With WC fever about to reach peak levels soon I thought why not make a thread to look back at some classic moments.

Earliest WC memory?

Mine is italia 90. I was just turning 6 around the semi-final stage and just about remember watching England lose to penalties to Germany although I have very vague memories of this match. I also remember watching the World Cup final with the old man and we both wanted Argentina to win because of El Diego who was my father's favourite footballer at the time.

Bizarrely remembering ITV showing Gremlins before that game. Very random I know. Good film though esp when Hulk Hogan makes a cameo (ok way off topic now).

However, my most abiding WC memory and the WC I saw from beginning to end is USA 94 (school summer holidays). Amazing games, amazing stadiums and amazing players.

Who remembers Baggio's late goal v Nigeria? Or the Alfonso household's favourite Argentine scoring v Greece and THAT celebration?

Unfortunately after the quarter final stage it didn't reach the heights of earlier rounds ( arguably best collective last 16 games in WC history).

France 1998 was probably the last great WC and arguably possessed the teams with most amount of great players (just go through the England, Dutch, Brazil and French squads for starters). Pretty much every big name in 90s and later early 00s football was playing in that tournament. I'm talking about the like of Blanc, Maldini, Rivaldo, Christian Vieri, Davour Suker, Ali Daei, Ronaldo, Batisituta, Alan Shearer etc.

Overall if I have to think of a best WC memory it would have to (for a pure personal point of view) be in France 98 when my country Iran defeated USA 2-1. It was a result bigger than football and caused sheer joy and happiness amongst all my countrymen and women. Great day.

The last three WC after 98 have all been disappointing IMO (with 2006 being the best out of a bad bunch). 2002 is prob the worst WC of all time. 2010 was forgettable.

I do think this summer will be great and unfortunately the last great WC we will see.

What are your earliest and best WC memories?