THE GREATEST WORLD CUP MATCHES

BRAZIL VS. URUGUAY

1950 WORLD CUP

Uruguayan goalkeeper Maspoli stopped a Brazilian attack.

BRAZIL 1 - URUGUAY 2
Scorers :
Brazil (Friaca 47)
Uruguay (Schiaffino 66, Ghiggia 79)

Venue: Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro
Half-time score: Brazil 0 - Uruguay 0
Attendance: 199,854
Referee: Reader (England)
Man of the match: Varela (Uruguay) for leading his team in their incredible come-back

TEAMS
Uruguay: Maspoli, Gonzales, Cejera, Gambetta, Varela, Andrade, Ghiggia, Perez, Miguez, Schiaffino, Moran

Brazil: De Costa, Juvenal, Bauer, Aluim, Friaca, Zizinho, Ademir, Jair, Chico

Significance:
Greatest upset in the World Cup to date and in front of the world record number of attendance.

HUNGARY VS. URUGUAY

1954 WORLD CUP

Hungarian Hidegkuti charged in with a header.

Uruguayan goalkeeper Maspoli beat Polatos to the ball.

HUNGARY 4 - URUGUAY 2
Scorers:
Hungary (Czibor 13, Hidegkuti 47, Kocsis 114, 116)
Uruguay (Hohberg 75, 86)

Venue: La Pontaise Stadium, Lausanne
Half-time score: Hungary 1 - Uruguay 0
Attendance: 37,000
Referee: Griffiths (Wales)
Man of the match: Kocsis (Hungary) for scoring his team's third and fourth goal that won the game.

TEAMS
Hungary: Grosics, Buzanszky, Lantos, Bozsik, Lorant, Zakarias, Budai, Kocsis, Palotas, Hidegkuti, Czibor,

Uruguay: Maspoli, Santamaria, Martinez, Andrade, Carballo, Cruz, Souto, Ambrois, Schiaffino, Hohberg, Borges

Significance:
1) Uruguay's first ever World Cup defeat.
2) Magnificent match with lots of goals and excitement

HUNGARY VS. WEST GERMANY

1954 WORLD CUP

Morlock scores the first German goal.

Rahn scoring the stunning winning goal.

WEST GERMANY 3 - HUNGARY 2
Scorers:
West Germany (Morlock 10, Rahn 18, 84)
Hungary (Puskas 6, Czibor 8)

Venue: Wankdorf Stadium, Berne
Half-time score: West Germany 2 - Hungary 2
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Ling (England)
Man of the match: Rahn (W.Germany) for scoring the equaliser as well as the match-winning goal

TEAMS
Hungary: Grosics, Buzanszky, Lantos, Bozsik, Lorant, Zakarias, M.Toth, Budai, Kocsis, Puskas, Hidegkuti, Czibor,

West Germany: Turek, Posipal, Kohlmeyer, Eckel, Liebrich, Mai, Rahn, Morlock, O.Walter, F.Walter, Schfer

Significance:
1) West Germany's first ever world Cup triumph.
2) The greatest upset in the entire World Cup history. (Hungary beat West Germany 8-3 in the first round of the same tournament).

SWEDEN VS. BRAZIL

1958 WORLD CUP

Brazilian winger Garrincha beat his marker with his explosive speed to set up Brazil's opening goal

Pele scoring a magnificent goal for Brazil
SWEDEN 2 - BRAZIL 5
Scorers:
Sweden (Liedholm 4, Simonsson 80)
Brazil (Vava 9, Vava 30, Pele 55, Zagalo 68, Pele, 90)

Venue: Rasunda Stadium, Stockholm
Half-time score: Brazil 2 - Sweden 1
Attendance: 49,737
Referee: Guigue (France)
Man of the match: Pele (Brazil) for scoring two breath-taking goals

TEAMS
Brazil: Gilmar, D.Santos, N.Santos, Zito, Bellini, Orlando, Garrincha, Didi, Vava, Pele, Zagalo

Sweden: Svensson, Bergmark, Axborm, Borjesson, Gustavsson, Parling, hamrin, Gren, Simonsson, Liedholm, Skoglund

Significance:
1) Brazil's first ever World Cup triumph.
2) Pele announcing his arrival to the world

1966 World Cup - England

ENGLAND VS. WEST GERMANY

Hurst scoring his third goal that beat West Germany 4-2.

ENGLAND 4 - WEST GERMANY 2
Scorers:
England (Hurst 19, Peters 78, Hurst 100, Hurst 120)
West Germany (Haller 13, Weber 89)

Venue: Wembley
Half-time score: England 1 - West Germany 1
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Dienst (Switzerland)
Man of the match: Hurst (England) for scoring the only hat-trick in a World Cup final
TEAMS
England: Banks, Cohen, Wilson, Stiles, J.Charlton, Moore, Ball, Hunt, B.Charlton, Hurst, Peters
West Germany: Tilkowski, Hottges, Schnellinger, Beckenbauer, Schulz, Weber, Haller, Held, Seeler, Overath, Emmerich
Significance:
The first and only World Cup triumph of England, the birth place of modern soccer.

