Non Rangers moments from your youth that made you love football

Watching the great Liverpool side of the eighties dominate in Europe with a core of Scottish players. Rangers aside that was the only football poster I had on my wall as a kid. Souness and Dalglish were unbelievable.
 
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The Mexico World Cup in 1970, oustanding stuff which I don't think has been equalled nor ever will be.

Despite having a deep founded loathing of Man Utd, their 1968 European Cup Final defeat of Benfica was a treat to watch as a 9 year old.

WATP
 
A bit of light hearted relief after the weekend.

What are your non Rangers related moments from your youth that made football magical for you?

A few stand out for me. I don't think I took much of an interest in football till I was maybe 7 or 8 so everything for me was 1993 or afterwards.

The 1994 World Cup, I literally couldn't sleep for excitement. I think I must have watched every single game in that and seeing all the big names of the time playing in those massive USA stadiums was fantastic. I wanted Brazil to win, and still remember seeing the Republic of Ireland beat Italy who were among the favourites and realising that the better team might not always win. The penalty shootout in the final had me on the edge of my seat.

I also remember following Arsenal in the Cup Winners Cup that year and being excited to watch the games every Thursday night even though the games were dire. I'm probably worng about this but felt like every Arsenal game in that competition seemed to finish with a 1-0 aggregate score.

The Champions League that year was great too, only seen a handful of the games but remember AC Milan winning the final 4-0 and hoping George Weah might be at Rangers the next year! If I recall correctly, we got knocked out by AEK Athens in the 1st round that year, I remember reading the Rangers News article and there was an interview there with Davie Robertson where he was basically calling AEK a bunch of hacking bassas. 1996 was absolute magic too, watching probably the best Juventus team in history steamroller everyone in their path (us included sadly)

Euro 96 stands out too. I remember going to my uncle Jim's for the England-Scotland game. Was one of those magic moments in life of "Go and get yourself a wee beer from the fridge son, just don't tell yer mum". Tasted effing rank but I finished it. Genuinely thought at half time that Scotland would be winning and was gutted when we lost, but that goal from Gazza...sublime. I remember my uncle saying "Andy will biff him when they get back to training after that!".

Genuinely thought England would win it that year, best England team I can remember.

I could be here for a fortnight writing this!

1998 World Cup final.

World Cup 2002 when holders France lost to Senegal was a massive shock.

Man Utd in the champions league final beating Bayern at the Nou Camp with the late goals.
 
Norn Iron at Spain 82.... beating Spain with Gerry Armstrong’s goal. Then Mexico 86 to follow.

I was 10, turning 11 during Spain 82 and at that age didn’t fully appreciate just how big it was for Norn Iron to qualify for a WC.

Euro 2016 was yet another overachievement for OWC.
 
Another vote for Mexico 1970
And another.

Also Ronnie Radford's 'Goal of The Season' in 1972 for non-league Hereford against First Division Newcastle in the FA Cup had everything - the romance of the underdog, the mudheap pitch, the long range shot, the pitch invasion...
 
1970 World cup and Esso coin collection of England team
1974 world cup, the Dutch side and that Cruyff turn.
 
Va
A bit of light hearted relief after the weekend.

What are your non Rangers related moments from your youth that made football magical for you?

A few stand out for me. I don't think I took much of an interest in football till I was maybe 7 or 8 so everything for me was 1993 or afterwards.

The 1994 World Cup, I literally couldn't sleep for excitement. I think I must have watched every single game in that and seeing all the big names of the time playing in those massive USA stadiums was fantastic. I wanted Brazil to win, and still remember seeing the Republic of Ireland beat Italy who were among the favourites and realising that the better team might not always win. The penalty shootout in the final had me on the edge of my seat.

I also remember following Arsenal in the Cup Winners Cup that year and being excited to watch the games every Thursday night even though the games were dire. I'm probably worng about this but felt like every Arsenal game in that competition seemed to finish with a 1-0 aggregate score.

