Favorite World Cup?

Mexico 86.
Italy 90.
France 98.

I'll go with 2014, since I was there for part of it and I just loved the experience, and even though the knock-out stages were a bit underwhelming after the very exciting group phase.

Italia '90.

It was my first WC and therefore the most magical, and can't be beaten no matter what. (well technically it wasn't my first WC, but the first I knew clearly what was going on).

I'm going to put forward a case of why it was the best WC though.

First of all, the opening game. Argentina v Cameroon. The world champions versus a country that I'm sure many people still wouldn't be able to point out on an Atlas even today (especially the Americans ). There were two things any English 8 year old kid would have hated in 1990. First of all Maradona, and secondly Argentina. We may not have all seen Maradona's 'hand of god' 4 years earlier, but we sure as hell knew about it. I remember rushing home from school to watch it round my next door neighbours (pretty sure it was a school day, but that could be one of those memories that is slightly mistaken). There were about 15-20 people crammed into a small living room watching it, and we were ALL supporting Cameroon. And Cameroon shocked the world by winning 1-0. Looking back, some of Cameroon's challenges were a bit naughty, and they finished the match with 9 men, but did we care? Not on your life! Fantastic start.

And also let's not forget the BBC put on the best opening title sequence of all time.



Cameroon actually provided a great side show that tournament, Roger Milla's goals, his celebrations, which believe you me, everyone was copying on the playgrounds back in 1990.

That neatly brings me onto England, who eventually knocked out Cameroon in a thrilling 3-2 quarter final win, that was after topping a banana skin group involving the Netherland, Ireland & was it the UAE or Egypt, can't remember now. And we knocked out Belgium courtesy of a 120th minute goal from David Platt. Gazza was on fire, Lineker was getting on the score sheet, the defence was playing well, all seemed well.

And another great sideshow was Ireland. It is the only World Cup to this day I've ever seen my mum get really into. She was supporting Ireland, maybe that was her way of getting me to support Ireland. Well it worked. Instead of me describing the events I will just post this brilliant compilation of Ireland's World Cup campaign.



Then we had Gazza's tears in the semi-finals, where he picked up his second yellow card and would miss the final, very, very harsh, with the German rolling round on the floor like he'd just been shot, and England losing on penalties (which little did we know then wouldn't be the last time).

And who can forget the spitting incident involving the Netherlands v Germany in the first KO stage.

And onto the final, where Argentina would play West Germany. Which was a little bit like going to the doctors and being asked "would you rather be diagnosed with cancer or aids?". Well I chose West Germany. The final wasn't a great game, it was marred by Klinsmann diving - his cheating doesn't get talked about nearly enough these days. But all the same it was funny watching Maradona and his troops crying and shoving the referee when the final whistle went. So at least some poetic justice was done for 4 years earlier, but it should have been England whooping them (fairly) in the final. If I ever become FIFA president, believe you me, there will be a few World Cups rescinded, and that will be the first. And Argentina's in 86 will come a close 2nd.

The statto's counter argument for it NOT being a great WC is the low goal per game average over the tournament. Well.. they need to shove their stat books up their arse, because football isn't just about goals, it is about emotion, it is about feeling, it is about drama, it is about tension, it is about the tears, it is about the controversy, it is where fairytales get made and heroes become knighted. That's what you can't find in a stat book.

And I haven't even mentioned many other memorable things, like Schillaci's goals, even Scotland were there, well it is all too much for just one post so I will just sign out with the greatest World Cup song of all time by New Order.

1998 of all the ones I've seen in my lifetime. You had great players doing great things - Bergkamp, Ronaldo, Zidane, Salas, Ortega, Suker, Vieri. You had high quality football and plenty of great games throughout with late drama. Accessible times to watch matches as well, being held in France. Good atmosphere.

2014 would be a close second.

Oh boy. It's been half a century. Are you willing to wait another half?

Come on, is this really a question?

No World Cup will ever top the one where Schillaci scored something like 17 goals. It was insane. Every single time Schillaci's foot touched the ball it went into the net. Goal!

Yeah I know what you mean, I would have supported Cameroon against almost any other team, except maybe Ireland.  Ghana came even closer if not for Luis Suarez stopping the ball with his hand in the last minute and Ghana missing the resulting penalty, and then losing the penalty shoot-out as well.  As an England fan, I certainly know what it is like not to have the footballing gods on your side.

Hm... I couldn't stand Spain's brand of football, that annoying tiki-taka. Sure, I recognize the greatness of that strategy as a sure way to win games, but it wasn't pleasant to watch. As for the vuvuzelas, I entirely agree.

These two factors made of that World Cup a very annoying one, I think. Yes, 2014 was a much better one.