These are the moments and memories that make this time every 4 years that little bit special. Snapshots of childhood, adolescence and adulthood that make the wait worthwhile. These are not necessarily the most important or defining moments from World Cups in my lifetime, but rather they are the ones that have made this event resonate in a way that no other football event ever can. And while I cannot predict how exactly June 2022 will feel, I do believe that, notwithstanding all that Russia has done as a State in recent years, even in sport, this World Cup may be the last great one as a football event where off-field matters can be left to one side temporarily and the carnival can take place. I mean Argentina was no picnic spot in 1978, even Spain in 1982. Mexico had to drag its way out of absolute devastation in 1986 to put it on, and South Africa and Brazil have a lot of issues too. FIFA are under no obligation to hold their tournaments in Western utopias, so give this one a chance at least. Russia and the USSR before provided a lot of great teams and players throughout the 20th Century, and behind all the macho hooligan posturing beloved by the Putinites, lies a fairly great football culture, which I hope will surface across this vast land in the next month (But like I said, 2022 will be different). So let’s have a look at those moments which made the World Cup so special for Yard of Grass.
Igor Belanov – USSR vs Belgium 1986
Starting near enough where we’re going this week, this goal and this match were pivotal not only for the 8-year old YoG watching his first World Cup but the 12 year old YoG watching the highlights from Mexico 86 every day during the months from January to June 1990 as part of the endless Screensport TV build-up to Italia 90. One of the great World Cup matches was the 2nd round meeting between a mighty Soviet Union side and a fine Belgian team. The latter had stumbled out of their group, but would succumb only to Maradona himself in the semi-final. (It puts Ireland’s Euro 88 qualification into perspective that we topped a group including Mexico 86 semi-finalists Belgium and Bulgaria who were only knocked out by the hosts in the last 16.)
Anyway, this game ended 4-3 to Belgium after extra time. Igor Belanov got himself a hat-trick, no doubt a major contribution to his Ballon d’Or award for that year. He was one of 13 Dynamo Kiev players on the Soviet squad who had just won the European Cup Winners Cup, which even though it sat beneath the UEFA Cup in the pecking order, was still a massive trophy then. Most of this Soviet squad would go on to the final of Euro ’88 in Germany only to lose to a phenomenally talented Dutch team, one which they had beaten in the group stages. This match was undoubtedly a major factor in many people’s choice of Mexico 86 as the best World Cup of all time. And Belanov’s screamer of an opener is typical of the quality of the tournament.
Niall Quinn – Ireland vs The Netherlands 1990
YoG No. 11 – Ireland at Italia 90 probably says enough about this one, so allow me to quote myself:
Packie popped up with a long hoof. Van Aerle attempted a dangerous back-pass to Van Breukelen, who spilled it towards the on-rushing Niall Quinn, and he slid in to score. We were behind the goal and the place went apeshit. Absolutely apeshit.
Another truly unforgettable moment in Irish football history. We made our way back to our coaches, completely drained, and drove through the night into the early hours to the ferry terminal. I don’t think we knew who we were playing in the next round until the following day. It’s not like your mate could text you, or you could watch it live on a pocket sized device. But it was Romania. The Dutch got Germany. That’ll do.
Hugo Sanchez – Mexico vs Belgium 1986
The build-up to Italia 90 was intense for anyone of my vintage. You were obsessed with knowing absolutely everything about every player in every squad. I completed the monster Italia 90 sticker book as well, but as I referred to earlier, it was the likes of the long-gone Screensport and other early satellite sports channels that really got it going. They were showing special preview shows every day of the week and someone somewhere screened Hero: The Official Film of the 1986 FIFA World Cup at some stage, which I recorded and watched a million times. It was a truly magnificent piece of cinema and I’m speaking here as a 12 year old. Given its title, you won’t be surprised to hear it focussed on a number of individuals. Maradona obviously, Preben Elkjaer, Butragueno and Hugo Sanchez all featured, but the latter was the absolute star.
