Italia 90,USA 94 or Korea/Japan 2002... which do you remember more fondly?

15-06-2015 12:13AM #1

With the disappointment of the Irish soccer team's result yesterday, I eventually got to thinking about all the famous results and highs they've given us over the years. The pinnacle of International football is undoubtedly the World Cup, it grips the nation from fanatic to non supporter in some way, shape or form. My question is which do you remember with the most fondness. This doesn't necessarily have to be for pure footballing reasons either, in fact, I'm more interested to hear how it affected everyday life, the workplace, the general mood in your household. Maybe you were at one or more of these tournaments. WC 94 was the first one I really remember. Houghton scoring at the Giants Stadium in New York as we beat eventual finalists Italy was surreal and sweet revenge for four years earlier. Also you had Adridges outburst Steve Staunton burning up in the Florida sun. I also recall being terrified when Andres Escobar was shot dead by the Cartel in Colombia follwing his own goal and Maradona being high as a kite! Then with WC 2002 we had the whole Roy Keane vs Mick McCarthy saga which divides the nation and some families. I seem to think Italia 90 is probably the most legendary one as it was our first time at the big dance.

Would love to hear a few of your musings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEkc8dGF2ds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K11gPYxS7k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCNMY84gl1A

kfallon · 15-06-2015 12:17AM

Nothing beats Italia '90.....nothing

Cold War Kid · 15-06-2015 12:18AM

Some people here will only barely remember 2002 and that's it.

MathDebater · 15-06-2015 12:20AM

Bail that one out yas cunnnce.

Close thread.

15-06-2015 12:26AM

kfallon wrote: »

Nothing beats Italia '90.....nothing

It captured the imagination of a vast amount of children and teenagers alike all over the country at the time with it being our first world cup. USA was virtually followed by the same groups of people id say.

usa 94 was a close second but for me italia 90 wins because personally it introduced me to the game of soccer as a 7 year old. Id spend hours upon hours kicking a ball in the back garden and became absolutely soccer obsessed as a result of our adventure.

Korea/Japan could have been magical but for the whole Keane debacle that erupted.

kfallon · 15-06-2015 12:29AM

Cold War Kid wrote: »

Some people here will only barely remember 2002 and that's it.

And look what they missed out on!!!

PTH2009 · 15-06-2015 12:45AM

Was only 12 in 2002 remember 2002 a small bit pity we're **** now and won't get to experience anything like that for quite some time

osarusan · 15-06-2015 12:52AM

Italia 90 i would say - time of day was nice and convenient so people were about for games, and we went the farthest. There was that first time buzz off it too (even though we had been at the Euros just two years earlier).

Great comments by Charlton at the end of this:

EDIT: also just last week the Indo had a piece on Daniel Timofte, who missed the Romanian penalty that day - well worth a read:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/italia-90/italia-90-daniel-timofte-tells-packie-bonner-how-he-made-him-a-superstar-31278700.html

kneemos · 15-06-2015 12:55AM

PTH2009 wrote: »

Was only 12 in 2002 remember 2002 a small bit pity we're **** now and won't get to experience anything like that for quite some time

Nobody under 25 in the team now apparently,so any talent we have got is quickly disappearing and not being replaced.
Were depending on a 35 year old to score for us says it all.

GreaseGunner · 15-06-2015 12:58AM

I was 9 for the 2002 World Cup, so it was pretty huge

on Irish match days we used to set up the TV in school and a win or draw meant no homework

needless to say there were celebrations when Robbie put it past Oliver Kahn

Mikeyt086 · 15-06-2015 12:58AM

I was 1 for Italia 90, I was 5 for USA 94, so I have no real memories of those tournaments. I was, however, 13 years old for Korea/Japan 2002, and that tournament not only represents my fondest World Cup memory, but my fondest football memory altogether.

The realisation that I will never feel the enjoyment of the 2002 World Cup again became apparent long ago, and it's really hammered home when you watch the struggles of the current team. There was once a point where the best sides in Europe would come to Lansdowne Road and be happy to leave with a draw, now we don't beat teams ranked higher than us. We just don't.

Sorry, I thought this was the soccer forum there. I love football.

So yeah, 2002 for me.

kfallon · 15-06-2015 01:04AM

Euro '88 and beating the English was something special. How we didn't beat USSR in the next game I'll never know!

diomed · 15-06-2015 01:15AM

Italia 90.
The roads outside Stillorgan Shopping Centre were like the scenes at the Walkinstown roundabout in the opening post.

thebaz · 15-06-2015 01:29AM

kfallon wrote: »

Nothing beats Italia '90.....nothing

sadly I'm old to eneogh to remember them all even Euro '88 , when we could have won the thing.
Italia '90 was great cause it was such a new experience , the enormity of beating Romania (on penalties mind) can not be overstated - Paul McGrath performances were unreal.

