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#10 - Brazil vs Italy 1982
The 1982 FIFA World Cup saw a legendary soccer match between two of the biggest names in the sport - Brazil and Italy. This historic event went down on July 5th, 1982 at Estadio Sarriá in Barcelona.
It was a final second round group stage match for Group C, and let me tell you, it was a game for the ages! Italy emerged victorious from the game with a scoreline of 3–2, thanks to their star striker, Paolo Rossi, who scored a hat-trick.
The Brazilian team, known for their world-class skills, was eliminated from the tournament as a result of the defeat.
On the other hand, Italy went on to win the World Cup that year, cementing their place in soccer history. The match has been described as one of the greatest moments in the history of association football, and rightly so. The clash between Brazil and Italy was a perfect display of passion, skill, and determination, leaving fans and experts alike in awe.
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#9 - Brazil vs Sweden 1958
In an exciting match-up between Sweden and Brazil, it only took 4 minutes for Sweden's captain, Nils Liedholm, to score an impressive goal and take the lead. But their joy was short-lived, as Vavá equalized for Brazil just 5 minutes later. The game was intense and thrilling, and on the 32nd minute, Vavá scored again to give Brazil the edge, leading 2-1 at halftime.
The second half saw an outstanding display of soccer from Brazil, with the legendary Pelé scoring a magnificent goal just 10 minutes into the half. He dribbled past the defenders with ease, chipped the ball over one of them, and then smashed it past the helpless Swedish goalkeeper, Kalle Svensson. Brazil continued to dominate and soon went further ahead, scoring their fourth goal through Mário Zagallo midway through the second half.
Although Sweden managed to pull one back with a goal by Simonsson with 10 minutes remaining, it was too little too late. Brazil had already secured a 4-2 lead, and they were not done yet. Pelé sealed the deal with a spectacular header in stoppage time, sealing the final scoreline of 5-2 in favor of Brazil and being the first of many World Cup titles for the nation
The match was an incredible showcase of talent and skill, leaving soccer fans all over the world in awe. 17 year old Pelé's performance was particularly outstanding, and it was a performance and game that will be remembered for years to come.
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#8 - Argentina vs West Germany 1986
The 1986 FIFA World Cup final, Argentina faced off against West Germany in a highly-anticipated match. The game got off to a flying start as José Luis Brown capitalized on an error by the German Keeper Harald Schumacher to score a header and put Argentina ahead in the 23rd minute. The score remained at 1-0 going into half-time, with both teams pushing hard for a breakthrough.
In the second half, Jorge Valdano doubled Argentina's lead in the 56th minute with a clinical side-footed finish past the onrushing goalkeeper. However, West Germany refused to give up and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored his first goal of the tournament in the 74th minute to give his team a glimmer of hope. The German side then pulled level in the 81st minute with a well-placed header from Rudi Völler, setting up a tense finale.
As the game entered its closing stages, Diego Maradona, who had been heavily marked by Lothar Matthäus throughout the match, provided a moment of brilliance by playing a perfect pass to Jorge Burruchaga in the 84th minute. Burruchaga, with a clinical finish, put the ball past the advancing goalkeeper and into the back of the net to give Argentina a 3-2 lead.
The game was highly competitive, and six yellow cards were issued, which was a record number at that time, until the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. Argentina celebrated their second World Cup victory in three tournaments after having won the 1978 World Cup on home soil, and it was a memorable night for the fans who had traveled to Mexico to support their team.
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#7 - England vs West Germany 1966
The 1966 FIFA World Cup final was an unforgettable football spectacle played at Wembley Stadium in London on 30 July 1966 to determine the winner of the eighth FIFA World Cup. The match witnessed England and West Germany locking horns in a fierce battle, with England clinching the coveted Jules Rimet Trophy with a 4–2 victory in extra time. It was a historic moment as England, the host nation, claimed its first-ever World Cup victory on home soil.
The match remains etched in the annals of football history for various reasons, including Geoff Hurst's exceptional hat-trick, which was the first to be scored in a FIFA World Cup final. The game was also marred by controversy surrounding the third goal awarded to England by referee Gottfried Dienst and linesman Tofiq Bahramov. Despite this, England's narrow attacking formation, which was unconventional at the time, was praised and the team became known as the "wingless wonders". The formation, described as a 4–4–2, played a significant role in England's first and only triumph.
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#6 - Brazil vs France 1986
The match between Brazil and France in the quarterfinals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup is still remembered as a classic. Brazil took the lead through Careca in the 17th minute, but Michel Platini equalized for France just four minutes before halftime. Both teams had chances to win the game in regulation time, with the Brazilians hitting the French bar and Joel Bats saving a Zico penalty in the second half.
The game, played at the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, ended in a thrilling penalty shootout. Despite the presence of star players like Platini and Socrates, both teams missed several penalties, with Julio Cesar's miss allowing Luis Fernandez to seal a 4-3 shootout victory for France.
The reigning European champions at the time, Les Bleus advanced to the semifinals of the tournament. For Brazil, it was another disappointing end to a World Cup campaign, following their defeat to Italy in the 1982 tournament. The team, coached by Tele Santana, was known for their entertaining style of play and featured legendary players like Zico, Socrates, Falcao, and Junior, who would all retire without ever lifting the coveted World Cup trophy.
