Non Rangers moments from your youth that made you love football

The build up to the WC in 78. We were going to win it, weren’t we?

Then Forest and Liverpool winning the European Cup in the years after that.
 
As well as Archie Gemmill's goal in 78 there was David Narey's belter vs Brazil in 82. Then there was Dalgleish putting the ball through Clemence's legs as well as those European cups with Liverpool.
The 81 FA Cup final with Ricky Villa and Ossie Ardiles was a bit special too
 
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.


Dundee Utds great run in the UEFA Cup and the season they were cheated out of a European cup final didn't bother me much at all but I was hoping the Sheep got gubbed every time they played, we had a rotten time of it against them in the early to mid 80's, that 4 1 cup final defeat in 81 was a dagger in the heart of a 10 year old S_T_B. The title win at Ibrox in 91 laid that ghost to rest :))
 
Zico in 82 was what I came on to post. Brazil had a great side and he was the standout. His free kick against Scotland was class. Maradona was becoming huge by 82 and Zico put him in the shadow.

I remember going to Windsor Park for the Linfield v Flamengo match in 1986.
I was only going to see Zico!
Sadly he didn't play & don't think he was even there!
 
Qualifying for World Cups in 1986 and 1990. Would regularly go to Scotland games then as a kid and was at the Australia qualifier and remember our primary school being allowed to watch the second leg.

Was also at the Norway game in 1989 when McCoist scored with a lob.

Add to that my first Scotland v England match in May 85 when Gough scored.
 
Diego Armando Maradona. 1986. Mexico.

I was a long established Rangers fanatic by that point and genuinely believed Davie Cooper, Robert Prytz and Bobby Russell to be the pinnacle of footballing genius and then I saw this diminutive Inca madman ripping the piss out of the World Cup in Mexico.
 
1994 was the first World Cup I really remember.

Hagi banging in a goal from 40 yards on the wing done it for me.
 
Similar to the OP. 94, 96 and 98. USA was the first world cup I was old enough to take an interest in. Baggio blew me away. He dragged a fairly ordinary Italy side to the final and then obviously missed the penalty. Still gutted for him. Romania and Bulgaria were great too. And of course there was Romario for Brazil and Campos in goals for the Mexicans with his crazy kits.

96 was a fantastic tournament. Loved every second of it, except Scotland going out of course. Was at the France v Romania game at St James' Park and got to see Zidane v Hagi. That was fun.

98 is probably my favourite tournament of all time. Had absolutely everything and there were some fantastic teams and matches. Holland v Argentina, Holland v Brazil in particular. The emergence of Croatia and their run to the semi etc. I was mascot for Scotland v Morocco, what a pumping that was. Turns out it's the last game we've ever played at a major tournament. I was 12 :eek:
 
Not sure if people will hate this...

But computer games from Commodore and SNES made me love football.

Then Subbuteo where I could be the manager got me.into it.
 
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.
Not to mention this bit - I'll never forget watching it live. I was certain he was going to knock the ball past the keeper...


I only wish he'd scored !
 
Brazil in the 1970 Mexico World Cup. Mesmerising.
LolBN7d.gif
 
United coming back in injury time to win it in Barcelona in 99. Was just starting to love football properly then the pure excitement of them turning it around from disaster to one of the most incredibly moments in 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.

Love this post for many reasons. I went to the World Cup in 1974 and loved Germany. We got there because my dad worked for the railway and had just qualified for free continental passes. He was a shunter/ordinary railman but because the passes were new and he was BR we got the best luxury travel. The games were also cheaper than Ibrox and you could stand near the front without being hit by a bottle.
Vesta used to do the only curries you could get - tiny wee bits of beef. Their big thing was rice and they also did rissotto. Last week I bought 2 packets of my favourite - paella with prawns - from Iceland. Han't had that in years because mostly they do a Chow Mein in major supermarkets and nothing else.
 
Ronaldo v Lazio in the 98 UEFA cup final. Remember many a bruised knee from falling over trying to do his dummy with the keeper!

Football Italia in general. Loved Sunday afternoons watching Baggio, Weah, Del Piero, Signori, Batistuta and co.
 
Belgium v USSR WC 1986.

Was unemployed at the time and stayed up to watch this match. It was on in the middle of the night. Best match I've ever seen, a WC classic. Belgium with Scifo, USSR with soon to be our very own Oleg Kutznetsov. No spoilers watch it on youtube. This match had everything. Like two boxers going toe-to-toe.
 
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!

MOTD during the 70's when Liverpool had played at home on the Saturday afternoon. Loved watching Steve Heighway in these games, particularly when Liverpool were attacking the Kop end.

Heighway on one of his runs down the left wing as the Kop went into full sway mode was magical.
 
Gazza lobbing hendry and scoring that peach at euro 96.
Just about all 10 Turkish outfield players chasing denilson into the corner flag at wc 2002 purely for comedy value.
 
Czechoslovakia v West Germany 1976.

A live game on a Sunday night! 90 minutes of football, extra time then penalties. And Panenka.
 
2002 World Cup watching Brazil and Ronaldo. Ronaldo winning the final with 2 goals.

Also the performance of Ronaldo away to Man Utd in 2003, scored a brilliant hat trick. Theres a video of it on YouTube.
 
Not so much a moment for me, as everything from my youth has been covered above.

But just the Football Italia programme in general on Channel 4. It gave me hero's outwith the Scottish game... Guys like Maldini, Baresi, Baggio, Batistuta etc
 
Little bits & pieces of the 1980s... Brazil & Italy being exciting to watch in the 82 World Cup, Dave Narey’s goal against Brazil, Keith Houchen’s header, the emergence of Gascoigne.

Italy 90 and Euro 96 in England were superb tournaments.
 
1970 World Cup, that Brazilian team made me plead for a Brazil strip for my xmas that year. That Gordon Banks save from Pele.
The 1973 German team that would go on a year later to win the World Cup Gerd Muller in particular.
The 1970’s Leeds Utd team stuffed with Scots, plus Alan Clarke, Mick Jones and who are still my English team today.
Edit: just read thro this thread a lot of older Bears have similar thoughts that makes me happy
 
i can remember being in primary school all happy at dundee utd beating barcelona then being gutted at them losing to gothenberg.
 
I was 10 at the time so already football daft
But Michael Owens goal against Argentina always sticks with me
 
i can remember being in primary school all happy at dundee utd beating barcelona then being gutted at them losing to gothenberg.

As a kid utds run to the final was great to watch.

Wanted then to win it and the ironic thing was they had beaten much better teams than gothenberg to reach the final.

These days im happy to see utd lose every game they ever play until the end of time.

And beyond.
 
2006 world cup was the first I can remember very clearly. 2002 I can remember bits of it but 2006 was the main one for me. Literally ran home from school to watch it.

Another one that stands out although it wasn't really my youth but the South Africa goal in 2010 was an iconic moment for football.
 
Euro 96 for me what a tournament was actually wanting England to win it because of Gazza

Always mind Davor Suker scoring an absolute screamer of a chip as well as McCoist's and Gazza's goals
 
USA 94 for me. An utterly outstanding World Cup, final aside. So many stories and sub plots along the way. We didn't get much European football on the telly back then and the EPL at the time was standard, so to see all these talents was great.
 
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