Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God, Zinedine Zidane's headbutt, Lionel Messi 'completes football' and the 100 most iconic moments in World Cup history - ranked

In 1966, Pele was unquestionably the best player in the world. He had already won the World Cup twice, lifting it in 1958 and 1962, but as the tournament arrived in England, Pele was on the receiving end of some incredibly brutal challenges.

He was injured first by Bulgaria’s defenders having opened the scoring in a 2-0 win, and subsequently missed Brazil's second group game against Hungary, which they lost.

With the Selecao in desperate need of victory, Pele was recalled for the final group game against Eusebio’s Portugal. He was injured again, however, by Joao Morais, though the referee chose not to send the perpetrator off. Pele spent the rest of the game limping as substitutions had not yet been introduced, and Brazil were beaten 3-1, with their star forward vowing never to play in the tournament again - a decision he would later change.

'Tiki-taka' football is often seen as being the domain of Pep Guardiola, of Spain, of clubs like Barcelona. But in 2006, perhaps the purest distillation of 'tiki-taka' at the World Cup was provided by Argentina, as Esteban Cambiasso finished off one of the greatest team goals the tournament has ever seen.

Maxi Rodriguez initially won the ball back in his own half and began a passing move that would see the Albiceleste keep the ball for around a minute, moving the ball sideways, backwards, and forwards, as they looked to open Serbia & Montenegro up.

The move ebbed and flowed before Javier Saviola and Juan Roman Riquelme traded one-twos. Riquelme then found Cambiasso, who in turn fed Hernan Crespo. The striker’s cute backheel was latched onto by Cambiasso, who finished into the top corner. Crespo’s verdict?: "The most beautiful goal."

Consisting of 24 passes, Cambiasso's strike went down in World Cup folklore while Argentina went on to win the game 6-0, as they briefly looked like favourites to win it all.

Diego Maradona's goals against England had captured the world’s attention in Argentina's quarter-final, but the No.10's second goal against Belgium in the semis confirmed what most spectators had already concluded - that they were watching the greatest individual World Cup performance of all time.

Picking up the ball in the middle of the pitch, Maradona drove past three defenders before sending a chipped effort past goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, replicating the world-class balance and composure that was on display just a few days earlier against the Three Lions.

It was his fourth goal across the quarter-final and semi-final matches, and unsurprisingly, his contributions did not stop there. 

Belgium needed to beat Croatia in their final group game to remain in the 2022 World Cup, but could only draw 0-0, crashing out at the group stage for the first time since 1998.

Romelu Lukaku, the Red Devils' all-time top scorer, amazingly missed a hat-trick of gilt-edged chances, hitting the post with an open goal in front of him before heading the ball over from close range following Yannick Carrasco’s cross. Then, in the 90th minute, Thorgan Hazard whipped a perfect ball into Lukaku, but he did not expect the pass, and the ball merely hit him.

After full-time, Lukaku was fuming, and punched a dugout in chaotic, embarrassing scenes for the former Chelsea star. Belgium were out, and Lukaku’s reputation nosedived. It is arguable that he has never really recovered.

Brazil superstar Rivaldo caused a real stir against Turkey in 2002 when he took play-acting to a new level.

The Selecao were leading 2-1 in the closing stages, thanks to a controversial penalty scored by Rivaldo, when Hakan Unsal kicked the ball against the Brazilian’s leg by the corner flag. Rivaldo promptly collapsed to the turf clutching his face and rolled around, prompting referee Kim Young-joo to send off the Turkiye defender. FIFA fined Rivaldo £4,500 for his play-acting, but the forward insisted he had done nothing wrong.

"I was glad to see the red card," he said afterwards. "Creative players must be able to express themselves if football is to stay a beautiful game. There's too much foul play and violence in football. It doesn't matter where the ball hit me. It was only the intent that mattered."

For the second successive tournament, Germany were eliminated from the group stages in humiliating fashion in 2022. Having been surprisingly beaten by Japan in their opening game, Hansi Flick's side earned themselves a draw against Spain that kept their chances of progression alive going into the final round of matches.

During a chaotic night of matches, all four teams in Group E were going through at one point or another as Spain took on Japan while Germany faced Costa Rica. Die Mannschaft eventually ran out 4-2 winners in their game despite going behind midway through the second half, but they still needed a favour from Spain to qualify for the knockouts.

La Roja did open the scoring, but Japan fought back in the second half to run out 2-1 winners, albeit in controversial circumstances. Prior to Kauro Mitoma crossing for Ao Tanaka to fire home the winner, the ball seemed to cross the byline, but VAR could not find clear evidence to disallow the goal. Spain boss Luis Enrique claimed something "fishy" had gone on with the decision, but at least his side were still in the tournament. The big losers were Germany, who found themselves on the next flight home.

The 1978 World Cup began with huge controversy during the opening match of the tournament between Brazil and Sweden.

The scores were level at 1-1 heading into stoppage time when Brazil won a corner. Nelinho placed the ball for the kick, only for Polish linesman Alojzy Jargu to make him move the ball into the quadrant. The cross was eventually played in and headed home by Zico to win the game for Brazil. The only problem was that Welsh referee Clive Thomas had blown his whistle fractionally before the ball crossed the line, meaning the goal was disallowed and Brazil were denied victory.

The decision made waves across the world, with referee Thomas later insisting, "Zico was too late. Possibly only four-tenths of a second too late, but too late nevertheless."

Italy refused to take part in the first World Cup in 1930 after losing out to Uruguay when it came to hosting duties, but made the most of their home advantage four years later.

Managed by the legendary Vittorio Pozzo, the Azzurri beat Greece to qualify for the tournament. Once there, they smashed the United States 7-1, before grinding out wins over Spain and Austria on their way to the title.

The Italians were known for their physical approach, defensive strength and the heroics of Giuseppe Meazza: a player so good, the Italians named San Siro after him. Meazza played in all five games, scored twice and set up the winner in the 2-1 final victory over Czechoslovakia. The hosts' triumph sparked jubilant scenes as Italy lifted both the World Cup and the Coppa Del Duce, a huge trophy commissioned by fascist leader Benito Mussolini.

Lilian Thuram had never scored an international goal before France's 1998 semi-final against Croatia in Marseille, and he never scored another after that day. What happened in between, though, was one of the great individual performances in World Cup history.

Croatia had taken the lead through Davor Suker when Thuram, France’s right-back, burst forward and equalised. Then, with Les Bleus seeking a winner, Thuram did it again, as he drove into the penalty area and scored to send his country to the final in Paris. Thruam never did anything so incredible for his country again, but it was the perfect performance and essential in France’s triumphant run.

The fastest red card in World Cup history was awarded after just 56 seconds, with Uruguay’s Jose Batista the unfortunate recipient of the sanction from French referee Joel Quiniou in 1986.

Chasing a loose ball from a throw-in, the defender lunged in on Scotland midfielder Gordon Strachan, only to miss the ball and piling through the back of Strachan with some force. Furious, Batista’s team-mates surrounded the referee to plead his innocence, but there was no changing the decision.

Luckily for Uruguay, they still made it through to the knockout stages with a 0-0 draw, but that did not stop the pile-on from the secretary of the Scottish Football Association, Ernie Walker, who described the South American nation as "the scum of world football".

Mexico and the Netherlands had never met at a World Cup before their round-of-16 clash in 2014, and many fans of El Tri were full of hope that they could finally progress past that stage of the tournament, having been eliminated before the quarter-finals on four consecutive occasions.

However, Mexico's wait for the mythical 'fifth game' would go on, despite them leading 1-0 deep into stoppage time. Wesley Sneijder equalised with two minutes to spare, before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s 94th-minute penalty confirmed Mexico fans’ worst fears. Many Mexico supporters still gave not got over the nature in which they lost, with claims that Arjen Robben dived to win the decisive penalty still a topic of conversation to this day.

West Germany were humbled by Austria at the 1978 World Cup, ending a 47-year spell without a win over their rivals for the victors.

Austria had already been eliminated when they took on the holders, but still managed to pull off a huge upset in Cordoba. Karl-Heinze Rummenigge had put West Germany ahead, but they were pegged back by an own goal from Berti Vogts. Hans Krankl then volleyed Austria ahead in style before Bernd Holtzenbein swiftly equalised.

West Germany needed a win to progress, and as they pushed for a late goal, Austria hit them on the break through Krankl, who hammered home a famous winner. The victory was Austria’s first over West Germany since 1931, prevented Die Mannschaft reaching a third place play-off in a World Cup and remains one of Austria’s most celebrated wins.

