THE LOWDOWN — THE FULL HISTORY
THE IDEA
Every World Cup final is played by 22 men and a thousand ghosts. This film tells five of them.
1950 AND 1954
In Rio, about 200,000 people filled the Maracanã. Brazil needed only a draw and lost 2-1 to Uruguay; goalkeeper Barbosa was blamed for the rest of his life. In Bern, Puskás's Hungary, unbeaten for four years, led West Germany 2-0 in the final and lost 3-2.
1974 AND 1994
In Munich, Johan Cruyff's Netherlands led West Germany 1-0 inside 80 seconds, before the Germans had touched the ball, and lost 2-1. Cruyff never won a World Cup. In Pasadena, Roberto Baggio carried Italy to the final, then sent the decisive penalty over the bar.
2006
In Berlin, in the last match of his career, Zinedine Zidane was sent off in the 110th minute for a headbutt. Italy won on penalties.
THE OTHERS
Maradona in 1990, the Dutch three times over, Robben in 2010, Ronaldo in 1998, and Mbappé, who scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final and still lost.
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THE TERRACES — DISCUSSION
The argument also lives in the YouTube comments ↗.