USA '94 started off so well , again heroics from McGrath against Italy - but it all ended badly against Holland, Bonner let in a couple.

'02 was strange post the Keane fiasco, the team did brilliant , what if Keane had gone - a final perhaps.

All in all , as I've stated on the football forum, the current squad are at best very average - don't lack effort , but roll on the rugby WC.

The soccer team will probably come around in a decade , swings and roundabouts for a small country like us.

kfallon · 15-06-2015 01:39AM

thebaz wrote: »

USA '94 started off so well , again heroics from McGrath against Italy - but it all ended badly against Holland, Bonner let in a couple.

Was the cause of us going out in Italy too but nobody said anything as he was the shoot out hero against Romania.

Looking back he was just a fairly average keeper!

Ferris_Bueller · 15-06-2015 01:43AM

I'm only old enough to remember 2002, we were on a school tour in Clara Lara the day Ireland were playing Germany and we were listening to the match on a radio. 1-0 down as we were all getting changed out of our swimming gear, one of the lads had nothing but his towel on when Robbie Keane scored the equaliser.. Needless to say we all erupted when the goal went in and the towel didn't stay on him for too much longer showing off all of his 10 year old manhood for the entire class to see

Silly memory looking back on it but one that I will remember forever. Would love to have more days like that in future as I think everyone will have fond memories of these moments, sad to think there is probably an entire generation who won't get to experience anything like it due to the state of the Irish team at the moment.

golfball37 · 15-06-2015 01:43AM

kfallon wrote: »

Was the cause of us going out in Italy too but nobody said anything as he was the shoot out hero against Romania.

Looking back he was just a fairly average keeper!

He made big saves from lineker in euro 88 game too in fairness to him.

The Backwards Man · 15-06-2015 01:45AM

Italia 90, hands down. Probably the worst in terms of football, but for drama, excitement and raw emotion it will never be bettered.

Roger Milla and Cameroon hacking their way to the quarter finals, Sheedy's goal against England, Platt's last minute extra time winner, Rene Higuita and Carlos Valderama, Cascarino kicking the ground and still beating the keeper, Packie's save, Toto Schillaci (the bastard), Uruguay fcuking Scotland without being in the same group, drawing lots with Holland to play FRG, Voller and Rijkaard, Gazza's tears, Waddle's miss, and a final that had more goals than the whole rest of the tournament put together, Nessun Dorma everywhere you bleeding looked.

Italia 90 will never be repeated or emulated, and eternally remembered as the catalyst for putting this nation on its feet. We'll never see the likes of it again, more's the pity.

thebaz · 15-06-2015 01:49AM

kfallon wrote: »

Was the cause of us going out in Italy too but nobody said anything as he was the shoot out hero against Romania.

Looking back he was just a fairly average keeper!

i always thought that about Italia '90

he saved a peno but should have done better against Italy.

Bonner was an average keeper, but got hyped up cause of that save - I remember getting dogs abuse cause I questioned his keeping against the Dutch.

ThinkProgress · 15-06-2015 01:52AM

2002 - After we got knocked out, it was all about brazil... Ronaldinho, Cafu, R.Carlos... in their pomp.

But mostly big fat Ronaldo coming back from one of his major knee injuries and just smoking everybody. He even looked slim and lean, which was very rare for him.

He was my favorite player too. That was his last chance to show the world how great he was. And boy did he show it! Genius!

15-06-2015 01:55AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Italia 90, hands down. Probably the worst in terms of football, but for drama, excitement and raw emotion it will never be bettered.

Roger Milla and Cameroon hacking their way to the quarter finals, Sheedy's goal against England, Platt's last minute extra time winner, Rene Higuita and Carlos Valderama, Cascarino kicking the ground and still beating the keeper, Packie's save, Toto Schillaci (the bastard), Uruguay fcuking Scotland without being in the same group, drawing lots with Holland to play FRG, Voller and Rijkaard, Gazza's tears, Waddle's miss, and a final that had more goals than the whole rest of the tournament put together, Nessun Dorma everywhere you bleeding looked.

Italia 90 will never be repeated or emulated, and eternally remembered as the catalyst for putting this nation on its feet. We'll never see the likes of it again, more's the pity.

