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The Top 20 Most Amazing Games of All Time

Ozren Podnar reports on the top 20 best football matches

Italy vs. Brazil top them all!

Out of millions of soccer games played, we have chosen Italy vs. Brasil from the 1982 World Cup as the greatest game in history.

But why, you may ask, if the game ended in a dismal 2-3 defeat for the Brazilian artists? Well, that's precisely why. Ernest Hemingway wrote that all great love affairs end in tragedy, and love is what the world felt for the majestic Brazilian team of the early eighties.

1. Italy 3-2 Brazil (1982) World Cup quarterfinal stage

Soccer's version of "Casablanca"

If "Casablanca" was to be turned into a soccer game, than this match would be it. Millions must have cried at the end of this game, and we do not mean just the Brazilians. No team had ever attracted so much support from the neutrals as Brazil between 1980 and 1986, and their biggest stars Zico, Falcâo, Socrates, Junior and Eder were at their creative peak at the Spanish World Cup.

The squad coached by Tele Santana had ten virtuosos (counting the first reserve, winger Paulo Isidoro), the efficient but slow centerforward Serginho and the substandard keeper Waldir Peres. Italy was tough, well organized, combative, with 40-year-old Dino Zoff in goal and the cunning Paolo Rossi at the opposite end of the field.

Rossi, fresh from the two-year ban due to his involvement in illegal gambling, had not done a thing in the first four games of the tournament. In fact, Italy had barely made it through the first stage, while Brazil had won four out of four, playing a soccer of poetic beauty. And they only needed a draw against the Italians to reach the semifinals and, presumably, win the title.

But, Rossi and Peres conspired to write a most tragic script. Rossi, a vulture in the box, put the Azzurri ahead twice, and the Brazilians came back both times, continuing to recklessly rush forward, seeking an unnecessary win. Then, with 15 minutes to go, the unbearable Rossi exploited the third Brazilian defensive blunder, rendering great Socrates' and Falcâo's goals futile. A week later, Italy celebrated their third world title, but none outside of the Apenines (well, and New York's Little Italy) could help thinking someone else deserved it more.

Barcelona, July 5th, 1982. Sarriá Stadium. Spectators: 44,000. Referee: Klein (Israel)
Scorers: 1-0 Rossi (8), 1-1 Socrates (12), 2-1 Rossi (25), 2-2 Falcao (68), 3-2 Rossi (74)
Italy: Zoff, Gentile, Scirea, Collovati (Bergomi), Cabrini, Oriali, Antognoni, Tardelli (Marini), Conti, Rossi, Graziani (Altobelli).
Brazil: Waldir Peres, Leandro, Oscar, Luizinho, Junior, Falcâo, Socrates, Zico, Serginho (Paulo Isidoro), Eder

2. France 3-2 Portugal (1984) European Championship semifinal

The greatest game of Platini's, Giresse's and Tigana's generation. The defender Jean-François Domergue put the "cockerels" ahead, but the great Jordâo turned the game around with a pair of goals, including a volley that bounced off the turf and lobbed Bats. Nené even had a chance for 1-3. With five minutes to go, Domergue levelled things up, and a minute before the end of the extra-time Platini smashed Tigana's cross under the bar.

3. Brazil 1-2 Uruguay (1950) World Cup deciding game

Before 200,000 fans at Maracaná Brazil needed a point to clinch their first World Cup, according to the rules of the time. When they went 1-0 up through Friaça, the local boys were convinced the golden trophy was theirs, but Schiaffino's equalizer midway through the second half suddenly shook Brazil's confidence. Nine minutes from the end, Alcides Ghigghia stunned the crowd with an amazing winner. It is said that the silence at Maracaná was painful to listen to.

4. Italy 4-3 West Germany (1970) World Cup semifinal

Italy was winning by 1-0 thanks to an early Boninsegna's goal, but Schnellinger equalized in the 90th minute setting the scene for the most dramatic extra-time in history. By the 110th minute both teams had found themselves ahead and behind, but the scoreboard was showing an amazing 3-3. Finally, the super-sub Gianni Rivera downed the Germans with a masterful, coldblooded kick. Franz Beckenbauer played with an arm in a sling due to a dislocated shoulder.

