World Cup

A thematic archive of the FIFA World Cup — not by tournament but by what makes it unforgettable: the wonder goals, the Hands of God and the scandals, the heartbreaks, the shock upsets, the coronations, the celebrations that stopped nations, the villains and red cards, the magicians who bent the game, the supporters who became the story, and the ads that sold the dream. Every scene keeps its real date, so the clock still time-travels from 1930 to today.

A chronological documentary of 144 moments spanning 1930–2026 on Loreline.

last updated 2026-07-16

1. 1930-07-30 — Uruguay win the first World Cup. Hosts Uruguay beat Argentina 4–2 in Montevideo to win the inaugural 1930 World Cup final — the first nation ever crowned champions of the world, in a stadium built specially for the tournament.
2. 1934-06-10 — Italy win their first on home soil. Vittorio Pozzo's Italy beat Czechoslovakia in extra time to win the 1934 final in Rome — the first of back-to-back titles for the only manager ever to win two World Cups.
3. 1950-07-16 — The Maracanazo — Brazil 1, Uruguay 2. Needing only a draw before 200,000 home fans, Brazil concede late to Uruguay and lose the deciding match of the 1950 World Cup. The silence of the Maracanã became a national trauma still spoken of as "o Maracanazo".
4. 1958-06-29 — Pelé's flick-and-volley in the 1958 final. A 17-year-old Pelé flicks the ball over a Swedish defender with his first touch and volleys it home before it lands — the goal that announced the greatest player of all time to the world, in the final, in Sweden.
5. 1958-06-29 — Brazil win their first — Sweden 1958. A teenage Pelé and Garrincha lead Brazil to a 5–2 win over hosts Sweden in the 1958 final — Brazil's first World Cup, the birth of the most successful footballing nation on earth.
6. 1962-06-02 — The Battle of Santiago. Chile vs Italy 1962 is so violent — punches, a broken nose, police on the pitch — that commentator David Coleman called it "the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football, possibly in the history of the game."
7. 1962-06-17 — Garrincha — the Little Bird. Born with twisted legs, Garrincha became the most dazzling dribbler the World Cup has seen, carrying Brazil to the 1962 title almost alone after Pelé's injury — the joyful genius who never lost a competitive match he played for Brazil with Pelé.
8. 1962-06-17 — Garrincha carries Brazil in 1962. With Pelé injured early, Garrincha takes over the 1962 tournament in Chile, dazzling defences as Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final to retain the cup.
9. 1966-07-23 — Antonio Rattín refuses to leave the pitch. Argentina captain Antonio Rattín is sent off against England in 1966 and refuses to go for several minutes, sparking a diplomatic row; England manager Alf Ramsey later called the Argentines "animals".
10. 1966-07-23 — Eusébio — the Black Panther of 1966. Eusébio scored nine goals to win the 1966 Golden Boot, including four in Portugal's comeback from 3–0 down against North Korea — one of the great individual tournaments, the first African-born World Cup superstar.
11. 1966-07-30 — Did it cross the line? Hurst's 1966 final goal. In extra time of the 1966 final, Geoff Hurst's shot bounces down off the bar and is given as a goal — England 3, West Germany 2. Whether the ball fully crossed the line is still debated nearly 60 years later.
12. 1966-07-30 — England win at home — "they think it's all over". England beat West Germany 4–2 after extra time at Wembley to win their only World Cup; Kenneth Wolstenholme's "they think it's all over — it is now!" as Hurst completes his hat-trick is football's most famous commentary.
13. 1970-06-21 — Pelé — three-time world champion. The only player to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970), Pelé scored in two finals and produced the dummy against Uruguay and the header denied by Banks in 1970. The original World Cup deity.
14. 1974 — The Netherlands lose two finals in a row. The brilliant Dutch sides of 1974 and 1978 lost both finals — to West Germany and Argentina, both hosts — making the inventors of Total Football the greatest team never to win the World Cup.
15. 1974-06-19 — Johan Cruyff and the Cruyff Turn. The architect of Total Football, Johan Cruyff carried the Netherlands to the 1974 final and unveiled the "Cruyff Turn" against Sweden — a piece of skill so original it still bears his name. He won the Golden Ball without winning the cup.
16. 1978-06-03 — Teófilo Cubillas's outside-of-the-boot free kick. Peru's Teófilo Cubillas curls a free kick into the net with the outside of his right foot against Scotland — a signature of one of the great World Cup talents of the 1970s.