Tim Howard channelled his American spirit during the United States’ round-of-16 loss to Belgium in 2014. The iconic goalkeeper made 16 saves in the 2-1 defeat, the most by any shot-stopper since World Cup records began.

It was such a heroic performance that within hours of the match, Howard’s Wikipedia page had been edited to list him as the ‘Secretary of Defence’. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama personally called the goalkeeper to congratulate him on his performance.

The U.S. may have been eliminated by the superior quality of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, but Howard's one-man resistance meant he became a national hero.

Argentina had beaten West Germany in the 1986 final, and the pair found themselves up against one another in the showpiece four years later. The stage was set in Rome for an epic rematch, but the final itself was an ugly affair, decided only by a single goal.

Pedro Monzon made history by becoming the first player to be sent off in a World Cup final when he dived in on Jurgen Klinsmann with a vicious tackle that left the German striker rolling around the pitch in apparent agony. With extra-time looming, the game was won from the penalty spot after Rudi Voller went down under a challenge from Roberto Sensini. Andreas Brehme converted the penalty to win the game, secure a third World Cup for West Germany and exact revenge on Argentina, who finished the game with nine men when Gustavo Dezotti was also given his marching orders late on.

Landon Donovan’s stoppage-time winner against Algeria was more than a goal; it was the moment that made a generation of American soccer fans believe.

The United States entered its 2010 World Cup group-stage finale knowing a win was needed to advance, and after 90 minutes of frustration - a disallowed Clint Dempsey goal, missed chances, and growing desperation - their hopes appeared dead. Then Tim Howard made a save, launched the ball forward, and started the counter-attack that changed everything.

Donovan carried the move, kept running after Jozy Altidore’s cross found Dempsey, and pounced when Algeria goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi spilled the shot. Ian Darke’s “Go, go, USA!” call became instantly iconic as Donovan buried the rebound and was mobbed in the corner. Back home, watch parties erupted across the country, creating one of U.S. soccer’s first truly viral moments.

In June of 1950, England headed to the World Cup for their tournament debut, having boycotted the first three tournaments due to disputes over payments to amateur players from FIFA. Despite it being their first appearance, the Three Lions arrived as favourites having lost just four games since the Second World War, while they thumped Portugal 10-0 just weeks before kick-off in Brazil.

The United States, meanwhile, had reached the semi-finals of the 1930 edition, but their overall record was dismal compared to England’s, as they had lost all seven of their previous matches before the competition began.

Nevertheless, the U.S. won 1-0 thanks to Joe Gaetjens’ goal in the 38th minute. The England team featured the likes of future World Cup-winning manager Alf Ramsey, Tom Finney, who was widely regarded as one of the best players in the world at the time, and legendary captain Billy Wright Their opponents, meanwhile, were part-time players; Frank Borghi, for example, drove a hearse for his uncle’s funeral home. This remains, then, one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.

Three countries have been beaten during a World Cup and still gone on to lift the trophy. West Germany did it twice, firstly in 1954 and then in 1974, when there was more than just a charged atmosphere for their grudge match with East Germany.

There was plenty of Cold War significance in the game between the Capitalist West and Communist East, but the match turned out to be a tough watch until the 77th minute, when Jurgen Sparwasser finished tidily from close range to secure victory for the East.

The defeat is seen as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, but it ended up being a wake-up call for West Germany, who turned things around and eventually beat the Netherlands in the final.

Argentina and Lionel Messi did not have a happy World Cup in 2018, with their worst moment unquestionably coming when they were humbled 3-0 by Croatia on a night when Luka Modric stole the show.

Messi couldn’t inspire Argentina with his usual brilliance, while an awful error from goalkeeper Willy Caballero sent Croatia on their way to a famous victory. For some reason, Caballero decided to try and chip the ball over Ante Rebic, but failed miserably, allowing the striker to simply volley the opener into an empty net early in the second half.

Modric then popped up with a moment of magic to double Croatia’s lead, as he curled home a gorgeous strike from range that beat a diving Caballero. Ivan Rakitic put the icing on the cake with a tap-in as Messi and Argentina's hopes of progressing from the group were left hanging by a thread given their opening draw with Iceland.

Saudi Arabia certainly made their mark on their World Cup debut in 1994, reaching the last 16 after earning victories over Morocco and Belgium in the group stage. It was in the latter triumph that Saeed Al-Owairan cemented himself as a legendary figure in Saudi football history with a mesmeric individual effort.

Al-Owairan picked the ball up in his own half and proceeded to drive forward, beating four Belgian defenders while making his way into the box, where he smartly finished past goalkeeper Michel Preud'homme for the game’s only goal.

The Saudis were eliminated by Sweden in the next round, but few could argue that they hadn’t made their presence felt.

Back in the early days of international football, Hungary were widely regarded as one of the best teams in the world. But come 1982, they were hardly the superpower they once were.

In the group stages they were drawn to face El Salvador. The central American country had been torn apart by civil war, meaning the team had been unable to schedule proper warm-up matches, while training was also disrupted by outbreaks of fighting.

Nevertheless, El Salvador attempted to take the game to Hungary; it did not work. Hungary were 3-0 up at half-time and subsequently raced into a 5-0 lead by the hour. El Salvador did score a consolation. but then on came Laszlo Kiss, who remains the only substitute to score a World Cup hat-trick.

Lazar Szentes and Tibor Nyilasi rounded out the scoring as Hungary became the first - and thus far, only - team to ever hit double-figures in a single game at the tournament. For one 90 minute spell, they were the 'Magical Magyars' all over again.

Bulgaria enjoyed their greatest run at a World Cup in 1994, with a golden generation of players inspiring them to the final four of the competition. Hristo Stoichkov ended the tournament as the joint-top scorer, while Yordan Letchkov and Krasimir Balakov were also hugely influential.

They all played their part as Bulgaria pulled off a big shock to eliminate Germany in the quarter-finals. Lothar Mattheus’ penalty looked to have given Die Mannschaft safe passage to the semis, but two goals in four minutes from Stoichkov and Letchkov turned the match upside down and marked the first time since 1978 that Germany had failed to reach the final.

France beat Argentina 4-3 in a classic round-of-16 encounter in 2018 as a teenage Kylian Mbappe outshone Lionel Messi in Russia. Mbappe bagged a brace to help send Les Bleus into the quarter-finals, yet for all the talent on show, it was France’s unheralded right-back Benjamin Pavard who produced the most memorable moment of the game.

Lucas Hernandez’s cross from the left went all the way across goal before being met by Pavard on the edge of the penalty area. The defender didn’t pause for a second and simply smashed the bouncing ball into the top corner to open his France account in style.

Pavard's swerving effort was subsequently voted the Goal of the Tournament, with the replay from behind the scorer becoming one of the most iconic of recent World Cup memory.

North Korea had already grabbed plenty of headlines at the 1966 tournament after beating Italy in the group stage, but they threatened to upstage themselves against Eusebio’s Portugal in the quarter-finals, racing into a 3-0 lead within the opening half-hour.

Eusebio, though, had other ideas. The player often seen as second only to Pele among his peers produced a virtuoso performance, pulling a goal back with a stunning strike before netting a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

With Portugal well and truly back in the game, Eusebio scored again in the second half, then won and netted another penalty to put his side in front. Jose Augusto added a fifth goal before full-time, but this game was all about Eusebio cementing his legacy on the global stage.

The 2010 Jabulani ended up being the most controversial match ball in World Cup history. adidas had designed it in an attempt to reinvent modern football with the most accurate and perfectly-round ball in history, but instead the Jabulani would veer all over the place with knuckle-ball effects, prompting criticism, especially from goalkeepers playing at the tournament.

However, one player who certainly wasn't complaining was Uruguay forward Diego Forlan, who claimed the Golden Ball in South Africa thanks to his five goals during his side's run to the semi-finals. The former Atletico Madrid star collated an incredible highlight reel with some audacious strikes, taking advantage of the Jabulani's often unpredictable flight path with a range of blockbuster efforts mainly from distance.

Italy had gone unbeaten during their qualifying campaign for the 2010 tournament and, while few tipped the Azzurri to follow up their success from four years prior with another victory, they certainly weren’t expected to crash out at the earliest opportunity.

Marcello Lippi's side needed a 63rd-minute equaliser from Daniele De Rossi to claim a point in their opener with Paraguay, and they were up against it again when they fell behind to minnows New Zealand, with Vincenzo Laquinta this time striking from the penalty spot to secure a 1-1 draw.