5. Hungary 4-2 Uruguay (1954) World Cup semifinal

The reigning world champions against the Olympic winners, generally considered the best team of the era. Albeit without Puskas, Hungary was tearing Uruguay apart with goals by Czibor and Hidegkuti, but the "German" Hohberg brought the affairs back to the start with a couple of goals. Sandor Kocsis' golden head was to prove decisive in the extra-time. Alas, the physical and the emotional exhaustion sustained in this gigantic struggle turned out to be fatal for the Magyars in the final clash with West Germany.

6. West Germany 3-3 (5-4 pens) France (1982) World Cup semifinal

Under normal circumstances, this great German display would not have sufficed against France's sublime skills. But the circumstances were not normal. At 1-1, keeper Harald Schumacher severely injured Patrick Battiston with a brutal elbow and knee. Surely, a penalty, a red card and a long-time ban were in order? Shamefully, the ref made one of the worst calls ever, turning a blind eye to the assault. France still made it 3-1 in the extra-time, but Germany staged a desperate comeback and forced penalties with a marvellous Fischer scissor-kick. And in the penalty shootout, Schumacher lived to become a hero stopping the key shot from Bossis!

7. Brazil 4-1 Italy (1970) World Cup final

There is a prevaling opinion that the 1970 World Cup saw the most attractive soccer in history. Doubtlessly, Brazil was the best side of this, and possibly of any period. How they would fare in the physical play of modern soccer is hard to say, but what they presented 35 years ago was the pinnacle of the game. And the Italians were good too, they held their own until the half-time whistle, but in the second half it was all a carnival: Gerson, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto for the highest win in a World Cup final match.

8. Benfica 5-3 Real Madrid (1962) European Cup final

The much-publicized Real's 7-3 win over Eintracht was a "one way street", but this was the clash of the titans. Real, slightly past their peak, were lead by Puskas still good enough for a hat-trick. At half-time, it was 3-2 to the Spaniards. In the second half, 3-0 for a fresher Benfica. Eusebio, 20 years of rhythm, elegance and muscle, got to be crowned the new king of the continent.

9. Brazil 3-2 Holland (1994) World Cup quarterfinal

Brazil did not win their fourth title before a heavy process of Europeanization. Tough guys like Dunga, Mauro Silva and Mazinho were in command during the US final stage. But, this one was a reminder of the Brazilian glamour of yore and eventually the crowning argument that they deserved to win the tournament. This was the game in which Bebeto introduced us to now-famous "baby-rocking" celebration after making it 2-0. It wasn't the end, though, because Winter and Bergkamp levelled the score, before Branco avoided extra-time with a 35-meter thunderbolt sealing the gigantic battle in Brazil's favour.

10. France 1-1 (4-3 pens) Brazil (1986) World Cup quarterfinal

The protagonists of the prettiest soccer of the eighties were supposed to meet in the previous World Cup finals, but they were prevented from doing so by referees, violent opponents and sheer misfortune. Careca crowned Brazil's superiority with a fantastic volley, but Platini equalized and Zico missed a penalty for the Cariocas' win. In the penalty shootout, both Socrates and Platini missed, before Amoros hit the net billiard-style, off the post and the keepers back.

11. West Germany 2-1 Holland (1990) World Cup 2nd round

The worst World Cup ever? Possibly, but the Germanic derby in Milan was phenomenal. It was also a Serie A local derby, as three Germans of Inter and three Dutchmen from AC Milan met on the familiar ground of San Siro. The Germans were better. Klinsmann, Brehme and Matthaus played near the threshold of perfection. If Brehme's goal for 2-0 had been scored by Maradona, everybody would have sang their praises "to the South American magic". Move of the game: Klinsmann's cannonball from 20 meters on to the post. Anticlimax: mutual insults and red cards for Völler and Rijkaard.

