WC Vibes: The greatest World Cup finals (and then some)From iconic finals to a blockbuster title clash, the World Cup builds to Argentina vs Spain after England's thrilling bronze triumph.
There are times when the World Cup final can be a cagey affair. No one wants to lose, so they don’t take the risk to win. It puts the fans off and makes one wonder whether this is truly a summit clash. But then again, sometimes the final is rewarding; sometimes it feels like the perfect ending. Just ask Lionel Messi, who has experienced both joy and heartbreak in it. Now, we don’t quite know which way the Argentina vs Spain final will go, but here are a few examples (in no particular order): West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954) Hungary weren’t at this World Cup and West Germany (now Germany) crashed out early but there was a time when the Magnificent Magyars were the undisputed giants of the game. The Hungarian team included superstars Sandor Kocsis, Nandor Hidegkuti and Ferenc Puskas and in 1953, they had hammered England 7-1 at Wembley. They hadn’t lost a game in five years either and that included an earlier game in the tournament at West Germany, which they won 8-3. Also Read: England beat France in 10-goal thriller to earn bronze The odds were heavily stacked in Hungary’s favour but if you are ever wondering how Germany earned the reputation of being a gritty side, look no further. West Germany went down 0-2 early but fought back to win a classic. Brazil 4-1 Italy (1970) That goal from Carlos Alberto to comprehensively seal the World Cup final and win the trophy for one of the greatest teams to have played the game will forever be enshrined in the hearts of the Brazil faithful. Pele, Jairzinho, Tostao and Rivellino… names that roll off the tongue to this day. This was the Brazil everyone still craves but it now seems like a distant dream. They blew Italy away and no one was complaining. Argentina 3-2 West Germany (1986) Diego Maradona’s tournament and he played his role in the final as well. The match was a rollercoaster ride. Argentina went up early with two goals but then, the Germans got busy. They levelled the score but Maradona’s team, just like Messi’s team, found a way to win it with just six minutes remaining. Argentina 3-3 France (4-2 pens) (2022) A match of a more recent vintage. After the defeat in the 2014 final, Messi was done but time healed his wounds and he decided to give it another shot. The 2022 edition was his crowning glory, the moment he finally managed to win it all. It wasn’t easy though. Argentina took a 2-0 lead, then France caught up thanks to Kylian Mbappe. Argentina went ahead again but then Mbappe equalised. It went into the penalty shootout where goalkeeper Emi Martinez won it for Argentina. What a match! What a moment! Also Read: A final dance for Argentina and Spain West Germany 2-1 Netherlands (1974) Total Football was the buzzword of this era and Johan Cruyff was its most exalted ambassador. But West Germany was at it again. The tactics were revolutionary but, on the day, it didn’t matter. By half-time the Germans were leading and they never relinquished it. The Dutch may have lost the match but they showed the world that there is a different way of doing things… even if it doesn’t always become successful. France 3-0 Brazil (1998) Few matches can match the drama of this one. Ronaldo terrorised opponents all tournament and was expected to do it against France too. The Brazil striker, however, had suffered from some convulsions but still played. He wasn’t the same player and France made the most of it to win their first World Cup. Les Bleus relied on the genius of Zinedine Zidane to perform some miracles; miracles that country will never forget. NO CUP TERRITORY FOR EUROPEAN TEAMS Argentina and Spain facing off in the final has meant finding those lines connecting the two teams. Messi, La Masia, Barcelona and the Spanish playing philosophy has been explained and analysed threadbare in the predict-the-winner exercise. However, Spain will have to overcome two odds. One, of course, is the Argentina No.10, but the other number also appears formidable. That is the statistic that only one of the eight World Cups held in the region has ended with a European team crowned champion.