17. 1978-06-21 — Arie Haan's 35-yard thunderbolt vs Italy. The Netherlands' Arie Haan unleashes a swerving shot from fully 35 yards that flies past Dino Zoff — one of the great long-range World Cup goals, repeated days later against the same keeper.
18. 1978-06-25 — adidas Tango — the ball that defined an era. The adidas Tango, introduced for the 1978 World Cup, became the template for tournament match balls for decades — its triads of curved panels one of sport's most recognisable designs.
19. 1978-06-25 — Rensenbrink hits the post in the final's last minute. With the 1978 final level in the last minute of normal time, Rob Rensenbrink's shot beats the keeper and strikes the inside of the post — centimetres from winning the Netherlands the World Cup before Argentina prevailed in extra time.
20. 1978-06-25 — Mario Kempes — the matador of 1978. Mario Kempes scored six goals including two in the final, carrying host Argentina to their first World Cup in 1978 and winning the Golden Boot and Golden Ball — the hero of a nation.
21. 1978-06-25 — Argentina win at home amid the ticker-tape. Mario Kempes leads hosts Argentina to a 3–1 extra-time win over the Netherlands in the 1978 final, in a Buenos Aires stadium buried under ticker-tape — a first title under the eyes of the ruling junta.
22. 1982-06-14 — Éder's flick-and-volley vs USSR. Brazil's Éder flicks the ball up with one foot and volleys it on the turn into the top corner against the Soviet Union — one of the signature strikes of the beloved 1982 side.
23. 1982-06-16 — Algeria beat West Germany. World Cup debutants Algeria stun mighty West Germany 2–1 in 1982 — an upset so embarrassing it led directly to the "Disgrace of Gijón" and a rule change about simultaneous final group games.
24. 1982-06-21 — A Kuwaiti prince halts the match vs France. When France scored a fourth in 1982, Kuwait's players stopped, claiming they'd heard a whistle. A Kuwaiti prince came onto the pitch; the referee bizarrely disallowed the goal — one of the strangest scenes in World Cup history.
25. 1982-07-05 — Paolo Rossi's redemption hat-trick vs Brazil. Returning from a betting ban, Paolo Rossi exploded into life with a hat-trick against the great Brazil side of 1982, then goals in the semi and final — six in three games to win the Golden Boot and the cup.
26. 1982-07-08 — Schumacher flattens Battiston. In the 1982 semi-final, German keeper Harald Schumacher charges out and smashes into Patrick Battiston, leaving the Frenchman unconscious with broken teeth — and is not even penalised. One of the most shocking fouls in World Cup history.
27. 1982-07-11 — The Tardelli scream. After scoring in the 1982 final, Marco Tardelli sprints away shaking his head, fists clenched, screaming with tears in his eyes — "the Tardelli scream", perhaps the most emotional goal celebration ever captured on film.
28. 1982-07-11 — Paolo Rossi fires Italy to glory in 1982. Paolo Rossi, just back from a betting ban, scored six goals including a hat-trick against Brazil to drag Italy to the 1982 title — beating West Germany 3–1 in the final as Sandro Pertini cheered from the stands.
29. 1986 — Manuel Negrete's scissor-kick vs Bulgaria. Mexico's Manuel Negrete meets a lay-off with a full scissor-kick volley that flies into the corner in front of a roaring Azteca — routinely listed among the most beautiful World Cup goals ever scored.
30. 1986-06-22 — The Hand of God. Diego Maradona punches the ball past Peter Shilton and into the England net, then claims it was scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." The most infamous goal in World Cup history.
31. 1986-06-22 — Maradona's Goal of the Century vs England. Four minutes after the Hand of God, Maradona collects the ball in his own half and dribbles past five Englishmen and the keeper across 60 metres to score what FIFA later voted the Goal of the Century — the two faces of genius in a single afternoon.
32. 1986-06-29 — The Mexican Wave conquers the world. Although it had appeared earlier, it was the 1986 World Cup in Mexico that broadcast the rolling stadium "wave" to a global audience — which is why the world still calls it the Mexican Wave.
33. 1986-06-29 — Maradona — the one-man World Cup. In 1986 Diego Maradona dragged an ordinary Argentina to the title almost single-handed, scoring or assisting 10 of their 14 goals and producing both the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century in one quarter-final.
34. 1986-06-29 — Maradona lifts the cup in 1986. Argentina beat West Germany 3–2 in the 1986 final, Burruchaga scoring the winner after a Maradona pass — completing the most one-man World Cup of all time.