Needing victory against Slovakia to guarantee a place in the last 16, Italy went 2-0 down thanks to Robert Vittek's double and, despite a late comeback via goals from Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella, ended up being defeated 3-2, ending their title defence at the earliest stage.

Argentina were crowned world champions for the first time in 1978, with legendary forward Mario Kempes emerging as the real star. Kempes scored six goals in four games as the hosts ended their wait for the trophy, with two of those strikes coming in the final against the Netherlands.

Remarkably, Kempes took 10 matches to score his first World Cup goal, with the forward later admitting that manager Cesar Luis Menotti’s advice to shave off his iconic moustache may well have helped him end his goal drought.

Two goals against Poland were followed by another double against Peru and then a brace against the Dutch to win the World Cup for Argentina, delivering Kempes the Golden Ball and cementing 'El Matador’s' status as a national hero.

In 1982, Algeria bloodied the nose of West Germany, one of the pre-tournament favourites, in a truly iconic group-stage game. Pre-game predictions centred on how many goals Germany would score, with Algeria something of an unknown quantity in their first-ever tournament.

The apple cart was well and truly upended after 54 minutes, however, as Rabah Madjer scored, slotting home a rebound to spark wild scenes on the Algerian bench. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge equalised, but Algeria were back ahead just 60 seconds later, putting together a flowing passing move that ended in Lakhdar Belloumi scoring a winner that the West Germans could scarcely believe.

Algeria held on for victory. The Germans, however, would have the last laugh (more on that to come...).

Argentina’s 6-0 thrashing of Peru secured the Albiceleste's place in the final of the 1978 competition – which they went on to win - but brought allegations of match-fixing and bribery that have never been resolved. 

Argentina needed to win the game by at least four goals to progress, and managed to score six to pip Brazil to a place in the final. There have since been claims of bribery, involving a huge shipment of grain being sent from Argentina to Peru, as well as claims of threats and match-fixing.

Argentine dictator, General Jorge Videla, is also said to have entered Peru’s dressing room with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger before the game, while there have also been suggestions that Videla and Peru’s military ruler, General Francisco Morales Bermudez, struck a deal to fix the match as part of ‘Operation Condor.’ An official investigation has never been opened.

The 1962 World Cup in Chile will forever be remembered as one of the most violent tournaments, with the nadir being the group game between the hosts and Italy.

The match was only 13 seconds old when the first foul occurred, while the first red card came after just four minutes when Italy defender Giorgio Ferrini was sent off, though he refused to leave and had to be escorted off the pitch by armed police.

Chaos ensued as punches were thrown and Chile's Leonel Sanchez managed to get away with breaking Humberto Maschio’s nose without punishment. Sanchez also threw a punch at Mario David later in the half, which led to the Italian being sent off for retaliating and left the Azzurri with just nine men. Chile went on to win 2-0, but the game will always be remembered for the hatred on display between the two nations, rather than the little football that was played.

During the 1982 group stage, Kuwait eyed a huge scalp when they were drawn against France - but the game instead descended into something approaching farce.

As France scored what would have been their fourth goal, Kuwaiti defenders stopped before the shot was struck, claiming to have heard a whistle in the crowd and assumed the referee was blowing for an offside. That was not the case, but the players and staff of the Middle Eastern country remonstrated with officials, and police were called in to separate fans from players.

Kuwaiti FA president Prince Fahid came down from the stands to involve himself, and appeared to tell his players to continue with the match. Meanwhile, the referee rather incredibly changed his mind and ruled the goal out, to the astonishment of Les Bleus. France would go on to score a fourth goal anyway and run out 4-1 winners, but the delay was a bizarre one for neutral onlookers to take in.

It feels bizarre for a referee to become one of the defining stories of a World Cup, but Graham Poll’s entire career all-but ended at the top level after one mistake on the global stage.

During Croatia’s group-stage clash with Australia at the 2006 World Cup, Josip Simunic fouled Harry Kewell off the ball and was booked. The defender then committed a foul on the halfway line in the 90th minute and was booked again.

Now, for those familiar with the rules of association football, that second yellow card should have equalled a red. It did not, as Poll allowed Simunic to continue. Then, at full-time, Simunic pushed Poll, earning himself a third yellow and - finally - a red.

The game ended 2-2 - fortunately for Poll, as Australia may well have appealed for a replay otherwise - but the referee retired from international tournaments thereafter and explained his mistake by saying that he "incorrectly noted down the name of the Australia number three Craig Moore when booking Simunic for the second time and failed to realise his error".

Fabio Grosso is the star of one of the most indelible images in World Cup history. Having scored a brilliant goal against hosts Germany in the semi-finals to help his side secure safe passage to the final, the Azzurri then beat France on penalties to claim the title for a fourth time.

With Zinedine Zidane having been sent off in extra-time of the 1-1 draw in Berlin, the game went to a shootout, and it fell to Grosso to score the winning kick. He found the top corner in truly ice-cold fashion, before collapsing into emotion with his team-mates. The little-known left-back had just scored two of the most important goals in Italy’s entire football history, and he could barely believe it either, as Italy were crowned world champions for the first time since 1982.

Oleg Salenko probably had no idea he would be making his final appearance for Russia during a dead-rubber clash with Cameroon in the final group-stage game of the 1994 tournament, but he sure made the most of it.

After defeats to Brazil and Sweden, Russia had no chance of reaching the knockout stages, while Cameroon were all but out after taking a point from their first two games. While iconic forward Roger Milla got on the scoresheet for the Indomitable Lions, it was Salenko who wrote himself into the history books by becoming the first player to ever score five goals in a single World Cup game as Russia ran out 6-1 winners.

Laurent Blanc was one of France’s most consistent performers in 1998, but his moment of immortality came in the round of 16 against Paraguay. With the match tied at 0-0 and in extra-time, the new 'Golden Goal' rule came into affect, meaning the first team to score would book their place in the quarter-finals.

Blanc took matters into his own hands, meeting a corner with a cool side-footed finish in the 114th minute to send Parc des Princes into a frenzy. It was the first time a Golden Goal had been scored at the World Cup, and it would prove crucial, with Les Bleus going on to win the World Cup on home soil.

Blanc would not play in the final after picking up a red card for a headbutt on Croatia's Slaven Bilic in the semis, but he remains a hero for his historic effort earlier in the competition.

The darling for World Cup hosts Italy in 1990 proved to be Salvatore ‘Toto’ Schillachi, who began the tournament as a relative unknown but went on to score six goals and beat superstars such as Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona to the Golden Boot.

Schillaci hadn’t previously been called-up by Italy before the World Cup, but the Juventus forward went on to score on his debut after coming on as a substitute against Austria. More goals followed against Czechoslovakia, Uruguay and Ireland to set up a semi-final against Argentina.

Schillaci was on target again, but Italy couldn't quite make it past the defending champions, going out on penalties. The Azzurri were left disappointed, but Schillachi wasn’t finished there, as another goal in the third-place play-off earned him both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball, forever cementing his place in World Cup history.

Ireland captain Roy Keane sent shockwaves through the 2002 World Cup before it had even kicked-off when he stormed out of the team's pre-tournament camp. The Manchester United skipper was far and away Ireland's most important player, but fell out with manager Mick McCarthy and did not feature at all in South Korea and Japan.

Keane launched a scathing attack on Ireland’s preparations and training base in Saipan, which sparked a blazing row with McCarthy. A stand-off between player and manager eventually led to Keane being dismissed from the squad and flying home.

The former midfielder has since insisted he has “no regrets” over the saga, which has since been made into a film, 'Saipan', starring Steve Coogan. Ireland went on to make it out of the groups, but saw their World Cup dreams ended by Spain on penalties in the last 16.

The 1986 World Cup final was not the greatest individual match ever played, but it remains iconic because of one man: Diego Maradona.

With Argentina 2-0 up and cruising against West Germany, the trophy looked certain to head back to South America before goals from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Rudi Voller levelled things up. Then, with just six minutes to go, Jorge Burruchaga latched onto a perfectly weighted through-ball from Maradona to restore Argentina’s lead.

This time, La Albiceleste held on to win their second World Cup title, and the iconic No.10 was hoisted high above his team-mates during the celebrations. With five goals and five assists, the 1986 tournament in Mexico belonged to Maradona, and it was only right he ended up on the winning side.

While the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane put up incredible goal-scoring numbers in contemporary times, it was Just Fontaine who broke new ground back in 1958 with a wonderful hot streak in Sweden.

