What are your earliest World Cup memories.

[Tamas]

The Final of '94. I was staying at my cousins at the time and they were big soccer fans, a rare thing back then.
I don't remember details of the game tho.

It's actually my 2nd sports memory, the first one being the Habs Stanley Cup victory a year earlier.

https://youtu.be/39CyUAnKUso?si=CMzfyJ2VHCDMsNyD

[DGuller]

The first one I remember is 1990, more specifically the Argentina-Italy penalty shootout.  I loved the penalty shootouts back then, because that seemed to be the only way goals were scored back then.

[Valmy]

The first one I remember is 1990, more specifically the Argentina-Italy penalty shootout.  I loved the penalty shootouts back then, because that seemed to be the only way goals were scored back then.

Especially when Italy was playing.

[Grey Fox]

The Final of '94. I was staying at my cousins at the time and they were big soccer fans, a rare thing back then.
I don't remember details of the game tho.

It's actually my 2nd sports memory, the first one being the Habs Stanley Cup victory a year earlier.

https://youtu.be/39CyUAnKUso?si=CMzfyJ2VHCDMsNyD

My hatred for Italian football did start then.

[Duque de Bragança]

The Final of '94. I was staying at my cousins at the time and they were big soccer fans, a rare thing back then.
I don't remember details of the game tho.

It's actually my 2nd sports memory, the first one being the Habs Stanley Cup victory a year earlier.

https://youtu.be/39CyUAnKUso?si=CMzfyJ2VHCDMsNyD

My hatred for Italian football did start then.

The whole WC sucked in 90, not just Italy.
Cameroon is a good memory, beyond that, not much to remember.

[Darth Wagtaros]

First one that I really paid attention to was late 90s I was in the Mid east.  There was a "fashion show". Lot of pencil thin women in hideous clothes that were clearly there for shock value - one stick figure had like a stuffed bird on her chest or something.  Made me aware of just how awful modeling must be. 

Years later I was watching Warehouse 13 and an episode about supermodels has some models talking about how "a  look could influence governments and change whole societies" made hope that that was just just standard ridiculous ScyFi writing.

[Valmy]

First one that I really paid attention to was late 90s I was in the Mid east.  There was a "fashion show". Lot of pencil thin women in hideous clothes that were clearly there for shock value - one stick figure had like a stuffed bird on her chest or something.  Made me aware of just how awful modeling must be.

Years later I was watching Warehouse 13 and an episode about supermodels has some models talking about how "a  look could influence governments and change whole societies" made hope that that was just just standard ridiculous ScyFi writing.

Wait what? There was a fashion show in the Middle East? What does that have to do with the World Cup in the late 1990s?

[Maladict]

That was probably France '98.

[Valmy]

That was probably France '98.

Yes. I was there that summer.

I don't recall any fashion shows.

[Syt]

I mostly associate France 98 with Germany losing to Croatia in the QF, and the absolutely appaling behavior of German hooligans in Lens, nearly killing a French policeman.

(Also for the FIFA game which let you play historical World Cup matches with original line ups.)

[Darth Wagtaros]

Yeah, that was it.  Was in Aleppo.  Never watched a WOrld Cup before, being American.  Everone was going insane over it.  Then this bizarre fashion show came on and it looked frightening.

[Norgy]

I mostly associate France 98 with Germany losing to Croatia in the QF, and the absolutely appaling behavior of German hooligans in Lens, nearly killing a French policeman.

(Also for the FIFA game which let you play historical World Cup matches with original line ups.)

I think the two EA games Road to World Cup and World Cup '98 were voted the best of the franchise.  I liked them.

1998 was Norway being sunk by Italy for the third and so far final World Cup we've been participating in.

I think Ronaldo's girlfriend got a lot of TV time during matches that World Cup.

[Gups]

I remember having a Scotland mug for the 1978  tournament (most English people supported them in 78, wouldn't be the case now) but don't remember any of the games. So the 1982 tournament is the first I remember and is still one of my favourites. Carefully sticking the flags on a giant wall chart. Listening to the car radio on way home from school when Bryan Robson scored within a minute against France and my Mum speeding home as quickly as possible to watch the match. That brilliant Brazilian side. Maradona being kicked off the park. The stupid format with 24 teams and two group phases. The Kuwaiti prince threatening to pull his team off if the ref didn't disallow a French goal and the Soviet ref reversing his decision as a result. Austria and W. Germany stitching up a 0-0 so they both went through (leading to final group games all being played at the same time). Northern Ireland beating Spain. England crashing out undefeated. Schumacher knocking out the French guy in the semi final and breaking his ribs but no foul being given - with a 3-3 draw and the first ever WC penalty shoot out. 

[Gups]

The Final of '94. I was staying at my cousins at the time and they were big soccer fans, a rare thing back then.
I don't remember details of the game tho.

It's actually my 2nd sports memory, the first one being the Habs Stanley Cup victory a year earlier.

https://youtu.be/39CyUAnKUso?si=CMzfyJ2VHCDMsNyD

My hatred for Italian football did start then.

The whole WC sucked in 90, not just Italy.
Cameroon is a good memory, beyond that, not much to remember.

I was at the San Siro for the 9 man Cameroon win against Argentina. Absolutely mad game.

[Josephus]

You guys make me feel so old.