Best Game Of Football You Have Ever Seen?

Inspired by the reminiscencing around Mexico '70 my mind wandered on to '82 in Spain. Mariner playing for England, Keegan getting injured, battering but not beating Spain and elimination unbeaten. A sorry tale of woe.

But not as sorry a fate as that which befell France in the semi against W Germany when Schumacher basically almost killed Battiston. In the kerfuffle that followed the ref seemed to forget what had happened and instead of dismissing Schumacher and awarding a penalty for the most blatant professionl foul/dangerous play/violent conduct ever committed on a football field he decided to re-start with a goal kick. The French, who to un homme thought Battiston was dead, disintegrated. A sorry bunch of Germans rejuvenated and eventally won through in a thriller which had everything bar the right result.

I don't think I have ever seen such an exciting game of football which had even neutrals raving about it afterwards.

Has there ever been a better game of football?

Yep, the 1970 WC final, England d1cking Germany five in Munich and the best of the lot, the '66 WC final.

the oracle deemed it unworthy so removed it

That QPR game was all about the occasion and the tension was pretty much unbearable; the goals were fantastic, mental, off the scale. One of our greatest ever results but it wasn't that great a game. Very similar to Darlo at Wembley in that respect. Both were unforgettable occasions but very forgettable games of football.

I'm dissing Germany 1 England 5 too. Fantastically enjoyable though it was and ecstatic as I was to see us finally give the Germans a gubbing it lacked twists and turns; the narrative just went one way.

I've never seen the '70 WC final (I've seen the goals, obvs) so I can't really say. In my mind it was all about how brilliant Brazil were which could be enough, I suppose. Who beat W Germany?

Talking of Argyle only I'd say the 4-4 Draw with Cardiff when we lost our keeper (Boxing day 86 ??) and for the wrong reasons but great match losing 4-3 at Reading in 1986 after being 3-0 up

Argyle beating Palace 2 ~ ! in the cup, Furnell saving a penalty. None Argyle, the Stanley Matthews cup final.

The total unexpected 2-1 win at Millwall in Jan 1967,....they had gone 59 home league games unbeaten.....we had only two away points all season.....I was in shock expecting a real drubbing.

Non Argyle....the last game I took my father too before he died.....Fulham 0-4 Man U......Dennis Law back after an injury......the crowd singing ......."the king is back".......(Best 2, Kidd, Law).

One other never forgotten moment......my mother waking me up 6th Feb 1968 ( I was on nightshift) to tell me about the Munich Air disaster.

[quote="Sir Francis Drake"]That QPR game was all about the occasion and the tension was pretty much unbearable; the goals were fantastic, mental, off the scale. One of our greatest ever results but it wasn't that great a game. Very similar to Darlo at Wembley in that respect. Both were unforgettable occasions but very forgettable games of football.

I'm dissing Germany 1 England 5 too. Fantastically enjoyable though it was and ecstatic as I was to see us finally give the Germans a gubbing it lacked twists and turns; the narrative just went one way.

I've never seen the '70 WC final (I've seen the goals, obvs) so I can't really say. In my mind it was all about how brilliant Brazil were which could be enough, I suppose. Who beat W Germany?[/quote]

Italy 4-3 in the semi, another classic;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWTFvEEJowM

Italy v Brazil in 1982 was another superb match, so many over the years it's very difficult to pick out one. Best game ever at Home park could well have been against Swindon Boxing day 1974-4-3 to Argyle after being 2-0 down, the quality of the football and goals was stunning.6-4 v Preston,6-3 v Leeds, there was a memorable 3-2 win over Wednesday a few years ago after going down to 10 men,3-2 v Manchester City after a 2-0 deficit....endless list really, you could pick a dozen classics out with nothing to separate them.

That Man City game was good, I think it was in the Dave Smith era and Russel Coughlin came on as sub?

alannotivvy wrote:

That Man City game was good,  I think it was in the Dave Smith era  and Russel Coughlin came on as sub?

Coughlin may have come on but Stewart Evans, who was not flavour of the month with the fans at that time, certainly did and crashed home a volley at the far post for the winner. The whole ground including myself went absolutely fecking mental.

For impact then the 1966 World Cup Final is out of sight. A fantastic match as well.

For me then second is Man Utd's European Cup Final victory over Benfica at Wembley in 1968.
The sheer joy on Bobby Charlton's face when scoring twice is unforgettable.
The victory finally lifted the cloud of the Munich Air Disaster(in a football sense).

Third, Celtic's battering of Inter Milan's cattenaccio in Lisbon to win the 1967 European Cup.

Honourable mentions to the Brazil 1970, Holland 1974 and Spain 2010 teams.
Their technical brilliance was fascinating to watch.

Barcelona's demolition of Man Utd at Wembley is the best display of football I've ever seen but can't match my first three for atmosphere and significance.

