
The World Cup generates an entirely different feeling to club football. All the animosity that fuels and creates the excitement of the domestic leagues is forgotten for a month of national unity. Hailed as the pinnacle of a career, and due to its rarity, the international competition is placed in a dimension of untouchability for most players. The daring dream of bringing 30,875 carats of gold back to your homeland. This is what the World Cup offers.
The 2006 World Cup tournament held in Germany remains my personal favourite. I watched every game I could, in the same living room, on the same sofa. It was my first distinct football memory and I have unrivalled nostalgia attached to it. The iconic golden crest on the Azzurri’s winning jersey, R9’s yellow and green Nike Mercurial Vapors when he became the leading World Cup goal scorer, the unavoidable and palpable excitement surrounding England’s ‘golden generation,’ and of course that infamous headbutt.
I recall five iconic matches during this pulsating tournament that captivated my attention 16 years ago.