The Champions League that year was great too, only seen a handful of the games but remember AC Milan winning the final 4-0 and hoping George Weah might be at Rangers the next year! If I recall correctly, we got knocked out by AEK Athens in the 1st round that year, I remember reading the Rangers News article and there was an interview there with Davie Robertson where he was basically calling AEK a bunch of hacking bassas. 1996 was absolute magic too, watching probably the best Juventus team in history steamroller everyone in their path (us included sadly)

Euro 96 stands out too. I remember going to my uncle Jim's for the England-Scotland game. Was one of those magic moments in life of "Go and get yourself a wee beer from the fridge son, just don't tell yer mum". Tasted effing rank but I finished it. Genuinely thought at half time that Scotland would be winning and was gutted when we lost, but that goal from Gazza...sublime. I remember my uncle saying "Andy will biff him when they get back to training after that!".

Genuinely thought England would win it that year, best England team I can remember.

I could be here for a fortnight writing this!
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Van Basten and Guillit Euro 88.
 
Came on to post similar.
That Leeds team were much maligned but they couldn't half play.
I loved them, plus they had Harvey, Bremner, Lorimer, Frankie and Eddie Gray, Joe Jordan and big Gordon McQueen, all Scottish internationals when they actually mattered.
 
Another thing that made me fall in love with football was the atmosphere.
Scotland v Norway to qualify for Argentina was incredible.
 
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Seeing Zidane crash that goal in at Hampden at the Champions League final.

He is my all time favourite footballer, plus he nutted a cu*t that slagged his maw.
 
Dennis Bergkamp. Pretty much all the time, especially in 98 against the Argies. Was 10 or so at the time and remember thinking Holland were playing amazing football. Also as mentioned by others Zidane and that goal at Hampden the big mad gallus basturd that he was.
And who can forget our gaffer in the UCL final.
 
Owen world cup 98. I remember my whole p3 class chanting Scotland marching round the playground before Scotland Brazil.

McFadden against France.
 
Euro 96 then France 98 remember taking the day off school for the Scotland Brazil game and my dad and me getting loads of good food in and enjoying the build up to it . Ironic as now I don’t bother my backside with Scotland and who they play . Used to love watching Football Italia on a Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon if I wasn’t at one of our games .
 
Thinking about this, not sure if it is my first, but, I remember being round at a friend's house seeing Nayim v Arsenal, 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final.

120th minute winner with a screamer of a goal.

Probably didn't appreciate it was scored by a former Tottenham player at the time.

In hindsight, so similar to Seaman's Ronaldinho mistake, also get it right up Fatson and Ian Wright.
 
Another vote for the 1970 WC and that magnificent Brazil side. Also remember watching Peru in that tournament who were outstanding.

Going to Anfield for the Wales v Scotland qualifier in 1977 and seeing Scotland win a brilliant match was an incredible experience.

Maradonna playing for Argentina at Hampden and scoring twice as an 18 year old in 1979.

Maradonna in Mexico 1986, sublime.
 
My first non rangers memory is watching my dad get ready to go to hampden in 73/74 to watch Scotland v the checz.putting on a tartan waistcoat and bonnet and getting picked up by his workmates.i watched the game on the tv and it wasn’t till my dad came home from work that I could ask him
What it was like and he said “emotional your dad was in tears at the end” and I couldn’t figure out why and he explained that he hadn’t seen Scotland qualify for a World Cup finals all his adult life.i got what he meant the night we beat fiorentina to get to Manchester
 
I would have been about 11 at the time but I remember watching Man Utd vs Real Madrid in the champions league quarter final at Old Trafford. United won 4-3 but Ronaldo (R9) scored a hat trick and it was one of the all time great performances. Not to mention a wonderful game of football.
 
Sitting in the stand with my Step-Dad at the Real - Frankfurt final.
Frankfurt scored first and he said they'll regret that. 7-3.

Scotland-England 1967, again with Step-Dad.
"World Champions My Arse" was the cry on the train on the way home.
 
