As Germany and Argentina gear up for Sunday's 2014 FIFA
World Cup final, we take a look at five of the most iconic finals in history.
1950 - The 'Maracanazo'
Uruguay stunned hosts Brazil with a 2-1 win in front of
over 170,000 people at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
The home team had set the tournament alight - beating
Sweden and Spain 7-1 and 6-1 respectively in their final group - and were huge
favourites to lift a first World Cup on their own patch.
Brazil looked well on course to do just that when Friaca
gave them the lead just after half-time.
However, Juan Alberto Schiaffino levelled in the 66th
minute, before Alcides Ghiggia wrote himself into Uruguayan footballing
folklore with the winner 11 minutes from time.
The Maracana was almost funereal afterwards, so quiet
that Jules Rimet commented: "The silence was morbid, sometimes too
difficult to bear."
A defeat that still rankles with Brazilians to this day,
the 'Maracanazo' will never be forgotten in South America and throughout the
world.
1958 - Teenager Pele lights up the world stage
Eight years on from the 'Maracanazo', Brazil travelled to
Sweden with a precocious teenager in their ranks.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, was
just 17 years old, but his age proved irrelevant as he lit up the grandest
stage of all for the first time.
Pele found the net six times in four appearances at the
finals, with arguably the most iconic moment of the tournament coming when he
scored a sensational goal in Brazil's 5-2 final victory over hosts Sweden.
After looping the ball over the head of a Swedish
defender, Pele volleyed past keeper Kalle Svensson to announce himself as a
global superstar.
Sweden started the game brilliantly, going ahead after
just four minutes through Nils Liedholm.
However, Vava and Pele were simply too good for the hosts
to handle - the latter securing the first of his three World Cup winner's
medals.
1966 - England get the better of their old enemy
The 1966 final between England and West Germany at
Wembley had it all, including controversy, great goals and the drama of
extra-time.
Helmut Haller silenced the partisan home crowd by
breaking the deadlock after just 12 minutes, but Geoff Hurst levelled with the
first goal of his hat-trick soon after.
Martin Peters then looked to have won it for England 12
minutes from time, only for Wolfgang Weber to force extra-time with a dramatic
late equaliser.
Hurst put the hosts back ahead in controversial fashion
11 minutes into the first additional period, with his shot rattling off the
underside of the bar and linesman Tofiq Bahramov signalling for a goal -
despite German protestations that the ball had not crossed the line.
Hurst then wrapped up victory with a superb third goal in
the last minute of extra-time, a strike best remembered for commentator Kenneth
Wolstenholme's famous line: "Some people are on the pitch, they think it's
all over...it is now."
1970 - Brazil turn on the style
Brazil's 1970 vintage is widely considered to be one of
the greatest teams ever assembled.
Carlos Alberto, Gerson, Tostao, Rivelino, Jairzinho and,
of course, the irrepressible Pele were all part of a formidable line-up.
Brazil found the net 19 times in just six games in
Mexico, sweeping all comers aside with a scintillating combination of speed,
style and skill.
Pele scored four of those goals to land his third and
final World Cup, while Jairzinho made history by becoming the first - and, to
date, only - player to score in every round of the tournament.
Brazil's quality certainly shone through at the Estadio
Azteca in Mexico City as they comprehensively defeated Italy 4-1 in a one-sided
final.
Although Roberto Boninsegna cancelled out Pele's early
opener, Gerson and Jairzinho put Brazil in command before the Selecao's true
crowning glory of the tournament.
Eight Brazilian players were involved in a glorious move
before Pele picked up the ball on the edge of the area and laid an inch-perfect
pass into the path of the onrushing Carlos Alberto, who hammered it past Enrico
Albertosi.
Has a single goal and moment ever summed up any team more
perfectly? Probably not.
1998 - France thump under-par Brazil
Despite Zinedine Zidane's brilliant double in a
comprehensive 3-0 win for hosts France, the 1998 World Cup final will be
remembered primarily for one reason - the saga surrounding Brazil superstar
Ronaldo's fitness.
Ronaldo had enjoyed a stunning tournament, proving why
many considered him to be the planet's finest player, with his four goals and
three assists firing holders Brazil into a sixth World Cup final.
However, the then 21-year-old suffered a convulsive fit
on the day of the final in Paris - leading to much speculation as to whether he
would play.
Coach Mario Zagallo ultimately started Ronaldo up front,
but he was a shadow of his normal self.
Zidane and France ran riot in front of their home fans -
the legendary playmaker scoring two headers to put the hosts in control at
half-time. Emmanuel Petit then wrapped matters up with a third in the closing
stages.
Ronaldo was able to exorcise his demons at the 2002 World
Cup final, when he scored twice to lead Brazil to a 2-0 win over Germany in
Yokohama.
Culled from Soccerway
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