FIFA World Cup History: Top five great performances in the World Cup
With the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa drawing to a close on 11th of July, it is important to investigate which players have put in the greatest of performances for their national teams throughout the World Cup history. Many argue that the World Cup is the hardest stage to perform on because a player is carrying the expectations of millions of people back home.
In the summer of 1982, the FIFA World Cup was held in Spain. In blistering Iberian heat, Italy was crowned as the eventual winners. Since then, Paulo Rossi has been widely regarded, as the best player of the tournament, as he went on a goal scoring spree, for the Italians. But there is another player who was the brains behind all the Italian magic that summer.
That player was Bruno Conti, when Italy defeated the tournament favourites Brazil, Zico remarked that Brazil played against ten Italians but one Brazilian. The player he was referring to was Bruno Conti. A lot of people have said that the Italians were the most undeserving champions ever after they won the 1982 FIFA World Cup but whoever saw Bruno Conti perform can never agree with that statement. His vision and passing ability on the ball was a sight to behold.
When Brazil reached the World Cup final in the FIFA World Cup of 1998 in France, they were sure favourites to win the match as their star striker Ronaldo was on an extraordinary run of goal scoring form. However, hours before the match rumours started circulating that Ronaldo was unfit because he had suffered from seizures the night before the final. Ronaldo did eventually start for the samba kings but it was a disappointing performance as France out-played Brazil and won the final by 3 goals to nil.
In 2002, Ronaldo returned to the World Cup stage and led his team to the final by scoring 6 goals. In the final against Germany, Ronaldo scored two more goals as he exorcized his World Cup final demons. Brazil eventually won by 2 goals to nil and Ronaldo put in one of the most amazing performances ever seen by a Brazilian in the World Cup.
Diego Maradona made the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Perhaps, he is the only player in the history of the tournament to have singlehandedly won the World Cup for his country. Maradona performed above expectations and scored one of the best goals of the tournament against England in the quarterfinals, his second goal against England is remembered widely as goal of the century. Maradona led his country to their second World Cup triumph in three years and engraved his name in World Cup history forever. His personal troubles aside, Maradona’s playing style inspired many modern youngsters such as Messi to take up football as a professional.
Holland came to the World Cup of 1974 with two main weapons, the first one was their total football philosophy, and the second one was its enforcer Johan Cruyff. Cruyff who was the captain of his national team led Netherlands to their first ever World Cup final in 1974 against the hosts West Germany. Cruyff played as a striker for his national side and epitomized total football in a way no one has ever done. Cruyff was known for his outstanding dribbling skills and superior movement of the ball.
His famous move, the Cruyff turn, was his special trademark. He is also perhaps one of the truly great players to have never won the FIFA World Cup, as his team lost the final of the 1974 World Cup to West Germany. Despite his failure to win the World Cup, Cruyff’s total football style has been adopted by several modern successful managers such as Arsene Wenger at Arsenal in England and Pep Guardiola at Barcelona in Spain.
No World Cup performance list can be complete without mentioning Pele. The greatest footballer ever to have played the game was mesmerizing for Brazil in the 1970 World Cup. After becoming the youngest player ever, at 17, to have played and scored in the 1958 World Cup, Pele scored four goals in the 1970 tournament to lead Brazil to World Cup glory.
In the final match of the tournament, Tarcisio Burgnich, was responsible for man-marking Pele for the Italians, before the match Burgnich is said to have told himself he's made of skin and bones just like everyone else but he was wrong.
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