250 Classic World Cup Moments
There are far too many great World Cup moments to try and pick a top 10, so here are 121 to be going on with...
No.1 1978. Brazil v Sweden.
Welsh ref Clive Thomas disallows Zico's late header.
No.2 1994. Opening ceremony.
Diana Ross attempts a penalty.
No.3 1982. Brazil v Scotland.
Eder sure had a sweet left foot. Here's the classic Eder chip against Scotland, complete with Alan Rough's admiring glance as it floats over him.
No.4 2006. Argentina v Serbia & Montenegro.
Esteban Cambiasso scores after 24-pass move.
No.5 1962. Italy v Chile.
The Battle of Santiago, and David Coleman's classic intro...
No.6 1974. Netherlands v Sweden.
The Cruyff Turn is born.
No.7 1998. Romania v Tunisia.
Romania's players bleach their hair before the match.
No.8 2014. Netherlands v Spain.
Robin van Persie's diving header.
No.9 1990. Cameroon v Colombia.
Roger Milla goals & corner flag celebration.
No.10 2002. Brazil v Turkey.
Rivaldo goes down at a corner like a sack of spuds.
No.11 1986. Mexico v Bulgaria.
Manual Negrete's scissor kick for the hosts.
No.12 1982. N.Ireland v Spain.
Gerry Armstrong scores as N.Ireland beat the hosts.
No.13 1970. Brazil v Uruguay.
Undoubtedly one of greatest goals not scored, as Pele brilliantly dummies round the keeper, but then misses as he puts his shot past the post!
No.14 2010. Spain v Netherlands.
No red for de Jong despite Kung Fu kicking Xabi Alonso
No.15 1950. USA v England.
England stunned by USA defeat.
No.16 1982. Poland v Belgium.
Superb hat-trick from Boniek.
No.17 1978. Argentina v Everyone they played.
Tickertape snowstorm welcome.
No.18 2014. Colombia v Uruguay.
James Rodriguez volley. Wow.
No.19 1994. Republic of Ireland v Italy.
Ray Houghton lobs Gianluca Pagliuca.
No.20 1982. France v W.Germany.
Ref gives nothing as Schumacher launches into Battiston
No.21 1974. W.Germany v Netherlands.
Der Bomber swivels brilliantly to score the winner
No.22 2002. Turkey v South Korea.
Hakan Sükür scores quickest World Cup goal ever, in 11 seconds.
No.23 1966. North Korea v Italy.
Pak Doo-ik scores as North Korea beat Italy. "They shook the world!"
No.24 1986. Uruguay v Scotland.
José Batista gets the fastest ever red card, after just 56 seconds.
No.25 2006. Croatia v Australia.
English referee Graham Poll shows three yellow cards to Croatian defender Josip Šimunic.
No.26 1970. England v Brazil.
Gordon Banks save from Pelé's header.
No.27 1990. Italy v Czechoslovakia.
Roberto Baggio's goal after great inter-play with Giuseppe Giannini.
No.28 2010. Uruguay v Ghana.
Luis Suárez denies certain victory for "the Black Stars" with a handball deep into extra-time.
No.29 1998. Netherlands v Argentina.
Dennis Bergkamp's incredible control and sublime finish for a 90th minute winner.
No.30 1958. Brazil v Wales.
Pelé's first ever World Cup goal.
No.31 1978. Brazil v Argentina
Nelinho bends one into the far corner.
No.32 2014. Australia v Netherlands
Tim Cahill lets a long ball drop over his shoulder before unleashing a superb volley.
No.33 1994. Brazil v Netherlands
Bebeto's goal and 'cradle' celebration
No.34 1982. England v France
Bryan Robson hooks home a goal after just 27 seconds.
No.35 1974. Zaire v Brazil
Mwepu Ilunga leathers Brazil's free-kick.
No.36 2002. Uruguay v Denmark
Darío Rodríguez gets set up beautifully for an incredible left foot volley.
No.37 1966. Argentina v England
Antonio Rattín initially refuses to leave the pitch after he gets sent off in the quarter final.
No.38 1986. Brazil v N.Ireland
Best outstretched-arms celebration ever, as Josimar marks his debut with a screamer.
No.39 2006. France v Italy
Zidane headbutts Materazzi in extra-time of the final.
No.40 1970. Brazil v Czechoslovakia
Jairzinho eaves his way through the Czech defence to score a cracker.
No.41 1990. Argentina v Cameroon
Claudio Caniggia manages to hurdle two challenges, but not Benjamin Massing.
No.42 2010. Nigeria v South Korea
Yakubu misses an absolute sitter.
