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

Here below is the thread, I did back in 2022:

25th- Argentina 0-3 Croatia (Russia 2018)

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 #25, 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.

It's weird, the Argentina team of 2018 was much stronger than the one of 2022 (plus Messi was closer to his peak) yet they fumbled that tournament massively!

24th- 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 24 it is this competitive second round match between the reigning champions Germany and Belgium.

23rd- 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 23 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.

22nd- 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 22 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.

21st- 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 21, 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.

20th- 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 20, 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.

19th- Spain 0-2 Chile (Brazil 2014) Group Stage:

Spain:

Casillas

Azpilcueta

Martinez

Ramos

Alba

Alonso (Koke 45')

Busquets

Pedro

Inieta

Silva

Diego Costa (Torres 64')

Chile:

Bravo

Medel

Silva

Jara

Isla

Diaz

Aranguiz (Gutierrez 64')

Mena

Vidal (Carmona 88')

Sanchez

Vargas (Valdivia 85')

Goals:

Vargas (19') 0-1

Aranguiz (43') 0-2

At #19, it is Chile's shock win which knocked out the reigning champions Spain after two games at Brazil 2014. It was Chile's first competitive victory over Spain in 11 matches, Chile would reach the last 16 and lose to Brazil on penalties.

18th- Brazil 3-2 Denmark (France 1998) Quarter-Final:

Brazil:

Taffarel

Cafu

Aldair

Junior Baiano

Roberto Carlos

Cesar Sampario

Dunga

Rivaldo (Ze Roberto 87')

Leonardo (Emerson 72')

Ronaldo

Bebeto (Denilson 64')

Denmark:

Schmeichel

Rieper

Hogh

Heintze

Helveg (Schjonberg 86')

Colding

Nielsen (Tofting 46')

Michael Laudrup

Jorgensen

Brian Laudrup

Moller (Sand 67')

Goals:

Jorgensen (2') 0-1

Bebeto (11') 1-1

Rivaldo (27') 2-1

Brian Laudrup (50') 2-2

Rivaldo (60') 3-2