The World Cup in Brazil is coming into view and everyone is hoping this summer's carnival can take its place among some of the great tournaments of the past.
That won't be easy though, as this series will testify. In the
run-up to the tournament, we're counting down the 100 greatest
World Cup moments.
Check out our latest instalment below, and for any you missed,
see the gallery at the end of the article.
Rivaldo play-acting for Brazil in 2002
Simultaneously one of the funniest and most despicable World Cup
moments.
During Brazil's group match with Turkey in 2002, the Samba Boys
were awarded a corner. With Rivaldo demanding the ball, Hakan Unsal
petulantly kicked it towards him, hitting the Brazilian on the
leg.
Rivaldo saw his opportunity.
He collapsed to the ground, holding his face as though he had
been snipered by a masked gunman. What made it worse was the
referee fell for it, sending off Unsal for his apparent
misdemeanour. Rivaldo was later fined by Fifa.
England can rightfully be accused of finding excuses when they've been knocked out of the World Cup. Whether it was Sol Campbell's disallowed header, Ronaldinho's fluke or bad luck on penalties, the England team tend to find some excuse, rather than admitting they were beaten fair and square. But in 1986, they did have a case. We are, of course, referring to the ‘hand of god’. We all know the details, and even though Maradona would go on to score one of the greatest goals of all-time just minutes later, his cheating antics continue to leave a sour taste in English mouths.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INCIDENT GETTY IMAGES
World Cup songs are as much a part of the Finals as injury scares, penalties and the excessive drinking of lager. Yet it's rare that they get it right. In fact, it's only truly happened the once (Baddiel and Skinner's 'Three Lions On A Shirt' was for the Euros). New Order's World in Motion was a true classic. A genuinely good song was combined with some memorable cameos by members of England's 1990 World Cup squad - most notably John Barnes' rap.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO
GETTY IMAGES
When Iran were drawn in the same group as the USA at the 1998 World Cup, it was immediately billed as a grudge match between two nations who failed to see eye-to-eye on a political level.
Just before kick-off, the two captains exchanged gifts like it was Christmas day - but once the action got underway, it was clear both teams were desperate to win.
In the end, Iran upset the odds to prevail 2-1. The result eliminated the US and sparked wild celebrations in Tehran.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nation's spiritual leader, said in a message to his team: ''Tonight, again, the strong and arrogant opponent felt the bitter taste of defeat at your hands.''
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
Wales have made just one World Cup appearance, and when they did so back in 1958, they needed some good fortune to make it. They finished second in their qualifying group behind Czechoslovakia and were therefore not going. But unrest in the Middle East saw Egypt and Sudan refuse to play against Israel, who were subsequently named winners of their group. With FIFA unhappy with this outcome, a play-off featuring Israel and a European runner-up was organised. Wales were the lucky team picked out of the hat to play them and they would go on to comfortably beat Israel over two-legs. When they reached the tournament in Sweden, they gave an excellent account of themselves, going through the group stage unbeaten. Jimmy Murphy's side drew all three games before beating Hungary 2-1 in a play-off. That set up a tantalising quarter-final with eventual winners Brazil. A 17-year-old Pele scored the only goal of the game with a sublime finish and Wales were out - but they left with their heads held high.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF WALES' QUARTER-FINAL WITH BRAZIL
GETTY IMAGES
The 1982 World Cup was won by Italy, who overcame Germany 3-1 in the final at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. The enduring image came from Marco Tardelli. A quick ball across the box was controlled with a deft touch before it was smashed into the bottom corner. Not only was it a goal of top quality, but the celebration that followed was of near equal merit. The reaction of Tardelli expressed perfectly just how much the goal meant, both to himself and the joyous Italians.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE MOMENT
GETTY IMAGES
During England's quarter-final with Brazil at the 1962 World Cup there was a pitch invasion of the canine variety. A few minutes into the match a stray dog came onto the field, and proved even harder to tackle than Pele. After escaping the advances of Brazilian goalkeeper Gilmar and then Garrincha, Jimmy Greaves stepped in. The England striker got down on all fours before wrestling the dog to the ground and handing it over to the officials. But during the incident, the dog urinated all over Greaves and he was forced to play the rest of the match smelling of dog wee. Legend has it that Brazil star Garrincha found the incident so amusing, he later adopted the dog.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INCIDENT
