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I watched USSR v Belgium from '86 last night on ITVX. USSR basically got robbed - they hit the post, had the follow up cleared off the line, and hit the bar too. Igor Belanov (the 1986 Ballon D'Or winner) scored a hattrick. Belgium's first two goals were very suspiciously offside.
And despite the heat some of the football was excellent, both sides keen to attack, USSR movement off the ball was something else. No slow interminable sideways and backwards bllx. TV coverage was wonderfully simple too, basically just replays of the goals and that was more or less it. No endless reruns of offside calls or bad fouls - just getting on with the game. Gerry Harrison with Big Ron on co comms.
I may just watch all of these and sod the 2026 circus
World Cup classic matches on 17:19 - May 28 by Paddyhoops
Just watch any Brazil match from 82. Football went down hill after that . Unmatchable.
I was eight in 1982 with a burgeoning football obsession. They are still my favourite team ever and their goals from that tournament are just incredible.
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World Cup classic matches on 09:22 - May 29 with 3538 views
France v Brazil 86 still one of my faves. Youd have though France were dead certs to win the World Cup after that performance but fell to the realism of West Germany's football in the semi.
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World Cup classic matches on 09:40 - May 29 with 3526 views
Any of the Peru games in 1970, especially their quarter final against Brazil. The Italy - West Germany semi final was something special, with Beckenbauer finishing the match with a broken collarbone. The England - West Germany match wasn't bad either!
Every Netherlands match in 1974, apart from the final! In the words of Don McLean, that was the day that football died!
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World Cup classic matches on 12:59 - May 29 with 3389 views
World Cup classic matches on 17:19 - May 28 by Paddyhoops
Just watch any Brazil match from 82. Football went down hill after that . Unmatchable.
Yeah, I was more gutted when Brazil got knocked out of that tournament than when England did, I’d never seen football played like that before, my two favourite ‘team’ goals of all time are Carlos Alberto in the 1970 final, and Socrates goal against Italy in 1982, zico turning Gentile inside out, the flick ,and Socrates gliding across the ground like a speed skater, after the goal you can see an Italian player looking at his bench and shrugging his shoulders as if to say ‘what can we do’?
It was also a time when you didn't know too much about the overseas players particularly those from Central and South America and you were often in awe of them. We'd known a little about the European players due to the the European, European Cup Winners and UEFA cups and the Intertoto cup to a smaller extent. I suppose it all started to change after the World Cup in 1978 with the Argentinian players such as Villa, Ardiles, Tarantino, Sabella etc coming to the UK.
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World Cup classic matches on 13:59 - May 29 with 3309 views
World Cup classic matches on 13:59 - May 29 by TheChef
I'm on to France v West Germany from 1982.
Suffice to say Harald Schumacher already looked fairly psychotic in the first half alone...
You Are The Ref
The goalkeeper charges from his six yard area, launching himself at the forward who has just flicked the ball past him, almost decapitating him leaving him unconscious with several teeth missing. What is your decision?
A) Penalty and red card B) Penalty and yellow card C) Goal kick
World Cup classic matches on 12:59 - May 29 by Nov77
Yeah, I was more gutted when Brazil got knocked out of that tournament than when England did, I’d never seen football played like that before, my two favourite ‘team’ goals of all time are Carlos Alberto in the 1970 final, and Socrates goal against Italy in 1982, zico turning Gentile inside out, the flick ,and Socrates gliding across the ground like a speed skater, after the goal you can see an Italian player looking at his bench and shrugging his shoulders as if to say ‘what can we do’?
Whilst the Brazil 1982 team is probably the best national team I’ve ever seen, I was cheering for Italy in that famous second group phase match. Even as a 15 year old, I was sick of the constant fawning.
I honestly think I’ve never cheered for Brazil either before that match, or after.
The 1986 quarter final vs France was officiated by a bent referee in my humble opinion. A French player was blatantly taken out by the Brazilian goalie when clean through, and not even a free kick given.
