I remember this being a really good game, both teams fighting for their lives, Denmark won 2-1 I think. But I'd actually put Senegal vs Sweden 2nd round 2002 ahead of this one. I remember Sweden almost scoring what would have been one of the greatest goals of all time in ET. The guy got the ball, turned a 360 in the box around a couple of defenders and then smacked it against the bar. Talking about Senegal, what about the Uruguay game, when they went 3 goals up @ HT, only for Uruguay to make it 3-3 and then miss from an open goal in injury time to get the goal that would have put them through to the 2nd round. That was a great game.
Senegal - Sweden was a pretty good game, but the Golden Goal rule was such an anticlimax. One team scores and suddenly... bam... THE END. The format killed the pay-off.
I think people remember the extra time of the SF, which was awesome; particularly for Italy supporters.
I agree. It was a very, very good game, but becasue it really got going in extra-time, I wouldn't rank it as #1 WC match (94-10) But it deserves to be in TOP 10 for sure.
In a morbid kind of way: to see whether the teams will field enough players (7) necessary to continue the match before the end of regulation
It never gets mentioned but I was very entertained by '98 Colombia-Tunisia. I suppose since it only ended 1-0 and involved two teams that weren't expected to advance (both had lost their openers to Romania and England, respectively) not many remember it but I found it to be edge of the seat stuff. One of my personal all-time favorites.
Anyone remembers South Korea VS Portugal in 2002?That was a good match aswell.Portugal down to 9 men,South Korea scores through Ji-Sung Park and Figo almost equalizing on a free kick with a few minutes to go...
For complete entertainment of seeing goals and offense without taking account the significance of the game, Brazil 5:3 Costa Rica was probably the most entertaining game of football to watch.
The semi between Germany and Italy was okay, but way overrated imo. It was exciting for its atmosphere and the fact it took 120 minutes, but there weren't that many clear chances. Argentina - Romania 2:3 Brazil - Netherlands 3:2 Brazil - Netherlands 1:1 Brazil - Denmark 3:2 Netherlands - Argentina 2:1 England - Argentina 2:2 2002.. England-Brazil was a disappointment. Actually..I can't think of any top game.. 2006.. not many top games.. disappointing world cup.. the top games on paper were MAJOR disappointments.. 2010..wait.. what? There was a world cup? No I wasn't entertained by all the praise for Germany.. they were scoring early goals and countered themselves to victories. No exciting thriller games.. France 98' had some fantastic thrillers. The world cups after were pretty dull overall. Brazil - Netherlands (1:1) is my favorite. Good offensive game from both sides, and exciting defending from F. De Boer.
The ten matches I've watched and remember as highest quality: Argentina-Romania (1994) Brazil-Denmark (1998) Germany-England (2010) Germany-Argentina (2010) South Korea-Italy (2002) Germany-Italy (2006) Spain-France (2006) Germany-Argentina (2006) Holland-Argentina (1998) Spain-Germany (2010) Argentina-England (1998) was the best 45 minutes (1st half), but unfortunately teams were paralyzed in the 2nd half. The worst/most boring matches: England-Algeria (2010) Brazil-Italy (1994) Norway-Scotland (1998) Denmark-Saudi Arabia (1998) Italy-Norway (1998) England-Paraguay (2006) Portugal-Angola (2006) England-Ecuador (2006)
No one voted for 2002 Senegal 1 France 0? They were in their first World Cup ever and upset teh defending champions. Also I would say 2002 USA 3 Portugal 2 could maybe make the list. The USA scored 3 pretty quick goals and held on to win 3-2.
Senegal vs. France was a good upset but I don't remember the match being all that great. All I remember is that France dominated possession and wasted many chances as Senegal held on for dear life.
The game was variably interesting but Ghana - Uruguay and the dramatic finale must have been the most incredible ending to a World Cup football match ever.
Maybe it's because I'm American, but I loved the golden goal format. I thought this game was phenomenal, I still remember it, especially with the Swedish player's amazing almost-goal right before Senegal scored on the counter.
A lot of people have said the game itself wasn't that exciting apart from the ending. I remember it as an exciting, end-to-end affair with lots of great chances. I guess not enough people are from Ghana or Uruguay to have really made an impact on the history of the game, but if that was Argentina v. England or Brazil v. Italy with such a finale, it would have gone as hands-down the greatest match in history.
