Thursday 30 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 30th July

1930 - Uruguay win the first world cup
1966 - England win football's World Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1930.

Saturday 11 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 11th July

1966 - On July 11 1966, Alf Ramsey's England got their campaign off to a disappointing start with a 0-0 draw against Uruguay in front of 87,000 at Wembley.
1982 - Paolo Rossi was the star of the 1982 World Cup in Spain, the Italian smashing five goals on the way to the final before netting Italy's first, his sixth, against West Germany at the Bernabeu on July 11. Italy won the match 3 - 1.

Friday 10 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 10th July

1982 - Poland finished third for the second time in three tournaments after beating France 3-2 at the Estadio Jose Rico Perez, Alicante.
1998 - Robert Prosinecki and Davor Suker both scored as Croatia defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in the third place match.

Thursday 9 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 9th July

1950 - The World Cup saw the winner of four groups progress to a final round-robin round. On July 9, hosts Brazil hammered Sweden 7-1 in front of a crowd of 138,000 in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.
2006 - The World Cup final saw Zidane put France ahead after just seven minutes with a penalty but it took only another 12 minutes for Materazzi to equalise. The two later locked horns when Zidane, in his last match before retiring, head-butted Materazzi in extra-time and was sent off. Italy eventually won 5 - 3 in the penalty shoot out.

Wednesday 8 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 8th July

1982 - The first of the two semi-finals at the World Cup in Spain saw Paolo Rossi take centre stage with a clinical brace to down Poland. West Germany faced France in the second semi-final at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, and it was a 3-3 thriller with Germany eventually winning on penaltes.
1990 - The World Cup final in Italy saw West Germany take on Argentina at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Franz Beckenbauer's side won courtesy of Andreas Brehme's 85th minute spot-kick.

Tuesday 7 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 7th July

1974 - The World Cup final of 1974 pitted the 'total football' of the Netherlands, inspired by the exceptional talent of Johan Cruyff, against the Franz Beckenbauer-inspired West Germany at the Olympiastadion in Munich. Germany won 2 nil.
1990 - England lose the World Cup third/fourth place playoff to hosts Italy 2 - 1.

Monday 6 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 6th July

1974 - 74,000 watch Brazil lose 2 nil to Poland in the third/fourth playoff at the World Cup finals.

Saturday 4 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 4th July

1990 - England meet Germany in what would prove to be one of the all-time classics. This was England,s best run since 1966, reaching the semi finals but Pearce and Waddle famously miss the vital penalties.
2006 - Germany suffered a dramatic exit at the hands of Italy on home turf in the 2006 finals.

Friday 3 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 3rd July

1990 - The day Italy crashed out of their own World Cup in Naples as they went down to Argentina on penalties at the semi-final stage
1994 - A Gheorghe Hagi-inspired upset saw Romania down Argentina in front of 90,469 spectators at the Los Angeles Rose Bowl1971 Doors lead singer Jim Morrison dies

Thursday 2 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 2nd July

1994 - Colombia were knocked out of the World Cup after a 2-1 defeat to the hosts USA - courtesy of Andres Escobar's 34th minute own goal. July 2 saw Escobar murdered outside a Medellin nightclub, allegedly at the behest of the powerful gambling syndicates which lost money as a consequence of Colombia's early exit. 120,000 people went to the defender's funeral, and a statue has since been built in his honour.

Wednesday 1 July 2009

World Cup Memories - 1st July

1990 – Cameroon’s surprising run at Italia ’90 finally came to an end. After becoming the first African nation in World Cup history to reach the quarter-finals. England won the match through two Gary Lineker penalties.
2006 - England are knocked out of the World Cup by Portugal at the quarter final stage. This was their third exit through penalties out of the previous four finals they had reached.