When the World Cup went to the USA in 1994, observers thought that while they might not know a lot about football, they at least knew how to put on a show. This was the land that brought us the Super Bowl half-time show and Hollywood blockbusters. So when it came to the opening ceremony - hopes were high. Yet what is best remembered is the moment Diana Ross had, what would now be referred to as, a 'kicking malfunction'. With the task of kicking a ball into an open goal, the singing diva put it wide from 10 yards. What made it all the more embarrassing was how the goal theatrically split in two - presumably to make it look as though Ross' shot had broken the net. Apart from, it clearly hadn't - the ball was closer to the corner flag.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE MOMENT
GETTY IMAGES
Before the 1998 World Cup, Beckham was still a rising star. His relationship with Victoria was blossoming and his career at Manchester United was taking shape. Yet post tournament, everyone knew who he was, and not only that, most people hated him. An excellent tournament, in which he scored his first goal for England, imploded in one crazy moment against Argentina. Lying on the floor, Beckham kicked out at Diego Simeone. The referee saw the incident and showed him a straight red card. At the time, England were level with Argentina and if anything were on top. But Beckham's red card changed the game and eventually England were beaten. Beckham was blamed for England's failure, effigies were burnt and years of abuse followed. The Beckham story had truly begun.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MOMENT
GETTY IMAGES
One of the most bizarre World Cup moments occurred in 1982 during Kuwait's match with France. The French were winning 3-1 when Alain Giresse blasted in another when the Kuwaiti defenders were rooted to the spot. The Arab team said they stopped upon hearing a mysterious whistle from the stands. When the referee ignored their pleas, Prince Fahid, the Kuwaiti FA president decided to get involved, coming down from his seat in the stands to remonstrate with the referee. Incredibly, the ref gave into his demands and disallowed the goal. Kuwait lost the match 4-1 anyway, but referee Miroslav Stupar was banned from officiating and Prince Fahid was fined £8,000.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INCIDENT
Simultaneously one of the funniest and most despicable World Cup moments. During Brazil's group match with Turkey in 2002, the Samba Boys were awarded a corner. With Rivaldo demanding the ball, Hakan Unsal petulantly kicked it towards him, hitting the Brazilian on the leg. Rivaldo saw his opportunity. He collapsed to the ground, holding his face as though he had been snipered by a masked gunman. What made it worse was the referee fell for it, sending off Unsal for his apparent misdemeanour. Rivaldo was later fined by FIFA.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MOMENT
GETTY IMAGES
Korea feature further back in the countdown for their ability to throw away a 3-0 lead. That happened in the 1966 World Cup, and saw their tournament come to an end. Yet prior to that, they produced arguably the greatest upset in history. Playing Italy in the final group game, a single goal from Pak Doo-Ik at Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park was enough to win the match for Korea and send Italy crashing out of the World Cup.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS
GETTY IMAGES
England's group stage clash with Brazil at the 1970 World Cup has gone down as one of the finest ever matches. Although the score was only 1-0, it was a match packed with incidences and football of the highest calibre. Gordon Banks' save in the same match is at the No. 18 in the countdown, but here we remember Bobby Moore's challenge on Jairzinho. The moment saw England's World Cup winning hero pitting his wits against one of the finest footballers to ever walk the planet. Brazil made a quick break and Jairzinho picked the ball up on the half way line before proceeding to run at incredible pace towards Moore. But England's captain was unfazed. He tracked the Brazilian all the way and as the two moved into the box, Moore made his move. His challenge was so precise and clean, the ball stayed where it was, Jairzinho went flying, and Moore stood up and passed the ball calmly out of defence. It was defending at its most beautiful.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TACKLE
When David Beckham et al failed to show England in a positive light at the 2006 World Cup, that responsibility fell to, er, Graham Poll. With some top notch decision making, England's 'best' referee would prove to the world the English weren't entirely clueless when it came to the beautiful game. But things went wrong when he booked Josip Simunic during the match between Croatia and Australia not once, not twice, but thrice before sending him off. Poll looked like an idiot and the 'World Cup circus' that was 2006 had found its clown.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH GRAHAM POLL IN ACTION