A magnificent array of forwards have blessed World Cups over the years, but no one player has scored more in a single tournament than the Frenchman's 13 in only six matches. The former Nice and Reims striker bagged a hat-trick in Les Bleus' opening 7-3 win over Paraguay and helped himself to a brace in a 3-2 defeat to Yugoslavia.

Another strike followed against Scotland before Fontaine grabbed another brace in the quarter-final success over Northern Ireland. His one effort versus Brazil couldn't prevent France from sliding to a 5-2 defeat, but Fontaine finished the tournament by hitting the back of the net four times in the third-place play-off with West Germany, thus securing a record-breaking Golden Boot.

David Beckham became public enemy No.1 in England when he was sent off against Argentina in 1998 as the Three Lions crashed out of the tournament in the last 16. Yet fast-forward four years, and the midfielder found redemption against the same opponents.

Beckham had faced a race against time to be fit in time for the World Cup after suffering a fractured metatarsal, but just about recovered in time and started the group game against La Albiceleste. The crucial moment came at the end of the first half when England were awarded a penalty for a foul on Michael Owen by Mauricio Pochettino. Up stepped Beckham with the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, and England’s No.7 smashed his spot-kick straight down the middle to secure a 1-0 win and a place in the knockouts.

Defeat, meanwhile, helped condemn Argentina to an early exit as Beckham was restored to national treasure status.

Zaire - now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo - have only ever appeared at one previous World Cup, but their story in 1974 is rather tragic.

Having been beaten by Scotland, state officials stole bonuses meant for the players, leading to an unmotivated 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Yugoslavia, after which the squad were threatened by the nation’s dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, who said they would not be allowed to return home if they lost to Brazil by more than three goals.

In a moment of defiance during that game against the Selecao, with his side trailing 3-0, defender Mwepu Ilunga charged out of a wall defending a free-kick and kicked the ball away. Western media widely mocked the incident at the time, but Ilunga later said he wanted to be sent off by the referee as a protest against the Zaire regime. He only received a yellow card.

Tim Krul had accepted that he was only going to watch from the Netherlands bench at the 2014 World Cup, with Jasper Cillessen getting the nod to start in all five matches up until the quarter-finals. But head coach Louis van Gaal had a master plan in mind.

With seconds to go in extra-time against Costa Rica, and with the match heading to a penalty shootout, Krul was substituted on in the final minute so that he could face the spot kicks. It was a huge gamble, but Krul was prepared, saving penalties from Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana to send the Netherlands through.

Van Gaal’s intervention thus sparked a worldwide debate over the psychology of a penalty shootout and whether back-up goalkeepers could be prepared specifically with the Krul role in mind.

The Netherlands are rightly renowned as one of the great football nations of the 1970s, but they failed to make their dominance and style count in two disappointing finals during that decade.

The first came in 1974 when they faced West Germany at Olympiastadion in Munich. 'Total Football' looked set to triumph after Johan Neeskens scored a second-minute penalty, but Paul Breitner equalised for the Germans with a spot-kick of his own midway through the first half.

Gerd Muller then bagged the winner in the 43rd minute, helping West Germany claim their second World Cup title. It turned out to be the legendary striker’s last international goal as he retired from Germany duty after the tournament.

Dubbed the ‘Game of the Century’ by FIFA themselves, Italy’s epic semi-final win over West Germany in 1970 was also voted as the match of the 20th Century by supporters.

The two previous winners met in Mexico City, and what followed will never be forgotten. With the Azzuri leading 1-0 deep into stoppage time, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger dramtically equalised for Germany. Extra-time then saw an incredible five goals scored, with the Germans initially taking the lead before Italy fought back. It was a frantic 30 minutes that eventually ended with the Azzuri walking away 4-3 winners, with players from both sides collapsing to the floor at full-time, exhausted from the efforts of entertaining the rest of the world.

France had plenty of elite-level talent when they arrived in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup, but natural optimism soon turned to shame and disaster as the 2006 finalists unravelled amid a player revolt.

A goalless draw with Uruguay in their group-stage opener wasn't the worst result, especially given the strength of the South Americans, but the subsequent 2-0 defeat to Mexico included a dispute between Nicolas Anelka and coach Raymond Domenech which led to a full blown scandal.

Anelka reportedly refused to apologise after telling Domenech to 'go f*ck yourself, you son of a wh*re' at half-time. The French Football Federation decided to expel the striker from the squad, but that just resulted in the players refusing to train before their final group game, a 2-1 defeat to hosts South Africa that confirmed their elimination. Anelka was banned for 18 games and never played for France again.

Neymar is and will always be a Brazilian icon, but his international exploits have often ended in tears.

Aiming to follow in the footsteps of Pele and Ronaldo in leading the Selecao to World Cup glory, the skilful winger looked in peak form at his home tournament in 2014. That all ended in abrupt fashion, however, when Neymar was carried off on a stretcher during the quarter-final win over Colombia.

A knee in the back from Juan Zuniga had fractured his vertebra, ruling him out for the rest of the competition. It was an emotional moment for the home crowd and Neymar’s team-mates, but what followed in the semi-finals was even more devastating...

No game at the 1998 tournament carried more weight than the clash between the United States and Iran. The two nations had not met since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the diplomatic relationship between the two remained incredibly hostile. However, just a few days before the match, Iran players presented their opponents with white flowers as a gesture of goodwill.

They then went on to win the game, with Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavikia scoring in the 2-1 victory, sparking wild celebrations at home in the Middle East. Both sides were eventually eliminated in the group stages, but the match remains one of the most politically significant sporting events of the modern era.

The 1966 tournament featured perhaps the biggest upset in World Cup history. North Korea lost their opening game 3-0 to the Soviet Union, then drew 1-1 with Chile thanks to an 88th-minute equaliser. Italy, meanwhile, only needed a draw in against the Asian minnows to progress, while North Korea needed to win against the then-two-time champions.

Italy suffered an early injury, meaning they had to play the majority of the game with 10 men, and Pak Sung-jin took advantage, scoring brilliantly from the edge of the box to give North Korea the lead and, ultimately, the victory they needed, sending shockwaves across the world.

"I moved [when the ball was in flight] so I could use my right foot, which is always more accurate, and I scored," Pak said. "If we analyse why Italy lost the game, firstly they lost the mental battle, and secondly, after they conceded, they played individually, not as a team, so we saw a triumph of teamwork over technical superiority."

Germany were without a doubt the best team at the 2014 World Cup. They earned their place in the final by thrashing hosts Brazil 7-1 in the semi-final, but there was never going to be an easy way past Argentina in the final.

Head coach Joachim Low famously whispered the words, 'Show the world you’re better than [Lionel] Messi' to second-half substitute Mario Gotze, and with seven minutes left of extra-time, the Borussia Dortmund forward came up with the biggest moment of his career. Andre Schurrle’s cross from the left was taken in stride by Gotze, who volleyed past Sergio Romero in goal.

At just 22 years old, Gotze had earned Germany their fourth World Cup title and etched his own name into the history books, forever remembered as a national hero.

In 1982, Italy beat Germany in a superb final. The Azzurri won 3-1, but it is the image of Marco Tardelli wheeling away, having found the bottom corner from range to give his side a 2-0 lead, that remains etched in the memory of anyone who has seen the iconic clip.

Tardelli hit his shot, and as soon as the net ripples, he appeared to transform, returned back to his days as a boy, dreaming of reaching the pinnacle of the game, falling asleep and picturing this very moment, the ball beating the goalkeeper, the fans roaring, all because of one swing of his very own boot.

He was soon mobbed by his team-mates, but as he ran away, arms outstretched, hair covering his face as he shook his hhead in disbelief, it was hard not to be moved by the embodiment of achieving everything one set out to do.

A goal in a World Cup final, how would you celebrate? Exactly like Tardelli, most likely, and there’s something truly beautiful about that, a cord tying together fans and players.

Argentina and the Netherlands went toe-to-toe in one of the most ill-tempered games in World Cup history during the quarter-finals of the 2022 tournament.

Argentina eventually won 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw, but they had been leading 2-0 untl the 83rd minute, only for substitute Wout Weghorst to score a late brace and force extra-time and, subsequently, a shootout. Lautaro Martinez scored the winning penalty, but the dominant post-match narrative surrounded the sheer amount of ill-discipline that descended on the game.

A total of 18 yellow cards were handed out while Denzel Dumfries was sent off. Afterwards, Lionel Messi took aim at Weghorst during his post-match interview, while also calling out the Dutch tactics: "[Louis] Van Gaal says that they play good football, but what he did was put on tall people and hit long balls."

