A Brief History of Mexico 86

Mexico 86 was unique because it was the first time a country had the World Cup for the second time and is still held in the fact that only 16 years had passed since the first World Cup in Mexico. The World Cup in Mexico was also the first system in which 16 of the 24 teams from the first round proceeded to the second round, which was one short of the quarterfinals to use. It is in the second round was that the teams in the direct elimination, where the winners advanced to the quarterfinals.

For me personally, it was somewhat disappointing to see Italy loose in the second round but I could see this year was a reconstruction, but one thing for this World Cup will be remembered for, it's how the production of Maradona is considered the best player of his time to be regarded as perhaps the greatest player of all time. The Mexico-86 World Cup for Maradona as the battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon and the Battle of Cannae was Hannibal, as it was these events that these men put in a position where they were hailed as virtually invincible.

Mexico 86 course like other world cups had characteristics that made different from all the rest and these are some of the moments at least in my mind of this World Cup, which in many ways it was almost completely dominated by Maradona.

1. USSR vs Hungary (6-0) had a game in which the Soviet team record by taking the top two goal lead in the history of World Cups. This is not the case because after the first four minutes of the match they were beaten 2-0 thanks to goals, first by Yakovenko and then Aleinikov.

2. Brazil v Spain (1-0) had a game in which Spain scored a goal when Michel shot hit the crossbar and crossed the goal line and the ball still, despite clearly not the referee to see it and the goal was not given. This more due to the speed of the ball, which actually requires a television replay to verify that in fact Spain had been disappointed by one goal.

3. Argentina vs England (2-1) one game is remembered mostly for two goals from Maradona. The first is his hand is very little noticed at the moment apart from the English players themselves. Got even many years later, after hearing the comments of English time on the match on youtube, the commentators think that the English were to protest a possible offside by Maradona. Maradona would be going to score a second goal, which has already been said about that I hardly believe that I can add to it other than declaring it was perhaps the greatest goal ever scored in a World Cup.

4. France vs Brazil (5-4 on penalties) was a game where Zico missed a penalty for Brazil only a few minutes after being a substitute as yet failed to score in the penalty shoot out that followed the game. It was in the penalty shoot-out that the strangest Bellone scored goals for France, by hitting the ball, which hit the post and reflects it on the back of the Brazilian goalkeeper and then for a purpose.

5. Germany vs. France (2-0) was the first time that two teams not only met in a semifinal for the second time, but back to back World Cups.

6. Germany vs Argentina (3-2) was the final, which Argentina proclaimed champion for the second time but it also meant that Germany was the first team to three World Cup finals losing.

Argentina would go on to the World Cup with Maradona turning in a performance of true brilliance to win others should be mentioned, such as Lineker, who scored five goals in six matches with any of them from the penalty spot. Mexico 86 was the first World Cup where the sanctions were a major factor in games to be considered by both coaches and players as something that they need to prepare. Otherwise, since three of the four quarterfinal matches were decided by penalties.

In conclusion one can say that the World Cup Mexico 1986 will be remembered for Maradona and his greatness as the wave that in contrast to popular opinion is in fact not American and Mexican, after all it would be more likely that those who watch a sport as boring as baseball could come up with something like this.