GETTY IMAGES
Goalkeepers tend to be an eccentric bunch, but none more so than Columbia's Rene Higuita. He's the guy who performed 'the scorpion' in front of a shocked Wembley crowd in a friendly against England. On that occasion his fancy footwork elevated him to fan favourite - but at the 1990 World Cup - he made himself a laughing stock. 1-0 down in extra time against Cameroon, Higuita came well out of his box to help push his team forward. But when trying to get the ball under control, we was robbed by Roger Milla who stormed down the other end to poke it in. Scorpion to cockroach in a matter of seconds.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MAD MOMENTS OF HIGUITA
GETTY IMAGES
The stage was set for a fairy-tale end to the glittering career of Zinedine Zidane. Here was one of the greatest players of all time playing in his last ever game. One more win and he would be lifting the World Cup. When Italy and France were level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the game went into extra-time, and this was where the tale took a wicked turn. Zidane, apparently provoked by Marco Materazzi, walked calmly over to the Italian defender. He then rammed his head into Materazzi's chest, knocking him to the ground. France's captain was sent off, his team would lose on penalties, and Zidane's extraordinary career was finished in extraordinary fashion.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INCIDENT GETTY IMAGES
The 1970 World Cup tends to conjure images of Gordon Banks' save and the imperious Brazil squad that would go on to win the tournament in Mexico. Yet arguably the greatest moment of the tournament was the semi-final between Italy and West Germany - now referred to by the countries involved as the 'Game of the Century'. The huge Aztec Stadium, with an attendance of 102,000, was the venue for the game. Italy took an early lead through Roberto Boninsegna and looked to have done enough before Karl-Heinz Schnellinger scored an injury-time equaliser for the Germans. The endurance test that was extra-time was a real roller-coaster. Gerd Muller put the Germans ahead before two goals from the Italians gave them back the advantage. Muller was on target again to level the scores at 3-3, but as television replays were showing the goal, Gianni Rivera scored the decisive goal for the Italians. Almost straight from the restart, the Italians moved the ball down the left flank before Rivera was found unmarked in the box. He hit it first time and it was enough to send his team to the final.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS
GETTY IMAGES
When England faced the USA in their opening group stage match in 1950, the pre-match expectation was solelyon three points. It was the first time the two sides had faced each-other in a major finals, but things didn't go according to plan. A single goal from Joe Gaetjens in the 38th minute was the difference at the Estadio Independencia as the United States recorded a memorable upset. From a state-side perspective, the victory was momentous enough to be turned into a movie. The Miracle Match received lukewarm reviews - at least in England anyway.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MIRACLE ON GRASS
Getty
Great friends off the pitch they may be, but at the 2006 finals, Cristiano Ronaldo could not help but show his delight when Wayne Rooney was sent off. England's talisman was rightly shown the red card in the quarter-final with Portugal after he stamped on Ricardo Carvalho. As the Manchester United striker trudged off the pitch, his club team-mate gave a cheeky wink to the Portuguese bench.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MOMENT
GETTY IMAGES
Argentina looked like the team of the tournament in 2006. Or at least until they were knocked out in the quarter-finals. Midfield general Juan Roman Riquelme played like a quarter-back, with the team revolving around his assured passing. Argentina's slick movement and inventiveness was best encapsulated with Esteban Cambiasso's goal during the 6-0 drubbing of Serbia. 26-passes and a master class in movement off the ball led to Cambiasso's drilled effort into the top corner to score one of the great World Cup goals.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
On their way to a second successive World Cup win in 1938, the Italians caused a moment of great controversy. It was the last tournament before World War II and the Italians lined up against France in the quarter-finals. Those attending the game were ready to jeer Italy in protest at the country's fascist leanings, and the Italians did little to calm the situation. On Mussolini's orders, the team took to the field in black shirts (they were supposed to be wearing white), a symbol of the feared and hated Italian fascist paramilitary. And on top of that, they also performed the fascist salute before kick-off. They went on to win the match 3-1 and after winning the tournament, held on to the trophy for 12 years before the competition was resumed.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MATCH... Be warned, it's not quite HD!