Rollo Tomasi wrote:

For impact then the 1966 World Cup Final is out of sight. A fantastic match as well.

For me then second is Man Utd's European Cup Final victory over Benfica at Wembley in 1968.
The sheer joy on Bobby Charlton's face when scoring twice is unforgettable.
The victory finally lifted the cloud of the Munich Air Disaster(in a football sense).

Third, Celtic's battering of Inter Milan's cattenaccio in Lisbon to win the 1967 European Cup.

Honourable mentions to the Brazil 1970, Holland 1974 and Spain 2010 teams.
Their technical brilliance was fascinating to watch.

Barcelona's demolition of Man Utd at Wembley is the best display of football I've ever seen but can't match my first three for atmosphere and significance.

The mid sixties was a fabulous time to be growing up as a football supporter in England or,bearing in mind Celtic's triumph and George Best,Britain generally.As a 6/7/8 year old thought it would last forever,just like Argyle would always be at least a second division club.Not to be unfortunately,a rather rude awakening was in store over the years-walked around in a daze for weeks after Argyle were relegated in 1968 and England's exit in 1970,just couldn't believe it.Poland in 1973 was the dawn of reality,confirmed all too often since.

Remember watching a re-run of the England v Portugal 1966 semi final a few years ago in a hotel room when on a course and being struck as to what a superb game of football that was as well-so much class on both sides.Another classic.

For me England V Germany Italy 1990. Just had everything.

That QPR game was great but more for being there and the occasion rather than the game, I think the 4 0 against City (the Brizzle one Tis) in the eighties or the Cardiff game 3 3 would be my Argyle pick.

I wasn't really thinking of Argyle at all when I started the thread but Argyle 4 (Littlejohn hat-trick) Torquay 3 was pretty special.

Argyle 3 Cardiff 3 with the 2 Purse OGs was great if only for the unexpected come back. When Wotton went off and Buszaky came on the game changed completely but for me it's edged by the 4-4 when Crdugie got his face smashed in and Nisbet went in goal.

That Man City game was great not only because of the stirring fight back but because Citeh always seemed to give us a good tonking every time our paths crossed, which was quite often in those days, and it was nice to get one back.

The Leeds game was just mental. I remember John Brimacombe playing out of his skin that day.

Where is the game in our recent history that compares? I can't think of one since the Cardiff/Purse 3-3...

Wednesday Away - never seen us so dominant!!

Italy 3
Brazil 2

1982 WC is up there.

France Italy when France scored 2 in injury time to make it 3 2.

1976. QPR 2-0 Liverpool, at a time when Liverpool were supposedly invincible. Bowles and Francis ran the show, and Gerry Francis scored what went on to be the Goal of the Season that year. Two fabulous footballing sides playing the game the way it should be played. It was a privilege to be there.

Not a big liverpool fan in fact can stand em ..but AC Milan v Liverpool champions league final when they came back from 3-0 down to win on penaltys
Watch it in the mutley crown the atmosphere was electric everyone was going mad ..it was more like a England v italy game in the end

Juventus 3 fiorentina 2 1994-1995.

Not seen, but heard. Listening to one of the ground breaking first radio commentaries/highlights. The great  60s Tottenham victory in the then European cup winners cup final. Beat Athletico Madrid I think in far off lands, or someone very close.  First ever English success in Europe possibly ?
I was a young kid. It was late at night and we were allowed to stay up, and as magical as any pantomime. I imagined every goal in my head.
A close second, European Cup Steau Bucharest versus Benfica in Bucharest. Absolutely fascinating. Had never before attended a club match of such status. I can still remember stadium blocks full of the army. The game finished at almost midnight. Weird.

My fave radio moment was The Ashes down under. We were getting tonked 3-0 at the time and the series was lost but in the final test we rattled up a few and had set the Aussies a decent target. I think Norman Cowans did the biz with the ball and the test was all but won when Jeff Thomson came to the crease to join the obdurate Alan Border who had stuck around calmly while all about him had panicked and been skittled.

I don't recall the actual total needed but I think it would have set a new record for the last wicket to win a match.

Border farmed the strike brilliantly and they nudged and nurdled ever closer to their unlikely target until only a couple were needed. With all apparently nearly lost England finally got Thomson on strike. Botham tore in, Thomson edged it, Tavare at slip went to catch it but couldn't and just batted it up into the air over his shoulder and Geoff Miller scampered around behind him to catch it.

I was in bed listening in on a little tranny with very dodgy MW reception. I've not had such an adrenaline rush at about 4 am in the morning since.

Let's not forget Us v Jerry on Crimbo day in the trenches, shorely someone was there?

My late father only went to 1 game with me way way back. Boxing Day 6-0 vs Torquay (Bickle 4 Piper 2).
Non-Argo then Man Utd winning the Champions Lge in the last few minutes vs Bayern.