Just How Good Was 2018 World Cup at Russia ?

[WolfmanOz]

I’ve been following the World Cup since 1970 (I was just too young to remember the glories of ’66) so that’s 13 world cups . . . 48 years . . . Am I really getting that old.

Certainly i feel this century the general standard has been pretty dire - South Africa 2010 was IMO just bloody awful, although Spain were a deserved winner but their style and entertainment value left a lot to be desired compared to numerous previous winners (8 goals in 7 matches).

However , this World Cup appeared to have a lot of open football, a fair amount of goals, and probably the best team eventually winning (well the best team over the period of the tournament); although I’m sure we’d all be a bit reticent to say France was one of the great WC teams ?

We even had pride restored by the Three Lions, and , although there may have been an opportunity lost, there is much to be encouraged for in the future.

So where does 2018 rank . . . ?

Well I was spoilt with my “first” WC with 1970, with probably the best attacking team the game has ever seen with the marvellous Brazilian team of Pele, Jairzinho, Tostao, Gerson, Rivelino, Carlos Alberto and so on. And of course their game against England was one of the greatest games in football history.

With the other great games at that tournament - both semis (Italy v West Germany extra time was incredible), the quarter final at Leon that was memorable for all the wrong reasons, plenty of goals and incredibly not one player was sent off throughout the tournament - I still have 1970 as the best WC tournament of all time, but 2018 probably ranks with a couple of others in the next rank - say with 1986 and 1998.

So what do others think and/or remember ?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

On pure footballing terms, I had France 98 down as the best I'd ever seen. This one went past it and by a fair distance. I reckon there were only three or four duff games at absolute most.

France definitely won't go down as vintage winners, but that doesn't really matter. They were the best team overall and provided enough moments (just about) to not provoke resentment at them lifting the trophy.

Italia 90 was iconic in so many ways and it's full of nostalgia value, but on a footballing level, objectively it wasn't very good.

2018
1998
2014
1994
2002
2006
1990
An absolute gaping chasm
2010 (the worst tournament known to man, let us never speak of it again)

 

[YoungWolf]

My first world cup was 2002 (sorry) so this was my fifth. I would rank it top, to be honest.

2018
2006
2002
2014
2010 (way below the rest)

Probably not coincidence the bottom two are the ones England performed worst in! Though 2002/2014 are on about par for me, maybe because 2002 was my first tournament which I watched a lot of before or in school :icon_lol:

 

[Trips]

Best World Cup I can remember watching. I can remember back to Italia 90 so can't comment on any before that.

Some very good, open games. Not too many drab affairs. Lots of goals, lots of talking points with VAR, some absolute screamers. I think the one thing it was missing was that one player that stood out and made it his World Cup, like Maradona in 86 or Ronaldo in 2002. I thought CR7 would be the one to do that after his amazing performance in Portugal's opening game against Spain but not to be.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I would put 1986 level with 1998. 1982 would be behind 1994 on your list as the second group round wasn't a great idea really, and there were some awful games (West Germany v Austria for starters). Italy were worthy winners and the game against Brazil was an epic.

I only have fleeting memories of 1978, so hard to call that one for a position on the list. I know 6 year old me was gutted that the Dutch lost the final!

 

[Langers]

Without doubt the best World Cup I can remember in terms of entertainment, drama and quality.

But I think this has to be the best for other reasons - the shocks, the weather, England surpassing all expectations. When we talk about nostalgia (e.g. 1990) then I think in decades to come, people will look back on this tournament with the same kind of fondness.

Good memories, great tournament.

 

[Johnny75]

Without doubt the best World Cup I can remember in terms of entertainment, drama and quality.

But I think this has to be the best for other reasons - the shocks, the weather, England surpassing all expectations. When we talk about nostalgia (e.g. 1990) then I think in decades to come, people will look back on this tournament with the same kind of fondness.

Good memories, great tournament.

Very well summed up for a Monday morning.

 

[Tom Hark]

The 66 and 70 tournaments were those that got me most excited, but you have to factor in that in those days there was hardly any football on TV and we never saw any foreign players other than in international matches. We now have comprehensive coverage and are privileged to watch the best in the world play every week. The fact that almost every game in this WC was a joy to watch, even given that very high bar, makes this the best overall tournament I've ever seen, despite the ultimate disappointment for England.

