For me personally; has to be France 98. Although looking back, as a young un, 1974 was great as we'd rush home from school to catch a game. Then there was four years later and sitting up late to watch live games. The ticker tape receptions, the dirty tactics over Der Kherkhov's pot. An era when it was the only chance you got to see international stars on your telly
The first World Cup I remember was Italia 90 when I was 8. I’d been to my first Barnsley match the year before, but that was the competition that really got me into football, so that one, despite the penalty heartbreak.
Was an excellent World Cup too.... med up for Bobby Robson, he got so much crap from the press beforehand
Spain '82 was my first WC as a fan, and I just wasn't old enough to understand and remember WC '78 (I was only 7 then lol). But Mexico '86 still stands out for me as a great tournament, for loads of reasons.
My first world cup was '78, 9 years old watching games on a small black and white portable tv at our caravan at Fitties. Best has to be Italia 90.
My best England WC memory though, well thats an easy one to choose lol. It was on my 19th birthday (June 26) when England beat Belgium in Italy '90, thanks to David Platt's swivel volley in the last minute of ET.
Vague memories of the 1970 one but the first England related game I really remember is the game we drew against Poland to fail to qualify for the 1974 one. Polands keeper MotM by a mile Watched some of the 86 cup in Santorini but the best for me was Italia 90.
The World Cup I remember most about was 1966. Of course England won which marks it out as unique: Kenneth Wolstenholme "They think it's all over, it is now", famous lines. But there was so much else: Hungary kicked lumps out of Brazil who failed to qualify. Pak Do Ik scored for North Korea against Italy(?) and they became the favoured underdogs. Bobby Moore kneed the Argentine captain, Ratin, right in the groin - and the referee booked Ratin ! Bobby Charlton's sreamers against Mexico and Portugal, Eusebio's hat trick against North Korea. Remember it better than any finals since - which is a clear sign of advancing years