Reeling in the World Cups
Credit:
With only hours to go now before the 19th edition of the FIFA World Cup begins in Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, the thought that lingered when I pondered what makes this global event truly special is the treasure chest of memories, some bizarre, some renowned, that are indelibly stamped on any true football lover’s consciousness after each four year cycle has reached it’s peak with a month-long tournament to decide the world’s greatest footballing nation.
For me, the process began with Argentina’s triumph in Mexico ’86, when as a seven-year-old I watched in awe as Diego Maradona’s artistry mesmerized all opponents (and even some officials!). Enthralled by all five competitions, in three different continents, that followed, below are a compilation of assorted memories from all six that I have had the pleasure to enjoy as they happened:
1986:...Mexico looks hot...USSR or CCCP??...Belanov hat-trick but beaten by Belgium...Gary Lineker’s cast...Jimmy Magee’s commentary...funny shadow on the pitch in main stadium...Luis Fernandes’ penalty winner to knock out Brazil...Danes put on a show...all out attack...Josimar’s thunderbolt...Uruguayan nastiness...Strachan no high jumper...lots of penalty shoot outs...Germany sneak into final...three European teams in semis...Dodgy linesman and Diego undo brilliant Belgians...Rudi Voller’s hair...final heading for extra time??...Maradona’s visionary pass for Burruchaga’s winner...South American champs...Diego the heir to Pelé’s throne.
1990:...an Italian adventure...cheap white Irish World Cup t-shirts from Dunnes...Pavarotti...Sheedy’s left peg...How to celebrate draws?...Dunphy’s eruption...Daniel Timofte...everyone afraid to take a breath...the pile up...cars beeping horns...Rome...Bonner parries...Toto the poacher...the homecoming...Roger Milla dancing at the corner flag...Baggio lights it up...negativity spreading...pretending to be Lothar Mattheus...Rudi Voller’s hair(with Rijkaard gel)...penalty shoot outs...Paul Parker’s deflection...Waddle wayward...Italian penalty woe...Goicoechea the hero...Germany sneak into final (and win)...dull final...left back converts a right-footed penalty...Maradona sulks.
1994:...the Yanks put on a show...what a miss from Ross...indoor football...trying to stay awake...crazy Swedish ‘keeper...Houghton shins one...Maldini humbled...McGrath the legend...the pre-game baseball caps...Aldridge’s eruption...and goal...Holland too crafty...Bonner doesn’t parry...Romanians dumps Argies out...Baby Bebeto...Amokachi’s celebration...Maradona’s celebration...Maradona thrown off the stage...Bald Bulgarian downs champs...three European teams in semis...Baggio lights it up...Romario does enough...dull final...Italian penalty woe...Baggio miss blots copybook...South American champs...no pretenders to Pelé’s crown.
1998:...Allez les Bleus...more teams...golden goals (Laurent Blanc)...Spain flop...Dutch looking good...Brazil coasting...Michael Owen...Zanetti clever...Beckham’s madness...Batty??...Croatian elegance floors Germans...Rivaldo knocks out plucky Danes...Bergkamp’s wonder goal...How did he do that?...bye bye Argies...Italian penalty woe...three European teams in semis...Thuram redeems French...Kluivert can’t save Dutch...Ronaldo conspiracy...Zidane’s use of the head...Petit’s flowing locks...a nation at one...Zizou the next in line?
2002:...Asian exuberance...Ireland in the mix but one Keane departs...Zizou left scratching head...Brazil coasting...host nations make waves...Holland for Boys In Green...How to celebrate a draw?...Duff’s bow...We all dream of a team of Gary Breens...a chance for glory?...Beckham’s redemption...Rivaldo’s histrionics...Spanish torture...Robbie composed...Mendieta even more so...chance lost?...Italian Golden goal(Ahn Jung Wan) woe...Ronaldinho magic(he meant it)...Sven scuppered...Hiddink’s boys march on...Turkey no whipping boys now...Germany sneak into final...Ronaldo powers Brazil to fifth crown...Pelé still the master.