35. 1990-06-08 — World Cup anthems and official songs. From Italia 90's "Un'estate italiana" (Gianna Nannini and Edoardo Bennato) onward, the official World Cup song became a fixture — Ricky Martin's "La Copa de la Vida" in 1998, Shakira's "Waka Waka" in 2010, anthems sung worldwide.
36. 1990-06-19 — Roberto Baggio's solo goal vs Czechoslovakia. A young Roberto Baggio plays a one-two and dribbles through the Czechoslovak defence to score a sublime solo goal at Italia 90 — the moment that turned the Divine Ponytail into a national idol.
37. 1990-06-23 — Cameroon reach the quarter-finals. After beating Argentina, Cameroon went on to become the first African team to reach a World Cup quarter-final in 1990, losing to England only in extra time — the run that changed how the world saw African football.
38. 1990-06-24 — Rijkaard spits at Völler. In a fiery 1990 second-round tie, the Netherlands' Frank Rijkaard spits in the curly hair of West Germany's Rudi Völler — twice — and both are sent off in one of the World Cup's ugliest feuds.
39. 1990-06-25 — Ireland reach the quarters without winning a game. Jack Charlton's Ireland reached the 1990 quarter-finals having not won a single match in normal time — drawing their way through and beating Romania on penalties, to delirium back home.
40. 1990-07-03 — Schillaci's tears for the hosts in 1990. Salvatore Schillaci, the breakout star and Golden Boot of Italia 90, was left in tears as the hosts were knocked out in the semi-final shootout — the dream of winning at home gone on penalties.
41. 1990-07-04 — Gazza's tears. Booked in the 1990 semi-final, Paul Gascoigne realises he would miss the final if England got there — and bursts into tears on the pitch. England lost the shootout anyway, but Gazza's tears became one of football's most beloved images.
42. 1990-07-04 — England's first penalty heartbreak — Turin 1990. Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle miss in the 1990 semi-final shootout against West Germany, beginning England's long, painful relationship with World Cup penalties.
43. 1990-07-08 — West Germany win their last as a nation divided. A single Andreas Brehme penalty beats Argentina in a bad-tempered 1990 final — West Germany's third star, won months before reunification, under captain Lothar Matthäus.
44. 1994-06-21 — Maradona's wild-eyed scream into the camera. Maradona sprinted to the touchline and screamed into a TV camera after scoring against Greece in 1994 — an image that turned sinister days later when he failed a drug test and was expelled from the tournament.
45. 1994-06-22 — Andrés Escobar's own goal and murder. Colombia's Andrés Escobar scores an own goal that helps eliminate his team at USA '94; days after returning home he is shot dead. The most tragic story the World Cup has ever known.
46. 1994-06-25 — Maradona's failed drug test. After his wild-eyed celebration against Greece, Diego Maradona fails a drug test for ephedrine at USA '94 and is thrown out of his last World Cup — a sad coda to football's most turbulent genius.
47. 1994-06-28 — Roger Milla scores at 42. Four years after his famous dance, Roger Milla returned at USA '94 and scored against Russia aged 42 — the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, dancing once more at the corner flag.
48. 1994-06-28 — Oleg Salenko scores five in one match. Russia's Oleg Salenko scores five goals in a single World Cup match against Cameroon in 1994 — still the only player ever to do so, and a record that helped him share the tournament's Golden Boot.
49. 1994-06-29 — Saeed Al-Owairan's solo run vs Belgium. Saudi Arabia's Saeed Al-Owairan picks the ball up inside his own half and slaloms past half the Belgian team to score one of the great solo World Cup goals — the "Maradona of the Arabs" sending his nation into the second round.
50. 1994-07-10 — Bulgaria knock out Germany. Inspired by Hristo Stoichkov, Bulgaria come from behind to beat defending champions Germany 2–1 in the 1994 quarter-final and reach a stunning, unexpected semi-final.
51. 1994-07-17 — Roberto Baggio skies the final penalty. The man who carried Italy to the 1994 final steps up in the shootout and blasts his penalty over the bar — handing Brazil the cup. Baggio stands frozen, hands on hips, in the defining image of World Cup heartbreak.
52. 1994-07-17 — Romário — the genius of 1994. Romário scored five goals and won the Golden Ball as Brazil claimed the 1994 title, his impudent toe-pokes and movement making him the most lethal forward of his era.
53. 1994-07-17 — Brazil win the first final decided on penalties. After 120 goalless minutes, Brazil beat Italy in the first World Cup final ever decided by a shootout — Roberto Baggio's miss handing Romário and Dunga the trophy in 1994.
