1. Italy 3-2 Brazil 1982
Not only the finest World Cup game of all time, this may rank as the greatest game ever played. Brazil, which had delighted the tournament with exquisite displays of carefree attacking football that overwhelmed opposing defenses needed only one point to progress to the semi-finals — but playing for a tie was inimical to Brazil’s style. The scintillating swagger and skill of Socrates, Zico, Falcao and Eder is still remembered by many purists as representing the poetic high point of the “beautiful game” for the post-Pelé generation of Brazilian players, and having demolished every team they had faced along the way, they were overconfident going into the Italy game.
They were stung 5 minutes in by a headed goal from Paolo Rossi, recently returned from a two-year ban resulting from a match fixing scandal. A breathtaking exchange of passes between Socrates and Zico unlocked the steely Italian defense, allowing the philosophically named captain to score one of the best goals of the tournament. But the Brazilians’ casualness cost them dearly when a schoolboy error by Cerezo gifted Rossi a second. Again, Brazil equalized, but Rossi’s third, from a poorly defended corner, broke Brazilian hearts. Rossi described the game as the “greatest” of his career but Zico couldn’t bring himself to admit that the better team had won. “We played artistic football with beauty, all about goals and attacking,” he said. “Italy were the opposite, completely preoccupied with stopping the other side playing.” Italy went on to win the tournament, making the Brazil game an object lesson in how winning the World Cup requires a marriage of attacking flair and defensive grit.
2. Italy 4-3 West Germany 1970
It’s been dubbed the game of the century but, truth be told, you’re on safer ground calling it the finest extra-time ever seen. An incredible five goals were scored over those 30 minutes as regulation play left Italy and West Germany at one goal apiece in the 1970 semi-final. The Germans were fortunate to even get to extra-time, needing defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger to volley his side level with the only goal of his 47 appearances for his country. “Schnellinger, of all people,” the German commentator said without a trace of irony. Those extra 30 minutes found legendary German player Franz Beckenbauer with his arm heavily strapped but his team took the lead for the only time in the match thanks to prolific striker Gerd Muller, nicknamed “Der Bomber.” Back came Italy, through Tarcisio Burgnich and Luigi Riva, to lead once again. Muller equalized with his 10th goal of the tournament, but Italy charged back down to the other end to score the winner through Gianni Rivera.
The Beautiful Games
- 1. Italy 3-2 Brazil 1982
- 2. Italy 4-3 West Germany 1970
- 3. Belgium 4-3 USSR 1986
- 4. Brazil 3-2 Holland 1994
- 5. West Germany 3-2 Hungary 1954
- 6. Portugal 5-3 North Korea 1966
- 7. West Germany 3-3 France 1982 (West Germany wins on penalties 5-4)
- 8. France 1-1 Brazil 1986 (France wins on penalties 4-3)
- 9. England 4-2 West Germany 1966
- 10. Brazil 4-1 Italy 1970
