11th- Germany 4-2 Costa Rica (Germany 2006) Group Stage

Germany:

Lehmann

Fredrich

Mertesacker

Metzelder

Lahm

Schweinsteiger

Frings

Borowski (Kehl 72')

Schneider (Odonkor 90')

Podolski

Klose (Neuville 79')

Costa Rica:

Porras

Marin

Umana

Gonzalez

Martinez (Drummond 67')

Fonseca

Solis (Bolanos 78')

Centano

Sequeira

Gomez (Azofeifa 90')

Wanchope

Goals:

Lahm (6') 1-0

Wanchope (12') 1-1

Klose (17') 2-1

Klose (61') 3-1

Wanchope (73') 3-2

Frings (87') 4-2

At #11, we have the opening game from the 2006 World Cup between host nation Germany and Costa Rica. It was the highest-scoring opening match in World Cup history. This with terrific goals from Philipp Lahm and Torsten Frings and a double from Premier League cult hero in Paolo Wanchope. Germany would go on and reach the semi-finals where they would lose to Germany in the latest ever goal scored in a World Cup in added time in the second half of extra time to the Italy who would win the World Cup. Germany would finish 3rd in the World Cup by beating Portugal 3-1 in the third-place play-off. It would be as good as it got for Costa Rica as they lost 3-0 to Ecuador and 2-1 to Poland

10th- Australia 2-3 Netherlands (Brazil 2014) Group Stage

10-Minute Match | Australia vs Netherlands | A 5-Goal Thriller

Australia:

Ryan

McGowan

Davidson

McKay

Wilkinson

Spiranovic

Leckie

Jedinak

Cahill (Halloran 68')

Bresciano (Bozanic 51')

Oar (Taggart 77')

Netherlands:

Cillessen

Janmaat

Blind

Martins Indi (Depay 45+3')

Vlaar

de Vrij

de Guzman (Wijnaldum 78')

de Jong

Sneijder

van Persie (Lens 87')

Robben

Goals:

Robben (20') 0-1

Cahill (21') 1-1

Jedinak (54' pen) 2-1

van Persie (58') 2-2

Depay (68') 2-3

Into the Top 10 and it is a group stage match from 2014 between Australia and the Netherlands. This which had an incredible goal by Tim Cahill to equalise 60 seconds after Robben opened the scoring and a fantastic winner from Memphis Depay. For Australia they would be out after which you saw earlier in the countdown Chile beat Spain. Australia certainly give a Netherlands a scare in this game.

9th- Slovakia 3-2 Italy (South Africa 2010) Group Stage:

Slovakia:

Mucha

Pekarik

Skrtel

Zabavnik

Strba (Kopunek 86')

Stoch

Durica

Hamsik

Kucka

Vittek

Jendrisek (Petras 90+4')

Italy:

Marchetti

Criscito (Maggio 46')

Chiellini

Cannavaro

Zambrotta

De Rossi

Pepe

Gattuso (Quagliarella 46')

Montolivo (Pirlo 56')

Iaquinta

Di Natale

Goals:

Vittek (23') 1-0

Vittek (72') 2-0

Di Natale (81') 2-1

Kopunek (89') 3-1

Quagliarella (90+2') 3-2

At #9 it is this group stage match between Slovakia and Italy from South Africa 2010. The final group stage match which was a thriller in the last 17 minutes. This certainly didn't disappoint with drama with 4 goals in the last 20 minutes. It would be a famous win for Slovakia as they knocked out the world champions Italy. Slovakia would lose in the last 16 to Netherlands 2-1. For Italy they have still not got past the group stages since they won it in 2006, where they exited in 2014 at the same stage and didn't qualify for 2018 and 2022 or 2026.

8th- Spain 2-3 Nigeria (France 1998) Group Stage:

Spain:

Zubizarreta

Barjuan

Alkorta

Campo

Ferrer (Amor 46')

Nadal (Celades 77')

Hierro

Raul

Narvaez

Luis Enrique

Alfonso (Etxberria 58')

Nigeria:

Rufai

Babayro

West

Okechunkwu

Mobi Oparku (Yekini 70')

Lawal (Okpara 90+3')

Oliseh

George

Adepoiu

Ikpeba (Babangida (83')

Okocha

Goals:

Hierro (21') 1-0

Adepoju (25') 1-1

Raul (47') 2-1

Zubizaretta og (73') 2-2

Oliseh (78') 2-3

At #8, it is this group stage match between Spain and Nigeria. It would be a victory for Nigeria who would go on to top the group but lose in the second round to Denmark. For Spain they would go out in the group stage despite a 6-1 win over Bulgaria in the final group stage game.

7th- Belgium 3-2 Japan (Russia 2018) Last 16:

Belgium:

Courtiois

Alderweireld

Kompany

Vertonghen

Meunier

De Bruyne

Witsel

Carrasco (Chadli 65')

Mertens (Fellaini 65')

E Hazard

Lukaku

Japan:

Kawashima

Sakai

Yoshida

Shoji

Nagatomo

Hasebe

Shibasaki (Yamaguchi 81')

Haraguchi (Honda 81')

Kagawa

Inui

Osako

Goals:

Haraguchi (48') 0-1

Inui (52') 0-2

Vertonghen (69') 1-2

Fellaini (74') 2-2

Chadli (90+4') 3-2

At #7, it is this classic second round match between Belgium and Japan. Belgium completed a remarkable revival as they came back from 2-0 down to beat Japan. For Belgium they would be knocked out in the semi-final to France and finish 3rd in the World Cup after beating England.