2006:...German efficiency...Argies break up Serbia-Montenegro...Cambiasso team goal...three yellows equals red...Aussie Aussie Aussie...England believes...Maxi volley...Italians con the convicts...9 v 9 as Dutch depart...France dismantle Spanish armada...Rooney madness...Ronaldo wink...Carragher???...Germans still there...Italians gathering momentum...Zizou-inspired French surprise Brazil...all four semi finalists from Europe...Grosso gem saves Italians from penalty woe...ZZ tops the Portuguese...cheeky penalty...Materazzi uses head...and tongue...Zinedine loses cool...Italian penalty joy...Despite this Zidane still joins the line behind Diego and the Brazilian wonder.
2010:...an African experiment...the next chapter is about to be written...
For those who may not have experienced some of these moments, or simply forgotten, here are a few clips to salivate over, all in foreign languages of course.
Belgium v USSR 1986 - 4-3 AET....terrible defending but who cares.
Brazil v France 1986 - One of the greatest games in World Cup history.
Germany v Holland 1990 - Rudi Voller and Frank Rijkaard share some bodily fluids.
West Germany v Argentina 1990 - Andreas Brehme's winner - after the Argies had given the ref some time of it.
Bulgaria v Germany 1994 - Stoichkov and Letchkov....Bulgarian commentary is immense. I presume it's Bulgarian anyway.
Ireland heat issues 1994 Charlton and Aldridge explain the sideline tantrum
France v Paraguay 1998 - The Finals first ever Golden Goal.
Holland v Argentina 1998 Dutch commentator slightly happy with Dennis' late winner
Irelad v Germany 2002 - Moments of rare silence in the RTE booth when Keane strikes late on.
England v Brazil 2002 - Ronaldinho's winner leaves Seaman stranded.
Argentina v Mexico 2006 - Maxi volley with local commentary
Italy v Germany 2006 - Gol di Grosso, gol di Grosso!!!!!
For me, the process began with Argentina’s triumph in Mexico ’86, when as a seven-year-old I watched in awe as Diego Maradona’s artistry mesmerized all opponents (and even some officials!). Enthralled by all five competitions, in three different continents, that followed, below are a compilation of assorted memories from all six that I have had the pleasure to enjoy as they happened:
1986:...Mexico looks hot...USSR or CCCP??...Belanov hat-trick but beaten by Belgium...Gary Lineker’s cast...Jimmy Magee’s commentary...funny shadow on the pitch in main stadium...Luis Fernandes’ penalty winner to knock out Brazil...Danes put on a show...all out attack...Josimar’s thunderbolt...Uruguayan nastiness...Strachan no high jumper...lots of penalty shoot outs...Germany sneak into final...three European teams in semis...Dodgy linesman and Diego undo brilliant Belgians...Rudi Voller’s hair...final heading for extra time??...Maradona’s visionary pass for Burruchaga’s winner...South American champs...Diego the heir to Pelé’s throne.
1990:...an Italian adventure...cheap white Irish World Cup t-shirts from Dunnes...Pavarotti...Sheedy’s left peg...How to celebrate draws?...Dunphy’s eruption...Daniel Timofte...everyone afraid to take a breath...the pile up...cars beeping horns...Rome...Bonner parries...Toto the poacher...the homecoming...Roger Milla dancing at the corner flag...Baggio lights it up...negativity spreading...pretending to be Lothar Mattheus...Rudi Voller’s hair(with Rijkaard gel)...penalty shoot outs...Paul Parker’s deflection...Waddle wayward...Italian penalty woe...Goicoechea the hero...Germany sneak into final (and win)...dull final...left back converts a right-footed penalty...Maradona sulks.
