It’s that time of the footballing cycle again, where Shakira dusts off her hips and jets around the world to perform her surreal brand of warbling pop music.
Yes, I’m talking about the World Cup. It’s almost hard to believe that the latest instalment of FIFA’s flagship tournament starts on Thursday (it is being co-hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada). In celebration, I have gone through the history books and compiled my list of the top five FIFA World Cup finals of all time.
5. England beat West Germany 4-2 (1966)
England’s crowning footballing achievement has been a mammoth double-edged sword, uniting the nation in joy back in 1966 before casting a formidable, looming shadow over everything else that came after it (just ask Gareth Southgate). Currently being streamed in full colour in England to raise dementia awareness, the 1966 World Cup final was a triumph of English togetherness. Alf Ramsey’s Three Lions went behind to an early Helmut Heller goal, but Geoff Hurst pulled one back soon after. Martin Peers appeared to have scored the winner in the 78th minute, only for Wolfgang Weber to temporarily break English hearts with an 89th minute equalizer. It turned into the Geoff Hurst show in extra time, as the English marksman became the first man in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
4. Brazil beat Italy 4-1 (1970)
The first World Cup broadcast in glorious colour, the 1970 World Cup felt like the true dawn of the modern age of football. It also represented an end of an era, with Pele representing Brazil for the final time in his glittering international career. Pele bounced back from the disappointment of 1966 to propel Brazil to a 3rd World Cup trophy in four editions, thrashing Italy 4-1 in the final in what many consider to be the greatest performance by any side in World Cup history. The ‘Samba Boys’- led by Pele- were in full flow in 1970, with the likes of Jairzinho, Rivelino and Tostao popularizing the notion of the so-called ‘beautiful game’. They combined all their artistry and flair to maximum effect in the final, with Pele opening the scoring and captain Carlos Alberto Torres scoring a fantastic team goal that underlined everything that the Selecao stand for.
3. Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 (1986)
The 1986 World Cup final- and the entire World Cup- was defined by one man: Diego Armando Maradona. El Pibe del Oro (The Golden Boy) guided Argentina to their 2nd World Cup triumph, imposing his will on the tournament in a way rarely witnessed (before or since). Just as he did with Napoli, Maradona carried Argentina kicking and screaming towards glory with a series of breathtaking performances and wonderful goals. He will always be remembered for that quarterfinal match against England, where he scored the famous ‘Hand of Gold’ and arguably the greatest solo goal in the history of the tournament. While he didn’t score in the final, his influence was felt everywhere (he laid on the assist for Jorge Burruchaga’s decisive goal).
2. West Germany beat Hungary 3-2 (1954)
Known colloquially as the ‘Miracle of Bern’, this was the first of Germany’s four World Cup triumphs. The Hungarian side were an absolute colossus of world football during the post-war period, bringing a four-year unbeaten streak into this final. And the West German side felt the wrath of the Hungarian side in the early stages, falling behind 2-0 in the first eight minutes (Puskas being one of the scorers). Germany incredibly found themselves level in the 18th minute and completed the stunning turnaround in the 84th minute. This was an incredibly important moment in post-war Germany, providing a deeply divided and traumatized nation with a sense of national pride and recognition on the world stage.
1. Argentina beat France 3-3 (4-2 on pens) – (2022)
There was only ever going to be one match on top of this list. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was mired in controversy from the start, with murmurings of forced labour and dreadful working conditions casting a significant shadow on proceedings. The tournament did deliver on the football pitch as it became the highest-scoring World Cup in history. Morocco were an underdog sensation, sending CR7 packing en route to the semifinals. And the final turned into an instant classic, with the greatest player of his generation- Messi- trading barbs with the man tipped to inherit that crown- Kylian Mbappe. Messi scored a brace while Mbappe netted a hat-trick (the first in a World Cup final since Geoff Hurst back in 1966). But Emi Martinez would end the day the cocky hero, amping up the kidology in a gripping penalty shootout victory. This final solidified Messi’s footballing immortality, angering Piers Morgan to no end (which is never a bad thing).