 

[BillyDee]

I can remember back to 86 (and 82, but didn't actually watch any games). I remember 90 as being a great WC, but I probably wasn't very objective then. 98 was definitely a great. Does the fact that the majority(?) of goals this year came from set pieces diminish it somewhat?
Speaking to an older colleague, we discussed how the world cup is no longer the best football tournament in the world, that the Champions League is, that the top CL teams have a greater concentration of elite players than international teams. When do we think that changed over?

 

[b3h]

Crazy world cup. My favourite so far.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

The Euros was regularly the better tournament because there were fewer slots so it was best against best almost from the off. Expanding that tournament in 2016 wasn't the greatest move for overall quality.

When the World Cup went from 24 to 32 it brought in more dreck. With 48 teams, the first round is going to be shite.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Good question. Probably around the turn of the century when they expanded it (incorporating the shit second group stage for a little bit) and more clubs felt compelled to build a multi-national squad full of stars.

I'd definitely say the CL had prominence by 2006.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The Euros was regularly the better tournament because there were fewer slots so it was best against best almost from the off. Expanding that tournament in 2016 wasn't the greatest move for overall quality.

When the World Cup went from 24 to 32 it brought in more dreck. With 48 teams, the first round is going to be shite.

I can't argue with moving to 32 as at least the basic mechanics of the tournament work properly now. You do get a few no hopers but we're not flooded with them. Sadly this won't work for the Euros, 32 teams would be a farce (there are only 55 teams in UEFA to start with, including pub league dross like San Marino, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein etc) so they just need to see sense and switch it back to 16. They won't, of course.

48 teams is a remarkably stupid idea (even if we ignore for now the intrinsic flaws in three team groups and what this will mean for the approach of many of the smaller nations - let's just say Aitor Karanka might be an ideal coach for them come 2026). Especially as it'll be the poorer confederations who largely benefit from the increased number of spots. Africa didn't have a single team progress to the knockout stages this time, why would we want more teams from there? Any team worse than Jamaica/Trinidad and Tobago/Honduras/Panama have been at various tournaments since 1998 does not deserve to be at a World Cup, yet CONCACAF will get more representation. New Zealand effectively have a bye to every single World Cup forever from 2026 onwards and they are shit.

 

[Langers]

Does the fact that the majority(?) of goals this year came from set pieces diminish it somewhat?

I don't think so, no. Because every time there was a corner, or a free kick in a dangerous position throughout this World Cup, you always thought something might happen. The number of goals from corners has been drastically reduced in the top leagues over the past few years, and as well as the potential for a goalscoring opportunity, there were the tussles in the penalty area in pretty much every game, with the added risk of VAR penalising defenders even if the ref missed it.

I think it's added to the excitement TBH.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I have hopes (that will probably be swiftly dashed) that we're finally getting away from the 10+ year trend of defenders not bothering to actually defend off set pieces, just wrestle away and the ref will hardly ever give anything. If that's the immediate impact of VAR then brilliant.

 

[Langers]

Christophe Berra to announce his imminent retirement.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I hope not, Nash says we need to sell him before we can sign a RWB.

 

[BillyDee]

I don't think so, no. Because every time there was a corner, or a free kick in a dangerous position throughout this World Cup, you always thought something might happen. The number of goals from corners has been drastically reduced in the top leagues over the past few years, and as well as the potential for a goalscoring opportunity, there were the tussles in the penalty area in pretty much every game, with the added risk of VAR penalising defenders even if the ref missed it.

I think it's added to the excitement TBH.

That's a valid point. This World Cup did though give us the craziest own goal I've seen as a result of defender wrestling though, I forget the game, but it was towards the end of the group stages I think. The defender had his back to the ball at the far post, and back heeled it in as he went down...

 

[Kenny]

That's a valid point. This World Cup did though give us the craziest own goal I've seen as a result of defender wrestling though, I forget the game, but it was towards the end of the group stages I think. The defender had his back to the ball at the far post, and back heeled it in as he went down...

Spain v Russia? - Ramos tried to claim it

 

[jd1981]

Can’t argue with anything in DW last post, biggest flaw will be teams potentially colluding in the final group game very much like Austria v West Germany in 1982.
Just stop and think about the potential sides we could have pitching up for 2026, the euros with a 24 team format has reduced its quality but even still will be a far better watch than ac48 side World Cup.
Likely that 2 draws will get you through in 2nd place also.