1994:...the Yanks put on a show...what a miss from Ross...indoor football...trying to stay awake...crazy Swedish ‘keeper...Houghton shins one...Maldini humbled...McGrath the legend...the pre-game baseball caps...Aldridge’s eruption...and goal...Holland too crafty...Bonner doesn’t parry...Romanians dumps Argies out...Baby Bebeto...Amokachi’s celebration...Maradona’s celebration...Maradona thrown off the stage...Bald Bulgarian downs champs...three European teams in semis...Baggio lights it up...Romario does enough...dull final...Italian penalty woe...Baggio miss blots copybook...South American champs...no pretenders to Pelé’s crown.
1998:...Allez les Bleus...more teams...golden goals (Laurent Blanc)...Spain flop...Dutch looking good...Brazil coasting...Michael Owen...Zanetti clever...Beckham’s madness...Batty??...Croatian elegance floors Germans...Rivaldo knocks out plucky Danes...Bergkamp’s wonder goal...How did he do that?...bye bye Argies...Italian penalty woe...three European teams in semis...Thuram redeems French...Kluivert can’t save Dutch...Ronaldo conspiracy...Zidane’s use of the head...Petit’s flowing locks...a nation at one...Zizou the next in line?
2002:...Asian exuberance...Ireland in the mix but one Keane departs...Zizou left scratching head...Brazil coasting...host nations make waves...Holland for Boys In Green...How to celebrate a draw?...Duff’s bow...We all dream of a team of Gary Breens...a chance for glory?...Beckham’s redemption...Rivaldo’s histrionics...Spanish torture...Robbie composed...Mendieta even more so...chance lost?...Italian Golden goal(Ahn Jung Wan) woe...Ronaldinho magic(he meant it)...Sven scuppered...Hiddink’s boys march on...Turkey no whipping boys now...Germany sneak into final...Ronaldo powers Brazil to fifth crown...Pelé still the master.
2006:...German efficiency...Argies break up Serbia-Montenegro...Cambiasso team goal...three yellows equals red...Aussie Aussie Aussie...England believes...Maxi volley...Italians con the convicts...9 v 9 as Dutch depart...France dismantle Spanish armada...Rooney madness...Ronaldo wink...Carragher???...Germans still there...Italians gathering momentum...Zizou-inspired French surprise Brazil...all four semi finalists from Europe...Grosso gem saves Italians from penalty woe...ZZ tops the Portuguese...cheeky penalty...Materazzi uses head...and tongue...Zinedine loses cool...Italian penalty joy...Despite this Zidane still joins the line behind Diego and the Brazilian wonder.
2010:...an African experiment...the next chapter is about to be written...
For those who may not have experienced some of these moments, or simply forgotten, here are a few clips to salivate over, all in foreign languages of course.
Belgium v USSR 1986 - 4-3 AET....terrible defending but who cares.
Brazil v France 1986 - One of the greatest games in World Cup history.
Germany v Holland 1990 - Rudi Voller and Frank Rijkaard share some bodily fluids.
West Germany v Argentina 1990 - Andreas Brehme's winner - after the Argies had given the ref some time of it.
Bulgaria v Germany 1994 - Stoichkov and Letchkov....Bulgarian commentary is immense. I presume it's Bulgarian anyway.
Ireland heat issues 1994 Charlton and Aldridge explain the sideline tantrum
France v Paraguay 1998 - The Finals first ever Golden Goal.
Holland v Argentina 1998 Dutch commentator slightly happy with Dennis' late winner
Irelad v Germany 2002 - Moments of rare silence in the RTE booth when Keane strikes late on.
England v Brazil 2002 - Ronaldinho's winner leaves Seaman stranded.
Argentina v Mexico 2006 - Maxi volley with local commentary
Italy v Germany 2006 - Gol di Grosso, gol di Grosso!!!!!
About Alan Dooley
is one of Extratime's longest serving contributors. Based in County Galway, Alan has been following the League of Ireland since the mid-1980s. His first memory of the drama of domestic football was Vinny Arkins, then … View Full Profile