USA v Iran - Group F
The then-president of the US Soccer Federation called this group game ‘the mother of all games’, two nations drawn together in a World Cup with a turbulent history and hostile political relationship at the time.
Iran were appearing at their first tournament since 1978 after beating the Socceroos to qualify, and had yet to win a World Cup match after two losses and a draw in their first participation. When Hamid Estili gave them the lead on the stroke of half time after a competitive start to the match, there was a sense that this could be a special night. Deep into the second half when Mehdi Mahdavikia scored again for Iran, victory was assured and the deadlock was broken, Iran claiming their first ever World Cup win and knocking the USA out of contention in the process.
Now the sides will meet again 24 years later in Qatar, with fans sure to remember this match when they witness the next chapter played out by entirely new teams and players.
France v Denmark - Group C
With monumental pressure to perform in a World Cup on home soil, a star-studded French squad boasting legendary names like Zidane, Henry, Viera and Desailles had hit the ground running as they went into this game off the back of 3-0 and 4-0 wins over South Africa and Saudi Arabia respectively.
Denmark had the tools to give them a challenge though, with Michael Laudrup and Peter Schmeichel leading them to a win and a draw in the quest for a Round of 16 berth. It looked to be another comfortable day for the French when Youri Djorkaeff put them ahead from the spot after just 13 minutes, but Laudrup converted a penalty of his own to restore parity before halftime. France then controlled the second half, taking the lead back through Emmanuel Petit and sealing a perfect record in Group C.
Both sides ended up reaching the quarter-finals, Denmark’s best ever result while France went on to win their first World Cup title. They’ll meet again in Qatar for the second tournament in a row after a 0-0 draw in 2018 before Les Bleus again took home the trophy.
Morocco v Scotland - Group A
Morocco will enter their second straight World Cup in Qatar 2022, while this match represents Scotland’s last appearance at the tournament when their African opponents resigned them to a group stage exit and a wait to revisit football’s greatest stage that is still ongoing.
With both teams on one point heading into Group A’s final matchday and Norway on 2 points prior to facing Brazil in the other game, a win could mean a first Round of 16 berth for Scotland or a second for Morocco.
There was only one squad who put their best foot forward for that spot, with Salaheddine Giuseppe Bassir netting a brace either side of teammate Abdeljalil Hadda’s strike to complete a comprehensive victory for Morocco and an embarrassing night for Scotland.
A shock result in the other game meant Norway beat Brazil to finish second in the group in another unsuccessful attempt to make the knockout stages for Morocco, who got there in 1986 but haven’t returned since.
Argentina v England - Round of 16
La Albiceleste and the Three Lions met again in the World Cup for the first time since their 1986 quarter-final that will live on in football infamy, and this game was no different despite being 12 years removed and with a host of new players going head-to-head.
Both teams were among favourites for the trophy, an English side boasting supreme talents in a young David Beckham and Michael Owen as well as Paul Scholes and Alan Shearer, and an Argentine squad featuring the likes of Hernan Crespo, Gabriel Batistuta and Juan Sebastián Verón.
The game started in disastrous fashion for the English, goalkeeper David Seaman conceding a penalty which Batistuta converted after 5 minutes, before Owen won a penalty of his own that Shearer scored to make it 1-1 just 10 minutes in.
The frantic start continued when Owen put England in front at the 16 minute mark with an incredible goal, picking up the ball at halfway, holding off a defender, feinting around another then burying the ball in the top corner. Then in the final chapter to a brilliant half of football, Javier Zanetti converted a brilliant set play routine from Argentina to have the scoreboard read 2-2 at half-time.
It wasn’t goals that highlighted the second half, as there weren’t any, but Beckham being sent off after an altercation with Simeone in a moment of madness has lived on in World Cup folklore. Beckham’s teammates managed to play out the rest of the 90 minutes and extra-time with 10 men, forcing the result to be decided on penalties where Argentina ultimately triumphed.
Croatia v Germany - Quarter-final
Before they stormed into the final against France in 2018, Croatia’s biggest World Cup victory was in this match against the tournament favourites and 1990 champions and one that still lives long in the memory of Croatian fans today.
In their first ever World Cup participation after only becoming an independent team from Yugoslavia four years earlier, Croatia beat Japan and Jamaica to finish second in Group H before edging Romania to reach the quarter-finals, where most would have predicted their run to meet its end.
But a massive upset was on the cards at the Stade de Gerland, with a wayward Christian Worms challenge reducing Germany to 10 men after 40 minutes and allowing Croatia to gain the upper hand and run away with it.
Goals from Robert Jarni, Goran Vlaovic and tournament golden boot Davor Suker sealed an incredible victory and saw the nations’ potential realised as a world football contender. They went on to lose to eventual champions France in the semi-finals, but triumphed over the Netherlands in the third-place playoff for a fantastic finish at their inaugural World Cup.