54. 1998-06-30 — Beckham's kick and red card vs Argentina. David Beckham flicks a leg at Diego Simeone and is sent off in the 1998 second round; ten-man England lose on penalties and Beckham becomes a national hate figure overnight — before his long redemption.
55. 1998-06-30 — Simeone's role in the Beckham red card. Diego Simeone went down theatrically after Beckham's flick in 1998, then admitted years later he'd encouraged the referee to act — gamesmanship that helped knock England out and entered World Cup folklore.
56. 1998-06-30 — Michael Owen's teenage rocket vs Argentina. An 18-year-old Michael Owen takes the ball in his own half, accelerates past two Argentine defenders and lifts it into the corner — the goal that made an England superstar overnight in St-Étienne.
57. 1998-07-04 — Bergkamp's touch-turn-finish vs Argentina. In the dying minutes of the quarter-final Dennis Bergkamp kills a 60-yard pass dead with one touch, slips past Ayala with the second and dinks it home with the third — three perfect touches that put the Netherlands into the semis.
58. 1998-07-12 — Nike — "Airport" (Brazilian team samba). Nike's 1998 World Cup spot shows the Brazil national team — Ronaldo, Romário, Roberto Carlos — playing keepy-uppy and samba football through an airport terminal to "Mas Que Nada". One of the most beloved football ads ever made.
59. 1998-07-12 — Zidane — two heads, one trophy. Zinedine Zidane headed twice past Brazil to win the 1998 final for the hosts France, then carried them to the 2006 final with a Panenka and that pirouette past defenders — elegance and fury in equal measure.
60. 1998-07-12 — France win at home — Zidane's two headers. Zinedine Zidane heads twice and Emmanuel Petit adds a third as France beat Brazil 3–0 to win their first World Cup on home soil in 1998 — a multicultural team uniting the nation.
61. 2002-05-31 — Senegal's supporters take over. Backing the 2002 debutants who beat France, Senegal's drumming, dancing supporters became one of the joys of the tournament — the sound and colour of an African team reaching the quarter-finals.
62. 2002-05-31 — Senegal's shirt-on-the-corner-flag dance. After Papa Bouba Diop scored the goal that beat France in 2002, the Senegal players laid his shirt on the corner flag and danced around it — one of the most joyful celebrations the World Cup has seen.
63. 2002-05-31 — Senegal beat champions France. World Cup debutants Senegal beat the defending champions France 1–0 in the 2002 opener through Papa Bouba Diop — the holders crashing out without scoring a single goal.
64. 2002-05-31 — Nike — "Secret Tournament" (Scorpion KO). Nike's 2002 "Secret Tournament", directed by Terry Gilliam, pitted 24 stars in a caged three-a-side knockout to Elvis's "A Little Less Conversation" — Cantona as referee, an instant classic of football advertising.
65. 2002-06-03 — Rivaldo's theatrical dive vs Turkey. Hit on the leg by a ball from Hakan Ünsal, Brazil's Rivaldo clutches his face and collapses — getting the Turk sent off. The blatant playacting was caught on camera and earned Rivaldo a FIFA fine.
66. 2002-06-16 — Senegal reach the quarter-finals. Not content with beating France, debutants Senegal beat Sweden in the round of 16 to reach the 2002 quarter-finals — only the second African side ever to do so.
67. 2002-06-18 — Byron Moreno and Italy vs South Korea. Italy's 2002 exit to co-hosts South Korea is mired in controversy: a disallowed golden goal, a soft sending-off of Totti for diving, and referee Byron Moreno at the centre of Italian fury for years afterward.
68. 2002-06-21 — Ronaldinho's lob over Seaman vs England. Ronaldinho floats a free kick from 40 yards over a stranded David Seaman and under the bar in the 2002 quarter-final — a strike forever debated as cross or shot, that sent Brazil towards the title.
69. 2002-06-22 — South Korea reach the semi-finals. Co-hosts South Korea, roared on by the Red Devils, knock out Italy and then Spain to become the first Asian semi-finalists in World Cup history under Guus Hiddink.
70. 2002-06-29 — Turkey finish third on their return. Back at the World Cup after 48 years, Turkey reached the 2002 semi-finals and finished third — Hakan Şükür scoring the fastest goal in World Cup history (11 seconds) in the third-place match.
71. 2002-06-30 — Ronaldo's redemption — two goals in the 2002 final. Four years after his mysterious collapse before the 1998 final, Ronaldo scores twice to beat Germany and win the 2002 World Cup — completing one of sport's greatest redemption arcs.
