The 4 Most Iconic Moments In FIFA World Cup History
At virtually every FIFA World Cup, there is a moment - or a number of them - that will be talked about for generations to come. From the famous to the infamous, these are the four most iconic moments in World Cup history.
1. The hand of god
We kick things off with a moment which is remembered for all that wrong reasons - at least if you’re an England fan. The moment occurred back in 1986 in a quarter final between Diego Maradona’s Argentina and the Three Lions, a game which was locked at 0-0 entering the second half. With a spot in the final four up for grabs, Maradona found himself with a golden opportunity to give his side the lead. With the ball airborne inside England’s defensive box, he and the much taller opposing goalkeeper Peter Shilton contested it midair. Somehow, Maradona won, beating Shilton to the ball and deflecting it through for a goal.
Replays showed it had blatantly come off the outstretched hand of Maradona, a hand he later dubbed ‘the hand of God’, but nonetheless the referees confirmed the goal in perhaps the most iconic World Cup moment in history. Argentina ultimately advanced to the semis with a one-goal win, but not before Maradona was the centre of another huge moment (more on that below).
2. Geoff Hurst’s Wembley winner
The 1966 World Cup Final was one of the most memorable at the World Cup, and this time the English were on the right side of history. A European team had won the event just once since 1938, but against West Germany in front of a very pro-England crowd of nearly 100,000 at Wembley Stadium, the English reminded the world that there is more to the continent than just good food. The first 90 minutes of the match was a see-sawing affair, ended up locked at 2-2 and went to extra time, and in the 101st minute Geoff Hurst was at the centre of one of the most controversial moments in football history.
With 19 minutes remaining, he fired a shot past the West German defence from close range which cannonned into the bottom of the top crossbar. It bounced virtually directly downwards and was cleared by the defence, but the referee stopped the game to consult the nearest linesman and it was ultimately ruled a goal. Of course, in 1966 technology wasn’t at the level it is today, so the referee’s word was final. Over the ensuing 55 years, debate has continued to rage about whether the whole ball crossed the line, with perhaps the most definitive answer coming from modern-day imaging which suggests it made it just 97% of the way there.
3. The goal of the century
It’s hard to imagine that in almost 100 years of World Cup history, two of the most iconic moments would come out of the same match, but the 1986 quarter final between Argentina and England delivered in a way that few other sporting events ever have. It was just four minutes after the infamous Hand of God incident that Maradona dazzled fans and opponents alike with one of the greatest individual goals in history, giving his side a lead that they would never relinquish.
After receiving the ball inside his own defensive half, Maradona took the ball nearly 60 metres up the field, passing opposition English players as though they were statues. Eventually only goalkeeper Peter Shilton, with whom he had shared the number one moment on this list just four minutes earlier, was left between him and the goals. The much-loved Argentinian promptly put him on his backside with a majestic feint, and popped the ball into the back of the net for what is now commonly referred to as the Goal of the Century.
4. Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt
Three-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, Frenchman Zinedine Zidane became a national hero at the 1998 World Cup, scoring two goals in the final to lead his team to its first ever World Cup win - that kickstarted a change in fortunes for the French, who subsequently won again in 2018 and are one of the favourites next year, with only the $6 odds on Brazil to win the 2022 World Cup matching their own.
Renowned as much for his brilliant leadership as for his ability on the field, Zidane’s time on the international stage would come to an end eight years later, and he didn’t exactly retire gracefully to the Mediterranean as he may have planned.. Deep into extra time of the decider, and with the scores still tied, Zidane infamously headbutted opponent Marco Materazzi - after some prompting - and received a red card for his troubles. The game ultimately went to a penalty shootout which the Italians won, and the image of one of the game’s greatest ever players - and now celebrated coach - with his head against his opponent’s chest in the final act of his international career is etched into the collective memory of football fans around the world.
The stakes at the FIFA World Cup are as significant as at any sporting tournament in the world, so it’s no surprise that in almost 100 years of the event there have been a multitude of huge moments. For better or for worse, the above four are some of the most memorable, and go down as the top four most iconic moments in World Cup history.
