# Pele at the Azteca? England in ’66? Ranking the best World Cup finals

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/pele-at-the-azteca-england-in-66-ranking-the-best-world-cup-finals/
- Published: 2026-07-17T11:54:14+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-23T07:15:57+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgjx946py51o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Americas, Sport, UK, World

## Key points

- BBC ranks the top 10 World Cup finals in football history
- List cites drama, stars and legacy, not just scorelines
- Includes 2002 Ronaldo redemption and 2006 Zidane headbutt final

## Summary

BBC Sport journalist Alex Bysouth ranks his top 10 World Cup finals, weighing drama, star quality and lasting legacy rather than just the scoreline on the day, ahead of this summer's tournament, the 23rd men's World Cup. The countdown revisits some of football's most iconic moments, from redemption stories to controversial flashpoints, inviting readers to compile their own rankings too.

Among the entries covered are Brazil's 2-0 win over Germany in 2002, driven by Ronaldo's comeback after injury and past trauma; Italy's dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in 2006, remembered for Zinedine Zidane's headbutt on Marco Materazzi in his final match; and West Germany's 2-1 win over the Netherlands in 1974, in which Johan Cruyff's Total Football side lost despite scoring inside the first minute.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.