72. 2002-06-30 — The handball that wasn't — 2002 final. In the 2002 final, a Germany free kick struck a hand on the line in the box and went unpunished; debate over the missed call lingered as Brazil's Ronaldo went on to settle the match.
73. 2004 — Pepsi — football star spots. Pepsi's long-running football campaigns pitted galaxies of stars — Beckham, Ronaldinho, Raúl, Roberto Carlos — in playful set-piece ads timed to the World Cup, the cola wars fought on the pitch.
74. 2006-06-09 — Miroslav Klose's front flip. Germany's Miroslav Klose, who would become the World Cup's all-time top scorer, celebrated his goals with a signature front somersault — a gymnastic flourish that became his trademark across four tournaments.
75. 2006-06-24 — Maxi Rodríguez's extra-time volley vs Mexico. Maxi Rodríguez chests down a crossfield ball and lashes a left-foot volley into the far top corner in extra time — the goal that beat Mexico and the strike many call the best of the 2006 tournament.
76. 2006-06-25 — The Battle of Nuremberg. Portugal vs Netherlands 2006 descends into chaos: referee Valentin Ivanov shows a World Cup record 16 yellow cards and 4 reds. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the referee himself deserved a yellow.
77. 2006-07-04 — Grosso's "non ci credo" run vs Germany. Fabio Grosso wheels away in disbelief, screaming "non ci credo!" ("I don't believe it!"), after scoring deep in extra time of the 2006 semi-final against hosts Germany — one of Italian football's indelible images.
78. 2006-07-09 — The words behind the headbutt. For years the world wondered what Marco Materazzi said to provoke Zidane in the 2006 final; the exchange became one of football's great unsolved mysteries, eventually addressed by both men.
79. 2006-07-09 — Nike — "Joga Bonito". Nike's 2006 "Joga Bonito" ("play beautiful") campaign, fronted by Eric Cantona, celebrated skill and joy over cynicism — Ronaldinho's crossbar-juggling clip from the era becoming one of football's first viral videos.
80. 2006-07-09 — Italy win on penalties — Grosso's spot kick. After Zidane's headbutt and a 1–1 draw, Italy beat France on penalties in the 2006 final, Fabio Grosso scoring the decisive kick to win the Azzurri's fourth star in Berlin.
81. 2009-11-18 — Thierry Henry's handball denies Ireland. In the qualifying playoff for 2010, Thierry Henry controls the ball with his hand twice before setting up the goal that sends France to the World Cup and breaks Irish hearts — a scandal that reached the French parliament.
82. 2010-06-11 — adidas Jabulani — the ball everyone debated. The adidas Jabulani of 2010 became as talked-about as any advert — keepers and strikers complaining about its unpredictable flight, the rare case of a World Cup ball itself becoming the marketing story.
83. 2010-06-16 — Switzerland beat eventual champions Spain. In their opening 2010 match, Switzerland beat Spain 1–0 — the only game the eventual champions lost all tournament, a reminder that even the best can be ambushed.
84. 2010-06-27 — Frank Lampard's ghost goal vs Germany. Lampard's shot crashes off the bar and lands a clear half-metre over the German line — and is not given. The non-goal that finally forced FIFA to adopt goal-line technology.
85. 2010-07-02 — Gyan's missed penalty and Suárez's handball. Asamoah Gyan strikes the bar with the last kick of extra time after Luis Suárez handballs on the line to deny Ghana a place in the 2010 semi-final — Africa's best chance to reach a final, lost in the cruellest sequence.
86. 2010-07-11 — Nike — "Write the Future". Nike's 2010 epic imagines how a single moment could change a player's destiny — Rooney, Ronaldo, Ribéry — directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. It won the Cannes Film Grand Prix and defined the World Cup ad spectacle.
87. 2010-07-11 — Iniesta wins it for Spain. Deep in extra time of the 2010 final, Andrés Iniesta volleys home against the Netherlands to win Spain's first-ever World Cup — and reveals a shirt dedicated to his late friend Dani Jarque.
88. 2010-07-11 — adidas — "The Quest" / star-studded spots. adidas answered Nike with its own all-star 2010 campaign, packing Messi, Kaká, Beckham and a cast of celebrities into cinematic spots — the advertising arms race that turns every World Cup into a brand battleground.
89. 2010-07-11 — The Dutch Orange Army. Wherever the Netherlands play, their fans turn stadiums and streets a sea of orange — the "Oranje" support among the most colourful and recognisable in World Cup history.
