'82 was my favourite WC (Italy v Brazil, a game to drool over) followed by '86.
The difference was watching a game and listening to a commentator on the phone. The atmosphere. @Gman and others are right, framiliarity breeds contempt and we see too much football now. I’ve actually lost all interest in professional leagues, can’t remember the last time I watched an EPL game.
But during the club season here, I go to all our 3rd, 2nd and First grade club games andnthe U18’s when I can amd love it.
In saying all that, '98 in terms of quality was the best WC.
Maradona is my favourite player ever and an absolute sporting icon. Talent wise no one compares even messi. But how great was his career really? He flopped at his first world cup in 82 quit/was left out of the national team for a few years. Came back and was obviously sensationally good in 86 but after that was pedestrian enough in 90 and was turfed out in 94. His winning two leagues with napoli was a phenomenal achievement in the best league in the world at the time but he flopped twice in the European Cup. I think if he played in the modern era where every bad performance is forensically picked over and there is no tolerance for ‘failure’ at all I don’t think he’d be half as highly regarded.
Just rewatching the documentary and it struck me. Especially the bit about not playing for Argentina between 82 and 86 really. Nothing made of that. Messi gets lambasted for threatening to quit.