The 4 yearly media wànkathon about Brazil is only a couple of weeks away. Even though they’re a pale shadow of what they used to be, that won’t stop the media frothing at the mouth.
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World Cup classic matches on 16:05 - May 29 with 3138 views
World Cup classic matches on 13:59 - May 29 by TheChef
I'm on to France v West Germany from 1982.
Suffice to say Harald Schumacher already looked fairly psychotic in the first half alone...
I consider that the greatest game I’ve ever seen. Just starting it now, the French were amazing 82-84-86, but we tend to think of the Germans as the Washington Generals to everyone else as the Globetrotters, we forget how good they were.
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World Cup classic matches on 23:08 - May 29 with 2891 views
World Cup classic matches on 17:59 - May 29 by MrSheen
I consider that the greatest game I’ve ever seen. Just starting it now, the French were amazing 82-84-86, but we tend to think of the Germans as the Washington Generals to everyone else as the Globetrotters, we forget how good they were.
And yet in 82, a very underated England squad led by Prime Bryan Robson beat France comfortably in their first game.
Robson scored after 31 seconds, i believe.
A tournament that alao had an iconic Brazilian team, an impressive Italian team with a super striker. A team of Germans as methodical as can be. England got eliminated despite being unbeaten in five games played.
Moments such as Ireland beating Spain in their own backyard.
That Argentina side of 78 . Those artisans and latin unlubed bareback shaggers of the Addidas tango.
Kempes, Houseman, Luque and Passerella the gang of four with the flowing black locks who burned magnesium bright under the Military junta and dirty war death squads of that era.
Argentina v Italy... A slow motion riot of a game.
The Argies, Infinite beauty in infinite combinations going toe to toe with the clinical italians who despite their noble savagery encased in a rollerball glove , had all the elements of the beautiful game in their DNA, should they feel the need to deploy it. And they Did.
Rossi, The imperious roberto bettega and of course. The Roman General , Romeo Bennetti.
For me, the ultimate world cup game between two elemental teams at their very peak. The 2001 monolith of world cup final football at it;s sawtooth peak.
Association football, truth and beauty '1978 style.
That Rossi and bettega combination for the only goal.. As Colonel Kurtz would say , Perfect, genuine, complete, crystalline, pure.
The antithesis in totality of what we have in 2026.
[Post edited 29 May 23:37]
The Duke of New York. A-Number One.
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World Cup classic matches on 09:59 - May 30 with 2674 views
Matches worth watching from 1966 are Hungary - Brazil & Portugal - North Korea. I would also add North Korea - Italy, but that is solely for the result rather than the football! Portugal - Brazil should have been a classic, but it was spoiled by the Portuguese brutality. The Hungarian attack in '66 were superb.
This year is by far the least excited I've been for the World Cup. Whether that is due to my age, or being staged for the benefit of Donald I'm not sure! The USA will now have held the finals more times than England & Argentina, with Mexico now on their third.
To be fair to Mexico, they only had the finals in 1986 due to Columbia withdrawing as hosts relatively late.
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World Cup classic matches on 15:10 - May 30 with 2572 views
World Cup classic matches on 23:24 - May 29 by Discodroids
That Argentina side of 78 . Those artisans and latin unlubed bareback shaggers of the Addidas tango.
Kempes, Houseman, Luque and Passerella the gang of four with the flowing black locks who burned magnesium bright under the Military junta and dirty war death squads of that era.
Argentina v Italy... A slow motion riot of a game.
The Argies, Infinite beauty in infinite combinations going toe to toe with the clinical italians who despite their noble savagery encased in a rollerball glove , had all the elements of the beautiful game in their DNA, should they feel the need to deploy it. And they Did.
Rossi, The imperious roberto bettega and of course. The Roman General , Romeo Bennetti.
For me, the ultimate world cup game between two elemental teams at their very peak. The 2001 monolith of world cup final football at it;s sawtooth peak.
Association football, truth and beauty '1978 style.