6th- USA 3-2 Portugal (Japan & South Korea 2002) Group Stage:

USA:

Friedel

Mastroeni

Sanneh

Pope (Llamosa 80')

Agoos

O'Brien

Hejduk

Beasley

McBride

Donovan (Moore 75')

Stewart (Jones 45')

Portugal:

Baia

Costa (Andrade 73')

Couto

Beto

Jorge (Bento 69')

Rui Costa (Nuno Gomes 79')

Petit

Sergio Conceicao

Figo

Pauleta

Pinto

At #6, it is this group stage match between USA and Portugal where USA caused an upset and beat the Group D favourites. For USA they would reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup before losing to the eventual runners-up Germany by a Ballack goal, as for Portugal they would go out in the group stages.

5th- Portugal 3-3 Spain (Russia 2018) Group Stage:

Portugal:

Patricio

Soares

Pepe

Fonte

Guerreiro

Bernardo Silva (Quaresma 69')

Moutinho

Carvalho

Fernandes (Mario 68')

Guedes (Andre Silva 80')

Ronaldo

Spain:

de Gea

Nacho

Pique

Ramos

Alba

Koke

Busquets

Iniesta (Thiago Alcantara 70')

Silva (Vazquez 86')

Diego Costa (Iago 77')

Isco

Goals:

Ronaldo (4' pen) 1-0

Diego Costa (24') 1-1

Ronaldo (44') 2-1

Diego Costa (55') 2-2

Nacho (58') 2-3

Ronaldo (88') 3-3

Into the Top 5, it is this classic group stage match between Portugal and Spain. It would be where Ronaldo scored a hat-trick for Portugal and Diego Costa scoring twice. This was a fantastic game to watch. For both Portugal and Spain they would both be knocked out in the second round with Portugal losing to Uruguay and Russia causing a shock by beating Spain on penalties.

Some great choices there - that US 94 Netherlands team very much an end of the 88 side as they aged and the young Ajax side were to come.

The Bergkamp goal vs Argentina and the Barry Davis commentary is prob my fav goal of the World Cup, wonderful stuff!

That ref was def dodgy in 2002!

I think I was on holiday during the Australia v Netherlands match but still watched it in the bar.

I remember watching the Belgium v Japan game brilliant.

Edited June 8Jun 8 by TheSnake

4th- Spain 1-5 Netherlands (Brazil 2014) [Group Stage]

Spain:

Casillas

Azpilicueta

Pique

Ramos

Alba

Busquets

Alonso (Pedro 63')

Silva (Fabregas 78')

Hernandez

Iniesta

Diego Costa (Torres 62')

Netherlands:

Cillessen

de Vrij (Veltman 77')

Vlaar

Martins Indi

Janmaat

de Guzman (Wijanldum 62')

de Jung

Blind

Sneijder

van Persie (Lens 79')

Robben

Goals:

Alonso (27' pen) 1-0

van Persie (44') 1-1

Robben (53') 1-2

de Vrij (64') 1-3

van Persie (72') 1-4

Robben (80') 1-5

At #4, it is this group stage match between Spain and Netherlands which was a repeat of that 2010 World Cup final. Going into the tournament, Spain were expected to defend their world title after winning both Euros in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup. For the Netherlands they were looking for revenge after their defeat in the 2010 World Cup final. Alonso scored with a penalty to open the scoring, the equaliser from van Persie was a fantastic goal, one of the great World Cup goals with that header. The second half it was all Netherlands as they scored four in the second half. It was the first time that Spain had conceded five goals in an international match since 1963.

3rd- France 4-3 Argentina (Russia 2018) [Last 16]

France:

Lloris

Pavard

Varane

Umtiti

Hernandez

Pogba

Kante

Mbappe (Thauvin 89')

Griezmann (Fekir 83')

Matuidi (Tolisso 75')

Giroud

Argentina:

Armani

Mercado

Otamendi

Rojo (Fazio 45')

Tagliafico

Perez (Aguero 66')

Mascherano

Banega

Pavon (Meza 75')

Messi

Di Maria

Goals:

Griezmann (13' pen) 1-0

Di Maria (41') 1-1

Mercado (48') 1-2

Pavard (57') 2-2

Mbappe (64') 3-2

Mbappe (68') 4-2

Aguero (90+3') 4-3

At #3, it is this classic second round match between France and Argentina where the world was introduced to Mbappe who scored twice in this thrilling encounter. Mbappe became the first teenager to score two in a World Cup match since Pele for Brazil against Sweden in the 1958 final. Di Maria equalised with a terrific curler shortly before half time. Mercado gave Argentina the lead in the second half but then Pavard scored what was the goal of the tournament to level at 2-2. Mbappe then scored twice to make it 4-2 with Aguero scoring in added time to make it 4-3. For France they would go on and win the 2018 World Cup after beating Croatia 4-2 in the final. In four years time they would play against each other in the 2022 World Cup final...