GETTY IMAGES
The 1998 World Cup final was overshadowed by the strange circumstances surrounding Ronaldo's exclusion from, and then inclusion in, the starting line-up. After a wonderful tournament, it was a sad end. So when the next tournament came around, Ronaldo was desperate to shine, and shine he did. The goofy striker scored in every single game, except the 2-1 win over England in the quarter-finals. He had four goals after the group stage and then had a hand in the 2-0 win over Belgium in the second round. Sporting a ludicrous haircut, Ronaldo was to score the only goal in the semi-final win over Turkey before lining up in the final against Germany. In the first half, he missed three gilt-edged chances. There were fears that his anonymous display in the 1998 final may be repeating itself. But in the second half he scored the only two goals of the game. He ended with a tally of eight goals for the tournament, won the Golden Boot, and etched his name into World Cup folklore.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FINAL
GETTY IMAGES
Jack Charlton was the first to lose it. With the scorching weather at USA '94, the Republic of Ireland boss wanted to get some water on the pitch for his players - but FIFA officials refused. So Big Jack went potty, storming up and down the touchline, looking much like he needed a drink himself. If anything, the incident proved once and for all that Englishmen should never wear baseball caps. In Ireland's next match, it was John Aldridge's turn to flip out. During the tournament, if a team made a substitution, a form needed to be filled out and given to the fourth official. But for some reason, a faceless bureaucrat from FIFA stepped in and took the form away. As a result, Aldridge wasn't allowed on to the pitch, even though another player had come off. The striker flipped out, and very audibly made his opinions known. When he finally got on, it was Charlton's turn to have a go. The images of the Ireland boss confronting the blue-jacketed yellow-cap wearing official were priceless. Charlton was fined and banished from the touchline for getting in a temper.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH TEMPERS FRAY
GETTY IMAGES
Bryan Robson scored the fastest goal in World Cup history during the 1982 tournament (until Hakan Sukur came along in 2002). In England's opening match against France, Captain Marvel scored after just 27 seconds. A Rory Delap style long-throw would be met at the far post by an unmarked Robson, who half-volleyed it into the net. It was the first of two for Robson as England went on to win the match 3-1.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
At the age of 33 his star was fading, yet Diego Maradona still made a massive impact on the 1994 World Cup, even if it was for the wrong reasons. He only played in two games, before he was sent home from the USA-hosted tournament in disgrace. The pint-sized genius failed a drug test following Argentina's match with Nigeria. He would later blame the positive result on an energy drink, but the incident brought an end to his love affair with the competition. Post tournament, many people pointed to his celebration after scoring against Greece as evidence of his drug abuse.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH MARADONA'S GOAL CELEBRATION
GETTY IMAGES
Scotland's greatest World Cup moment came against the Dutch at the 1978 Finals. To guarantee progress from their group, Ally MacLeod's side needed to win by three goals - no easy task. And it got worse when they went 1-0 down after 34 minutes. Kenny Dalglish pulled one back just before half-time and Archie Gemmill put the Scots into the lead. But it was his next goal that will forever be remembered. Gemmill picked up the ball on the right and with his first touch skipped past one defender. He then cut in on goal, beating another man before fooling two more to go in on goal. One-on-one, he was calm enough to take another touch before unleashing the ball past the keeper. It was a goal of top class and one that had Scotland in touching distance of the next round. Unfortunately they conceded a couple of minutes later and their time in the tournament came to an end.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL GETTY IMAGES