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also criticised Van Gaal, saying: "I heard Van Gaal saying 'we've got an advantage in penalties', and if they go to penalties, they win. I think he needs to keep his mouth shut."

Scored during Brazil's 4-1 win over Italy in the 1970 final, the Selecao’s fourth is regarded as the greatest team goal ever scored at a World Cup.

The move began deep in Brazil's own half with Clodoaldo, who outrageously dribbled past four Italian players before the ball moved through Rivelino, Jairzinho and Pele, who unselfishly rolled it square to the run of captain Carlos Alberto Torres, who dispatched the ball into the bottom corner. 

The goal was a distillation of everything that made that Brazil side extraordinary: pace, technical quality, and pure joy in the way they played football.

This is a sobering entry that reminds us that while football is a contact sport, there can be no room for genuine violence. In 1982, with West Germany drawn against France in the semi-finals, Michel Platini sent a floated through ball into the path of Patrick Battiston.

Battiston raced forward, and while his shot missed the target, it was Harald Schumacher’s actions that prompted revulsion. The West Germany goalkeeper rushed out and, with the ball sailing wide, he leapt into the air and collided with Battiston, his hip making sickening contact with the Frenchman’s head.

Battiston was knocked unconscious and initially did not have a pulse when physios rushed to him, but the referee did not so much as give a foul, let alone send Schumacher off. Battiston survived but he lost two teeth. Schumacher, rather crassly, said, "if that’s all that’s wrong with him, I’ll give him the crowns myself".

West Germany won the game on penalties and, later, a French poll was taken to discover the most hated man in the country: Schumacher won, beating Adolf Hitler into second place.

Paul Gascoigne had become England’s new hero as the Three Lions made it to the semi-finals of Italia 90 under Sir Bobby Robson, only for them to suffer a heart-breaking defeat to West Germany on penalties.

The defining moment of the game came in extra-time, when Gascoigne picked up a booking that would have ruled him out of a potential World Cup final. Fans were left stunned as Gascoigne’s bottom lip wobbled and the tears flowed on the pitch, while the sight of Gary Lineker gesturing for Robson to "have a word" with the midfielder as the game continued lives on in infamy.

Gascoigne’s raw emotion captured the hearts of the nation and made the talented Newcastle star an instant national treasure. Yet there were more tears at the end of the game as Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce missed spot-kicks and England’s World Cup dreams were over.

Cameroon’s stunning victory over Argentina remains one of the greatest World Cup shocks as Diego Maradona’s defending champions were beaten by a team of relative unknowns in their 1990 opener.

The Indomitable Lions stunned the world by taking the lead in the second half when Francois Omam-Biyick produced an almighty leap to tower above Roberto Sensini and head home to silence a packed San Siro. Yet there was still plenty more drama to come.

Cameroon were reduced to 10 men when Andre Kana-Biyik was sent off on the hour for a trip on Claudio Caniggia, and then ended the game with only nine after Benjamin Massing saw red for wiping out Caniggia as he raced forwards again, a challenge so ridiculous he even lost a boot in the process. Yet even that was not enough to deny Cameroon a victory and one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.

South Africa weren't expected to go the distance at the 2010 World Cup, but there was certainly an added pressure on Bafana Bafana as the first-ever African hosts. They had not progressed past the group stage in either of their previous two appearances on the global stage, but when Siphiwe Tshabalala scored an absolute belter to prompt pandemonium at Soccer City, anything seemed possible.

The former Kaizer Chiefs winger raced onto a pass from Kagisho Dikgacoi and unleashed an unstoppable drive that nestled in the top corner.

South Africa were pegged back by Rafael Marquez's equaliser and a later 3-0 loss to Uruguay proved costly, with them becoming the first host team to fail to advance past the group stage, placing third behind Mexico on goal difference despite beating France in their final outing.

Saudi Arabia recorded perhaps the biggest upset in the history of the modern World Cup in 2022. The Green Falcons met tournament favourites Argentina in Group D’s opening game, and an all-time shock unfolded.

Lionel Messi scored from the penalty spot in the 10th minute, but Saleh Al-Shehri equalised just after half-time. It then fell to Salem Al-Dawsari to send shockwaves through the sport with a screamer from range that flew in just five minutes later.

Argentina poured forward thereafter but Saudi Arabia stood firm to record their only victory at the showpiece in Qatar. Argentina went on to win the trophy, but Al- Dawsari’s goal has gone down in World Cup history, and rightly so.

Italy and Germany met in a truly incredible semi-final in 2006, as the Azzurri beat the host nation at a World Cup for the fourth time - after also doing so in 1938, 1970 and 1978.

While the game ended 0-0 after 90 minutes, this was a semi-final played at a breakneck pace, with both sides desperately trying to win the game. Goalkeepers Oliver Kahn and Gianluigi Buffon were continually called into action and, in extra-time, both Alberto Gilardino and Gianluca Zambrotta rattled the crossbar, before Lukas Podolski missed an incredible chance, heading a presentable opportunity wide from six yards out.

With the spectre of penalties looming - Germany had already beaten Argentina in a shootout in the previous round - Italy amazingly scored twice. First, Fabio Grosso cut inside and finished brilliantly, prompting his own disbelief, before Alessandro del Piero added a second two minutes later as Germany poured forward in the vain search of a leveller.

Pele sits among the greatest and most iconic footballers ever, and his legendary story with Brazil started with a record-breaking performance at the 1958 World Cup.

Perhaps the original wonderkid, Pele led the Selecao to the final with a virtuoso display against France in the last four. The then-teenager scored an incredible hat-trick to see off Les Bleus, becoming the youngest player ever to score a treble in a World Cup match at the age of just 17 years and 244 days.

Each of Pele's goals came in the second half, with the third a brilliant volley from the edge of the box that sealed Brazil's win and set up a meeting with Sweden in the final.

Portugal and Spain played out a six-goal thriller during the 2018 group stages, with Cristiano Ronaldo earning the headlines thanks to a brilliant hat-trick.

The Portugal superstar had kicked off the goal-fest from the penalty spot after being felled by Nacho. Diego Costa subsequently equalised for Spain, but Ronaldo restored Portugal's lead shortly before half-time with a shot from close range that slipped through David De Gea’s grasp.

Two goals in the space of three minutes early in the second half from Costa and Nacho looked to have put Spain on course for victory, but it was Ronaldo who ultimately had the final say. With 88 minutes on the clock, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner curled home a superb free-kick to rescue a draw and become the oldest male player to score a World Cup hat-trick.

'The Battle of Nuremberg', as it is remembered, proved to be a truly wild Round of 16 clash at the 2006 tournament.

While Maniche, the former Chelsea midfielder, scored the only goal of the game, it is remembered for being one of the most ill-tempered 90 minutes the World Cup has ever seen. The first booking of the game went to Mark van Bommel, but a sign of things to come arrived when Khalid Boulahrouz fouled Cristiano Ronaldo, forcing the forward off in tears due to the injury he had sustained.

Costinha was subsequently sent off before half-time for two yellow cards, while Luis Figo was booked in the second half for a headbutt on Van Bommel. Boulahrouz was the next to go, again for two yellows, while Deco and Giovanni van Bronckhorst were also sent off before full-time. Referee Valentin Ivanov, perhaps unsurprisingly, did not officiate another fixture at the tournament after doling out 16 yellows and four reds on a crazy night in Germany.

The 2002 World Cup was a tournament full of shocks, but co-hosts South Korea produced one of the biggest surprises by dumping Italy out in controversial fashion.

Referee Byron Moreno came under fire for a series of decisions, as he awarded South Korea an early penalty, which was missed, sent off Francesco Totti for an alleged dive and then deemed Damiano Tommasi was offside when he was put clean through on goal in extra-time.

All of which allowed Ahn Jung-Hwan to provide the decisive moment just as the game was heading towards penalties. A cross into the penalty area from Lee Young-Pyo saw the diminutive Ahn somehow rise above Paolo Maldini and head past Gianluigi Buffon to secure a famous victory in the last 16.

Morocco enjoyed an incredible run in 2022. The Indomitable Lions became the first African side to ever reach the semi-finals of the World Cup after coming through a tough group that included both Belgium and Croatia.

Having then seen off Spain on penalties, Morocco met Portugal in a dramatic quarter-final. Youssef En-Nesyri headed home in the 42nd minute, and despite a siege-like second half in which Portugal were dominant, Morocco stood firm thanks to heroics in goal from Yassine Bounou and a late miss from Pepe.

Morocco substitute Walid Cheddira was sent off in injury time, but it had no impact on the final score, as Morocco booked a spot in the final four, where they would subsequently lose to France.