2nd- Argentina 3-3 France (Argentina win 4-2 on penalties) (Qatar 2022) [Final]

Argentina:

E Martinez

Molina (Montiel 91')

Romero

Otamendi

Taglifico (Dybala 120+1')

Fernandez

Mac Allister (Pezzella 116')

De Paul (Paredes 102')

Messi

Alvarez (L Martinez 103')

Di Maria (Acuna 64')

France:

Lloris

Kounde (Disasi 120+1')

Varane (Konate 113')

Upamcano

Hernandez (Camavinga 71')

Tchouameni

Rabiot (Fofana 96')

Dembele (Kolo Muani 41')

Griezmann (Coman 71')

Mbappe

Giroud (Thuram 41')

Goals:

Messi (23') 1-0

Di Maria (36') 2-0

Mbappe (80 pen') 2-1

Mbappe (81') 2-2

Messi (108') 3-2

Mbappe (118') 3-3

At #2, the only new entry from my Top 25 Matches countdown and it is the sequel to the 2018 Last 16 match between Argentina and France. It is the 2022 World Cup Final between these two teams where France were looking to retain their title something that hasn't done since 1962 and Argentina who were looking for their first World Cup since 1086. This final took place on 18th December as it was an winter World Cup in Qatar due to the temperatures and also a bit of $$$. What took place was probably the best World Cup final I've seen and also the best performance from an losing side from some individual brilliance from Mbappe, he would score only the second ever hat-trick in an World Cup final, first since Geoff Hurst in 1966, I promise that will be the only time I mention it. This had drama aplenty with about 10 minutes to go in normal time as it was all Argentina and then France who appeared to be playing flat then suddenly started to play with an quickfire double from Mbappe to take it to extra-time. In the second half of extra time, Messi would score to make it 3-2, but there was another twist with an penalty which was converted by Mbappe to take it to penalties. Kolo Munai and Martinez had an golden opportunities in injury time. Mbappe and Messi would convert their penalties. This truly was an great match.

Yeah the greatest WC final of all time from a neutral's perspective, no doubt about that.

1st- Brazil 1-7 Germany (Brazil 2014) [Semi-Final]

Brazil:

Cesar

Maicon

David Luiz

Dante

Marcelo

Fernandinho (Paulinho 46')

Luiz Gustavo

Bernard

Oscar

Hulk (Ramires 46')

Fred (Willian 69')

Germany:

Neuer

Lahm

Boateng

Hummels (Mertesacker 45')

Howedes

Khedira (Draxler 76')

Schweinsteiger

Kroos

Muller

Klose (Schurrle 58')

Ozil

Goals:

Muller (11') 0-1

Klose (24') 0-2

Kroos (25') 0-3

Kroos (26') 0-4

Khedira (29') 0-5

Schurrle (69') 0-6

Schurrle (79') 0-7

Oscar (90) 1-7

At #1, it is what possibly is the most extraordinary result I've ever seen with Brazil being humiliated at home to Germany who gave Brazil their heaviest defeat. What followed was Germany four goals in 5 minutes to make it 5-0 up in 29 minutes of the first half. This was a complete fiasco for Brazil but for Germany they had scored two more goals than England had in 2010, 2014. It was to be Germany who would go on and lift the 2014 World Cup after beating Argentina in extra time. I wish to thank everyone who has contributed to this countdown, I hope you have enjoyed this revisit of this countdown as much as I have done producing this. Many thanks

Full List:

1st- Brazil 1-7 Germany (Brazil 2014)

2nd- Argentina 3-3 France (Qatar 2022)

3rd- France 4-3 Argentina (Russia 2018)

4th- Spain 1-5 Netherlands (Brazil 2014)

5th- Spain 3-3 Portugal (Russia 2018)

6th- USA 3-2 Portugal (Japan & South Korea 2002)

7th- Belgium 3-2 Japan (Russia 2018)

8th- Spain 2-3 Nigeria (France 1998)

9th- Slovakia 3-2 Italy (South Africa 2010)

10th- Australia 2-3 Netherlands (Brazil 2014)

11th- Germany 4-2 Costa Rica (Germany 2006)

12th- Argentina 1-2 Netherlands (France 1998)

13th- Bulgaria 2-1 Germany (USA 1994)

14th- Brazil 3-2 Netherlands (USA 1994)

15th- Argentina 2-2 England (France 1998)

16th- Uruguay 2-3 Germany (South Africa 2010)

17th- South Korea 2-1 Italy (Japan & South Korea 2002)

18th- Brazil 3-2 Denmark (France 1998)

19th- Spain 0-2 Chile (Brazil 2014)

20th- Uruguay 2-3 Netherlands (South Africa 2010)

21st- Romania 3-2 Argentina (USA 1994)

22nd- Spain 1-3 France (Germany 2006)

23rd- Nigeria 2-3 Argentina (Brazil 2014)

24th- Germany 3-2 Belgium (USA 1994)

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

Definitely an iconic winner that will stand the test of time!