Before the 2006 World Cup kicked-off, fans of the host nation Germany were less than enamoured with their team. Poor results, a squad of underperforming stars and a manager who resided in America meant the team were given little hope. Yet once the tournament got underway, the mood began to noticeably shift. An exciting opening 4-2 win against Costa Rica and then two further victories during the group stage gave the fans reason to believe. Germany began to back their team and the atmosphere surrounding their matches swelled the feeling and passion of the tournament. A great win over Sweden and then a penalties victory over Argentina followed. Germany were in the semi-final, but the fairytale came to an end when they were defeated by eventual winners Italy in the dying minutes of extra-time.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF GERMANY V ITALY
GETTY IMAGES
He was the star of the 1974 World Cup, but Johan Cruyff refused to travel to South America for the next instalment. At the time the reasons given were political, the Dutch master disagreeing with the dictatorship in power in Argentina. Later, Cruyff would say the reasons for his international retirement were kidnap threats to his family. Either way, Holland still reached the final, but were beaten by hosts Argentina. Had Cruyff have been there, they may just have clinched their first ever World Cup and ended one of the great peculiarities of the tournament.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 1978 FINAL
GETTY IMAGES
On two occasions, teams have come back from three goals down. Austria did it against Switzerland in 1954, but it is Portugal's comeback against Korea DPR in 1966 that makes our 100 moments. The Koreans were the surprise package of the tournament, having advanced from the group stage thanks to a shock 1-0 win over Italy. Next up was Portugal, with the winners reward a place in the semi-finals against England. Few gave Korea a hope before the game, believing they had already over-reached their potential in the tournament. But the 51,000 in attendance at Goodison Park were stunned when after just 25 minutes the Koreans were 3-0 up. The Liverpool crowd were loving it, preferring a meeting with the Koreans for their beloved England, rather than Portugal. Yet it wasn't to be, thanks to the exploits of Eusébio (the eventual Golden Boot winner) who was in the form of his life. He hit back with four goals before José Augusto made sure of the win with the fifth on 80 minutes.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS
GETTY IMAGES
Ireland's preparations for the 2002 World Cup were a shambles, brought on by of all people, their captain. Roy Keane, unsatisfied by the training methods ahead of the tournament let his feelings be known to manager Mick McCarthy, who later claimed in his diary that he had "never seen any human being act like this before, never mind a footballer." Keane apparently told him: "I didn't rate you as a player, I don't rate you as a manager and I don't rate you as a person." McCarthy sent his best player home, Keane vowed he'd never return, and a dog called Triggs was taken on a lot of walks.
GETTY IMAGES
The final group game meant a win for West Germany over Austria would see both teams progress to the next round at the expense of Algeria. So when Horst Hrubesch gave the Germans the lead after 10 minutes, both teams decided it wasn't worth trying for the next 80. One of the worst ever games was played out in what was an obvious fix. Algeria protested but FIFA turned a blind eye and the result was allowed to stand.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MATCH
GETTY IMAGES
Bobby Charlton was one of the stars of England's World Cup charge, so much so that the Manchester United legend also picked up the European Footballer of the Year that year. Yet it was his contribution in the semi-final against Portugal that was the most important of his many fine performances. He scored two goals, meaning Eusebio's late penalty wasn't enough to stop the hosts marching on. Charlton's first was a cooly taken side footed finish, while his second was a sweetly struck shot after Geoff Hurst had pulled the ball back.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
GETTY IMAGES
The generally accepted tradition of scoring a hat-trick means the player keeps the match ball. A rather nice reminder it seems. So when Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final, he must have been pretty desperate to get his hands on it. Yet it was gone. West Germany striker Helmut Haller, who scored the opening goal of the final, disappeared with the ball under his arm. Years later Hurst admitted he'd made a mistake not laying a greater claim to it at the time. But around 30 years later, campaigns from a pair of tabloid newspapers saw Haller return the ball to its rightful owner. The frontpage headline when it was returned read: "World exclusive. They think it's all over... it's his now. The Daily Mirror gets Geoff his ball back".
