[Zuras]

Chokes, blunders, and robbings, then all the tears that follow. What do you think is the saddest, most heartbreaking moment in WC history. A little video to get you into thinking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2EOV...p%20heartbreak

[footballfreak]

The Zambian air crash is easily the saddest moment in World Cup history. I defy anyone to say differently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambia_...n_air_disaster

After all, it's just a game. Missed penalties are forgotten eventually. With regards to football on the pitch, Canada's final 1994 World Cup qualifier against Mexico was tragic. Canada needed a draw to qualify ahead of Mexico. We were denied a legitimate goal to go 2-0 up. The Canadian players were so incensed that they didn't notice the Mexicans had taken the kick quickly. Mexico advanced down the pitch and tied it at 1-1. They ultimately won 2-1, and went to USA 94.

But memories like that are nothing compared to the deaths of 30 people.

[Kubala]

Originally Posted by footballfreak

The Zambian air crash is easily the saddest moment in World Cup history. I defy anyone to say differently.

Outside the Wold Cup, I would say the two saddest moments are the air crashes which destroyed
- totally, the Turin squad in 1949 (Torino won 5 consecutive Italian Leagues and had at least two worldwide players such as Valentino Mazoola and Maroso, and many other pretty good players);
- many of the Manchester United "Busby babes" in 1958

[vazet]

there was a story about former kiev players defying the odds and beating a number of nazi teams onlt to end up getting shot for their efforts, that would have to rank fairly high.

[Pabs]

Heysel

[condor11]

Originally Posted by vazet

there was a story about former kiev players defying the odds and beating a number of nazi teams onlt to end up getting shot for their efforts, that would have to rank fairly high.

i saw a documentary a few weeks ago that said that those event are not true

the players were not shot

it was in that History of Football series on the History channel

[vazet]

Originally Posted by condor11

i saw a documentary a few weeks ago that said that those event are not true

the players were not shot

it was in that History of Football series on the History channel

I found these,

http://www2.hs.fi/english/archive/ne...id=20010327IE3

http://www.ukrainiansoccer.net/html/...ath_match.html

a mix of truth and legend.

[nach0king]

Air crashes, murders, purges... the history of bloodshed sometimes overlaps with the history of football.

On the pitch, any serious, career-ending injury. Particularly to the young.

[glennaldo_sf]

Originally Posted by nach0king

On the pitch, any serious, career-ending injury. Particularly to the young.

Marc-Vivien Foe

[jambon-beurre]

As for the most heartbreaking moment in WC history on the pitch, I have to mention the France-Germany semi-final in '82. Leading 3-1 in extra-time, you can't be closer to play a WC final which would have been the first for France.
It changed the conception of the game in France I believe, before that it was first the beautiful football, then the result. Now it's the opposite.

Another one concerning French football is the defeat of France against Bulgaria in the last match of the WC qualifiers for the WC94 (1-2), being ousted from the World Cup on a last minute goal by Kostadinov when France needed only 1 point in the last 2 matches to qualify (France had lost against Israel 2-3 the previous match). Harsh.