After France scraped through a hard-fought semi-final against Morocco on Wednesday evening, fans around the globe will be treated to a mouth-watering spectacle on Sunday as the reigning champions face Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Les Bleus can become the first nation to retain the World Cup since Brazil won successive titles in 1958 and 1962, and Didier Deschamps has masterminded an incredible run to the final meaning France have claimed victory in each of their last four semi-finals (1998, 2006, 2018, 2022).
Meanwhile, Argentina’s pre-tournament prophecies as a potential winner for the first time since 1986 are one step away from materialising, and a dreamy script is nearing its conclusion which could see the game’s greatest player claim the biggest prize of them all in his final World Cup appearance.
With a dazzling prospect on the horizon, we have decided to rewind the clock and take a look at the most memorable World Cup final meetings throughout the tournament’s 92-year history.
5. 2006: Italy 1 – 1 France
The 2006 World Cup final is perhaps better remembered for non-footballing antics, but there is no doubting it is one of the most memorable conclusions to a tournament.
After a thrilling World Cup that waved goodbye to legends on the biggest stage such as Ronaldo and Luis Figo, Berlin’s awe-inspiring Olympic Stadium provided the backdrop for Italy and France’s final meeting.
Coming out of international retirement to represent his nation one last time, Zinedine Zidane’s nonchalant ‘Panenka’ penalty in the opening stages rattled off the underside of the bar to give France the lead, before Marco Materazzi equalised just before the 20 minute mark.
Despite scoring the only goals of the game, the pair would later provide the defining moment after Materazzi’s controversial quip, which is still debated to this day, caused the red mist to descend on Zidane as the eventual Player of the Tournament launched a violent headbutt, sending the Italy defender to the ground.
Needless to say, Zidane was dismissed by the referee and Fabio Grosso’s winning penalty in the shoot-out handed Italy their fourth World Cup crown.
RELATED: 2022 World Cup Final Match Stats: Argentina vs France Head-to-Head Record
4. 1970: Brazil 4 – 1 Italy
Long before their triumph in 2006, the Italians were subjected the first of two World Cup final losses in 1970.
The blistering Mexican heat in the Estadio Azteca set the stage for one of the World Cup’s greatest team performances as Selecao dismantled a supremely talented Italy side. In the process, Pele became the only player to claim three World Cup winner’s medals – a record that still stands today.
Faltavam 4 minutos…
🗓 1970 @FIFAWorldCup
🏟 Azteca
🆚️ BRA 4×1 ITA
🅰️ @Pele
⚽️ Carlos Alberto Torres @CBF_Futebol
🎙 Jorge Cury / Mário Vianna (ambos chorando)
📺 FIFA TV pic.twitter.com/Vm7lUK1LDO— FRED DO CHAME-CHAME (@FREDCHAMECHAME) December 12, 2022
Pele, Gérson and Jairzinho all featured on the scoresheet, but it was Carlos Alberto’s thumping finish to round off one of the most iconic, free-flowing one-touch passing sequences in football history that remains the defining moment from the 1970 World Cup final.
3. 1986: Argentina 3 – 2 West Germany
Entering the top three, we feature another of the all-time greats as Diego Maradona capped off his second World Cup appearance with a winner’s medal.
The run to the final included one of the most puzzling performances at a World Cup against England, where ‘El Pibe de Oro’ scored perhaps the greatest individual goal of all time following one of the most callous displays of cheating, having pushed the ball over Peter Shilton with his ‘Hand of God’ as he coyly described it.
The ‘Half-Devil-Half-Angel’, as he would later be described by French newspapers, would go on to lead Argentina to their second World Cup title in an enthralling match-up with West Germany.
La Albiceleste cruised to a 2-0 lead courtesy of Jose Luis Brown and Jorge Valdano, and an Argentina victory was seemingly a foregone conclusion.
However, legendary striking pair Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Rudi Voller levelled the score with 15 minutes left to play, but a hush fell among the 100,000 spectators as Maradona’s magical pass to Jorge Burruchaga allowed him to poke home the winner late on.
2. 1966: England 4 – 2 West Germany
Another West Germany defeat sneaks into the top two as England claimed their first and only international honour, running out eventual 4-2 victors on home soil.
Helmut Haller’s header opened the scoring, with the Wembley crowd fearing dreams of a first World Cup may barely get off the ground. However, Geoff Hurst equalised with 18 minutes played before Martin Peters’ nudged the Three Lions out in front.
A devastating last-minute equaliser from the Germans forced the final to extra time, and with the visitors smelling blood they piled forward, which would ultimately be their downfall.
Hurst would restore England’s lead with one of the most controversial goals ever witnessed at the World Cup as he fired a shot at the underside of the bar; did it cross the line? The man himself admitted he doesn’t think so.
Hurst would go on to score another spectacular near-post goal to become the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
1. 1950: Uruguay 2 – 1 Brazil
And so, we arrive at one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history as Uruguay claimed their second World Cup.
The fourth edition of the tournament saw Brazil named as hosts, and a nation that had so quickly become inextricably linked with football expected nothing less than the title.
This iteration was the first World Cup since World War II forced the competition into a twelve-year hiatus, so the anticipation and expectation was palpable at the infamous Marcana in Rio as Uruguay and Brazil lined-up in the final.
In front of a en eye-watering 200,000 strong spectatorship the Maracana had been specifically constructed in preparation for the 1950 World Cup, to serve as a fitting temple of football to parade the new victors.
Despite Friaça putting Selecao ahead just after half-time, Brazil’s perceived certainty of victory was flipped on its head as Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia notched in two goals for Uruguay within the space of 10 minutes to shock the hosts.
The emotional investment prior to the tournament sparked bizarre scenes after the final whistle; a distressed fan committed suicide, three others supposedly died from heart attacks, and Uruguay were handed the trophy without an award ceremony after no preparations were made for that eventuality.
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