12. Manchester Utd. 4-1 Benfica (1968) Champions' Cup final

Two years earlier, also at Wembley, England had won the world crown and Leeds' Jackie Charlton allegedly asked his brother, Manchester's Bobby: "What else is there to win?" Bobby said, "Just one thing more." Ten years after the Munich disaster, the Red Devils honoured their fallen comrades with a Champions' Cup, the first for an English side. And the man of the match was George Best, at his most brilliant, scoring a sensational goal in extra-time.

13. Barcelona 4-3 Fortuna Düsseldorf (1979) Cup Winners' Cup final

The outstanding Cup Winners' Cup final in Basle. Go to Barcelona and say "Basilea". Every decent Catalonian will know what you mean. Twice Barça lead, twice Fortuna equalized, and on one occasion the Allofs brothers, Klaus and Thomas, hit the ball in the same instant so it was never known who scored. In extra-time, "Charly" Rexach and "Hansi" Krankl brought Catalonia to the highest stage of trance.

14. Romania 3-2 Argentina (1994) World Cup 2nd round

Maradona was close to the best form of his life, but they found "something" in his blood and kicked him out of the tournament. The rest of the team was good enough, but the Romanians played divinely. Hagi provided us with the highlight of the tournament, scoring with a lob from over 40 yards. It could have been the finals itself and it would have been a thousand times better than the real one, between Brazil and Italy, which also finished 3-2. After penalties, that is.

15. Real Madrid 7-3 Eintracht (1960) Champions' Cup final

The best performance by a single club team on the world stage. Eintracht were not also-rans, having demolished Rangers by 6-1 and 6-3 in the semifinals, but Puskas and Di Stefano shot as if their lives depended on it: four goals by Puskas and three by Di Stefano before a full house at Hampden. And can you believe it, Eintracht scored the first and the last goal of the game!

16. West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954) World Cup final

The Hungarian "cavalry" had been unbeaten for two years. Olympic goals, 13 goals in two games against England, 8-3 against Germany in the first stage, 2-0 in the 8th minute of the finals...everything pointed to Hungary as the worthy world beaters. But, playing an injured Puskas was a mistake. Since there were no substitutions at the time, the "galloping major" spent most of the match limping along the flank. The Germans equalized before half-time before Helmuth Rahn clinched the upset win with eight minutes to go.

17. Liverpool - Alavés 5-4 (2001) UEFA Cup final

The tiny Alavés of Vitoria had cleared seven obstacles on the road to the finals. Could a club from the deepest Spanish province win a major international trophy? Liverpool led by 3-1 and 4-2, but the Basques never surrendered. Finally, the thriller was decided by the first "golden own-goal" ever, and the unlucky scorer at the Westfalenstadion was Delfí Geli.

18. England 3-6 Hungary (1953) Friendly game

The fathers of soccer had never been defeated on their soil by a non-British team. The tradition was broken at Wembley, even though the skipper Billy Wright joked about a certain's Ferenc Puskas' weight. The joke was to turn sour, and the English were forced to change their deeply rooted haughty attitude towards their continental rivals. A mere six months later, the same Hungarians won the return game in Budapest by an even more scandalous 7-1.

19. Holland 2-1 Argentina (1998) World Cup quarterfinals

Both teams attacked in waves on the Velodrome turf. Argentina were better, but also more tired after an exhausting game against England. At 1-1, the Gauchos had a penalty kick, but Batistuta hit the bar. Then "Donkey" Ortega earned himself a mindless red card, and in the 90th minute Bergkamp magnificently controlled a 50-yard long pass and sent the ball under the crossbar.

20. Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal (1989) English championship decider

The last game of the 1988/89 season was being anticipated as a World Cup final of sorts. A month earlier, 93 Liverpool fans had died in Sheffield and the Reds longed to honour them with a League title. Arsenal, 18 years without a championship, had to win by two goals in order to win the League. Liverpool held on bravely, but Alan Smith in the 57th and Michael Thomas in 91st minute scored the goals that inspired a movie and a book.

Ozren Podnar

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