That Rossi and bettega combination for the only goal.. As Colonel Kurtz would say , Perfect, genuine, complete, crystalline, pure.
The antithesis in totality of what we have in 2026.
[Post edited 29 May 23:37]
The match was reffed by Israeli Abraham Klein who was generally reckoned to be the top ref in the world at the time (He'd reffed England vs Brazil in the 1970 World Cup at his first tournament).
He was expected to get the final but the Argentinians objected to his refereeing in this game (mainly a penalty denied to them before half time), so when they ended up in the final, he missed out due to their protestations.
The official line was reputedly the political links between the Netherlands and Israel and also that Klein had lived in the Netherlands for a year as a teenager. He was given the third place playoff instead. He is still with us at the age of 92.
All this talk of the 86 World Cup and not one mention of that Denmark team and the Hummel kit
And Bowles is onside, Swinburne has come rushing out of his goal , what can Bowles do here , onto the left foot no, on to the right foot
That’s there that’s two, and that’s Bowles
Brian Moore
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World Cup classic matches on 16:27 - May 30 with 2500 views
World Cup classic matches on 14:17 - May 29 by CamberleyR
You Are The Ref
The goalkeeper charges from his six yard area, launching himself at the forward who has just flicked the ball past him, almost decapitating him leaving him unconscious with several teeth missing. What is your decision?
A) Penalty and red card B) Penalty and yellow card C) Goal kick
With regards to the Schumacher challenge towards the end of the France Germany semi final of 1986 fame.
The sentence for me would be none of the above.
10 years for Serious GBH / Attempted Murder with the suspension from all things football for a lifetime and because he was German, I may decide to upgrade his sentence to life on Death Row for all of eternity !!
Apologies to any of our German friends or likewise any England football managers that may be reading !!
World Cup classic matches on 14:17 - May 29 by CamberleyR
You Are The Ref
The goalkeeper charges from his six yard area, launching himself at the forward who has just flicked the ball past him, almost decapitating him leaving him unconscious with several teeth missing. What is your decision?
A) Penalty and red card B) Penalty and yellow card C) Goal kick
Watching it again, it's still remarkable.
Schumacher shows no remorse or concern for Battiston, perhaps unsurprisingly.
What is more surprising is that not one single France player goes to remonstrate with him. Can't imagine that these days.
World Cup classic matches on 16:05 - May 29 by BazzaInTheLoft
Don't know if this should go in the TV thread or this one, but me and the missus watched Dear England last night.
A decent watch, but the algorithm then sent us to the Golden Generation which was about England's 2006 World Cup campaign.
What a massive waste lead by some top class vvankers. The Beckham party prior made me sick.
Probably not 'classic' but my god watching Rooney throw a tantrum got my blood boiling.
The Golden Generation had some very good players but we never put them into a team who could win trying to shoehorn everyone in.
That Dear England sums it up how Southgate created a culture for the players to buy into. They never had that in 2006 it was just these players great go and win it.
It's got me excited for the World Cup anyway, been some great moments last few tournaments supporting England, hoping for some more over the next few weeks
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World Cup classic matches on 14:13 - Jun 1 with 2122 views
World Cup classic matches on 23:08 - May 29 by numptydumpty
And yet in 82, a very underated England squad led by Prime Bryan Robson beat France comfortably in their first game.
Robson scored after 31 seconds, i believe.
A tournament that alao had an iconic Brazilian team, an impressive Italian team with a super striker. A team of Germans as methodical as can be. England got eliminated despite being unbeaten in five games played.
Moments such as Ireland beating Spain in their own backyard.
The best world cup ever in 82.
[Post edited 29 May 23:12]
I was sitting my maths ‘O’ level that afternoon. Was absolutely breezing through it with one eye on the clock. Eventually I had a choice to make. Leave the exam early comfortably in the knowledge that I would get a B but have time to get a train from Ealing Broadway via a change at North Acton for Greenford and be home for kick off or finish the paper knowing I would get an A…………
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