Barring Brazil 2014 when Germany won the World Cup beating Argentina in the final, no European side has managed to go all the way in World Cups held in South America, Mexico and USA. Canada staged World Cup games for the first time, co-hosting the current edition with USA and Mexico. Also Read: Spain are proof their system is still humming Of the other seven editions, hosts Uruguay won the inaugural tournament in 1930 and again in 1950, when Brazil hosted their first World Cup. Brazil lifted their second and third Cups in Chile in 1962 and in Mexico 1970. Argentina won their first World Cup as hosts in 1978 and triumphed again in the ‘Diego Maradona’ edition, when the tournament returned to Mexico in 1986. It was title No.4 for Brazil when football made its entry in the USA in 1994, although Italy ran them close with a defensive masterclass by a hobbling Franco Baresi before losing on penalties. Spain’s chances though are bright in the final on Sunday night, with their passing and possession game having dismantled France in the semis. And they will also be inspired to surmount the inter-continental challenge, having won their only World Cup when the tournament was taken to South Africa in 2010. OF WILDFIRE, SMOG AND THUNDERSTORMS As Argentina and Spain fine-tuned preparations, a persistent, choking smog blanketed the eastern United States, according to AFP. Wildfires burning in Canada have sent heavy, acrid smoke billowing across the border, with residents in New York, Washington and the US Midwest urged to stay indoors due to poor air quality.
At one point on Saturday, the smoke made New York City the most polluted city in the world. The MetLife Stadium is in New Jersey, just across the river from New York, where the city skyline early Saturday was obscured by dense smoke. Also Read: Messi versus Spain in an ultimate battle of the familiar Some respite came from a storm that brought torrential rain on Saturday, and Sunday is expected to be sunny. The haze is expected to mostly clear from the New Jersey area just in time for the final, thanks to thunderstorms passing through, meteorologists said. Still, warnings of unhealthy air remained in effect on Saturday across a wide swath of the United States. At MetLife Stadium, where the World Cup final is scheduled to take place, the sky was the same thick, soupy grey it has been for days, even after a drenching thunderstorm prompted warnings of flash flooding and forced Spain to suspend their last outdoor training session. ENGLAND TAKE BRONZE IN 10-GOAL THRILLER The game that no team wants to play ended up as the highest scoring match of this World Cup with England warding off a spectacular comeback by France to win 6-4 and take the bronze medal in Miami. In a crazy match of two halves where defending was only an afterthought, Kylian Mbappe scored twice to become the all-time World Cup top scorer with 22 goals. Michael Olise assisted both Mbappe goals, taking his tally to seven and breaking Pele’s record for the most assists at a single World Cup, which had stood since 1970.
The 27-year-old Mbappe leapfrogged Argentina’s Lionel Messi (21), who is due to play in Sunday’s final against Spain, and although that will almost certainly be his rival’s last World Cup game, the French captain will probably play in at least one more World Cup. Mbappe finished his third World Cup campaign with 10 goals to the lead the Golden Boot standings, two ahead of Messi. Bukayo Saka grabbed a hat-trick and Jude Bellingham became the first English player to score seven goals at a single World Cup in a breathless match that saw England lead 4-0 at half-time. But despite the entertainment, both sides will go home disappointed after their title hopes disappeared at the semi-finals. France were outplayed by Spain, while England suffered a late meltdown against Argentina. “We had a brilliant first half and then a turbulent second half,” said England coach Thomas Tuchel. “We are so, so tired and drained from the last weeks ... I have said it before, this team has created something very special, and they showed it again.” The total of 10 goals was the highest for a third-place playoff match, bettering France’s 6-3 victory over West Germany at the 1958 tournament. “We were 4-0 down and played a disgraceful first half,” Deschamps said after the game, according to FIFA. “We had two chances to make it 4-4 and, after that, we pushed forward a little more. It’s my fault. I must not have done what was needed in the first half. At least we showed something, even if the defeat hurts. Obviously, it would have been better to finish third.” TODAY’S RESULT Bronze playoff England 6 (Declan Rice 3’ Ezri Konsa 18’ Bukayo Saka 37’, 45+1’, 87’, Jude Bellingham 90+8’) BEAT France 4 (Kylian Mbappé 48’, 66’, Bradley Barcola 54’, Ousmane Dembélé 90+6’) TODAY’S MATCH World Cup final Argentina vs Spain, 00.30 (Monday), New Jersey
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