GETTY IMAGES
The Germans looked a safe bet to progress from their quarter-final tie with Bulgaria at the 1994 World Cup. But they hadn't banked on playing a side inspired by Hristo Stoitchkov. That year the striker was named European Footballer of the Year in recognition of his remarkable tournament. Yet the man who scored the decisive goal in Bulgaria's 2-1 win over the Germans was journeyman midfielder Yordan Letchkov. 'The Magician' scored an audacious header with 12 minutes to play.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH LETCHKOV'S GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
During the 1930 World Cup semi-final between the United States and Argentina, the north Americans were taking a kicking in more ways than one. They would go on to lose the match 6-1, but it was also a ferocious match with numerous poor challenges flying in. One particularly bad tackle required USA trainer Jack Coll to enter the pitch to give some treatment. As he trotted onto the grass he dropped his medical bag, and in doing so, broke a container of chloroform. The fumes knocked him out, and as a result it was he, rather than the player he went to treat, that needed carrying off the pitch.
GETTY IMAGES
South Korea's run to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals was remarkable. Along the way they disposed of Portugal, Italy and Spain and it was the match against the Italians that caught the most attention. The hosts beat Italy thanks to a Golden Goal from Ahn Jung-Hwan, who at the time was plying his trade at Perugia. Soon after the game, the president of his club came out and said "That gentleman will never set foot in Perugia again. He was a phenomenon only when he played against Italy. I am a nationalist and I regard such behaviour not only as an affront to Italian pride but also an offence to a country which two years ago opened its doors to him. I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian soccer." And indeed, Jung-Hwan never played for the club again.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MATCH, INCLUDING THAT GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
The German midfielder Lothar Matthaus holds the record for the most appearances in the World Cup. In total, the former Inter Milan and Bayern Munich general played 25 matches in the tournament. His crowning moment came in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where he spurred his side to victory. As captain of the side, he personally scored four goals before lifting the trophy after victory over Argentina in the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH MATTHAUS IN ACTION
GETTY IMAGES
After beating England in the group stages of the 1998 World Cup, it's as if the power went to the Romanians heads, literally. The entire team dyed their hair blonde, giving them the appearance of extras in a Slim Shady music video. The plan was supposed to bring them good luck - but they were dumped out of the tournament in the second round by Croatia - providing more than enough ammunition for a few blonde jokes.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE ROMANIANS IN ACTION
GETTY IMAGES
When pint-sized Argentina striker Ariel Ortega head-butted lanky Dutchman Edwin van der Sar, it seemed to defy the laws of physics. The episode occurred in the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup. Ortega, known affectionately as The Little Donkey, took a dive in the Netherlands box, to which van der Sar reacted furiously. The then Ajax keeper ran over to confront the Argentine, who stood up and somehow made contact with van der Sar's face. Cue the obligatory collapse-to-the-ground-as-if-you've-been-shot routine and with that Ortega was shown the red card.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INCIDENT
GETTY IMAGES
During the group stages of the 1982 World Cup, pre-tournament favourites Brazil found themselves a goal down to the Soviet Union. But the samba-boys weren't to be outdone, hitting back in typically breathtaking style. The equaliser came from captain Socrates, a 25 yard screamer into the top corner after a couple of feints. However, as great as Socrates' strike was, it was upstaged just few minutes later by Eder's winner. A diagonal ball into the centre by substitute Paulo Isidoro was dummied by Falcao, before Eder ran onto it, flicked it up and volleyed it straight into the back of the net. A stunning effort that is now commonly regarded as the goal of the tournament.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