England never really got going at the 2010 World Cup, narrowly squeezing through a group containing the United States, Slovenia and Algeria. That set up a last-16 tie with old foes Germany, who looked fearsome with the likes of Miroslav Klose, Thomas Muller and Lukas Podolski up front.

Expectations weren't so high after England's previous mundane showings, and goals from Klose and Podolski had Germany 2-0 up shortly after the half-hour mark. However, Matthew Upson headed in to revive the Three Lions' hopes, and suddenly they looked dangerous every time they poured forward.

Soon the ball dropped to Frank Lampard, whose strike looped over Manuel Neuer and onto the crossbar, bouncing over the line and back against the woodwork before the goalkeeper collected it. Fans in attendance and watching at home could tell it was a legitimate goal, but the officials failed to spot it, with goal-line technology not yet in use. England's fightback stalled there, and Germany ran out easy 4-1 winners.

The 2002 World Cup opened in sensational style as tournament debutants Senegal pulled off a huge shock by beating defending champions France. Les Bleus were without Zinedine Zidane due to injury, but still named an team that featured Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Petit, Marcel Desailly and Patrick Vieira.

Senegal forward El Hadji Diouf played a starring role and set up Papa Bouba Diop to score the only goal of the game with a little help from a mix-up between Petit and Fabian Barthez. Diop’s celebration was something else, too, as the midfielder ran to the corner flag, laid his shirt on the ground and was joined by his team-mates as they danced around his jersey.

The result prompted a dismal tournament for France, who finished bottom of their group and went home early. Senegal, meanwhile, made it to the quarter-finals before being beaten by Turkiye.

When the World Cup came to England in 1966, the Jules Rimet trophy followed, and was housed in Westminster’s Central Hall. On the second day of its exhibition, however, it was stolen, and a ransom note was received by police, demanding £15,000 for the return of the trophy

Days later, Dave Corbett was out for a walk with his dog, Pickles, when the clever canine sniffed out the World Cup beneath a tree!

"As I was putting the lead on I noticed this package laying there, wrapped just in newspaper but very tightly bound with string," Corbett recalled. "I tore a bit off the bottom and there was a blank shield, then there were the words Brazil, West Germany and Uruguay printed. I tore off the other end and it was a lady holding a very shallow dish above her head. I'd seen the pictures of the World Cup in the papers and on TV so my heart started thumping."

Pickles was given an award, and even appeared in an Eric Sykes film.

Paolo Rossi was not meant to be in Italy’s 1982 World Cup squad. The striker had been handed a two-year ban for his role in match-fixing, and Italy boss Enzo Bearzot was widely criticised for selecting him. That is until the Azzurri faced Brazil.

Brazil had been electric throughout the tournament, and had already beaten reigning world champions, Argentina, in the opening match of the second group stage. They thus needed just a draw against Italy to progress. But they hadn't accounted for Rossi.

The then-Juventus forward scored the opener after five minutes with a clever, precise header before Socrates levelled. No matter, as Rossi capitalised on a lax pass in defence and finished to secure his brace, only for Falcao to equalise once more.

Rossi simply would not be denied, as while Brazil kept attacking, Rossi finished off a counter-attack with surgical precision. Italy were through, Brazil were out, and Rossi was a man reborn on the international stage as he went on to seal the tournament's Golden Boot.

Given it was a game between two of the most adventurous football nations on the planet, the 2010 final between Spain and the Netherlands was a surprisingly dirty and ungentlemanly affair. Referee Howard Webb dished out 14 yellow cards, the most ever in a World Cup final, but somehow the English official only gave Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong a booking for his now infamous 'challenge' on Xabi Alonso in the 28th minute.

Just after Alonso headed the ball, De Jong caught the midfielder with a foot straight to his chest, prompting understandable outrage from the Spanish team. La Roja would have had an easier task had the Netherlands been reduced to 10 players early on, though they eventually got the job done in extra-time thanks to Andres Iniesta's winner.

While Algeria had beaten West Germany in their opening group game of the 1982 World Cup, they then lost to Austria 2-0 before earning a 3-2 win over Chile. That final fixture was played 24 hours prior to West Germany and Austria’s meeting in the same group, meaning that both teams were aware of the fact that a West Germany win by fewer than three goals would see both them and their German-speaking opponents through safely to the knockout rounds on goal difference at Algeria's expense.

Horst Hrubesch scored after 10 minutes, and while there was an air of competitiveness to the rest of the first half, the second 45 minutes saw the two teams essentially defend the scoreline, ensuring neither would be eliminated. One West German fan even burnt his own flag in protest at full-time, such was his displeasure at his side’s performance.

From 1986 onwards, the final set of matches in a group have always kicked-off simultaneously to avoid another episode like 'The Disgrace of Gijon'.

During the 1950s, Hungary had built arguably the strongest international side ever seen. Led by Ferenc Puskas, 'the Magnificent Magyars' arrived at the 1954 World Cup having gone unbeaten over the previous four years. They thus looked on course to cruise to their first World Cup title, having thrashed West Germany - one of their fellow favourites - 8-3 in the group stage.

Inevitably, the two met again in the final, and what played out has since been dubbed ‘The Miracle of Bern’. West Germany came from 2-0 down to beat Hungary 3-2, with Puskas having a controversial equaliser ruled out minutes from full-time.

It was a defining moment for the Germans, who would carry that success forward for decades. For Hungary, it was a crushing blow that they have never truly recovered from.

The first men’s World Cup was pretty far removed from the global beast FIFA has created in the modern age, with only 13 teams taking part in the inaugural event.

Uruguay were the side to beat after winning gold at both the 1924 and 1928 Olympics, and were made hosts for the tournament following those previous successes. La Celeste won their two group-stage games without conceding a goal before battering Yugoslavia 6-1 in the semi-finals, setting up a clash with South American rivals Argentina in the final.

After a pre-match dispute over what ball should be used, the game got underway and Uruguay emerged victorious, claiming a 4-2 win at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo despite falling 2-1 behind in the first half. They would win a second World Cup title 20 years later in Brazil.

David Beckham’s moment of madness in 1998 remains a stain on his long and otherwise successful career, as it took years for the England midfielder to quell fans' frustrations at his red card against Argentina.

A wonder-goal from Michael Owen and an equalising penalty from Gabriel Batistuta left the round-of-16 clash finely poised at 2-2 midway through the second half. At that point, Beckham, lying on the ground after a foul by Diego Simeone, flicked his boot towards his tormentor. Simeone’s reaction to the minimal contact was beyond dramatic, but he succeeded in convincing referee Kim Nielsen to brandish a red card.

England, down to 10 men, defended valiantly but were ultimately eliminated on penalties. Beckham was vilified back home and booed at every away ground he visited while representing Manchester United. It was only his performances for Red Devils and the Three Lions in the years that followed that eventually restored his standing with the English public.

Few knew the name James Rodriguez heading into the 2014 World Cup, but fans around the globe were well aware of the emerging Colombian superstar by the end of it. Within the space of just four weeks, James scored the goal of the tournament, won the Golden Boot and made himself one of the most sought-after players in world football.

In the round of 16 against Uruguay, the midfielder controlled the ball with his chest, and in the same movement, spun and struck a volley that flew in off the crossbar. It was a strike of such quality that it even drew smatterings of applause from the opposition fans inside the stadium.

Jame would score six goals in five games at the tournament in Brazil, with Colombia eventually beaten by the hosts in the quarter-finals. Within weeks of that moment, Real Madrid had signed James for a mammoth £63 million.

West Germany’s bitter rivalry with the Netherlands was clear for all to see in 1990 as Frank Rijkaard made headlines for all the wrong reasons by spitting at Rudi Voller.

An ill-tempered game that was littered with fouls saw tensions boil over when Rijkaard was booked for a tackle on Voller. The Dutchman was clearly riled and spat in Voller’s hair as he ran past. The resulting free-kick saw Voller tangle with Dutch goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen, leading to more anger from Rijkaard and a confrontation. The referee thus sent both players off, and Rijkaard again spat at Voller’s curly mullet as the pair walked off the pitch.

An ugly moment indeed, but the two players made up and went on to star together in a Dutch advert for butter, donating their fees to charity.

The World Cup has thrown up some seriously surreal moments over the years, but there are few that can rival one incident from the opening ceremony of the 1994 tournament.

Oprah Winfrey managed to fall off a platform and twist her ankle shortly after introducing world-famous singer Diana Ross, and Ross probably didn’t envisage producing one of the most hilarious moments in World Cup history when she signed up to be part of the opening ceremony.