90. 2010-07-11 — Coca-Cola — "Wavin' Flag" celebration. Coca-Cola's 2010 World Cup anthem campaign, built around K'naan's "Wavin' Flag" and the African goal-celebration of the Roger Milla generation, became the unofficial soundtrack of the first African World Cup.
91. 2010-07-11 — Nigel de Jong's kung-fu kick in the final. In the 2010 final, Nigel de Jong plants his studs into Xabi Alonso's chest — a karate-style challenge that somehow drew only a yellow card, the symbol of a brutal Dutch approach in a notoriously dirty final.
92. 2010-07-11 — Shakira — "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)". Shakira's "Waka Waka", the official song of the 2010 World Cup, became one of the best-selling World Cup songs ever and a defining sound of the first African World Cup.
93. 2014-03-04 — The Maracanã's 200,000. The 1950 deciding match drew a crowd officially recorded near 174,000 and likely closer to 200,000 — still the largest attendance in football history. The silence after Uruguay's winner is as famous as the number.
94. 2014-06-13 — Robin van Persie's flying header vs Spain. Van Persie launches himself horizontally to meet a long Daley Blind ball and loops a diving header over Iker Casillas from distance — the "Flying Dutchman" goal that ignited a 5-1 demolition of the reigning champions.
95. 2014-06-14 — Colombia's yellow wave in 2014. Colombia's return to the World Cup in 2014 brought a joyous, dancing yellow-shirted support that lit up Brazil, mirroring the dancing celebrations of James Rodríguez's breakout side.
96. 2014-06-14 — Colombia's synchronised dance vs Greece. After scoring at the 2014 World Cup, Colombia's players broke into a choreographed group dance — a joyful, perfectly synchronised routine led by James Rodríguez and Juan Cuadrado that became a viral hit.
97. 2014-06-20 — Costa Rica top the group of death. Costa Rica beat Uruguay and Italy to win a 2014 group containing three former champions, then reached the quarter-finals — one of the great underdog runs of the modern World Cup.
98. 2014-06-24 — Luis Suárez bites Chiellini. Luis Suárez sinks his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder during a 2014 group match — his third on-pitch bite — and is banned for four months by FIFA. Uruguay's talisman becomes the tournament's pantomime villain.
99. 2014-06-26 — Pepe's headbutt and red card vs Germany. Portugal's Pepe reacted to a Thomas Müller fall in 2014 by leaning in and headbutting him, earning a red card in a 4–0 thrashing — a moment of self-destruction in a chastening defeat.
100. 2014-06-28 — James Rodríguez's chest-and-volley vs Uruguay. James Rodríguez chests the ball down on the edge of the box, swivels and lashes a dipping volley off the bar and in — voted the goal of the 2014 tournament and the strike that crowned him its golden boot.
101. 2014-06-29 — Mexico and "el quinto partido". Mexico reached the round of 16 at seven straight World Cups (1994–2018) and lost there every time — the agonising hunt for "el quinto partido", the fifth game, a national obsession and heartbreak.
102. 2014-07-08 — The Mineirazo — Germany 7, Brazil 1. Host Brazil are demolished 7–1 by Germany in the 2014 semi-final, conceding five goals in 18 first-half minutes. Fans wept in the stands as the most humiliating defeat in Brazilian football history unfolded.
103. 2014-07-13 — Götze's golden touch wins it for Germany. Mario Götze chests down a cross and volleys home in extra time of the 2014 final against Argentina, crowning Germany champions at the Maracanã and ending Messi's first shot at the trophy.
104. 2016-01-25 — Ferenc Puskás and the Mighty Magyars. Ferenc Puskás led Hungary's "Golden Team", which thrashed all before it and reached the 1954 final unbeaten — only to lose the Miracle of Bern, the greatest side never to win the World Cup.
105. 2018-03-02 — Brazil 1970 — Carlos Alberto's perfect goal. The greatest team ever crowns the greatest team goal: a flowing move finished by captain Carlos Alberto in the 1970 final against Italy, the third star on Brazil's shirt and the apex of jogo bonito.
106. 2018-03-19 — Argentina 1978 and the 6–0 controversy. Host Argentina needed to beat Peru by four goals to reach the 1978 final — and won 6–0 amid lasting suspicion, given the military junta's involvement, that the result was not entirely sporting.
107. 2018-05-29 — Mexico 1986 — the sombrero crowds. The 1986 World Cup in Mexico is remembered for sun-drenched, sombrero-wearing crowds whose colour and noise — and the global spread of the wave — made it one of the most atmospheric tournaments ever staged.