The 1958 World Cup is remembered as the tournament where the world first got a glimpse of Pele, who was making his debut appearance at a Finals. Yet at the tournament in Sweden, the host nation's run to the final was a remarkable achievement. The Swedish side were not fancied before the tournament but came through their group which included Hungary and Mexico. They then defeated the Soviet Union before coming through a memorable semi-final against West Germany. Erich Juskowiak became the first German player to be sent off in an international game before their captain Fritz Walter got injured. As substitutes weren't introduced until the 1970 World Cup, the Germans were hugely weakened. Sweden won the match 3-1 and set up a final with Brazil in Solna. Beating Pele's Brazil was a task too far, and the host nation were beaten 5-2 - but Eric Person's side proved once again the advantages of playing on home soil. After lifting the World Cup, the Brazilian players honoured the host nation by sprinting around the pitch holding a Swedish flag.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FINAL
GETTY IMAGES
When this match was shown on British television, it was introduced with the warning: "this is the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football, possibly in the history of the game". And the presenter wasn't exaggerating. The game has since become known as the 'Battle of Santiago' and involved red cards, dreadful tackles and the police being called upon to intervene. The game took place at the 1962 World Cup in a clash between Chile and Italy. Tensions were raised prior to kick off when a couple of Italian journalists described Santiago in rather crude terms. The articles were then heavily edited for the local press and distorted the Italians' words in such a way that the resentment towards Chile's opponents prior to kick-off was palpable. So when the game got underway, there were fears things might boil over. And they weren't wrong. It took just 12 seconds for the first foul and what followed was the most unsavoury World Cup game of all time. Italy's Giorgio Ferrini was sent off after 12 minutes, and when he didn't leave the pitch, was dragged off by police. Punches and kicks flew later in the game, with another Italian, Mario David also sent off. Humberto Maschio had his nose broken when Leonel Sanchez of Chile sent a left hook his way, and amid all the scuffles and spitting, the police intervened three times. Chile won the match, but the scoreline was by-the-by in such an ill-tempered match.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE BATTLE OF SANTIAGO
GETTY IMAGES
The Dutch are widely considered to be the best team never to have lifted the World Cup, and that was never so true as in 1974. Under the guidance of Rinus Michels, the Oranje played their Total Football style to near-perfection. Positions were rendered meaningless as the players simply did what was necessary of them. If they needed to attack, they attacked. If a player was called on to defend, they defended. It made for an incredibly exciting team to watch, but if individuals were singled out, it would be the legendary Johan Cruyff. He's the subject of this countdown moment with a move so sublime it's since been named after him - the Cruyff turn. Football fans love a trick and this one was particularly smooth. The world first got a glimpse when Cruyff performed it against Sweden, and since that moment it's become a regular sight upon the football field. Holland would reach the final that year, but were beaten by West Germany 2-1.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CRUYFF TURN GETTY IMAGES
England's 2010 World Cup campaign came to a disappointing end in the Round of 16, where the Three Lions were dumped out by the old enemy Germany. The final result was 4-1, but the match is much more memorable for Frank Lampard's 'goal that wasn't'. With the score at 2-1, England were losing but far from out, and Lampard tried a speculative effort that left the goalkeeper scrambling. The ball hit the underside of the bar, bounced down, before the goalkeeper scooped the ball away to safety. England players were aghast, replays showed that the ball had crossed the line - substantially so - but still, the referee deemed that the goal would not stand. England went on to lose but will forever look back at what might have been.