Having made her way through the field, the singer went to take a staged penalty, only to completely miss the target. The goal still shattered in two as if obliterated by the power of a striker’s shot, thus adding to the hilarity.

Hosts Brazil had flexed their muscles throughout the 1950 tournament, winning two of their three games in the group while scoring eight goals along the way. They then thumped Sweden 7-1 and Spain 6-1 before the final against Uruguay at the iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.

Uruguay, by comparison, had to grind their way to the final; they beat Bolivia 8-0 in the group phase but did not have to play France, who withdrew. They then drew 2-2 with Spain and beat Sweden 3-2 to book their place in the final.

Just hours before the game, the mayor of Rio had proclaimed: "You, players, who in less than a few hours will be hailed as champions by millions of compatriots! You, who have no rivals in the entire hemisphere! You, who will overcome any other competitor! You, who I already salute as victors!"

However, that arrogance would bite him and many others in the backside as, quite incredibly, Uruguay won the game 2-1 in front of over 170,000 stunned fans for perhaps the most unlikely World Cup triumph ever. 

The stars of Brazil must have been trying desperately to relax in the build-up to their quarter-final clash with the Netherlands, but forward Bebeto was struggling more than his team-mates. That’s because his wife was heavily pregnant and about to give birth at any moment.

Everything ended up being just fine and Bebeto got the chance to share his joy with the entire planet when he scored against the Dutch. He produced an all-timer of a celebration, mimicking rocking a baby alongside Romario and Mazinho, before the Selecao eventually booked their place in the semi-finals with a dramatic 3-2 triumph.

England’s clash with Portugal in the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals had something of an extra spice to it given that the Three Lions had been eliminated from Euro 2004 in controversial circumstances by Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. This, then, there was a chance for revenge.

A tight, nervy game followed, but in the 62nd minute, Wayne Rooney either - depending on your allegiance - stepped back and inadvertently stepped on Ricardo Carvalho’s crotch, or violently stamped on the Portugal defender. The referee saw it as the latter, and issued Rooney a red card after intense protestations from the Portugal team, Ronaldo chief amongst them.

With Rooney trudging off, television cameras honed in on his then-Manchester United team-mate as Ronaldo aimed a wink at his own dugout for the part he played in getting England's star striker dismissed. He then, of course, went on to score the winning spot-kick as England were eliminated. Ronaldo was thus reborn as a pantomime villain overnight.

With seconds remaining in the Netherlands' 1998 quarter-final against Argentina, and the game level at 1-1, Frank de Boer launched a long ball forward from deep inside the Dutch half.

Dennis Bergkamp took the ball on his chest with his first touch, shifted it past Roberto Ayala with his second, and then finished into the far corner with his third. It was over in a flash, but the strike was brilliant nonetheless.

Bergkamp had famously refused to fly to the tournament in France, instead travelling by train and boat, but he will forever be remembered for this moment of magic, even if the Netherlands were eliminated in the final four.

The 1998 World Cup final between Brazil and France was clouded by one of the most confusing episodes in the tournament’s history. Ronaldo Nazario, the Selecao’s star striker and the world’s best player, was initially left out of the starting line-up for the match, only to be reinstated shortly before kick-off.

Reports claimed that the Inter star had suffered a convulsive fit in the team hotel on the afternoon of the game, leaving his team-mates shaken in the process. The Brazilian Football Confederation issued contradictory statements on the matter, but Ronaldo was later cleared of any wrongdoing.

Once the match kicked-off, Ronaldo did not look like himself, failing to have much of an impact on the France defence as he and his team-mates ultimately finished as a runners-up.

Spain arrived at the 2014 tournament in Brazil as the defending champions. They were in the middle of their golden era, having won three consecutive major titles, with two European Championships coming either side of their World Cup triumph in 2010.

That subsequently made their opening 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands even more shocking, with Robin van Persie’s flying header to equalise just before half-time the turning point. At full-stretch, the Dutchman launched himself at a long ball from Arjen Robben, meeting it in the air and sending it looping over legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who was left stranded and humiliated.

The result marked the end of Spain’s era of dominance as they crashed out in the group stage, while Van Persie’s goal became a staple image of the 2014 tournament.

It was over in a flash, but Gordon Banks’ iconic save from a bullet Pele header in the group-stage match between England and Brazil in 1970 still lives fondly in the memories of the Three Lions’ fans.

In the blazing heat of Guadalajara, Pele met Jairzinho’s cross and sent it flying towards the bottom corner, fully expecting to wheel away for another routine celebration. Banks, somehow anticipating the trajectory, got down low and scooped the ball over the crossbar.

Pele was left with his hands on his head, and later described the England shot-stopper’s efforts as "the greatest save I have ever seen."

Ronaldo was the star of the show in 2002 as Brazil won the World Cup for a fifth time in Japan and South Korea. The superstar striker banished the ghosts of 1998, when he suffered a seizure before the defeat to France in the final, whole Ronaldo had also fought his way back from a series of knee injuries that had led to doubts over whether he would ever play again.

He put all that behind him to produce one of the most sensational comebacks the game has ever seen. Ronaldo’s dazzling skills and pace were on show throughout the tournament, while his eight goals ensured he took home the Golden Boot. 'O Fenomeno' capped his World Cup by destroying Germany in the final, scoring twice to put Brazil back on top of the world again.

Kylian Mbappe set the 2018 World Cup alight with a series of brilliant performances as France were crowned champions for the second time. The forward was just 19 at the time, but demonstrated he was to become the next global star by inspiring Les Bleus to victory.

Mbappe scored against Peru in the group stages and then netted twice and won a penalty to dump out Lionel Messi’s Argentina in a thrilling last-16 victory. Mbappe wasn’t done there either, as he netted France’s fourth goal in their 4-2 win over Croatia in the final, becoming the second-youngest player to score in a World Cup final, after a certain Pele for Brazil.

Rarely do the pre-tournament favourites follow up on the hype by lifting the silverware, but that's what Spain did in 2010. A truly exceptional generation of players wrote themselves into the history books by winning their first, and so far only men's World Cup, with Andres Iniesta providing the iconic moment deep into extra-time in the final with the Netherlands. 

The Barcelona legend collected Cesc Fabregas' pass and cracked a volley past Maarten Stekelenburg, triggering incredible celebrations from his team-mates and supporters in attendance at Soccer City.

There were still a few minutes to see out, but the Dutch had already had John Heitinga sent off for a second yellow card and couldn't create the opportunity they needed to level the game in the last throes of the encounter.

A moment of magic from Ronaldinho downed England at the 2002 World Cup, although debate raged after the game about whether the Brazilian actually meant it!

The winning goal came from a free-kick some 35 yards from goal, out wide on the right, after a foul by Paul Scholes on Kleberson. Everyone expected Ronaldinho to flight the ball into the penalty area, but he had other ideas, as he floated the ball towards goal, over a helpless David Seaman and into the back of the net. Ronaldinho ended up being sent off in the second half, but his goal was enough to knock England out of the tournament.

Did he mean it? "When I hit the ball I wanted to shoot for goal – but maybe not exactly where the ball ended up,” he said afterwards. “If I'm being totally honest, I was aiming for the other side of the net.”

Before the Maradona Spin and the Ronaldo Chop, there was the Johann Cruyff Turn, named after the Netherlands’ greatest ever player after he produced a sublime bit of skill during a 1974 World Cup clash with Sweden.

Out wide and trying to hold off opposition defender Jan Olsson, Cruyff faked a pass to a team-mate and then instead dragged the ball in the opposite direction, leaving his opponent stranded and Cruyff free to enter the penalty box from a wide position.

The move is now an essential tool that all modern-day players need to have in their lockers, with Hal Robson-Kanu pulling it off with great aplomb when he scored for Wales against Belgium at Euro 2016.

Zinedine Zidane had endured a quiet tournament in 1998. That was until he reached the final. The midfielder's red card against Saudi Arabia in the group stage had been the defining moment of Zidane's competition ahead of the showdown with Brazil, but he saved his best for the most crucial of moments.

Zidane scored twice with the trophy on the line, two headers, both from corners. Emmanuel Petit added a third in stoppage time, and France were crowned World Cup winners in front of a home crowd.

Zidane was named Man of the Match, with his face later projected onto the Arc de Triomphe as millions of fans celebrated in Paris. The Juventus midfielder would go on to earn a move to Real Madrid, eventually retiring as arguably the greatest player of his generation.

