The Good, the bad and the Dave McPherson

I mentioned the other day that I'd been thinking about my favourite World Cup goal after being sent a few "World Cup Memories" questions by Craig Anderson of Last Ditch Tackle and Scotzine fame.

Following the example set by Inside Left (lifting his self imposed World Cup wall of silence - Seb's the Victor Meldrew of fitba' blogging!) and Allan at Fan With A Laptop I thought I'd post all my answers.

First World Cup I can remember:
1986 Mexico. Developed a dislike for Gary Lineker. Thought Scotland always played at these things. Had the complete Scotland strip.

Favourite goal:
Denis Bergkamp, 1998 Quarter Final v Argentina (I was in Holland at the time, sublime). See my previous post here.

Best individual performer at a World Cup:
Baggio, 1994. The penalty miss at the end gave his tournament a tragic, operatic drama. That the tournament began with Diana Ross missing a penalty and ended with Baggio missing a penalty proved that the drama of football will always prevail over the misguided notions of the host nation.

Scotland memory:
John Collins v Brazil, 1998. The opening game, level with the champions. It couldn't last but it was brilliant at the time. I left a first year university exam (the course should have been called European History: All The Boring Bits but wasn't) to ensure I had time to don the kilt and get the face painted. Much drink was consumed. The Junction Bar in West Preston Street.

Best game:
Brazil v France, Quarter final 1986. One of the first games I remember in detail. A different kind of football than I saw on Hibs Kids days at Easter Road, that's for sure.

Worst game:
Scotland v Uruguay, 1986. Dreams shouldn't be broken by a horrendous challenge inside the first minute. I think the Uruguayans killed my footballing innocence. I was six. Costa Rica and Morocco would provide variations on the general theme. The theme being we were coming hame.

Nostalgic memories (ie merchandise, cheesy songs, ad's etc):
Coca-Cola's mini-footballs that they gave away in 1990. They were so small that anyone could pretend to be Scotland ever present Dave "Hen Broon" McPherson. Particularly if you were incapable of controlling the damned thing.

And wall charts from every World Cup, but especially a massive one we had on the classroom wall in 1986. (Hat tip to The Observer for their suitably sizeable effort on Sunday. My pen is poised.)