WATCH THE MOMENT HERE:
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INCIDENT
Getty Images
Every World Cup provides some classic goals, and in 1990, one of them was scored by England's own David Platt. The goal in question came against Belgium in the second round, and while it was not only a goal of top class, it was also a goal of massive importance. With the match at 0-0, and just a minute from going to penalties, England were awarded a free-kick. The ball was floated in and would drop behind the defence. With his back to goal, Platt swivelled, hit the ball on the volley and thumped it past the goalkeeper. Cue wild celebrations and Platt with a grin so big he looked like The Joker from Batman.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
The 1998 World Cup in France saw 18-year-old Liverpool wonder-kid Michael Owen break onto the international stage. After forcing his way into the team during the group stage, he was given a start against the almighty Argentina in the second round. And on 16 minutes he produced arguably the goal of the tournament. A fine touch as he received the ball on the half-way line saw him tear off towards goal with blistering pace. Leaving his marker for dead, he then zoomed past the next Argentinean, taking the ball to the right side of the penalty box. Then, without hesitation he crashed the ball into the back of the net with a venomous finish. Forget the subsequent injury problems and ill-judged transfer moves. In this single moment, Michael Owen produced one of England's finest World Cup moments.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
Taking part in his first World Cup, Pele quickly caught the world's attention with his goals and the all-round ability he displayed in 1958. His greatest moment of the tournament came in the final against the hosts Sweden. In the 55th minute, the ball comes in from the left. Under pressure, Pele controls the ball on his chest. With his next touch he chips it over the head of an oncoming defender. And before the ball hits the ground, he volleys it straight into the bottom corner. It was the first of two goals for the legend as Brazil went on to win the match 5-2.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GOAL
GETTY IMAGES
From beginning to end, England's 2006 World Cup campaign embodied everything that was wrong with English football, from the arrogance of the players to the celebrity hanger-oners. Before they arrived in Germany, the team were sent off with a lavish ceremony, heralding the players as heroes before they had even kicked a ball. England team-talks were being given by James Corden (admittedly this one was for charity). Once they made it to their camp in Baden-Baden, the decision by manager Sven Goran Eriksson to allow the WAGs to join them backfired spectacularly. It caused a paparazzi frenzy, with more pictures of the spouses than the team filling the papers. On the pitch England were awful, but the players refused to take the criticism, leading to a backlash against them from England fans. Ray Winstone was drafted in as some sort of ambassador for the side, even attending training sessions to 'motivate the team'. When they were inevitably knocked out, David Beckham stepped down as captain in an emotional press conference, more befitting of Hollywood than football. Rio Ferdinand later said of the tournament: "Football became a secondary element", describing it as "like a circus".
CLICK HERE TO WATCH SMITHY MEET THE ENGLAND TEAM
GETTY IMAGES
Although the first ever World Cup in 1930 was a success, it did have some problems, mainly in the form of misbehaving fans. The story goes that the referee for the final between hosts Uruguay and Argentina demanded that a boat be prepared for launch in case he needed a quick escape. Uruguay won which meant the final passed off without any trouble, although the Uruguayan consolate in Buenos Aires wasn't so lucky, and was attacked by an angry mob.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FINAL
GETTY IMAGES
India, not known for their football prowess, qualified for the 1950 World Cup. Four countries from Asia were invited to participate at the tournament in Brazil and when Burma, Philippines and Indonesia all turned down the invite, India qualified automatically. Drawn to play in the same group as Sweden, Italy and Paraguay - India refused to play. They wanted to play barefoot but when their request was turned down by FIFA - they withdrew from the tournament.
GETTY IMAGES
Not much more can be said about this moment that hasn't already been exhausted. The picture says it all. England won the World Cup. I'll say it again... England won the World Cup. The side that lifted the Jules Rimet trophy was the best team this nation has ever assembled. You can watch highlights of the 1966 final below...
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FINAL
For the other 50 greatest moments,
CLICK HERE
GETTY IMAGES
Join our new commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies