Greatest Matches of all time
Source:
The greatest matches of all time
In association with World Soccer
12:01AM BST 04 Jul 2007
The
Telegraph and
World Soccer Magazine have teamed up to find out what you think were the greatest football matches of all time. World Soccer have compiled a list of the Top 20 in their summer edition.
Read their selection below and have your say. For more information check out
www.worldsoccer.com
20. West Germany 2 Holland 1
World Cup second round, Milan, June 24, 1990
19. Germany 0 Italy 2
World Cup semi-final, Dortmund, July 4, 2006
18. Barcelona 4 Fortuna Dusseldorf 3
Cup-winners Cup final, Basle, May 16, 1979
17. France 3 Portugal 2
European Championship semi-final, Marseille, June 23, 1984
16. Liverpool 5 Alaves 4
Uefa Cup final, Dortmund, May 16, 2001
15. Blackpool 4 Bolton 3
FA Cup final, Wembley, May 2, 1953
14. Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1
Champions League final, Barcelona, May 26, 1999
13. Brazil 1 Uruguay 2
World Cup final, Rio de Janeiro, July 16, 1950
12. Italy 3 Brazil 2
World Cup second group stage, Barcelona, July 5, 1982
11. West Germany 3 Hungary 2
World Cup final, Berne, July 4, 1954
Top 10
10. England 3 Hungary 6
Friendly, Wembley, November 25, 1953
The match that changed the game. Hungary arrived in England as Olympic champions and undefeated for three years, prompting the English press to call the friendly "the match of the century".
It was England's first defeat on home soil by continental opposition, and the emphatic 6-3 scoreline led captain Billy Wright to acknowledge: "We completely underestimated the advances that Hungary had made, and not only tactically. I looked down and noticed that the Hungarians had on these strange, lightweight boots, cut away like slippers under the ankle bone. I turned to big Stan Mortensen and said: 'We should be all right here, Stan, they haven't got the proper kit.' "
England were unprepared for the Hungarian 4-2-4 formation. Nandor Hidegkuti was wearing the No 9 shirt but played in midfield, and his marker, centre-half Harry Johnston, ended up getting pulled out of position. Hungarian forwards Sandor Kocsis and Ferenc Puskas were continually swapping positions, confusing the English defence and prompting The Times correspondent Geoffrey Green to describe Wright as "a fire engine heading for the wrong fire".
Hidegkuti scored after just 90 seconds. England equalised through Jackie Sewell but Hungary roared back with three more goals before half-time. Mortensen added a second for England before the break but Hungary score twice more in the second half. Alf Ramsey got England's third, a penalty.
Tom Finney, who watched England's woe from the Wembley stands, spoke for everyone when he said: "I came away wondering to myself what we had been doing all these years." Six months later the Hungarians beat England again, 7-1 in Budapest.
Line-ups England: Merrick - Ramsey, Eckersley - Wright, Johnston, Dickinson - Matthews, Taylor, Mortensen, Sewell, Robb.
Goals: Sewell 13, Mortensen 38, Ramsey pen 57.
Hungary: Grosics (Geller 76) - Lorant, Buzanszky, Zakarias, Lantos - Bozsik, Hidegkuti - Budai, Kocsis, Puskas, Czibor.
Goals: Hidegkuti 2, 20, 53, Puskas 24, 27, Bozsik 50.
Referee: Horn (Holland).
Att: 100,000.
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9. Benfica 5 Real Madrid 3
European Cup final, Olympic stadium, Amsterdam, May 2, 1962
Benfica were the first club to challenge the hegemony of Real Madrid in the European Cup. They had won their first title a year earlier, in May 1961, against Barcelona in Berne. That summer, 19-year-old Eusebio was introduced to the first team. He played a starring role as Benfica reached the European Cup final again, overcoming English Double winners Spurs in a frenetic semi-final.
In one of the most anticipated finals, they faced five-times winners Real Madrid. With rising star Eusebio on one side and the devastating partnership of Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas on the other, the stage was set for a monumental clash. The goals rained in as Benfica came from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to win 5-3.
Puskas scored a glorious first-half hat-trick but centre-forward Aguas replied for Benfica and midfielder Cavem hit a blistering left-foot shot to make it 2-2.
Benfica's Hungarian manager Bela Guttmann made a crucial change at half-time, assigning Cavem to mark Di Stefano. The move cut off supply to Puskas, and Benfica scored three times. Coluna smashed a 30-metre shot for the equaliser, then Eusebio ran wild. Racing past the tiring Di Stefano, he was fouled by Pachin and banged in the resulting penalty. Then, when Coluna slipped him a free-kick, his right-foot shot struck a defender and went in.
Line-ups Benfica: Costa Pereira - Joao, Germano, Angelo - Cavem, Cruz - Augusto, Eusebio, Aguas, Coluna, Simoes.
Goals: Aguas 25, Cavem 34, Coluna 51, Eusebio pen 65, 68.
Real Madrid: Araquistain - Casado, Santamaria, Miera - Felo, Pachin - Tejada, Del Sol, Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento.
Goals: Puskas 17, 23, 38.
Referee: Horn (Holland).
Att: 65,000.
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8. Brazil 4 Italy 1
World Cup final, Azteca stadium, Mexico City, June 21, 1970
The first World Cup final between two previous winners produced one of the greatest displays of attacking football ever seen on the world stage. As the match report in the July 1970 edition of World Soccer declared: "Here was proof that football, played the way it was meant to be, with artistry and skill, can still succeed in the modern era."
Brazil started as strong favourites, with Pele their outstanding protagonist. For Pele, the game proved to be the fulfilment of all the promise he had shown as a 17-year-old at the World Cup in Sweden 12 years earlier. Against Italy, he opened the scoring with a magnificent header and created two more goals.
For all Brazil's brilliance, Italy never looked out of their depth. In Sandro Mazzola they had a marvellous inside-forward with a clever understanding with Roberto Boninsegna. The latter equalised eight minutes before half-time after he was gifted the ball from a back-heel by Clodoaldo.
However, Italy's addiction to
catenaccio was to prove too strong and they made the crucial mistake of letting the Brazilians come at them. Gerson hit a powerful, low, left-footed cross-shot from outside the area to make it 2-1 midway through the second half. Then Jairzinho accepted Pele's lay-off to score the third and achieve the feat of having scored in every round of the tournament. Captain Carlos Alberto hammered home the famous fourth, again after a Pele lay-off, before lifting the Jules Rimet trophy, which was Brazil's to keep after a third World Cup victory.
Line-ups Brazil: Felix - Carlos Alberto, Brito, Piazza, Everaldo - Clodoaldo, Gerson, Rivelino - Jairzinho, Tostao, Pele.
Goals: Pele 18, Gerson 66, Jairzinho 71, Carlos Alberto 87.
Italy: Albertosi - Burgnich, Cera, Rosato, Facchetti - Bertini (Juliano 75), Mazzola, De Sisti - Domenghini, Boninsegna (Rivera 84), Riva.
Goals: Boninsegna 37.
Referee: Glockner (East Germany).
Att: 108,000.
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7. England 4 West Germany 2
World Cup final, Wembley, July 30, 1966
Wembley stadium provided the setting for the match that is for ever remembered for Geoff Hurst's extra-time heroics and the histrionics of Soviet Union linesman Tofik Bakhramov.
England could – and should – have won the match in regular time. They had recovered from conceding an early German goal from Helmut Haller, Hurst heading the equaliser from Bobby Moore's quickly taken free-kick.
But the German defence gave little away in the second half and only 13 minutes remained when Martin Peters scored to give England a 2-1 lead.
As England hung on for the final whistle, Jack Charlton was adjudged, harshly, to have fouled on the edge of the box. The free-kick, blasted at the wall by Lothar Emmerich, fell to Wolfgang Weber, who shot past Gordon Banks' desperate lunge. "You've won it once, now go and win it again," England manager Alf Ramsey famously urged during the break before extra-time. "Look at them," he said, pointing at the prostrate Germans, "they're finished!".
England were fitter and fresher, and Alan Ball found the energy to run on to a pass from Nobby Stiles. From his cross, Hurst's shot on the turn hit the underside of the bar and bounced past keeper Hans Tilkowski. The goal was disputed by the Germans and Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst consulted Bakhramov, who pointed to the centre-spot.
Hurst completed his hat-trick with virtually the final kick of the game. By then, there were people on the pitch, and England were world champions.
Bakhramov went on to become general secretary of the newly formed Azerbaijan federation on the break-up of the Soviet Union. The Azeris' national stadium, in the capital, Baku, has been re-named in his honour.
Line-ups England: Banks - Cohen, J Charlton, Moore, Wilson - Stiles, B Charlton, Ball - Peters, Hunt, Hurst.
Goals: Hurst 18, 101, 120, Peters 77.
West Germany: Tilkowski - Hottges, Schulz, Weber, Schnellinger - Beckenbauer, Overath, Haller - Seeler, Held, Emmerich.
Goals: Haller 12, Weber 90.
Referee: Dienst (Switzerland).
Att: 94,000.
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6. France 1 Brazil 1
(France 4-3 on pens)
World Cup quarter-final, Jalisco stadium, Guadalajara, June 21, 1986
Such an epic match did not deserve to be settled by penalties. But after a compelling 120 minutes, during which tournament favourites Brazil and France, the European champions, had traded attack upon attack, that was what had to happen.
Brazil took the lead after Muller set up Careca following some neat footwork from Junior. Careca turned provider for Muller in the 32nd minute, but his shot hit a post. A lucky escape for France, who equalised 10 minutes later through Michel Platini, on his 31st birthday. Alain Giresse sent Dominique Rocheteau away on the right and his low cross was tapped in by the captain.
After half-time and into extra-time the game was fast and furious, but the quality of the football shone throughout. Socrates was a commanding figure in Brazil's midfield, spraying passes forward to Muller and Careca.
Zico, Muller's replacement, had a chance to win the game in the 73rd minute, but his poorly directed penalty was saved by Joel Bats. The keeper also saved a Zico header from close range, while Rocheteau missed an open goal. French substitute Bruno Bellone was through on goal on 117 minutes, but was denied as keeper Carlos clearly fouled him outside the area. Romanian referee Ioan Igna ignored the incident.
So, to the shoot-out, in which Socrates and Platini both missed their kicks. When Brazil's Julio Cesar put his shot against a post, it was left to Luis Fernandez to convert his penalty and send France into the semi-finals.
Line-ups France: Bats - Battiston, Amoros, Bossis, Tusseau - Giresse (Ferreri 84), Tigana, Platini, Fernandez - Stopyra, Rocheteau (Bellone 101).
Goals: Platini 42.
Brazil: Carlos - Josimar, Julio Cesar, Edinho, Branco - Alemao, Socrates, Junior (Silas 91), Elzo - Muller (Zico 72), Careca.
Goals: Careca 18.
Penalty shoot-out: Socrates (miss), Stopyra; Alemao, Amoros; Zico, Bellone; Branco, Platini (miss); Julio Cesar (miss), Fernandez.
Referee: Igna (Romania).
Att: 65,000.
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5. Hungary 4 Uruguay 2
World Cup semi-final, La Pontaise stadium, Lausanne, June 30, 1954
The 1954 World Cup final between Hungary and West Germany has been dubbed the Miracle of Berne and is a milestone in the history of post-war Germany. But the semi-final between Hungary, the best team in the world at that time, and defending champions Uruguay was the most exciting game of the tournament. And this despite both teams being without a key player – Ferenc Puskas for Hungary, Obdulio Varela for Uruguay.
Uruguay came from 2-0 down to take the game into extra-time. Hungary scored early through left-winger Zoltan Czibor's volley, then Nandor Hidegkuti added another with a diving header. Juan Hohberg, a naturalised Argentinian, then hit back twice, though he was knocked unconscious as team-mates celebrated his second goal.
Juan Schiaffino hit a post for Uruguay in extra-time and the South Americans were to experience further bad luck when defender Victor Andrade was injured and forced to the sidelines for treatment. Sandor Kocsis took advantage to score the first of two headed goals that took Hungary into the final.
Uruguay had not previously lost a World Cup game. "We beat the best team we have ever met," said Hungary coach Gyula Mandi.
Line-ups Hungary: Grosics - Buzanszky, Lantos, Bozsik - Lorant, Zakarias - Budai, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Czibor, Palotas.
Goals: Czibor 12, Hidegkuti 47, Kocsis 109, 117.
Uruguay: Maspoli - Martinez, Santamaria, Andrade - Carballo, Cruz - Souto, Ambrois, Hohberg, Schiaffino, Borges.
Goals: Hohberg 76, 87.
Referee: Griffiths (Wales).
Att: 37,000.
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4. West Germany 3 France 3
(West Germany 5-4 on pens)
World Cup semi-final, Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, Seville, July 8, 1982
"When great matches of the World Cup are recounted, there will always be a place for this remarkable duel between French skill and West German stamina." So ran the introduction to the match report in World Soccer's August 1982 edition.
The Germans were down and heading out of the tournament when Alain Giresse put the French 3-1 ahead in extra-time. But a goal by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge sparked one of the most staggering comebacks in the history of international football. West Germany went on to win on penalties – the first time a World Cup match had been settled by this method – six years after they had lost in a shoot-out to Czechoslovakia in the final of the 1976 European Championship.
Honours were even at half-time: Michel Platini's penalty had cancelled out West Germany's opener from Pierre Littbarski. The most memorable moment of a tightly fought match came in the middle of the second half when a long ball from Platini sent defender Patrick Battiston racing clear behind the German back line. Moments after he had headed the ball towards goal from inside the penalty area, keeper Harald Schumacher hurled himself at the Frenchman, foot forward, knocking his opponent unconscious and breaking two of his teeth. The ball went just wide of the goal and, to the anger and astonishment of the French, Dutch referee Charles Corver waved play on.
In fact, play was interrupted for several minutes while Battiston, still unconscious, was carried off on a stretcher, but Schumacher remained on the pitch, and would play a crucial part in the penalty shoot-out.
West Germany's trump card was to bring on Rummenigge in extra-time. Though France took a 3-1 lead through sweeper Marius Tresor's splendid volley and Giresse's 20-metre shot in the 98th minute, the German substitute inspired a comeback by scoring in the 102nd minute. Klaus Fischer's goal six minutes later – a spectacular bicycle-kick – took the match to penalties. Both sides missed a kick, then Maxime Bossis failed to beat Schumacher, while Horst Hrubesch converted to ensure West Germany's passage.
Line-ups West Germany: Schumacher - Kaltz, Stielike, K H Forster, Briegel (Rummenigge 95) - Dremmler, Breitner, B Forster, Magath (Hrubesch 72) - Littbarski, Fischer.
Goals: Littbarski 17, Rummenigge 102, Fischer 108.
France: Ettori - Amoros, Janvion, Tresor, Bossis - Genghini (Battiston 50; Lopez 59), Tigana, Giresse, Platini - Rocheteau, Six.
Goals: Platini pen 27, Tresor 92, Giresse 98.
Penalty shoot-out: Giresse, Kaltz; Amoros, Breitner; Rocheteau, Stielike (miss); Six (miss), Littbarski; Platini, Rummenigge; Bossis (miss), Hrubesch.
Referee: Corver (Holland).
Att: 60,000.
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3. Real Madrid 7 Eintracht Frankfurt 3
European Cup final, Hampden Park, Glasgow, May 18, 1960
Real Madrid's demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt is the most famous final in the history of the European Cup; the match that opened people's eyes to the wider European game. The victory in Glasgow secured a fifth successive trophy for Madrid – still a record – and ensured the club's place in football's hall of fame.
The crowd of 134,000, a record for a European final, included Alex Ferguson, then an 18-year-old amateur centre-forward with Queen's Park. They were treated to a wonderful exhibition of football from Madrid and the inspirational Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.
Today, the match makes for strange viewing, considering the space in which the players had time to work. But the flow of goals is still breathtaking. Di Stefano and Puskas were at the peak of their powers. The pair combined brilliantly, with Puskas scoring a then-record 12 goals in the season's competition. They were superbly supported by Francisco Gento, Jose Santamaria and hard-working inside-right Luis Del Sol.
Eintracht were not a poor team by any stretch of the imagination. They had put 12 goals past Scottish champions Rangers in the semi-finals and even opened the scoring in the final. But the goal, by Richard Kress, only served to spur Madrid on. The tireless Di Stefano was everywhere, commanding the pitch and scoring twice in the first half.
Puskas, too, gave an enthralling performance. He scored from an extraordinary angle for Madrid's third and added a fourth from a controversial penalty. The Hungarian even scored with a header, most untypical of him, in an extraordinary combination of power and dexterity, crashing his fourth – Madrid's sixth – inside a post and just under the bar.
When Erwin Stein scored for Eintracht, Di Stefano responded immediately, taking a pass from Puskas and racing away to beat keeper Egon Loy for his hat-trick.
Stein and Eintracht, for what it was worth, had the last word, taking advantage of a careless back-pass to score a third for the Germans. But it was a night to remember for Madrid and, in particular, the magisterial Di Stefano and the indefatigable Puskas.
Line-ups Real Madrid: Dominguez - Marquitos, Santamaria, Pachin - Vidal, Zarraga - Canario, Del Sol, Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento.
Goals: Di Stefano 27, 30, 75, Puskas 45, pen 56, 60, 71.
Eintracht: Loy - Lutz, Eigenbrodt, Hofer - Weilbacher, Stinka - Kress, Lindner, Stein, Pfaff, Meier.
Goals: Kress 18, Stein 72, 76.
Referee: Mowat (Scotland).
Att: 134,000.
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2. Liverpool 3 Milan 3
(Liverpool 3-2 on pens)
Champions League final, Ataturk stadium, Istanbul, May 25, 2005
Though only two years ago, the "Wonder of Istanbul" has already entered football folklore. Liverpool's astonishing turnaround from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 and then triumph in the penalty shoot-out ranks as the greatest comeback in the history of the game.
Liverpool had gone into the match as underdogs, and Milan romped to a three-goal lead at half-time. Paolo Maldini put them into the lead after just 57 seconds, with Hernan Crespo adding two poacher's goals.
Reportedly, the Liverpool players could hear the Milan players whooping in celebration in their dressing room at half-time. But captain Steven Gerrard led the fightback, heading the first goal shortly after the restart.
Manager Rafa Benitez had made a crucial change at half-time, bringing on midfielder Didi Hamann to shackle Milan playmaker Kaka, thus cutting off the supply to the strikers. The decline of the Brazilian's influence, and that of fellow midfielder Andrea Pirlo, also allowed Gerrard and Xabi Alonso more licence to roam forward. Benitez was hailed afterwards as a tactical genius for his half-time changes. Yet if, as many had expected, Hamann had started the game, Liverpool may not have given away three goals in the first place.
Whether by accident or design, Liverpool's changes worked, in what Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti called "six minutes of madness which I can't explain". A minute after Gerrard scored, Vladimir Smicer thundered a low shot through Dida's hands. Five minutes later, quite remarkably, Liverpool were level. Xabi Alonso converted the rebound after Dida had stopped his penalty following Gennaro Gattuso's trip on Gerrard.
In contrast to Benitez, Ancelotti did not make a change until late on, instead leaving his team alone, flagging on ageing legs. But Gerrard admitted afterwards that Liverpool were also "running on empty" and playing for penalties during extra-time. They needed goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to pull off a remarkable double save from Andriy Shevchenko in the 117th minute.
