Best World Cup

[Fonsos]

82 was the best in my opinion. Spain did a great job of hosting it. The world was introduced to a country that would become an African powerhouse -- Cameroon. Platini was playing with Les Bleus and in the end Italy won it all. It was the best cup I've seen in my short life to date.

Fonsos
Allez PSG
:cool:

[Vic#10]

the greatest world cup hasnt happened yet... but '82 was pretty fun
Lets hope that is true. Im not saying that the World Cup has not been great but you have to think that the best will come when all continents have at least one country with the potential of winning.

[Invincible Gooners]

I was 10 when the 1982 world cup was on..and for me it opened up the beautiful game for ever....86 was wonderful for hte amazing skills of Maradona, even though im English... 90 was for me the most frustrating as my nation lost on pens in the semi and witnessed an awful final. 94 was awful and just did not seem like a World Cup should be. 98 was fun and i marvelled at the french like most people did, and 2002 was fun also with a great tournament won by a mediocre side...

but all in all

82 stands out and two games in particular.
Firstly the Paolo Rossi show vs Brazil...those Brazilians were a fine bunch, with Zico, Socrates and Falcao..and the way they played was awesome...however, Rossi was a true star and was the diference and it was the one and only time i wanted a shirt from a different nation other than mine...although now in hindsight and watching and reading about the Dutch of 74 & 78 my mind would of added them...
The second was the semi fianl between France and West Germany, and to this day i just cant believe Joel Schumacher stayed on the pitch!!!!! for what surmounts to the worst attack of violence i have ever seen on pitch...Battison was effectively chopped in half....but the extra time was amazing and to see 4 goals scored in a 30 minute spell will never be toppe din my life....

1982 by a mile....

[Fiorentina lives!]

Some here say the 1990 World Cup was the best or one of the best.

WHAAAAT???? :eek:

You mean the one where half of the games ended 0-0?

The one with tons of BORING anti-soccer? The zillion passes back to the goalkeeper?

NO EFFING WAY. THAT WC ALMOST KILLED SOCCER.

The best one (I saw)... maybe 1986. However, it's hard to say, since not many of us were there in the first few WCs.

I can only imagine 1954, 1958, and 1970 probably rocked. I've seen some footage.

Old school... back in the day when you PLAYED. No catenaccio to make fans sleep... no offside tricks... no 10 men on their own box defending... soccer with cojones...

[JoeDub83]

soccer with cojones...
Hey that should be the new MLS slogan.......instead of "New soccer nation" they should use "Soccer with cojones!"

[Fiorentina lives!]

Really Dub?

Would I get paid a royalty? :D

Oh, I'm calling Garberdude NOW! :rolleyes:

[soccerballz1]

I'm not English, but the '86 WC in which someone cheated to win and then accredited that win to God can't be considered a great WC. '82 was awesome especially because Rossi was virtually unknown before the WC and vanished into obscurity after, but for that brief moment, became a national hero with the most opportunistic goals ever. But, my money has to be on WC '74 where the world was introduced to the "total football" concept of the Dutch. Not only was it a fantastic event, but it also affected the way all footballing nations (except the Irish & the Scottish) play football - everyone plays total football now!

[soccerballz1]

By the way, Fiorentino, the catenaccio had its roots in the early 1940's in Austria and in the 50's with Padua and has been employed by every Italian WC team save the great '82 team. The Italians don't know any other way to play - what country produces the kind of talent they do and then play so dang defensively? Don't believe me? Can anyone make the case for Inter Milan and Juventus being the two best club teams with the most creativity and footballing talent in the world last year?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=264991&cc=5739

[Vic#10]

I'm not English, but the '86 WC in which someone cheated to win and then accredited that win to God can't be considered a great WC.
The reason why this was a great game was because it had arguably the two most memorable goals of all time. If it were not for the other goal in that game, I would be in complete agreement with you.

[Power_of_foot]

I liked 2002 better than 1998

I liked 2002 1994 and 1986 than any others

[afgrijselijkheid]

2002 cant be considered among the best because some important results ranged from questionable to utter theft on the officiating scale

[Richie]

I thought the best one was the first one because it was not on TV :-)

US finished 4 th in that one.

[XaviusX]

I thought the best one was the first one because it was not on TV :-)

US finished 4 th in that one.


Actually we finished in 3rd Place that year, in 1930.

[bright]

'82 was awesome especially because Rossi was virtually unknown before the WC and vanished into obscurity after, but for that brief moment, became a national hero with the most opportunistic goals ever.

Paolo Rossi was actually a very famous player before the 1982 World Cup. He first became famous with Vicenza as a bigtime goal-scorer in the mid 70's, and then appeared in the 1978 World Cup where he did well. Then he was loaned to Perugia after Vicenza was relegated, and while there he was accused of being involved in a match-fixing scandal. He was suspended for two years, and Juventus, who once owned him, bought him during this time. His suspension ended just in time for him to play for Italy in the World Cup, making his appearance into a dramatic event. A lot of people were actually skeptical that he would be able to play well at all after such a long layoff, which made his awesome performance in 1982 even more special. After the Cup, Rossi won a couple scudettos and even a European Cup in 1985 with Juve. I wouldn't call that obscurity. After the European Cup, though, then he faded into obscurity, but that is because he was a quiet person who liked to keep to himself.

Man, those were glorious years for Italian soccer. That Juve team was stacked! And then Maradona showed up at Napoli, and then the Dutch masters at Milan ... so many great players began flocking to Italy in the 80's.

And I voted for 1982. Italy's win, Brazil and Argentina, England, Poland, France and Germany, Cameroon and Algeria and Honduras .... what a great cup.

- Paul

[1900AFCA1900]

IMO, 1994 and 1998 svcks! Poor football, defensive play... I think that 1986 and 1974 are the best WC's ever. Maradona, Cruyff and Beckenbauer played superb! As a Holland fan I voted (ofcourse) for WC 1974.

[Vic#10]

Actually we finished in 3rd Place that year, in 1930.

Due to the fact that there was no third place match no one knows if the US was 3rd or 4th. Even so the US lost in the Semi Finals 6-1 to Argentina (the losing team) while Yugoslavia lost 6-1 to Uraguay, so if you want to go be probability the US would have been 4th.

[Chamo]

1982 was spectacular and by far the best cup I have seen since I have been watching which dates back to 74.

Not only did Italy led by Paolo Rossi go through Argentina, Brasil and W Germany (all the favorites) to claim the title; the elimination game between France v W Germany was the best world cup match ever played.

[Comnios]

1954 id Dweden with Pele who exploses at the world

Just Fontaine from French team scored 13 goals, that is still a record

The best ever WC

[Chamo]

1954 id Dweden with Pele who exploses at the world

Pele WC debut was in 1958.

[Power_of_foot]

What's so great about 1982?
The draw of italy France Brazil Argentina was great and the final was great, but not many great teams participated in the tournament, besides those teams. Football quality in 1982 wasn't as great as up to date