108. 2018-06-15 — The Disgrace of Gijón. West Germany beat Austria 1–0 in 1982 — a result that conveniently sent both through at Algeria's expense. The teams passed the ball around for 80 minutes; the outrage led FIFA to play final group matches simultaneously ever after.
109. 2018 — Cristiano Ronaldo's "Siu" after his free kick. Cristiano Ronaldo completes a hat-trick against Spain with a stunning late free kick in 2018 and lands his trademark mid-air "Siu" — one of the most imitated celebrations of the modern game.
110. 2018-06-17 — Brazil's samba drums and yellow shirts. The sound of samba drums and a sea of yellow shirts has followed Brazil through every World Cup — the carnival support that is as much a part of the tournament's identity as the football itself.
111. 2018-06-17 — Mexico beat holders Germany. Defending champions Germany are beaten 1–0 by Mexico in their 2018 opener through Hirving Lozano, the shock that set up Germany's first-ever group-stage exit.
112. 2018-06-27 — South Korea dump out holders Germany. South Korea score twice in stoppage time to beat defending champions Germany 2–0 in 2018, sending the four-time winners out in the group stage for the first time since 1938.
113. 2018-06-30 — Mbappé's arms-folded cool. At 19, Kylian Mbappé scores in the 2018 final and celebrates with arms folded and a hint of a smile — the ice-cool pose of the heir apparent, becoming France's youngest World Cup final scorer since Pelé.
114. 2018-06-30 — Benjamin Pavard's side-on volley vs Argentina. Benjamin Pavard, a right-back, sweeps a first-time side-on volley from the edge of the box that curls into the far top corner — voted the goal of the 2018 tournament in a chaotic 4-3 win over Argentina.
115. 2018-07-11 — Croatia's exhausted run to the 2018 final. Croatia won three straight knockout matches in extra time, two on penalties, before losing the 2018 final to France — Luka Modrić's Golden Ball a bittersweet reward for the smallest nation to reach a final in 60 years.
116. 2018-07-15 — Iceland's Viking Thunderclap. Tiny Iceland, the smallest nation ever to qualify, brought the slow-building "Huh!" Thunderclap to the 2018 World Cup — tens of thousands of fans clapping in unison, a chant copied around the football world.
117. 2018-07-15 — Japanese fans clean the stands. Japanese supporters stayed behind to pick up litter from the stands at the 2018 World Cup — and the Japanese team left their dressing room spotless with a thank-you note. The moment went viral as a lesson in sportsmanship.
118. 2018-07-15 — Luka Modrić wins the 2018 Golden Ball. Luka Modrić ran the midfield as Croatia reached the 2018 final, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player and finally breaking the Messi–Ronaldo grip on the world's individual awards.
119. 2019-07-09 — Bebeto's baby-cradle celebration. After scoring against the Netherlands in 1994, Bebeto rocks an imaginary baby in honour of his newborn son — joined by Romário and Mazinho. One of the most copied celebrations of all time.
120. 2020-01-25 — Michel Platini — the playmaker of the 1980s. Michel Platini orchestrated France's beautiful sides of 1982 and 1986, twice reaching the semi-finals; the carré magique midfield he led is remembered as one of football's great teams that fell just short.
121. 2020-02-07 — USA 1, England 0 — the miracle of Belo Horizonte. A team of American amateurs beats the mighty England in 1950 — so improbable that some British papers assumed the score was a typo and printed England 10, USA 1. Still one of the greatest upsets in sporting history.
122. 2020-10-24 — Pelé's first World Cup goal vs Wales. In the quarter-final a 17-year-old Pelé controls the ball with his back to goal, flicks it past a defender and stabs it home — his first World Cup goal, the only goal of the game, sending Brazil through against Wales.
123. 2020-12-30 — Ronaldo — O Fenômeno. The original Ronaldo, World Cup top scorer of all time at the time of his retirement, electrified 1998 and 2002 — from the mystery of the '98 final to the two goals that won '02, the most feared striker of his era.
124. 2021-08-12 — Klinsmann's diving celebration. Jürgen Klinsmann, mocked for his tendency to go to ground, turns it into a trademark: a full-length forward dive after every goal — a self-aware celebration that became iconic at USA '94.
125. 2021-09-03 — North Korea knock out Italy. Unknown North Korea beat two-time champions Italy 1–0 at Middlesbrough in 1966, sending the Azzurri home to a barrage of rotten tomatoes and one of the World Cup's most romantic underdog stories.
