Once the tournament began, however, some of Brazil’s shortcomings were exposed. Ronaldo and Adriano looked stale and overweight. Roberto Carlos and Cafu were no longer the dynamo’s on the flanks they once had been. Brazil as a whole were quite a bit more sluggish than all the Joga Bonito adverts had promised. But they did, at least, win their games. The same couldn’t be said of France, which had played poor football in the groups, and who were lucky to even be in the KO stages.

But for all that, France still had Henry, Vieira. And Zidane. The one who slaughtered Brazil in 1998. Could he rise to the occassion and do it again?

Line-Ups:

Brazil
Dida – Cafu, Lucio, Juan, Roberto Carlos – Juninho, Gilberto Silva, Ze Roberto, Kaka, Ronaldinho – Ronaldo
Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira

France
Barthez – Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal – Ribery, Makelele, Vieira, Zidane, Malouda – Henry
Coach: Raymond Domenech

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This was, essentially, the semi-final of the 1978 World Cup. The winner of this game would go on to face Argentina in the final.

Holland weren’t as good as in 1974. Without the two main architects of that glorious side – Cruyff and Van Hanegem – the Dutch were considerably less brilliant. Less spectacular. Less innovative. But they were still a quality side. The absence of the dominating figures of Cruyff and Van Hanegem allowed room for others – Krol and Rensenbrink, most notably – to carve out a genuine reputation of excellence for themselves.

Italy had been completely absent from the 1974 competition, but they bounced back in style in 1978, with a strong, cohesive team featuring nine (!) Juventus players. This match could definitely go both ways.

Holland
Schrijvers – Poortvliet, Krol, Brandts, W. van de Kerkhof – Jansen, Haan, Neeskens – R. van de Kerkhof, Rep, Rensenbrink
Coach: Ernst Happel

Italy
Zoff – Cabrini, Cuccureddu, Scirea, Gentile – Benetti, Tardelli, Zaccarelli, Causio – Bettega, Rossi
Coach: Enzo Bearzot

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Having beat Chelsea on penalties in 2008, Manchester United appear to be an ever stronger team this year around.

They have tremendous experience in Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Giggs and Scholes, as well as dynamic talent in Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.

United comfortably brushed aside Arsenal in the semi’s, and if they can now beat Barcelona, surely they’ll go into history as one of football’s greatest teams.

But there are also voices saying similar things about Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. Their possession-based playing style is winning admirers from all over the planet, and all that’s lacking to confirm their status as a truly brilliant team is that silver trophy. Ol’ Big Ears.

Barcelona are plagued by defensive problems though. Abidal is suspended. Dani Alves and Maxwell are injured. Can Cristiano Ronaldo – the holder of the Ballon d’Or – take advantage?

Barcelona
Valdes – Puyol, Touré, Pique, Sylvinho – Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta – Eto’o, Messi, Henry
Coach: Pep Guardiola

Manchester United
Van der Sar – O’Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra – Anderson, Carrick, Giggs – Park, Ronaldo, Rooney
Coach: Sir Alex Ferguson

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Even on that day, there was little to seperate the two sides, though. In a sense they were evenly matched on various levels.

Where the USSR were coached by the masterful Valeriy Lobanovskiy, the Dutch had the equally genius Rinus Michels.

Where the USSR had 1986 European Footballer of the Year Igor Belanov, the Dutch had the 1987 European Footballer of the Year Ruud Gullit.

But in that group match, one player in particular was missing. The player who had subsequently shot Holland past England and Germany.

Marco van Basten.

Could he tip the balance in Holland’s favour?

Line-ups:

Holland
Van Breukelen – Van Aerle, R. Koeman, Rijkaard, Van Tiggelen – Wouters, Mühren, Vanenburg, E. Koeman – Gullit, Van Basten
Coach: Rinus Michels

USSR
Dasayev – Demyanenko, Khidiyatullin, Aleinikov, Rats – Litovchenko, Zavarov, Mikhailichenko, Gotsmanov – Protasov, Belanov
Coach: Valeriy Lobanovskiy

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https://rapidshare.com/files/3171055257/1988_Euro_Final_-_Oranje_x_USSR_2.avi

Both the English and Portuguese had claimed their place in the semi-finals after memorable encounters. The Iberians had overcome North-Korea with what remains one of the classic comebacks in World Cup history. The English, on the other hand, had beat the Argentines under less glorious circumstances, with the Argentine captain being sent off for, apparently, no reason.

But only the present mattered now. Portugal had demonstrated impressive form through out the entire tournament, with Eusebio clearly being the World Cup’s eye-catching player thus far. England had not shown the same flair as the Portuguese, but looked defensively sound, and effective enough up front. And, what’s more, as the home team they knew the whole of Wembley would cheer them on.

Line-ups:

England
Banks – Cohen, Moore, Charlton, Wilson – Stiles, Peters, Ball, Charlton – Hurst, Hunt
Coach: Alf Ramsey

Portugal
Jose Pereira – Jose Carlos, Hilario, Baptista, Festa – Mario Coluna, Graca – Simoes, Jose Augusto, Eusebio, Torres
Coach: Otto Gloria

Download links for 1966 World Cup Semi-Final ~ England vs Portugal

https://rapidshare.com/files/3550400381/1966_England_-_Portugal__4Dfoot.com_.part1.rar
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This match confirmed the growing suspicion around Europe that Barcelona, this season, were something truly extraordinary.