ITALY VS. WEST GERMANY

1970 WORLD CUP

Muller forced the ball into the Italian net with his well-timed header.

ITALY 4 - WEST GERMANY 3
Scorers:
Italy (Boninsegna, Burgnich 97, Riva 103, Rivera 111)
West Germany (Schnellinger 90, Muller 95, 110)

Venue: Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
Half-time score: Italy 1 - West Germany 0
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Yamasaki (Mexico)
Man of the match: Rivera (Italy) for scoring the match-winning goal

TEAMS
Italy: Albertosi, Cera, Burgnich, Bertini, Rosato (Poletti), Facchetti, Domenghini, Mazzola (Rivera), De Sisti, Boninsegna, Riva

West Germany: Maier, Vogts, Schnellinger, Schulz, Beckenbauer, Patzke (Held), Seeler, Overath, Grabowski, Muller, Lohr (Libuda)

Significance:
The most gruelling battle in the World Cup, with lots of goals and excitement.

BRAZIL VS. ITALY

1970 WORLD CUP

Brazil's captain took on the field with teammate Piazza.

BRAZIL 4 - ITALY 1
Scorers:
Brazil (Pele 10, Gerson 65, Jairzinho 70, Carlos Alberto 85)
Italy (Boninsegna 37)

Venue: Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
Half-time score: Brazil 1 - Italy 1
Attendance: 107,000
Referee: Glockner (East Germany)
Man of the match: Gerson (Brazil) for breaking the deadlock by scoring the second goal and making the third one.

TEAMS
Brazil: Felix, Carlos Alberto, Everaldo, Brito, Piazza, Clodoaldo, Gerson, Jairzinho, Tostao, pele, Rivelino

Italy: Albertosi, Cera, Burgnich, Bertini (Juliano), Rosato, Facchetti, Domenghini, Mazzola, De Sisti, Boninsegna (Rivera), Riva

Significance:
Triumph of attacking soccer over cautious, defensive tactics.

BRAZIL VS. ITALY

1982 WORLD CUP

Rossi (20) completed his hat-trick that defeated Brazil.

ITALY 3 - BRAZIL 2
Scorers:
Italy (Rossi 5, 25, 75)
Brazil (Socrates 12, Falcao 68)

Venue: Sarria Stadium, Barcelona
Half-time score: Italy 2 - Brazil 1
Attendance: 44,000
Referee: Klein (Israel)
Man of the match: Rossi (Italy) for scoring a well-taken hat-trick.

TEAMS
Italy: Zoff, Gentile, Collovati (Bergomi), Scirea, Cabrini, Tardelli (Marini), Antognoni, Oriali, Graziani, Conti, Rossi

Brazil: Waldir Peres, leandro, Oscar, Luisinho, Junior, Cerezo, Socrates, Zico, Falcao, Serginho (Paulo Isioro), Eder

Significance:
Italy's organization and tactics got the better of Brazil's classy but arrogant soccer.

WEST GERMANY VS. FRANCE

1982 WORLD CUP

West Germany and France fought an aerial battle in the 3-3 draw.

WEST GERMANY 3 - FRANCE 3 (after extra-time)
Shoot-out: 5-4

Scorers:
West Germany (Littbarski 18, Rummenigge 102, Fischer 107)
France (Platini 26 pen, Tresor 92, Giresse 98)

Venue: Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, Seville
Half-time score: West Germany 1 - France 1
Attendance: 71,000
Referee: Corver (Holland)
Man of the match: Rummenigge (West Germany) for turning the game around after coming on as a substitute

TEAMS
West Germany: Schumacher, Karltz, K-H Foster, Stelike, Briegel, (Rummenigge), B.Forster, Dremmler, Breitner, Littbarski, Magath (Hrubesch), Fischer

France: Ettori, Amoros, Janvion, Bossis, Tigana, Tresor, Genghini (Battiston (Lopez)), Giresse, Platini, Rocheteau, Six

Significance:
1) Come-back by West Germany from two goals down to win a dramatic and controversial semi-final.
2) First ever shoot-out in World Cup history.

FRANCE VS. BRAZIL

1986 WORLD CUP

French winger Rocheteau trying his luck with a shot.

FRANCE 1 - BRAZIL 1 (after extra-time)
Shoot-out: 4 - 3
Scorers:
France (Platini 40)
Brazil (Careca 18)

Venue: Jalisco Stadium, Guadalajara
Half-time score: France 1 - Brazil 1
Attendance: 65,777
Referee: Igna (Romania)
Man of the match: Fernandez (France) for playing a solid game in the French midfield and scoring the winning-penalty

TEAMS
France: Bats, Amoros, Battiston, Tusseau, Bossis, Tigana, Fernandez, Giresse (Ferreri), Platini, Stopyra, Rocheteau, (Bellone)

Brazil: Carlos, Josimar, Julio Cesar, Edinho, Branco, Alemao, Junior (Silas), Socrates, Muller (Zico), Elzo, Careca

Significance:
1) Contest between two of the greatest midfields in soccer history.
2) Another dramatic game with penalty misses by some of the game's top players.

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