126. 2021-11-02 — Roberto Baggio carries Italy to the 1994 final. The Divine Ponytail almost single-handedly dragged Italy to the 1994 final with a string of decisive goals in the knockouts — before the missed penalty that overshadowed a magical tournament.
127. 2021-11-08 — Roger Milla's corner-flag dance. The 38-year-old Roger Milla scores for Cameroon in 1990 and wiggles his hips at the corner flag — the most joyful celebration in World Cup history, performed by the tournament's oldest goalscorer.
128. 2022-11-22 — Saudi Arabia shock Argentina. Eventual champions Argentina open the 2022 World Cup by losing 2–1 to Saudi Arabia — one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history, on the way to Messi finally lifting the trophy.
129. 2022-11-23 — Japan come from behind to beat Germany. Four-time champions Germany lead 1–0 before Japan strike twice late to win 2–1 in 2022 — part of a wild day of upsets, and a result that ultimately sent Germany out at the group stage again.
130. 2022-11-24 — Richarlison's bicycle kick vs Serbia. Richarlison juggles the ball up with one touch and finishes with a full bicycle kick against Serbia — instantly hailed as one of the goals of the 2022 tournament.
131. 2022-12-10 — Morocco become the first African semi-finalists. Morocco beat Belgium, Spain and Portugal to reach the 2022 semi-finals — the first African and first Arab nation ever to go that far, igniting celebrations across the continent and the Arab world.
132. 2022-12-14 — Morocco's fans roar them to the semis. Backed by deafening support from Moroccan and Arab fans across Qatar 2022, the Atlas Lions became the first African and Arab semi-finalists — players celebrating with their mothers on the pitch.
133. 2022-12-18 — Budweiser — "The World Is Yours to Take". Budweiser's 2022 anthem starring Messi, Neymar, Sterling and Vinícius Jr captured the build-up to Qatar — days before the host nation's last-minute stadium beer ban turned the sponsorship into its own story.
134. 2022-12-18 — Messi completes football — the 2022 final. Argentina beat France on penalties after a 3–3 epic widely called the greatest final ever, and Lionel Messi finally lifts the World Cup — the one prize that had eluded him, in the last act of his international career.
135. 2022-12-18 — Argentina's travelling sea of blue and white. Tens of thousands of Argentine fans turned Qatar 2022 into a home tournament, their chant "Muchachos" becoming the anthem of the World Cup as Messi's side marched to the title.
136. 2022-12-18 — Messi — the last dance. After four tournaments of near-misses, Lionel Messi dominated 2022: seven goals, the Golden Ball, and the trophy at last. The debate about the greatest of all time was, for many, settled in Qatar.
137. 2022-12-18 — Mbappé's hat-trick in the 2022 final. Kylian Mbappé scores a hat-trick in the 2022 final — the first since 1966 — dragging France level twice; his ferocious celebrations couldn't prevent Argentina winning on penalties, but cemented his status as Messi's heir.
138. 2023-03-03 — Ronaldo's mystery before the 1998 final. Hours before the 1998 final, Ronaldo suffered a convulsive fit; he was pulled from the team sheet, reinstated, and played as a ghost as Brazil lost 3–0 to France. The strangest pre-final drama in World Cup history.
139. 2023-03-17 — World Cup mascots — from World Cup Willie. The 1966 lion "World Cup Willie" was the first World Cup mascot; the tradition runs through Naranjito, Ciao, Footix, Zakumi and La'eeb — branding characters as much a part of each tournament as the football.
140. 2023-05-09 — The 3 R's — Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho. Brazil's 2002 attacking trident of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho tore through the tournament to win the title in Japan — arguably the most gifted front line ever to win a World Cup.
141. 2023-05-17 — The Zambia air disaster. In 1993 nearly the entire Zambia national team died in a plane crash off Gabon en route to a World Cup qualifier — a hastily rebuilt side then came within a game of qualifying, one of football's most moving tragedies.
142. 2024-05-12 — Panini sticker albums — "got, got, need". Panini's World Cup sticker albums, first produced for the 1970 tournament, turned collecting and swapping players into a global childhood ritual every four years — "got, got, need".
143. 2024-06-15 — The Tartan Army travels the world. Scotland's travelling supporters, the Tartan Army, became famous for their kilts, songs and good humour at World Cups from Argentina 1978 onward — beloved wherever they went, even as their team kept falling at the group stage.
144. 2026-06-01 — Franz Beckenbauer — Der Kaiser. Beckenbauer reinvented defending as the elegant attacking sweeper, captaining West Germany to the 1974 title and later managing them to the 1990 crown — one of only three men to win the World Cup as player and coach.

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