Dudek was to prove the hero again in the shoot-out, saving from Pirlo and Shevchenko to complete Liverpool's astonishing turnaround. The following morning, as bleary-eyed Liverpool fans made their way home from Istanbul by plane, train and boat, it slowly dawned on them that they had witnessed the most extraordinary final in the history of the European Cup.
Line-ups Liverpool: Dudek - Finnan (Hamann 46), Hyypia, Carragher, Traore - Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Riise - Kewell (Smicer 22), Baros (Cisse 83).
Goals: Gerrard 53, Smicer 54, Xabi Alonso 59.
Milan: Dida - Cafu, Stam, Nesta, Maldini - Seedorf (Serginho 83), Gattuso (Rui Costa 111), Pirlo, Kaka - Crespo (Tomasson 83), Shevchenko.
Goals: Maldini 1, Crespo 38, 43.
Penalty shoot-out: Serginho (miss), Hamann; Pirlo (miss), Cisse; Tomasson, Riise (miss); Kaka, Smicer; Shevchenko (miss).
Referee: Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain).
Att: 69,000.
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1. Italy 4 West Germany 3
World Cup semi-final, Azteca stadium, Mexico City, June 17, 1970
When World Soccer told Franz Beckenbauer that the 1970 World Cup semi-final between Italy and West Germany had been voted the greatest match, he was not surprised. "It was the same when we voted in Germany," he said. "But what people forget is how ordinary the first 90 minutes were. It was the 30 minutes of extra-time that were so extraordinary."
Indeed. Five goals were struck in 16 minutes in the additional period, as the lead fluctuated. Italy would eventually triumph, but the sight of Beckenbauer, his arm strapped to his side as a result of a brutal foul and forced to play on because the Germans had used their two substitutes, is the enduring image of a mesmerising match.
Italy had taken an early lead through Roberto Boninsegna and had then taken off Sandro Mazzola at half-time, replacing him with Gianni Rivera. The Azzurri fell back into cautious, defensive ways, allowing West Germany, through the midfield surges of Beckenbauer and Wolfgang Overath, to press forward. The Germans, spurred on by their attacking substitutions, had chance after chance to equalise, but it was only in the third minute of added time that sweeper Karl-Heinz Schnellinger materialised in the Italy area to bang home Jurgen Grabowski's cross.
Beckenbauer played on through the pain during extra-time. He had damaged his shoulder after being tripped just outside the Italian penalty area. There have been few more cynical fouls, before or since, but the Italians escaped punishment as West Germany wasted the resulting free-kick.
The scoring sequence in extra-time was compared to basketball by one Italian journalist. First, Gerd Muller put the Germans 2-1 up, then Tarcisio Burgnich replied, scoring from Rivera's free-kick. The Italians took the upper hand when Gigi Riva scored with a low drive from outside the area. But West Germany came back once again, Muller flinging himself at a corner.
Italy scored the winner with nine minutes left. Boninsegna pulled clear on the left, went to the byline, and crossed for Rivera to thump the ball past keeper Sepp Maier.
The match report in the July 1970 edition of World Soccer concluded that the extraordinary sequence of events nearly did not happen: "But for the generous injury-time the match would have closed with the result 1-0 to Italy – not an unfamiliar scoreline."
Line-ups Italy: Albertosi - Cera, Burgnich, Bertini, Rosato (Poletti 94), Facchetti - Domenghini, Mazzola (Rivera 46), De Sisti - Boninsegna, Riva.
Goals: Boninsegna 7, Burgnich 98, Riva 104, Rivera 111.
West Germany: Maier - Schnellinger, Vogts, Patzke (Held 66), Schulz - Beckenbauer, Overath, Seeler - Grabowski, Muller, Lohr (Libuda 52).
Goals: Schnellinger 90, Muller 95, 110.
Referee: Yamasaki (Peru).
Att: 80,000.