No.43 1998. England v Argentina
18 year old Michael Owen slaloms through the middle of the Argentinian defence to make it 2:1.
No.44 1962. Brazil v England
Garrincha's backheel. Talk about ahead of its time. No-one was doing this back in England.
No.45 1978. Scotland v Netherlands
Archie Gemmill's wonder goal gives Scotland some hope.
No.46 2014. Germany v Argentina
Mario Götze chests and then volleys home in extra-time of the final.
No.47 1994. Romania v Colombia
Gheorghe Hagi lobs the keeper from way out on the left.
No.48 1982. Hungary v El Salvador
Hungary put 10 past El Salvador.
No.49 1974. Brazil v East Germany
Rivelino hammers home a free-kick as a team-mate ducks to create a gap in the wall.
No.50 2002. Senegal v France
Senegal shock the holders in the opening match.
No.51 1966. England v Mexico
Bobby Charlton's run and 30 yard screamer.
No.52 1986. England v Morocco
Raymondo Wilkins is sent off for throwing the ball towards the ref.
No.53 2006. Argentina v Mexico
Incredible volley from Maxi Rodriguez in extra-time.
No.54 1970. Italy v W.Germany
The semi-final, known as the "Game of the Century", sees 5 goals scored in an epic extra-time.
No.55 1990. Colombia v Cameroon
René Higuita gets caught out by Roger Milla trying to showcase some of his skills.
No.56 2010. South Africa v Mexico
Siphiwe Tshabalala scores a beauty for the hosts in the Tournament opener.
No.57 1998. Iran v USA
Iran shock the United States to win their first ever World Cup match.
No.58 1954. West Germany v Hungary
"The Miracle of Bern". Hungary, unbeaten in 4 years, come unstuck in the final.
No.59 1978. Argentina v Netherlands
Mario Kempes dashes through in extra-time to put the hosts into the lead.
No.60 2014. Netherlands v Spain
Holders Spain are thrashed 5:1 by the Netherlands.
No.61 1994. Bulgaria v Germany
Yordan Letchkov's brilliant diving header beats Germany.
No.62 1982. Brazil v USSR
Sócrates' dummies twice before smashing in an absolute cracker.
No.63 1974. Haiti v Italy
Haiti use their pace to take the lead against Italy.
No.64 2002. Brazil v England.
Ronaldinho beats David Seaman from about 40 yards out.
No.65 1966. Portugal v North Korea
Eusébio scores four as they come back from 3:0 down against North Korea.
No.66 1986. Argentina v England
Maradona's "goal of the century".
No.67 2006. England v Sweden
Joe Cole's incredible volley.
No.68 1970. Brazil v Czechoslovakia
Pelé shoots from the half-way line, but it just misses.
No.69 1990. Netherlands v West Germany
Frank Rijkaard gets sent off and then spits at Rudi Völler.
No.70 2010. England v Germany
Frank Lampard scores a beauty but the ref fails to spot it !
No.71 1998. Jamaica v Japan
Jamaica win their first ever match at the World Cup finals as Theodore Whitmore scores twice.
No.72 1962. Brazil v Mexico
Pelé's goal against Mexico
No.73 1978. Peru v Poland
Crazy keeper Ramón "El Loco" Quiroga somehow finds himself in Poland's half and takes out Grzegorz Lato !
No.74 2014. Germany v Brazil
The hosts are hammered in the semi! It felt like if they'd really wanted to, Germany could have scored 10.
No.75 1994. Argentina v Greece
Not just one of the most iconic Maradona moments, but one of the most iconic World Cup moments, as Maradona's great goal is matched by his manic celebration.
No.76 1982. Kuwait v France
Giresse scores. Kuwait protest about a mysterious whistle. Prince Fahid enters the pitch and gets the goal disallowed !
No.77 1974. East Germany v West Germany
Sparwasser strikes as East beats West.
No.78 2002. Republic of Ireland v Germany
Robbie Keane grabs a dramatic injury-time equaliser.
No.79 1966. Tournament Story
Pickles the dog gets rewarded for finding the stolen World Cup trophy.
No.80 1986. Argentina v England
Olarticoechea's incredible header somehow denies Lineker.
No.81 2006. Portugal v England
Ronaldo's wink after Rooney is sent off.
No.82 1970. Brazil v England
Tostao nutmegs Bobby Moore before setting up Jairzinho for the winning goal.
No.83 1990. Argentina v West Germany
Monzon takes out Klinsmann. Klinsmann does a great delayed body pop. Monzon gets red.
No.84 2010. Spain v The Netherlands
Iniesta wins the Cup in extra-time.
