World of Sport – The Alternative Top 5 Greatest World Cup Moments
1970: the greatest team goal.
Brazil's Carlos Alberto scored the winning goal in the 1970 World Cup final against Italy – one that is regarded as the greatest team goal the tournament has ever seen. Unlike Maradona's incredible solo effort (featured below), Carlos Alberto's goal was touched by almost every player in the Brazil XI before his thunderous strike. It even included a beautiful samba step-over in the build-up.
1982: the worst foul in history.
West Germany beat France in a six-goal thriller to advance to the final of the '82 World Cup. But instead the match is remembered for one thing: the worst foul in World Cup history. This is what went down. French striker Patrick Battiston was through on goal, but shot wide. Just milliseconds after his foot touched the ball, German 'keeper Toni Schumacher brutally jumped into the onrushing Battiston, knocking him cold and losing two of his teeth. Schumacher didn't even receive a yellow card, and went onto stop two spot kicks in the penalty shootout.
1986: Argentina's Jekyll and Hyde.
Argentina and England met at the World Cup in 1986, just four years after the Falklands War. Argentina won the match after two goals from Diego Maradona – aka Argentina's Jekyll and Hyde. His first goal was scored with his hand – or, as Maradona confessed, a 'hand of God'. His second was an incredible solo effort that saw him dribble through the entire England defence – a goal later voted World Cup Goal of the Century.
1994: Columbia's game of life and death.
Columbia were much fancied to lift the 1994 World Cup in the USA. But threatened with death by Columbian drug lords, they lost their first game to Romania and then, against the US, an own goal by captain Andres Escobar ended the country's hopes. Days after returning home, Escobar was shot dead by a gangster outside a nightclub.
2006: Zidane's final act.
Zinedine Zidane, the greatest French footballer of all time, spearheaded his country's 1998 World Cup triumph on home soil. Eight years later, at Germany '06, France faced Italy in the final. But lifting the trophy wasn't to be the final act of his glittering career. Instead, Zidane spearheaded Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest and got shown a red card.
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