My Favourite World Cup Memories
Here are my top five memories from the most notorious tournament in the world.
The World Cup is quickly approaching, and personally I cannot wait. Summer days discussing football with your friends and enjoying your nation’s triumph or crying in defeat.
This year the event takes place in North America, which is surely going to make headlines. To new fans you may ask why, but to returning fans of the World Cup it want be a surprise. Over the past few years we have seen teenagers score in finals, underdogs make shocking victories or even Messi winning the most recent World Cup in 2022.
With the tournament around a month away, it led me to think what are my favourite moments and memories of the World Cup. Not the best, not the greatest ever, but moments that have stuck with me good or bad.
5. Kieran Trippier Free Kick vs Croatia - 2018
Now this may come as a surprise but hear me out. This tournament was Gareth Southgate’s first tournament an was so refreshing after previous competitions. I’ll be honest I can’t even remember the England matches in between Lampard’s “ghost” goal and 2018. So this may be why.
This tournament showed England had potential. A 6-1 Win over Panama in the group stages and Winning penalties in the knockouts against Columbia. For once they felt enjoyable to watch. England then went on to beat Sweden 2-0 to then be drawn against Croatia in the Semi-Finals.
Now as you know, England “it’s coming home” chant is a play on for how miserable the team can sometimes be. But when things go right the egos come out. And that is why I cherish this Trippier Goal.
I watched the Semi-finals around my Aunts house and I can remember everyone glued to the screen. The smiles on our faces and the hope England could win. Within 5 minutes England were 1-0 up.
Kieran Trippier. Wow.
The goal was sensational but the memory of everyone running about like headless chickens, it won’t be forgotten. And as it was a hot day, we could hear everyone celebrating outside too. The atmosphere was electric, and for once I felt I was seeing England as “good”.
This was just the start of Gareth Southgate’s reign, and more exciting things have happened since, but that goal, forever ingrained into my head for the memories with it.
4. Siphiwe Tshabalala's Goal V Mexico - 2010
If you don’t know this goal, then stop reading this and go watch it immediately.
The 2010 World Cup was hosted in South Africa and was the first time the tournament had touched African soil. With each tournament, the hosts are set to open the tournament with their first match in the group stage.
South Africa took on Mexico and presented the world with their culture and pride. In the first half Mexico scored a disallowed goal, but in the 2nd half everything changed and the moment was made.
In the 54th minute Tshabalala is played a ball through the defence and left to attack the goal with no help. The attacker enters the box and strikes the ball with such perfection it rockets into the far right corner. South Africa score the first goal as hosts and ignite the World Cup.
But it didn’t end there. When celebrating Tshabalala alongside his team hit the iconic dancing celebration, which is still referenced today. The goal was impactful, but the celebration was the icing on the cake. Symbolising South African culture but also representing their entire continent on a global stage.
Both the goal and celebration have forever stuck with me and I have even done the celebration from time to time. Following the goal every fifa for the next couple of years me and my brother bought him on Ultimate team, Tshabalala was an icon to us.
The goal has even been mentions in FIFA’s greatest World Cup moments and that doesn’t surprise me. The goal, the celebration and the meaning. Truly remarkable.
3. Brazil v Germany - 2014
Probably one of the most humiliating and historical stories to come out the World Cup in the 21st century. After Brazil had a chaotic quarter final win against Columbia, the hosts headed to the semi final to play Germany.
Going into the game, Brazil were filled with all types of emotions. The quarter-final saw a sensational free kick from David Luiz, but also their captain Thiago Silva suspended after being booked. But most importantly their star player Neymar suffering a severe injury. However, the hosts were amped up and ready to take on Germany.
Unfortunately the chaos continued into the semi-final and a whole countries dreams were shattered. Germany score 5 in 30 minutes including Miroslav Klose breaking the tournaments goal record. Brazil had been torn apart.
Going into the second half, fans thought it couldn’t get any worse, as a neutral and a child, I wanted more. Luckily, Andre Schurrle delivered. Coming on in the second half, the former Chelsea player scored two more for Germany, making the score 7-0 in the 79th minute.
Brazil did end up scoring one in the 90th minute, but unfortunately that wasn’t going to help their brutal defeat. As a kid though, this was phenomenal. I remember feeling like a goal was scored every second and seeing Germany as super humans. This will always stick out as it is one of the first times I can remember watching a complete thrashing. And at that level, there’s no better place to do it.
2. England v Iran - 2022
Yet again another England memory. After a difficult defeat at the victory line in EURO 2020(2021), this game was England’s opener for the their next tournament. It was easy to suggest England would win, but by how many and the nature I watched the game in, it sticks out to me.
England against Iran was the first match of the tournament I watched and it couldn’t of been done better. At the time I was at University, so I watched it in a student union pub among hundreds of other people my age, who were also probably drunk at midday on a Monday.
The game itself has it’s own action too, with Jude Bellingham kicking off the game in the 35th minute. After that, it felt like the goals were being drip fed to us. Every couple of minutes another went in. Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, and Saka again.
Because of this, the atmosphere was electric. A bunch of reckless 18-21 year old’s going mental over England. For the first time we were watching without family but with friends and new people we had never met. However, we were all sharing the same love and excitement, which is why I believe the World Cup is so important.
The game finished 6-2 and was a great opener for England. After defeat in the Euro final, it felt England were back and ready to go again. And to top that the atmosphere I watched made the game 10x more exciting.
I don’t know if it was just me, but this tournament as a whole sticks out to me and I could write about for days. Maybe it was because I was at university, maybe it was the games felt like they were on every second of the day or maybe it was just a good tournament.
1. Argentina V France - 2022
I mean, it had to be. Maybe a bit of recency bias plays into this, but the meaning, the goal and the legacy cementing moment for Lionel Messi.
As I said earlier, this tournament is one of my favourites and I think this final had a lot to do with it. The best way to describe it was it felt very slow then everything just clicked.
Lionel Messi scores a penalty in the 23rd minute and ten minutes later Angel Di Maria adds another to the scoreboard. Argentina are on fire, filled with confidence and then Kylian Mbappe arrives.
in the 78th minute, Kolo Muani wins a penalty, which Mbappe slots away in the left corner. A couple minutes later, Mbappe is gifted a ball on the left side and almost bicycle kicks the ball into the far right corner. Game on.
In a matter of minutes, Kylian Mbappe had stopped an entire nation’s and every Messi fan’s dreams.
Going into extra time, the atmosphere was electric and everyone was glued to the TV in my house. Messi goes to score in the 107th but it’s not over. Mbappe again finds himself with the ball on the edge of the box and gains a penalty by handball. A hat trick in a World Cup final. It was cinema.
We then see the craziest of saves from Emi Martinez in the final minute of the game against Kolo Muani, and the game goes to penalties.
Argentina win the penalties, with an excellent display from the Argentinian goalkeeper. After the game, I remember feeling speechless. The game was filled with nonstop action and felt never ending. And of course Messi had won the most prized possession in football.
As someone who got into the sport from watching his highlights as a child, it was an absolute pleasure to watch him get his hands on the trophy after failing in previous years. I think most people will also put this in their favourite memories too, because of how legendary and highly regarded Lionel Messi is.
Just to clarify, these are my most memorable moments of the beloved tournament. Others stick out to me, like Van Persie’s iconic header but it was hard to select my top five.
If you have any others that would make your list let me know. Thanks for reading.