No.85 1998. Brazil v Denmark
Rivaldo beats Schmeichel from long range.
No.86 1962. USSR v Uruguay
USSR legend Igor Netto persuades the ref to disallow a 'goal' from Soviet striker Chislenko that had gone through the side netting.
No.87 1978. Netherlands v Italy
Netherlands take a quick free-kick and Arie Haan lets fly !
No.88 2014. Colombia v Japan
With the match all-square at 1:1 James Rodríguez comes on as a sub, sets up two goals and then scores this beautiful 4th...
No.89 1994. Saudi Arabia v Belgium
The Green Falcons advance to the knockout stage thanks to this incredible long-range dribble from Saeed Al-Owairan.
No.90 1982. Brazil v Scotland
Alan Rough can only stand and watch as Zico's free kick curls into the top corner.
No.91 1974. Netherlands v West Germany
The Germans concede a penalty in the opening minute of the final and Johann Neeskens blasts it home straight down the middle!
No.92 2002. Senegal v France
Holders France lose 1:0 in the opening match. Senegal celebrate the goal by dancing around Papa Bouba Diop's shirt.
No.93 1966. England v West Germany
Some people are on the pitch... Hurst wraps things up in the final with a fantastic hat-trick goal.
No.94 1986. Argentina v Belgium
Diego does it again, scoring another sublime solo goal, this time in the semi-final against Belgium.
No.95 2006. Italy v Germany
Fabio Grosso breaks the semi-final deadlock with a lovely curler following a sublime pass from Pirlo.
No.96 1970. Brazil v Italy
Carlos Alberto's wonder goal in the final. Simply one of the most beautiful things ever !
No.97 1990. Pre-Tournament
New Order redefine World Cup songs with World in Motion. John Barnes proves that he can rap.
No.98 2010. Netherlands v Uruguay
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst opens the scoring in the semi-final with a left foot rocket.
No.99 1998. Argentina v Netherlands
Ariel Ortega floors Edwin van der Sar.
No.100 1962. England v Brazil
Jimmy Greaves chases a dog on the pitch. Dog urinates onto him. Greavesy has to continue without changing his kit !
No.101 1978. Netherlands v West Germany
Sepp Maier can only stand and watch as Arie Haan unleashes another pile-driver.
No.102 2014. Switzerland v Honduras
Xherdan Shaqiri grabs a hat-trick, and his first goal is a belter.
No.103 1994. Russia v Cameroon
Oleg Salenko scores five goals in one match.
No.104 1982. Italy v West Germany
Marco Tardelli's goal and iconic celebration.
No.105 1974. Brazil v Netherlands
Two exponents of the beautiful game end up delivering a really dirty encounter.
No.106 2002. Mexico v Italy
Jared Borgetti's brilliant rubber-necked header.
No.107 1966. England v West Germany
Geoff Hurst's infamous 2nd goal in the final. Did it or didn't it ? Linesman Tofiq Bahramov says goal!
No.108 1986. France v Brazil
An epic minute of football. Platini plays in Bruno Bellone. Carlos rushes out to clatter him. Bellone just about stays on his feet. Ref gives nothing!
No.109 2006. England v Portugal
Rooney gets a red after stepping on Ricardo Carvalho.
No.110 1970. Pre-Tournament
Panini release the first World Cup album.
No.111 1990. Ireland v Romania
David O'Leary and Packie Bonner are the heroes as Ireland win on penalties.
No.112 2010. France v South Africa
Raymond Domenech's France finish bottom of their group with just 1 point as Anelka's sent home and other players want a rebellion!
No.113 1998. Paraguay v Bulgaria
Legendary goal-scoring keeper José Luis Chilavert nearly scores from a free-kick.
No.114 1938. Italy v France
On Benito Mussolini's orders, the Italian team take to the pitch for the quarter-final match dressed in black shirts.
No.115 1978. Argentina v Peru
Argentina, needing to win by a margin of 4 goals to reach the final, score 6.
No.116 2014. Spain v Australia
David Villa open the scoring with a lovely reversed flick.
No.117 1994. Mexico v Everyone
El Tri Goalkeeper Jorge Campos wears the loudest kit ever!
No.118 1982. Brazil v USSR
Falcao's dummy. Eder flicks it up and volleys the ball passed Dasayev.
No.119 1974. West Germany Pre-Tournament
Coach Helmut Schön threatens to replace 22 man squad with second-string squad after players demanded a large bonus if they won the World Cup
No.120 2002. Ireland Pre-Tournament
Roy Keane leaves the Ireland squad.
No.121 1966. England v Portugal
Bobby Charlton scores two fine goals.
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