Replace with these: Argentina - Rumania 1994 Uruguay - Ghana 2010 Senegal - Sweden 2002 Spain - France 2006 Argentina - Mexico 2006 I admit I did not see Denmark v. Cameroon in 2010, but for me, importance is a big factor and I can't see how a group stage match between these two nations could make the Top 10. In fact, I've excluded many great group stage matches for that very reason. Think of all the last-minute goals that got teams into the 2nd round, such as USA v. Algeria.
good call. Italy vs Chile 1998 was also a cracker. Holland vs Yugoslavia was also a great encounter from that same tournament. Holland vs Mexico, Germany vs Mexico and Belgium vs Mexico also good games. From 1994 Romania vs Colombia also a goody.
Brazil beat Costa Rica 5-2 in that game. Senegal vs Uruguay 3-3 was better where senegal blew a 3-0 lead.
yep i remember that game. I think Conceicao had a great shot that went off the post, maybe a volley. Nuno Gomes missed an open goal too. He just fell on the ball ffs lol.
lol good call on boring games theyre crap as was the bulgaria vs paraguay 0-0 draw.. I also agree Italy vs germany was overrated only extra time was good and the ending.
Here's a whole bunch of games that were good, lots of goals, drama, upsets, or had it all. 1994 Italy VS Nigeria Romania vs Sweden Romania vs Colombia Romania vs Argentina Brazil vs Holland Didn't see the games but in terms of goals Germany vs South Korea and Belgium both games finishing 3-2. South Korea also came back from two goals down to draw with Spain 2-2. Russia and Salenko belting Cameroon 6-1. Upsets Italy losing 1-0 to Ireland, Germany the defending champs getting knocked out by Bulgaria after leading 1-0, Letchkov's great header winning it. Holland went down to Belgium. 1998 Italy vs Chile Norway vs Morocco - Mustapha Hadji's great goal Holland vs Yugoslavia Holland vs Mexico Mexico coming back to draw 2-2 Belgium vs Mexico another 2 goal fight back from Mexico Germany vs Yugoslavia - Germany also coming back from 2 goals down Germany vs Mexico - Hernandez should have iced the game Romania just for the fact they upset England winning 2-1 Argentina vs England Holland vs Mexico France vs Italy - penalty shootout drama and tactical battle France vs Paraguay - first ever world cup golden goal Denmark 4-1 Nigeria Brazil 3-2 Denmark Brazil vs Holland Argentina vs Holland Croatia vs Germany for the upset 2002 Italy vs Croatia for the upset Italy vs South Korea same England vs Argentina england and beckham's revenge Uruguay vs Senegal Portugal vs USA Spain vs Ireland for penalties and drama Spain vs South Korea same reason and ridiculous calls Brazil vs Turkey group game Turkey vs South Korea Hakan Sukur fastest ever world cup goal 3-2 turkey win Paraguay vs Slovenia Argentina vs Sweden Italy vs Mexico Belgium vs Russia Japan vs Belgium 2006 Germany vs Costa Rica Germany vs Poland for drama England vs Sweden Argentina vs Ivory Coast Argentina vs Serbia for team quality and good goals Ivory Coast vs Serbia Portugal vs Mexico Mexico vs Iran Italy vs Ghana Czech vs USA Italy vs USA { drama and send offs } Australia vs Japan Croatia vs Australia Switzerland vs Togo Switzerland vs South Korea Spain vs Tunisia Argentina vs Mexico Brazil vs Ghana Spain vs France Germany vs Argentina { drama and hard fought battle } Germany s Italy Germany vs Portugal 2010 Nigeria vs South Korea Slovenia vs USA gERMANY VS sERBIA Serbia vs Australia Japan vs Denmark Slovakia vs Italy Uruguay vs Korea Germany vs England Argentina vs Mexico Holland vs Brazil Spain vs Paraguay Uruguay vs Holland Germany vs Uruguay
top 5 from 1994 Italy VS Nigeria Romania vs Sweden Romania vs Colombia Romania vs Argentina Brazil vs Holland 1998 Argentina vs Holland Holland vs Yugoslavia { Mijatovic first penalty miss in game time since 1990 hit crossbar yugo's would have teaken the lead } Argentina vs England Italy vs Chile Brazil vs Denmark 2002 Senegal vs Uruguay Italy vs Croatia Italy vs Mexico Turkey vs South Korea Portugal vs USA 2006 Italy vs Germany Germany vs Costa Rica France vs Spain Croatia vs Australia Argentina vs Serbia { best display of the tournament + epic goals } 2010 Slovakia vs Italy Uruguay vs Germany Paraguay vs Spain Holland vs Uruguay Holland vs Brazil