Approximately 10,000 people died in the Mexico City earthquake in September 1985. This film sought to link the two, opening with scenes of devastation, with its emotional 80’s synth soundtrack, but giving way to the scene below. Hugo Sanchez, according to this particular telling of the story, had reawakened a nation, and its great capital city from a devastating tragedy. It’s difficult from this far out to gauge how ordinary Mexicans and the global media viewed the tournament proceeding after such an event, or if there was any real feeling about it by kick-off. This article provides some context for the draw in December 1985 at least. Like I said at the start, Russia 2018 is not the first World Cup to be held under a cloud. Hugo Sanchez’s simple header against Belgium to put them 2-0 up did a lot to lift that cloud. They would top their group and go out on penalties to West Germany in the Quarter-Finals. He was famous for the spectacular, but this may be his most memorable moment. In front of 110,000 people in his hometown, one of the stars of European football lifted his own country.
Rashidi Yekini – Nigeria 1994
The tragedy of Rashidi Yekini was covered by Yard of Grass back in October 2016. You know the picture well, but the story is very much worth reading.
Michael Owen – England vs Argentina 1998
As a Liverpool fan, Michael Owen brought me to my feet many, many times, most notably in the 2001 FA Cup Final which he won by himself at the death from 1-0 down. I remember cheering this goal as well. I remember being embarrassed by my actions, even if I may have been alone. You don’t cheer England. You never cheer England. Only Mark Wright’s goal in 1990 against Egypt, which sent us into the last 16, could even be welcomed. This felt wrong, but it wasn’t. And neither is putting it on this list. England’s youngest ever World Cup squad member, he came on as sub in the first 2 games, scoring and hitting the post in a 2-1 defeat to Romania in the second game. He retained his place for the last group game and started against Argentina – one of the biggest possible fixtures for England. And he did this after 16 minutes to put them 2-1 ahead:
Josimar – Brazil vs Northern Ireland 1986
As a left-back and possessor of a decent hit, I feel I can relate to every full-back who dreams of those moments when they get a bit of time outside the box to have a crack and do their utmost to create something like this (that one sounded as good as it looked!!!). It seldom happens, but I think I can trace my love of the position and its potential for unleashing absolute thunderbastards to seeing this goal aged 8. Poor ol’ Pat Jennings would have had nightmares about it after, but it was a fine, fine hit.
There are many other contenders, but these are the ones I remember best and which have had the greatest impact. A longer list may include the whitewash on the goal-line flying up as Socrates scored against Italy in 1982; Denmark 6-1 Uruguay in 86; Benjamin Massing’s assault on Claudio Caniggia in 1990; Letchkov’s goal vs Germany in 94; Diana Ross’s miss vs a carefully crafted opening ceremony in 1994!!!; Voller vs Rijkaard; Schumacher vs Battiston; Brazil’s exit in 2014; Zidane’s in 2006; and Suarez’s in 2010 and 2014. All iconic moments, but there’s never enough time.
Obviously every Irish goal is also etched forever in my mind, with George Hamilton’s commentary still better remembered than family member’s birthdays (sure they come around every year!), and it’s just not the same without us. It was great building up to Euro 2012 and Euro 2016 with the latter at least providing some magic on the pitch too, but the Euros is not the World Cup. This is different. The Euros is a football tournament. The World Cup is the only truly global event we have, where in every town in every country on every continent, there’ll be someone watching even the least glamorous ties. It’s a carnival and it is a phenomenon. I trace my life’s events in World Cups, as many others do too (I’m sure 🙂 ). I finished primary school in June 1990; was an awkward long-haired metaller 16-year old with a first summer job with my Dad when watching McGrath hold out the Italians in New York; I was studying for my Masters finals and finishing my thesis when Saipan happened in 2002 and on tour in the UK with my punk band during the tournament itself; I had a real job by 2006 (and had started to take it seriously by 2010!!!) I got married a week after the 2014 World Cup Final and I’ll be watching this one with my 2 kids. Child. Teenager. Student. Thirty-something. Father.
They don’t come around very often. Enjoy it.
A Yard of Grass 