Should spark some nostalgia off this one.IMO and from having this conversation between friends etc, it seems to be the World Cup during your mid to late teens. Somewhere between childhood and on the cusp of adulthood. For me its France 1998. Red hot summer, out with friends, then home for whomever was playing. I remember the Friday night game, Beckham and Anderton. Following midweek we played Argentina. Owens goal, still one of the best WC Goals for me. Beckham red card.The music of the time made for some memorable WC anthems that still get played today. That Bergkamp goal v Argentina. That Brazil side, Ronaldos R9 Silver Nikes. France burst onto the scene in a huge way. Zidane showed up. Adidas Predators,Vindaloo, Footballs coming home 98. Memories. Following season Sunderland went on to smash the first division aswell.
Italia 90. Magical. Sir Bobby and Gazza. Lineker's goals. Platt's performances and goals in the knock out games. The games against Belgium and Cameroon were both amazing games which went into ET before we snatched it and we come so close to knocking West Germany out in the semi's before that penalty shoot-out defeat.
The Jules Rimet Trophy for me. It’s a bit more sparkly than the new one. Shame no one knows where it is.
Obviously loved 1966...which Englishman wouldn't....But for the best Football Mexico 1970 was the best for me. Brazil at their brilliant best, Pele, Rivilino and Carlos Alberto were unstoppable. England played great sadly fell to the Germans..(Nothing new there then) Just a great great tournament
France 98 was what I instantly thought although your memory for details is a lot better than mine. The only downside I recall is expecting Ronaldo to smash it in the final only for a Wyke-esque Ronaldo to turn up and inexplicably lumber about in a daze.
1990 for me, just. We went the closest I may ever see. 1982 was the first i remember although the format was a bit ****ed up. 1998 was good as that's when me and my mates went out properly for every game in the boozer. Since then I have gradually become less involved and interested to be honest.
Gotta be Italia 1990 because of the fairy-tale way we went about this, started off crap with the newspapers calling for Robson's head. But from there we went from strength to strength, and with a couple of if-only's we would have won that!!!!! Bloody Germans!!!!! I also thought that Russia 2018 was absolutely amazing.
Watching that brilliant Brazilian side in 1970 was an absolute joy, so that World Cup would rank quite highly. Spoiled by the shenanigans with Bobby Moore, and Banksy getting Montezuma's revenge. Bloody Germans! Enjoyed the '74 and '78 World Cups. Remember being gutted when Holland lost in the '74 final, in particular. They were a great side. From an England point of view, Italia '90 was great.
66 for me, I was 17 at the time and it was good having the games at Roker and Ayrsome Park, seeing teams out shopping in Newcastle between games, Korea beating the Italians, Eusabeo, what a player and of course our lot going onto win it. when you watch it now it looks so dated football wise compared to the present time which of course it is.
I was 8 in 1966 so I remember the final and other games, but never understood the Importance or the style of play at that age, but 1970 has such a glorious display of football it was what got me wedded to the game.
I was a bit young to fully appreciate the 1966 world cup, but loved the 1970 world cup with an excellent England team who really should have went further. Brazil were outstanding that year. I also loved the 1974 world cup with the magnificent Dutch team not quite winning it.
Italia ‘90 always. Age related as much as anything as I was really just falling in love with the game, remember so much of it vividly. Was at my Nanna in Grindon for first game and remember Cameroon beating Argentina, keeper howler. Watched every minute of every game possible. First time I was really hurt over football when we lost on penalties. Recall my nanna muttering and swearing incoherently in Italian at Baggio through the tournament. She was a Tuscan, a Fiorentina fan, and he’d just gone to Juve which is sacrilege for Viola fans ha.
Class mate. That's the general impression I'm getting and get, particular times of your life, so like I said, most will have a fond memory of a WC in there mid,late teens early 20s etc. I've enjoyed most other world cups, but the fond memory was being 15, out with mates, starting to grow up a bit. Euro 2000 was class for me aswell. Once again, age related like you say.
I've watched every one since 1958 and Pele at 17 made his debut, that started my love affair with the beautiful game, always felt let down when Brazil went out after that until Dunga took over, well named imo. as he made the extraordinary ordinary. The Italian, Dutch and Argentinian teams have at times matched those Brazilian teams of the Pele era. Its hard to say why, possibly the surprise factor, but no player since has brought the same level of magic that he brought into football.
1982 - for me it had it all: Bryan Robson's goal after 27 seconds Germany and Austria blatantly fixing a result Schumacher's assault on Battison Germans winning the first penalty shootout Brazilian team including Zico, Socrates and Falcao That Brazil kit Rossi's hat-trick against Brazil to knock them out Marco Tardelli's celebration for his goal in the final To top it all, the final was on my 21st birthday!!!!
