Spain 82 was jaw droopingly good .. the colour, the teams and the atmosphere was amazing
it was back in the day when football wasn’t live on the tv apart from Scottish cup finals and teams had a specific style unique to that country .... first time I ever saw Brazil ... they were just fantastic... it’s something we have lost because of the international aspect of league football now which is a shame
Exactly my thoughts. Couldn't have put that better.
To a 9-year old that Brazil team didn't look any team I'd every seen before or play like any team I'd ever seen. Or since TBH. Always supported Brazil in World Cups ever since (once Scotland are out). Watching that team is directly responsible for me making the trip to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. Had always wanted to go to a World Cup and always wanted to visit Brazil since seeing that team.
I remember the Scotland games, the ticker tape in the stadiums and the final from Argentina 78 but was only 5. By 1982 I was old enough to obsess over it.
On the field:
THAT Brazilian team, the way they played and the goals the scored. Unmatched in my eyes.
Fantastic French, West German and Italian teams.
Northern Ireland shocking the world.
Honduras, Cameroon and Algeria holding or beating Spain, Italy and Germany and coming coming within touching distance of qualifying from the groups.
Impressive Belgian and Polish teams.
Brazil vs Italy and France vs Germany are two of the greatest games you will see.
Alan Hansen colliding with Willie Miller to knock us out.
Souness going straight back up the park and scoring in the dying minutes in an act of defiance.
Rough rooted to the spot against Brazil.
The referee disallowing a goal after a Kuwaiti Prince came onto the field to protest and causing chaos.
West Germany and Austria stitching up the Algerians with the only scoreline that would put both of them through.
Germany and Italy being absolute dogshit in the groups before turning it on in the latter stages.
Harold Schumacher's unpunished assassination of Batiston then winning the penalty shootout for Germany.
Tardelli's unforgettable celebration after scoring the 3rd goal in the final.
Socrates is still my favourite ever player and John Wark my favourite British player (excluding Rangers players)
Zico, Platini, Eder, Falcao, Boniek, Rossi, Rommenigge and Hrubish, Junior, Six, Giresse, Breitner, Gerry Armstrong and Billy Hamilton, Blochin, Passarella, Maradona, Litbarski, Zato, Conti, Zoff, Altobelli, Tardelli, Ardeliles (wearing #1 for some reason), Cubias, Cuilemans,
And a Scotland team with genuine quality.
Personal Memories
Avidly filling in the results in a wall chart I got free from Radio Rentals.
The height of panini sticker collecting.
Spending all my pocket money buying pencil rubbers with the team shirts on from the corner shop. Must have been "lucky bag" type packaging as I ended up with about 5 Hungary strips trying to get Scotland or Brazil.
Watching the final in the TV room at Butlins in Filey.
Naranjito the mascot
The tartan army in the sunshine looking strangely glamorous in an insane steamin' sort of way.
Group seeding that made sense: The Obvious big guns in pot 1. The Eastern Bloc teams in Pot 2. The rest of the European and South Americans in pot 3. The "Diddy" teams from North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania in pot 4.
Literally crying tears of joy when Dave Narey scored against Brazil because I knew we were going to beat Brazil despite everyone saying we'd get hammered . . .
Sorry guys, this ended up being a novel. But it was that good.