Like a few others, WC'78. I would have been 7 going on 8 when it was on. The strips, the Argentinian superstars, the ticker tape in the stadium, Gemmell's goal, the sticker book, the subbuteo teams, the lot. I was a wee guy possessed from that point onwards.


As an aside - interesting how many people have selected WC's in reply... and then you look at the shitfest that international football is these days (not just talking about Scotland). We used to have something wonderful and now it's basically just a business.


I could have written this post myself, the same age as well.

Spain 82 was another fantastic spectacle.
 
Brazil 1970.

Rivelino free kicks. Pele nearly scoring from halfway. Full backs who were wingers.
Not just winning, but putting a smile on the face of fans.

It was amazing for the young dh.
 
World Cup in 1970. My dad worked behind the bar in a social club and I watched loads of games in there. Fuzzy colour picture with games kicking off at weird times. Would have been the first time I saw Peru and I loved their strip.
 
3 spring to mind.

In the 70s, as a young kid, sitting in the kitchen listening to commentary of Liverpool's European games. Loved it. Always had a sense of feeling that they could score from any attack.

Going to my Granda's to watch the late night games in the 78 World Cup. Amazing spectacle for the Argie games.

Again in the 70s, watching the build up to and the draw for the FA Cup 3rd round to see who the wee teams get. Much more romance to the cup back then.
 
Apart from Rangers and Scotland for a while when I was growing up I have never really been into football. Watching 10-15 minutes of the Champions League final or World Cup games is enough for me unless there is a Rangers interest. I'd rather watch Rangers ladies, Under 8's or any Rangers team than Man Utd v Liverpool, but I can just about do 5-10 minute highlights. Loved playing football - used to do it for hours as a kid, but rugby Union was my game to play and watch outside of Rangers.
 
Born in 88 myself so the 94 world cup absolutely gripped me. being allowed up late to watch games and even being woke up to catch some of later games as a kid it was really special. I'll never forget the shootout in the final and baggio blasting it over. Similar to others I remember being let out of school early to run home and catch Scotland vs Brazil at France 98.....can still remember the playground that day, absolutely buzzing with anticipation. Shame how international football has been ruined.
 
Mexico 86, Italia 90
for some reason the whole Rudi Voller and Frank Rikard spitting incident was a huge talking point at my playground
 
Spain 82 - especially the Brazil teams performance against Scotland the USSR.

Then Paulo Rossi’s performance v Brazil.

Additionally, and this won’t be liked, Aberdeen and Dundee Hibs European runs.
 
74 and 78 World Cups especially Kempes, Gemmill and Lorimer. Sunderland winning FA Cup and Liverpool of late 70s European Cup wins.
 
France 98 first world cup i was old enough to take interest in

remember liverpool in a uefa cup final think it was a spanish team gary mac was playing finished like 5-3

Zidane champions league at hampden

manchester united champions league 99 against bayern munich probably my favorite moment in football outside of us.used to love watching fergies utd teams.now i wouldnt open my front door to watch english football
 
Just glad I grew up in the pre-corporate, pre-PC, pre-sanitized, pre-VAR era, when football was still a contact sport and raw emotion reigned supreme! Genuinely not sure I'd have the same passion I have for the game if I was getting into football as a youngster now, but as they've never known any different, who knows.

Loved the 1974 WC and as a youngster, anytime I was allowed to stay up late to watch midweek highlights, on the relatively rare occasions they were on, was a rare treat - particularly if a Vesta curry was thrown in.
 
Aged 11. Manchester United v Bayern Munich Champions League final.

Absolute Scenes in my living room.
 
78 world cup, even though Scotland were a disaster I remember staying up to the early hours watching Italy beat Argentina with a Roberto Bettega goal.
What really got me was the atmosphere at the start of the game with the tickertape display
 
World cup 2002. I remember they let us watch games in primary school, i'll never forget Ronaldinho's free kick v England, it was magic!
 
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