That's f*cking beautiful.

kfallon · 15-06-2015 01:58AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Italia 90, hands down. Probably the worst in terms of football, but for drama, excitement and raw emotion it will never be bettered.

Roger Milla and Cameroon hacking their way to the quarter finals, Sheedy's goal against England, Platt's last minute extra time winner, Rene Higuita and Carlos Valderama, Cascarino kicking the ground and still beating the keeper, Packie's save, Toto Schillaci (the bastard), Uruguay fcuking Scotland without being in the same group, drawing lots with Holland to play FRG, Voller and Rijkaard, Gazza's tears, Waddle's miss, and a final that had more goals than the whole rest of the tournament put together, Nessun Dorma everywhere you bleeding looked.

Italia 90 will never be repeated or emulated, and eternally remembered as the catalyst for putting this nation on its feet. We'll never see the likes of it again, more's the pity.

Don't forget the emergence of one Roberto Baggio

thebaz · 15-06-2015 02:00AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Italia 90, hands down. Probably the worst in terms of football, but for drama, excitement and raw emotion it will never be bettered.

For Ireland for sure , but for a neural the previous World cup, was the best I remember - it had everything - great games france v brazil - and a true Superstar - Maradonna - best player i ever saw

ballsymchugh · 15-06-2015 02:06AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Italia 90, hands down. Probably the worst in terms of football, but for drama, excitement and raw emotion it will never be bettered.

Roger Milla and Cameroon hacking their way to the quarter finals, Sheedy's goal against England, Platt's last minute extra time winner, Rene Higuita and Carlos Valderama, Cascarino kicking the ground and still beating the keeper, Packie's save, Toto Schillaci (the bastard), Uruguay fcuking Scotland without being in the same group, drawing lots with Holland to play FRG, Voller and Rijkaard, Gazza's tears, Waddle's miss, and a final that had more goals than the whole rest of the tournament put together, Nessun Dorma everywhere you bleeding looked.

Italia 90 will never be repeated or emulated, and eternally remembered as the catalyst for putting this nation on its feet. We'll never see the likes of it again, more's the pity.

the 1-0 final from andy brehme's penalty? was a shyte match.

2002 for me. just finished uni the day before the cameroon match so was on a buzz for the few days after. the germany match was just unreal.
although italia 90... at least the games were on at a reasonable hour!

The Backwards Man · 15-06-2015 02:10AM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

the 1-0 final from andy brehme's penalty? was a shyte match.

It was scored in normal time though.

It was a brutal match, and I mean that in a good way.

kowloon · 15-06-2015 02:33AM

Not really into football, but Italia 90 was insane. It would take an alien invasion to unite the nation like that again.

Wompa1 · 15-06-2015 03:13AM

I was 5 years old for Italia '90 but can remember living in Westport, Mayo at the time watching it on TV and then people going crazy after the penalties.

In 94, I remember staying up to watch the Ireland vs Italy match and one of my aunts in the US calling us after the match to talk about how exciting it was over there watching it and rooting for Ireland.

2002 was fun but by that stage I was working during a lot of the matches. I was also on a plane when Ireland were playing Spain. Our pilot was good enough to give us updates.

Galwayguy35 · 15-06-2015 05:00AM

Italia 90 for me, was doing the Inter Cert that summer but that took second place to the World Cup.

There was a great atmosphere everywhere that summer, doubt we will see anything like it again.

LadyFenghuang · 15-06-2015 05:17AM

Probably the USA one. I remember one player brought a bag of water onto the pitch and got reprimanded. The weather over there killed our players. I don't know a lot about football. But the atmos gets you. I remember going to the neighbours to watch and climbing over their fence and their mom making a lettuce sandwich 'for the vegetarian!'. I think I had gone veggie the year before. I can actually remember each house I went to watch. I haven't a clue about football! I had a two girlfriends I played hockey with, they played Gaelic football and messing around with them after on the green, just the three of us. I was rubbish!

CaliforniaDream · 15-06-2015 05:29AM

2002 is the one I remember the best. Although I was stuck doing my leaving cert at the time. :mad:
Wore an Irish shirt instead of my uniform and felt proud for rebelling! Great summer though.

Streetwalker · 15-06-2015 07:42AM

Keane ruined Japan/Korea for me. Never will be forgiven by most for that incredible selfish act. Italia 90 is the one that stands out tbh.

Italia 90,USA 94 or Korea/Japan 2002... which do you remember more fondly?

Which World Cup do you find most memorable? 68 votes

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