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#5 - Italy vs West Germany 1970
The 1970 FIFA World Cup semi-final clash between Italy and West Germany has earned the well-deserved moniker of "Game of the Century".
On 17 June 1970, football fans witnessed an epic showdown between Italy and West Germany at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This thrilling semi-final match has been dubbed the "Game of the Century." After a nail-biting 90 minutes, the score was tied at 1-1, leading to extra time. What followed was an extraordinary display of skill and determination as both teams battled fiercely for victory. In the end, Italy emerged triumphant with a 4-3 win, setting a record for the most goals scored during extra time in a FIFA World Cup game. Sadly, this defeat meant the end of the tournament for West Germany, while Italy advanced to the final but ultimately lost to Brazil.
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#4 - West Germany vs France 1982
The semi-finals of the 1982 FIFA World Cup between West Germany and France, held on 8 July 1982 at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in Seville, Spain, is famously known as the Night of Seville (German: Nacht von Sevilla, French: Nuit de Séville) in both countries.
The match ended in a 3-3 draw after extra time and was eventually won by West Germany 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out, marking the first time in the history of the World Cup that a shoot-out determined the outcome.
The match is considered one of the greatest football matches of all time, thanks to its intense back-and-forth drama, four goals in extra time, and a thrilling penalty shoot-out. French captain Michel Platini regards it as his "most beautiful game." Following the victory, West Germany advanced to face Italy in the final.
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#3 - Brazil vs Italy 1970
The 1970 FIFA World Cup final took place on Sunday, 21 June, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City to determine the champion of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. It was the first time in a final that two previous world champions faced each other, with Italy having won the World Cup in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962. The game ended 4-1 in a brilliant performance by the Brazilian national team which is considered as the greatest team of all time. This game made Brazil the nation with the most world cup trophies winning the tournament 3 times.
In the 1970 FIFA World Cup final, held in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Brazil scored the first goal of the match at the 18th minute with Pelé's header from a cross by Rivellino. Italy equalized with Roberto Boninsegna's goal following a blunder in the Brazilian defence. In the second half, Brazil's offensive power and creativity proved too much for Italy's defensive tactics. Gérson scored the second goal with a powerful shot and assisted in the third, with a long free-kick to Pelé, who headed down for Jairzinho to run on to and score. Pelé completed his outstanding performance by drawing the Italian defence in the centre and passing to captain Carlos Alberto on the right flank, who hammered the ball into the Italian goal for the final score. This goal is widely regarded as one of the greatest goals in World Cup history.
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#2 - Argentina vs England 1986
The quarter-final match between Argentina and England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup is one of the most iconic and controversial games in football history. The match was played on June 22, 1986, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, in front of a crowd of over 114,000 spectators.
The game was highly charged due to the political tensions between the two countries over the Falkland Islands (or Malvinas, as they are known in Argentina). England had defeated Argentina in the Falklands War just four years earlier, and the match was seen by many in Argentina as a chance to gain revenge on the football pitch.
The match began with England taking the lead through a Gary Lineker goal, but Argentina equalized just four minutes later through Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal. Maradona punched the ball into the net with his left hand, and the goal was allowed to stand by the Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who did not see the handball.
Argentina then took the lead with one of the greatest goals in World Cup history. Maradona picked up the ball in his own half and dribbled past five England players before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Peter Shilton. The goal is known as the "Goal of the Century" and is still revered as one of the greatest individual goals in football history.
The match was not without controversy, however. In the 55th minute, Maradona and England midfielder Steve Hodge both went for a high ball in the Argentina penalty area. Hodge miscued his clearance, and the ball looped towards the Argentina goal. Maradona, who was standing nearby, jumped and punched the ball into the net with his left hand. This time, the goal was disallowed, but the incident has gone down in history as another example of Maradona's infamous "Hand of God".
Despite England's efforts to get back into the game, Argentina held on for a 2-1 victory and progressed to the semi-finals of the World Cup. The match is remembered as one of the greatest in World Cup history, but also as one of the most controversial due to Maradona's handball goal.
#1 - Argentina vs France 2022
The 2022 FIFA World Cup final will be the last game of the 22nd edition of FIFA's international men's football tournament. The final match is scheduled to take place at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, on December 18, 2022, which also happens to be the Qatari National Day. The final will feature Argentina and the current champions, France, competing for the title of the World Cup.
Argentina took the lead in the 23rd minute of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final with a penalty kick by Lionel Messi. Ángel Di María doubled their lead in the 36th minute with a low shot into the corner of the net, following a swift Argentina counterattack. France struggled to create chances and went without a shot on goal for most of the match until Kylian Mbappé scored twice in 97 seconds in the 81st minute to level the score at 2–2. During extra time, Lionel Messi scored another goal, giving Argentina a 3-2 lead. However, Mbappé scored a third goal from the penalty spot in the closing minutes of the game, becoming only the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final after Geoff Hurst in 1966, and tying the game 3-3. In the ensuing penalty shoot-out, Argentina won 4-2 to secure their third World Cup title and their first since 1986.