With stars like Carlos Valderrama and Faustino Aprilla leading the team, Colombia had a real chance of enjoying great success at the 1994 World Cup. Pele had even tipped them to reach the semi-finals. However, a campaign that began with genuine hope ended in disgrace and tragedy.

After a defeat to Romania, Colombia desperately needed to beat the United States, but instead suffered a 2-1 loss to the hosts, with Andres Escobar scoring an own goal.

They didn’t get the results they needed in the final round of games to progress, and Escobar was shockingly shot dead in Medellin shortly after returning home, with it widely believed to be retribution from the cartel who had lost money from betting on the team.

England are still waiting to end 60 years of hurt, but on one glorious summer’s day at Wembley in 1966, football did manage to come 'home'

While the first 90 minutes of the final against West Germany ended in a 2-2 draw - Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters for England, Helmut Haller and Wolfgang Weber for the visitors - it was in extra-time that Hurst became an all-time Three Lions legend.

Hurst scored his second of the game 11 minutes into the additional half-hour as his rasping effort crashed against the crossbar, bounced down and, in English eyes, crossed the line. The linesman agreed, but West Germany have protested ever since, insisting that the ball did not find its way in.

Regardless, Hurst scored again before full-time as he attempted to merely smash the ball into the crowd to waste time, only to find the top corner instead and become the first player to net a hat-trick in a World Cup final. England won the tournament for the first and, thus far, only time, thanks to Hurst, the linesman, and a little bit of good fortune that has evaded them ever since.

Luis Suarez has a history of biting his opponents. Before the 2014 World Cup, the Uruguay forward had already been involved in two similar incidents while playing for Ajax and Liverpool, respectively.

In Uruguay's final group game,, Suarez’s frustration got the better of him as he tussled with Giorgio Chiellini, and he sank his teeth into the shoulder of the Italy defender, leaving a mark that Chiellini did not hesitate to show the cameras.

The referee missed the initial altercation, with Uruguay winning the game 1-0 and advancing to the knockout rounds at the Azzurri's expense. However, FIFA reviewed the footage and handed Suarez a four-month ban from football - the longest ever imposed for such an offence. As a result, Uruguay were left without their star striker for the rest of the tournament, and exited in the last 16 at the hands of South American rivals Colombia.

The legendary Diego Maradona scored some of the greatest World Cup goals ever, so his fantastic finish to a flowing Argentina move against Greece was not a peculiar sight in itself. However, how the former Napoli star decided to celebrate his strike certainly was.

Maradona didn’t wait for his team-mates. Instead, he sprinted towards a television camera on the sidelines, shouting into the lens with a hysterical look on his face.

It would be a final burst of manic genius on the world stage from Maradona, who tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug ephedrine after the game and was banned for the rest of the tournament.

Was it one of the most unsporting moments in elite sports competition ever, or would anyone do what Luis Suarez did against Ghana in 2010 to protect his country's hopes of glory?

Controversy has never been far from the Uruguay forward, but one of his most egregious displays came when Suarez batted the ball away from danger deep into extra-time during his side's quarter-final against Ghana. The striker used his arms to keep out Stephen Appiah's shot on the goal line and was subsequently sent off before Asamoah Gyan blasted the resulting penalty off the crossbar, leaving Suarez to celebrate wildly in the tunnel.

Uruguay would go on to win the tie on a penalty shootout, sending the last remaining African team home, and Suarez would later say, "I made the save of the tournament."

Cameroon forward Roger Milla danced his way into World Cup folklore in 1990 as he helped make for an unforgettable tournament.

Milla had actually retired from international football before the finals, but was persuaded to return, scoring four goals in Italy at the grand old age of 38. His penchant for running to the corner flag after finding the back of the net and jiggling those ageing hips went down a storm and saw Milla make headlines across the globe.

Cameroon made it to the quarter-finals before being knocked out by England after extra-time. Milla wasn’t finished there, though, as he popped up again at in 1994 at the age of 42, becoming the oldest goal-scorer in World Cup history with his strike against Russia.

No result in World Cup history has ever caused as much shock as what happened at the Estadio Mineirao on July 8, 2014. Host nation Brazil, without the injured Neymar and suspended Thiago Silva, crumbled in the semi-finals at the hands of a relentless Germany side in a manner that had never been seen before.

Thomas Muller scored after just 11 minutes, with Miroslav Klose soon making it 2-0. That scoreline was still manageable, but further goals from Toni Kroos (twice) and Sami Khedira left Brazil 5-0 down at half-time.

The stadium and fans inside it were left in stunned silence, and two more strikes from Andre Schurrle in the second half were enough to visibly break a number of the players in yellow shirts. Several of them had tears streaking down their faces at full-time, having been a part of a historical match that no Brazilian football fan will ever forget. This wasn’t just a loss; it was a national trauma.

Roberto Baggio was arguably the best player in the world in 1994, an age where Serie A and Calcio truly reigned supreme.

'The Divine Ponytail' had hauled Italy through the World Cup knockout stages, scoring in the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals before the Azzurri squared off against Brazil in the final. After a goalless spectacle, the final went to penalties.

Baggio stepped up to take Italy’s fifth penalty, needing to score to keep the shootout alive after misses from Franco Baresi and Daniele Massaro. Instead, his strike sailed over the top as he was dubbed ‘the man who died standing,’ having been left rooted to the ground after his failed spot-kick attempt.

Pele would win three World Cups during his illustrious career, but it was his first in 1958 that catapulted him into the global superstar stratosphere.

Having scored four goals to help Brazil reach the final, the teenage sensation followed up his hat-trick in the semi-finals with another decisive display against hosts Sweden. The forward would put Brazil 3-1 up in the final with a wonderful strike, flicking the ball over a defender and lashing a volley into the bottom corner, leaving goalkeeper Kalle Svensson grasping at air.

His second, a looping header, wasn't quite as glamorous but it counted all the same, being the last goal of the game as Brazil won their first-ever World Cup. It remains the Selecao's only triumph on European soil.

England’s fury at the allowance of Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal was still etched on the face of every Three Lions player when the Argentine icon stunned the entire world with a moment of magic just minutes later.

Picking up the ball inside his own half, Maradona turned and began to run. He beat Peter Beardsley, then Peter Reid, before dancing past both Terry Butcher and his defensive partner Terry Fenwick on the edge of the box. Finally, Maradona slalomed past the great Peter Shilton before poking the ball home despite some late pressure.

It was typical of his genius, with the entire move lasting 11 seconds and covering 60 metres of grass. His quarter-final strike was voted as Goal of the Century in a poll conducted by FIFA, immortalising the moment, as well as the man who made it happen

Zinedine Zidane is one of the most iconic footballers of all time, but the one moment he is perhaps best remembered for is a headbutt on the grandest stage of all.

The Real Madrid legend was jogging away from Marco Materazzi, the Italy defender, during extra-time of the 2006 World Cup final when something was said between the pair. Zidane turned and, without a second of hesitation, headbutted Materazzi in the chest.

Materazzi, who had earlier equalised Zidane's penalty in normal time, recalls that when the France legend offered him his shirt at full-time, he replied, "No, I’d prefer your sister". Materazzi insists it was merely "trash talk", but Italy went on to win the shootout, with France left reeling from an act of madness that resulted in their star player being sent off. 

Zidane walking past the World Cup trophy, head bowed, remains an indelible image in the tournament's history.

Given the stakes involved, Argentina’s incredible win over France in the 2022 final will go down as one of the the very best football matches ever played. Fans in Qatar were treated to a thrilling, end-to-end, high-quality battle between the two best teams on the planet, as the two teams' respective superstars, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, traded blows.

Argentina rushed into a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria, that they held until the final 10 minutes. But with the result almost secured, Randal Kolo Muani was fouled in the area and Mbappe stepped up to score from the penalty spot, before netting again 60 seconds later to bring Les Bleus level.

Messi scored his own second of the game in extra-time, but Mbappe responded with another spot-kick to complete his hat-trick with just two minutes left. Penalties were required to decide a winner, and Argentina came out on top, scoring all four of their kicks while both Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for France.

Messi, finally, was a world champion, his legacy secured forevermore.

The most iconic moment in World Cup history? Diego Maradona’s iconic ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 quarter-final against England will take some beating.

His country still raw from the Falklands War four years earlier, the Argentina No.10 punched the ball into the back of the net early in the second half, disguising the movement of his left arm behind his head to deceive referee Ali Bin Nasser. The goal stood, and Maradona’s description the goal as having been scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God" were immortalised.

England were understandably left furious, especially when their opponents went on to win the tournament.