[Merengue]

Ok over in the Greatest World Cup champion team of all time thread some got sidetracked onto the 1986 World Cup and in particular the Argentina vs England match that year. So I decided to start a new thread simply discussing that World Cup.

I maintain Argentina were worthy winners of that Cup. Maradona had the single greatest World Cup of any player and dominated that tournament like no other player I've seen. I've had old timers tell me Pele in 1970 and Garrincha in 1962 came close but neither one of them were as dominant as Maradona was in 1986.

The beaten finalists Germany weren't a bad team but in my view weren't as good as the German teams of either 1982 or 1990. They were, for example, extremely lucky to get through against Mexico in the knockout rounds. France beat Brazil in a titanic struggle but seemed to run out of steam (and nerves?) vs Germany in their semifinal.

Denmark hammered Germany and Uruguay in the group stages but fell apart against El Buitre (Butragueño) and Spain in the knockout stages. Soain ahd a good team that year but alas like always found the going too tough in the elimination stages.

Brazil had some good players but weren't as strong as they were in 1982 and Zico looked tired and injured. England had Lineker and his excellent goalscoring and a good goalie in Shilton but apart from that were a pretty normal team. I think their 1990 team was superior. Mexico rode the wave of home support but their great star Hugo Sanchez could never reproduce his Real Madrid form with his national team. Plus they seemed to lack the confidence to beat the bigger teams back then, thus explaining their failure to beat Germany when they had them on the ropes.

Overall it was a good World Cup. In my eyes not as good as the superlative one in 1982 but better than any other World Cups played since then. And it will forever be known as the World Cup where Diego Maradona stood above all else. What does everyone else think of the 1986 World Cup?

[Canadian_Supporter]

Originally posted by Merengue
What does everyone else think of the 1986 World Cup?

It was great, because Canada actually made it to a WC...

[mr magoo]

I wouldnt of thought it difficult to get into the world cup, when you have to play rejects like the USA to qualify.

[Northern Boy]

Originally posted by Merengue
And it will forever be known as the World Cup where Diego Maradona stood above all else.

Where I'm from, it will forever be known as the World Cup where Diego Maradona leapt above all else to score with his hand.

Which will never make Argentina worthy winners.

[Awe-Inspiring]

Originally posted by Northern Boy
Where I'm from, it will forever be known as the World Cup where Diego Maradona leapt above all else to score with his hand.

Which will never make Argentina worthy winners.

Only where you are from. In the rest of the sensible civilized world, Argentina is rightly recognized as a worthy champion in 1986, especially after having prevailed in the greatest final in the history of the World Cup.

The reasons for justifying Argentina as worthy champion are set forth by me at length on other threads. I'm happy to repeat them if you would like.

Just remember what Newsweek's columnist wrote right after the WC in '86 in the international edition: having seen Maradona play against England that day, it is impossible for an objective observer to have concluded anything other than that Maradona simply could have scored as many goals that day as Argentina needed to win.

[RichardL]

Originally posted by Awe-Inspiring


Just remember what Newsweek's columnist wrote right after the WC in '86 in the international edition: having seen Maradona play against England that day, it is impossible for an objective observer to have concluded anything other than that Maradona simply could have scored as many goals that day as Argentina needed to win.

For obvious reasons he'd have liked to have scored as many goals as possible that day. A genuinely objective observer would have concluded that as he wasn't holding back, he actually scored as many goals as he was able to that day.

[Merengue]

Has any player had as great an individual performance over an entire World Cup as Diego Armando Maradona had in 1986? I certainly haven't seen one in my time of watching World Cups. Old timers have told me Pele in 1970 and Garrincha in 1962 dominated those World Cups but neither one was as dominant as Maradona was in 1986. He really did take his team on his back and carried them to the title. English fans may be in denial about his achievements but he was spectacular in 1986.

[deejay]

I actually posted about this then it disappeared when bigsoccer got hacked!

So I'll explain the same thing but in very redcuced way.

If you compare the Argetnina '86 team versus the '78 team you'll see an incredible difference. Both won the championship but anybody can tell you that the '86 team won it in a more brilliant and convincing manner. You can also say that the competition in '86 was possibly a notch higher than in '78. Certainly the french and Brazilian teams were better. Also I think that Germany in '86 was on paper a better team than '90 due to the presence of the great Rumminege. After all Schneider at his peak couldn't start for that team. Although the topic of Schneider has always been a strange one. The only team that you could say was better in '78 was Holland and they were missing key players!

Finally, compare the '86 players against '78 and, except for Maradona, you'll find that this was probably one of the least talented Argentinian sides ever. Part of this is due to the fact that Maradona fought with the most talented Argentinian forward of the time. In '78 Argentina had Fillol as GK, Pasarella in the defense, Kempes and Ardiles in midfield and Houseman as a forward. All these guys are considered among the best ever in their positions. In '86 only Rugieri in defense and possibly Valdano could be put at the level of these guys. Even then there is no doubt that Kempes and Pasarella were much better than those two in nearly the same position.

So this shows how brilliant Maradona was in lifting an otherwise average side to a brillant side in a very competitive World Cup.

[Sao Taffarel]

You have to HAND it to the Argentinian overweight one.

[deejay]

Originally posted by Sao Taffarel
You have to HAND it to the Argentinian overweight one.

Quite frankly that has been Maradona's specialty. Taking a lesser team and making it great. He's excellent when he's the undisputed "Golden Boy". That's why he did so much better with Napoli than with Barcelona.