2006 was really good.

1994 & 2010 were awful for the actual football.

[Black Bull Nova]

Each to their own, but I thought it was shite. The less said about the final, the better.

The competition was like a lovely cake with a rotten fruit (the final) on top

[oojason]

Each to their own, but I thought it was shite. The less said about the final, the better.

Can't believe Diana Ross missed that penalty in the Final...




To be fair, the keeper was well off his line - and it should have been retaken...

[Dr. Beaker]

One great thing about '66 (although I thought the competition was a bit shit) was that Liverpool was the base for the Brazilians who played their group games at Goodison. Their fans were brilliant, and one of them gave one of my mates his massive conga drum before he went home.