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To whet your appetite for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, I will be counting down my Top 25 FIFA World Cup matches of all time in my view. I have included from USA 1994.

 

I hope you enjoy the countdown, :)

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25th- Italy 0-1 Republic of Ireland (USA 1994) Group Stage

 

 

 

 

Italy

 

Pagliuca

Costacurta

Maldini

Baresi

Tassotti

Albertini

Baggio

Donadoni

Evani (Massaro 46')

Baggio

Signori (Beti 84')

 

Ireland:

 

Bonner

Irwin

Phelan

McGrath

Staunton

Babb

Keane

Townsend

Houghton (McAteer 67')

Sheridan

Coyne (Aldridge '90)

 

 

 

At 25, we have Republic of Ireland's famous victory over eventual finalists Italy at USA 1994. This was the first time in seven meetings that Ireland had avoided defeat with the Italians and the first time in 13 World Cups that Italy had lost their opening match.

This of course the same Italy that were a penalty away from winning the whole damn tourno! Ireland's greatest WC result you'd have to say.
Italy were quite fortunate to get as far as they did in 1994. Plenty of fine margins!
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24th- Argentina 0-3 Croatia (Russia 2018) Group Stage:

 

 

 

Argentina:

 

Caballero

Mercado

Otamendi

Tagliaifico

Salvio (Pavon 56')

Perez (Dybala 68')

Mascherano

Acuna

Messi

Meza

Aguero (Higuain 54')

 

 

Croatia:

 

Subasic

Vrsaljko

Lovren

Vida

Strinic

Brozovic

Rebic (Kramaric 57')

Modric

Rakitic (Kovacic 82')

Mandzukic (Corluka 90+2')

 

 

 

 

 

Goals: Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90+1)

 

 

At #24, we have the match that introduced Croatia as contenders for that World Cup. This result came as a surprise for Argentina where much was expected of Messi. The opening goal an error from Caballero. Argentina in Russia 2018 will feature again in this countdown.

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23rd- Germany 3-2 Belgium (USA 1994) Second Round

 

 

 

Germany:

 

Illgner

Berthold

Buchwald

Helmer

Kohler

Hassler

Matthaus (Brehme (46')

Sammer

Wagner

Klinsmann (Kuntz 85')

Voller

 

Belgium:

 

Preud'homme

Albert

de Wolf

Grun

Smidts (Boffin 65')

Staelens

Emmers

Scifo

van der Elst

Nilis (Czerniatynski 77')

Weber

 

 

Goals:

 

Voller (6') 1-0

Grun (8') 1-1

Klinsmann (11') 2-1

Voller (40') 3-1

Albert (90' 3-2

 

 

At 23 it is this competitive second round match between the reigning champions Germany and Belgium.

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22nd- Nigeria 2-3 Argentina (Brazil 2014) Group Stage:

 

 

 

 

Nigeria:

 

Enyeama

Oshaniwa

Omeruo

Yobo

Ambrose

Mikel

Babatunde (Uchebo 66')

Onazi

Musa

Odemwingie (Nwofor 80')

Emenike

 

Argentina:

 

Romero

Rojo

Garay

Fernandez

Zabaleta

Mascherano

Gago

Messi (Alvarez 63')

Di Maria

Higuain (Biglia 90+1')

Aguero (Lavezzi 38')

 

 

Goals:

 

Messi (3') 0-1

Musa (4') 1-1

Messi (45+1') 1-2

Musa (47') 2-2

Rojo (50') 2-3

 

 

At 22 it is this final group stage match from 2014 between Nigeria and Argentina. This was the first time in World Cup history that two opposing teams had both scored inside the first five minutes. In 2014, it was not meant to be for Argentina as they lost in the final to Germany 1-0 in extra time. For Nigeria they would lose in the second round to two late goals from France.

Always remember watching the Ireland Italy game as a young lad, one of the best days ever!
They were the closest to a one man team there's ever gonna be after Maradona in 86.

 

But they had two of the greatest defenders in history in the back four alone 🤔

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21st- Spain 1-3 France (Germany 2006) Last 16:

 

 

 

 

 

Spain:

 

Casillas

Pablo

Puyol

Sergio Ramos

Pernia

Fabregas

Xavi (Senna 72')

Alonso

Villa (Joaquain 54')

Torres

Raul (Luis Garcia 54')

 

 

France:

 

Barthez

Sagnol

Thuram

Gallas

Abidal

Ribery

Zidane

Makelele

Vieira

Malouda (Govou 74')

Henry (Wiltord 88')

 

 

Goals:

 

Villa pen (28') 1-0

Ribery (41') 1-1

Vieira (83') 1-2

Zidane (90' 1-3

 

 

At 21 it is this second round match at the 2006 World Cup between Spain and eventual runners-up France. The line-ups of both teams are unreal.

That was one of Zidane's best ever performances. Remember all the pundits and viewers were backing Spain to finally break their tag of perennial underachievers this tournament against a very unfancied French team. Pat Nevin was the only pundit before the tournament to predict France to do anything.
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20th- Romania 3-2 Argentina (USA 1994) Last 16:

 

 

 

 

Romania:

 

Prunea

Selymes

Beloedici

Prodan

Popescu

Mihali

Lupescu

Munteanu

Petrescu

Hagi (Galca 86')

Dumitrescu (Papura 89')

 

 

Argentina:

 

 

Islas

Sensini (Medina Bello 63')

Caceres

Ruggeri

Chamot

Simeone

Redondo

Basualdo

Oretga

Batistuta

Balbo

 

 

Goals:

 

Dumitrescu (11') 1-0

Batistuta pen (16') 1-1

Dumitrescu (18') 2-1

Hagi (58') 3-1

Balbo (75') 3-2

 

 

At 20, it is this last 16 match from USA 1994 between Romania and Argentina. It was to be Romania who caused a great shock by beating Argentina.

Too young to appreciate a game like that but certainly a shock with that back and forth scoreline. 1994 was a good year for Eastern Europe with Romania's progression to the quarters and of course Bulgaria making it all the way to the semis!
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19th- Uruguay 2-3 Netherlands (South Africa 2010) Semi-Final

 

 

 

 

Uruguay:

 

Mulsera

Godin

Victorino

Pereira

Caceres

Gargano

Pereira (Abreu 78')

Arevalo Rios

Cavani

Forlan (Fernandez 84')

 

 

Netherlands:

 

Stekelenburg

Hetinga

Mathijsen

Van Bronckhorst

Boulahrouz

Van Bommel

Sneijder

De Zeeuw (Van der Vaart 46')

Kuyt

Van Persie

Robben (Elia 90')

 

 

Goals:

 

Van Bronckhorst (18') 0-1

Forlan (41') 1-1

Sneijder (70') 1-2

Robben (73') 1-3

Pereira (90+2) 2-3

 

 

At 19, it is this semi-final classic from South Africa 2010 between Uruguay who had got through to the semi-finals thanks to the 'Hand of Suarez' and Netherlands. It would be the Dutch who would prevail in this semi-final and reach their third World Cup final, alias it wasn't to be for Netherlands as they lost to Spain in the final.

 

I remember that game very well. One of the only entertaining KO rounds of that dull 2010 WC. Van Bronckhorst's opener is one of the best goals in any tournament ever, no hyperbole.

I did love aul Uruguay in 2010/14 world cups - some players who would be legends in the decade following.

 

As for the excellent Eastern European sides of 94 some great players too, suppose most of the Romania side were from the Steau Burcharest team that won the European cup in 1986!

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