In a way, the World Cup has always represented the only truly global mass event, capable of attracting the attention of people in every corner of the world and arousing unique emotions in the souls of those who manage to watch the matches, live or from home, perhaps even waking up in the middle of the night to follow their favorite team on their Apple devices.
The World Cup is such an important event that it ends up influencing even the lives of those who do not follow the sport, imposing itself on their attention with all the force of historical events. It is as if history, through the World Cup, continues to exert its indomitable will, managing to silently penetrate into the hearts of every person and even upset them.
Who among us has not been stuck in traffic because of the celebrations in progress for some sporting victory by a team at the World Cup? With its disruptive force, this event is able to attract the attention of everyone, even those who do not follow football, giving them too a bit of that magic that is clearly felt in every match, in every minute of the game, every time the players kick the ball and start running.
1. Memorable matches
Of the World Cup, one remembers above all the great victories, particularly by those national teams that won the most. Brazil, Italy, and Germany, in one way or another, have always dominated the global football scene, winning no less than thirteen World Cups (five for the Brazilians, four for the Italians and Germans).
But what sticks in the observer’s mind the longest, even years later, are the surprise results, the sporting feats achieved by the lesser teams, almost always considered underdogs, and which over the years have punctuated the great history of FIFA World Cup.
2. 2002 South Korea vs. Italy
In one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, South Korea stunned Italy in the Round of 16 in 2002. This was an unexpected result, as Italy was considered one of the strongest teams in the tournament. However, South Korea was able to dominate the match and pull off a 2-1 victory that shocked the world. This upset was particularly impressive because of how the South Koreans were able to play against one of the strongest teams in the tournament and still come out on top.
3. 1966 England vs. West Germany
The 1966 FIFA World Cup Final, the eighth staging of the event and the climax of the 1966 FIFA World Cup, took place at Wembley Stadium in London on 30 July between England and West Germany. With England winning 4–2 after extra time, it became the first and currently only time that a World Cup Final contested by teams from two different confederations was won by a team outside UEFA (the European governing body).
The game was also notable for its dramatic end — after Wolfgang Weber equalized for West Germany in injury time, referee Gottfried Dienst signaled for normal time to be extended by another two minutes (a move permitted within the rules at this stage of the tournament) whereupon England’s Hurst scored arguably his most famous goal to make it 4–2 with almost no time remaining.
4. Historic goals
One of the most shocking matches, in this respect, was Argentina’s defeat against Cameroon during the 1990 World Cup played in Italy. The South Americans, led by Diego Armando Maradona, were reigning champions (having won the 1986 World Cup), but lost by surprise to the Africans of Cameroon and their star Roger Milla, who four years later – at USA ’94 – would become the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history.
Another match that will certainly remain in World Cup history is the one played between France and Senegal in 2002 when the French have unexpectedly defeated 1-0 thanks to a goal by Bouba Diop. Again, Zinedine Zidane’s French were the reigning world champions, and the defeat against the African team (who went on to the quarter-finals) forced them out of the World Cup early.
In 1982, during the World Cup played in Spain, Algeria stunned the world by beating West Germany 2-1 (a feat almost repeated in 2014), while in 1998, Tore Andre Flo’s Norway managed to surprise defeat Brazil (2-1), who would later lose the final to France. All these matches will not only remain engraved in the minds of fans but also in those of ordinary people as if they were true historical facts. And in a way, they really are.
The World Cup currently being played in Qatar is also providing great surprises for all fans. One match that will certainly go down in history was the one played between Saudi Arabia and Argentina, which ended surprisingly 2-1 for the Arab team.
Also surprising were the performances of Japan, capable of beating Germany and Spain, and of Morocco, capable of qualifying for the quarter-finals after stopping Croatia and beating Spain.
Now that the World Cup has entered its decisive phase, the whole world is anxiously wondering what the next surprise result will be, the next unforgettable match that will never be forgotten. The best odds for the World Cup matches can be found within portals such as ArabianBetting.com, which offer extremely safe and reliable websites where you can place your bets in total serenity, in a perfectly safe and legal manner.
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In this complex historical era, mankind has managed to invent creative ways to allow people to connect to history and its events, becoming one with them.
