There are just 70 days until the big show gets under way in South Africa. From the "Hand of God" to players bringing their own balls, Winston Aldworth looks at some of the greatest finals in the history of the soccer World Cup
1 1930
Host: Uruguay
Uruguay 4 Argentina 2
Those were the days. For the first World Cup final each team provided its own ball for half the match. Hosts Uruguay produced a stunning second-half display (with their ball), to claim the World Cup trophy from Jules Rimet himself.
It was a simpler age: "We were 15 days on the ship Conte Verde getting out there," recalled Lucien Laurent, the Frenchman who scored the first goal in World Cup history. "We embarked from Villefranche-sur-Mer in company of the Belgians and the Yugoslavians. We did our basic exercises down below and our training on deck. The coach never spoke about tactics at all ..."
Never spoke about tactics? Mate, he could coach the Blues!
2 1938
Host: France
Italy 4 Hungary 2
Italy become the first team to defend the title successfully. Player of the tournament - the skilful Silvio Piola - scores twice, sealing victory for Italy in a pulsating final.
The semifinal was the first of many crucial World Cup matches between Italy and Brazil. The South Americans were so confident they rested their star player Leonidas. Italy's 2-1 victory meant Graham Henry wasn't the first to burn his fingers tinkering with "rotation" at a World Cup.
3 1954
Host: Switzerland
West Germany 3 Hungary 2
Known among chest-thumping German football fans as "the Miracle of Berne", this epic match is probably more notable to the neutrals for the fact it was played in the Wankdorf Stadium in Berne. West Germany's appearance in the World Cup qualifiers marked the first time Germans had kicked a ball in serious competition since their ill-tempered 1939-1945 European season.
Having gone 32 games undefeated leading up to the tournament, Hungary's Mighty Magyars were shoe-in favourites for the title. The final was played in "Fritz Walter-weather", named for the German captain Fritz Walter who played his best football in the wet. Adidas came to the party, equipping the team with boots that had screw-in studs that could be adapted to any weather.
4 1958
Host: Sweden
Brazil 5 Sweden 2
At 17, an age when most of us are trying to get our driver's licence or lose our virginity, Pele became the youngest player in a World Cup final. For good measure, he scored twice; the second - a lob and volley - arguably one of the best goals in World Cup history.
No learner plates for this lad, he'd whacked in a hat-trick in the 5-2 semifinal win over France.
5 1966
Host: England
England 4 W. Germany 2
Two World Wars and one World Cup! English soccer's greatest moment has become the toughest burden for all their subsequent teams to bear (insert All Black reference here).
An iconic moment in English culture, Geoff Hurst's hat-trick - the only one to date in a World Cup final - sealed a dramatic extra-time victory over bitter rivals, West Germany.
The final was a tight affair, effectively decided by the kind of goal that gives the world's sport press a good few days of "goalline technology argument" coverage.
In extra time, Geoff Hurst blasted the ball into the underside of the cross bar, it bounced down and was cleared.
Soviet linesman, Tofik Bakhramov indicated to the Swiss referee that it was a goal. Legend has it that when asked on his deathbed how he knew it was a goal, Bakhramov said one word: "'Stalingrad!"
A study by the Oxford University Engineering Department found that that the ball was 6cm away from being a goal.
6 1970
Host: Mexico
Brazil 4 Italy 1
Pele signed off his World Cup career with his third trip to the winners' enclosure, an achievement yet to be repeated (though Shane Smeltz has a few years in him yet). Fittingly, the future Viagra-marketing frontman nutted in the first goal on the way to Brazil's third title.
The 1970 final marked the last time a team could win the World Cup without giving a fig for defence. The Italians' goal came after the Brazilian defenders made no fewer than four mistakes - no matter, they shrugged, we'll score more goals than you. Subsequent champions have built their teams around sterner defence.
If you have a minute, check out the fourth goal on YouTube. Sublime.
7 1978
Host: Argentina
Argentina 3 Netherlands 1
Holland's idealistic Total Football met Argentinian realism and came off second best. Surprise losers in the 1974 final, the Dutch fancied their chances.
The free-lovin' Amsterdammers had debated whether or not to attend the tournament because a military coup had taken control of Argentina in 1976.
With the Dutch objections to their political system lying heavy in the air, the hosts delayed their arrival on the pitch, letting the orange-clad guests soak up the crowd's antipathy. After the foul-tempered match went against them in extra-time, the Dutch refused to attend the post-match ceremonies.
8 1986
Host: Mexico
Argentina 3 W. Germany 2
Cheating is bad - no question about it. But the sheer audacity of Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal against England in the quarter-finals ensures that, decades later, neutral observers can merely shake their head in wonder at the guy's pluck. "A bit with the head of Maradona," he said of the goal. "And another bit with the hand of God."
His second was even more notable. It was a mazy cruise through the gasping English ranks that was later anointed Goal of the Century by Fifa.
El Diego's dazzling dribbling runs and impeccable passing meant Argentina had the run of things in the final against the heavily mulletted West Germans. But the Europeans scored in the 74th and 80th minutes to draw level.
Jorge Burruchaga's 83rd-minute winner came from a perfect Maradona pass. It was El Diego's tournament.
9 1998
Host: France
France 3 Brazil 0
Brazil made their sixth appearance in a World Cup final on a day that saw France's golden generation reach their pinnacle - while on a local note, a whole lot of Samoan boys at a salsa bar on Ponsonby Rd managed (in best Cliff Curtis fashion) to convince a gaggle of visiting Frenchwomen that they were Brazilians (presumably to win some sympathy).
The match marked the first time the host nation and the defending champions had met in the final. Zinedine Zidane headed in from two first-half corners and Emmanuel Petit popped one in at the death.
It wasn't one of the great games, but the 1998 final did give us one of the great soccer conspiracies. Something was just not quite right about Brazil's wonderboy, Ronaldo.
In his pre-pie-eating phase, the tournament's biggest name mysteriously disappeared from the Brazil teamsheet, before reappearing just before kick-off. He was out of sorts and shaded by Zidane in the star stakes.
10 2002
Hosts: Korea/Japan
Brazil 2 Germany 0
Fifa's determined march to global domination finally brings Asia under its sway, with the first tournament held in the region. (With South Africa getting the nod this year, only Oceania remains to complete a full house of hosting confederations. Get your bid in order, Vanuatu!)
In a World Cup final that summed up the relative approaches of the two participating nations throughout the years, a dour German mob grimaced as the Brazilians whacked two past them. It was the Samba Boys' fifth title, sealed by two goals from Golden Boot winner and all-time World Cup top scorer (with 15 goals) Ronaldo.
The striker distinguished himself in a less worthy fashion when he first arrived in Japan by making a slitty-eye gesture (the universal gesture for "I am a dickhead") at the locals.