Certainly, Barcelona had been synonymous with quality football for years, with Ronaldinho regularly setting Champions League nights alight with his magic moves. And when Pep Guardiola sold off Ronaldinho and Deco, many feared that Barcelona would lose some its charm, its creative touch. Instead, the team started playing better, more disciplined, more aggressive, more collective, more dominant, than ever before.

FC Bayern, on this night, were nothing more than willing victims.

Line-ups:

Barcelona
Valdes – Alves, Marquez, Pique, Puyol – Toure, Xavi, Iniesta – Messi, Eto’o, Henry
Coach: Pep Guardiola

FC Bayern Munich
Butt – Oddo, Breno, DeMichelis, Lell – Altintop, Van Bommel, Ze Roberto, Schweinsteiger, Ribery – Toni
Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann

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https://rapidshare.com/files/58209767/2009_-_Barcelona_x_Bayern__4Dfoot.com_.avi

Together with Hungary 1954 and Holland 1974, the Brazilian team of 1982 is part of the beautiful loser trinity. All three teams conquered the heart of the world by playing brilliant football – and all three failed to conquer the piece of metal known as the World Cup.

But on June 14 1982,  nobody yet knew the fate that would await the most talented Brazilian team since the golden days of Pelé. On that day, Brazil played its first game of the 1982 World Cup. Coached by the prophet of attacking football, Tele Santana, Brazil set out to show the world that spectacular, risky and adventurous football cán lead to victory. The match became a memorable encounter in which Brazil put both its strengths and weaknesses on display, as they mixed beautiful plays with horrid defending. But after the wonderful finale of this match, who could not help but fall in love with this team?

Line-ups:

Brazil
Waldir Peres – Leandro, Oscar, Luizinho, Junior – Falcão, Socrates, Zico – Eder, Dirceu, Serginho
Coach: Tele Santana

USSR
Dasaev – Sulakvelidze, Chivadze, Baltacha, Demianenko – Bessonov, Gavrilov, Bal, Daraselia – Shengelia, Blokhin
Coach: Konstantin Beskov

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https://rapidshare.com/files/1462064528/1982_-_Brazil_vs_USSR_-_18m_-_4Dfoot.com.avi

The players entering the Stade Velodrome on that sunny July 4th afternoon had all been children, twenty years earlier, when Argentina and Holland had last met. Some, like Simeone (1970), Batistuta (1969), Van der Sar (1970) and Bergkamp (1969) would have remembered that 1978 World Cup final vividly. Others were likely too young then to care.

But they cared now.

Now, the occassion was a World Cup quarter-final. Both were favourites to lift the World Cup. Both looked about equally strong. Both had enjoyed the blessings of lady Fortune on their way to this encounter, with Argentina knocking out England on penalties, and Holland needing a last-gasp winner against Yugoslavia – and luck might very well decide this encounter too, given how closely matched the two teams were in all respects.

Or, perhaps, the game might be decided by one genius player rising to the occassion.

Line-ups:

Holland
Van der Sar – Winter, Stam, F. de Boer, Numan – R. de Boer, Jonk, Davids, Cocu – Bergkamp, Kluivert
Coach: Guus Hiddink

Holland
Roa – Zanetti, Sensini, Chamot, Ayala – Veron, Simeone, Almeyda, Ortega – Batistuta, Lopez
Coach: Daniel Passarella

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Johan Cruyff’s Ajax arrived in London after a 2-1 home win over Arsenal. The Gunners, in other words, had only one objective: beating Ajax. A 1-0 win would be enough.

Could they pull it off? Opinions were divided. On the one hand, this season was Arsenal’s first taste of the European Cup, whereas Ajax were the reigning champions.

On the other hand, Arsenal had won the double in England, and two years before, had comfortably knocked Ajax out of the Fairs Cup: 3-0. This time they needed to score only once.

In terms of key players, Ajax had the proven genius of Cruyff (and Keizer). Arsenal, in contrast, had to rely on the often underperforming Peter Marinello for inspiration. Dubbed “the next George Best” the Scotsman’s talent was clear for all to see. Could he, for once, live up to his reputation?

Line-ups:
Arsenal
Wilson – Rice, McLintock, Nelson, Simpson – Storey, Kennedy, Armstrong, Graham – George, Marinello
Coach: Bertie Mee

Ajax
Stuy – Suurbier, Blankenburg, Hulshoff, Krol – Haan, Neeskens, Muhren – Swart, Cruyff, Keizer
Coach: Stefan Kovacs

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Don’t read this obligatory accompanying text. Just skip ahead to the line-ups. Sure, the occassion was nothing special: the final group match of a friendly tournament that England had already won.

But look at the names. Leonardo behind Romario AND Ronaldo. And on the opposite side, possibly the last truly excellent England team, featuring Scholes and Gascoigne supporting Shearer and Sheringham.

Line-ups:

Brazil
Taffarel – Cafu, Celio Silva, Aldair, Roberto Carlos – Dunga, Flavio Conceição, Leonardo, Denilson – Ronaldo, Romario
Coach: Mario Zagallo

England
Seaman – Neville, Keown, Southgate, Campbell, Le Saux – Ince, Scholes, Gascoigne – Sheringham, Shearer
Coach: Glenn Hoddle

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