What's your earliest soccer World Cup memory?

[naka]

1978 loved the tune and the ticker tape welcomes.
archie gemmil`s goall,
remember my older brother waking me up to say argentina had scored 6 against Peru .
loved the final, the disputes about the dutch alleging stalling tactic, the issue over  van de kerkofs wrist and indeed Mario Kempes
still think it was up there with the best although 1982 was brilliant

[keep her low this half]

1978 loved the tune and the ticker tape welcomes.
archie gemmil`s goall,
remember my older brother waking me up to say argentina had scored 6 against Peru .
loved the final, the disputes about the dutch alleging stalling tactic, the issue over  van de kerkofs wrist and indeed Mario Kempes
still think it was up there with the best although 1982 was brilliant

First one I remember as well, the ticker tape was fabulous if a little annoying at times.

[mrdeeds]

World Cup 94. The Kellogs pop ups of Irish players
Then Germany South Korea after school tour. Saturday night Ireland Italy.

[DownFanatic]

The opening game of the 94 tournament - Germany v Bolivia. Marco Etcheverry getting a red card.

[JBM on the 21]

Brazil V Italy 1982.  It is because of that match/ Brazilian team, I fell for the game and as much as I try to get out of it ever since, it has failed me.
The colour that day in Barcelona was like from an alien planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfIvpCgIUU0

[An Watcher]

94 was fantastic in that Ireland were there and England were not.  No Scotland, Wales or Billy boys for that matter.  Was funny how the bbc and itv jumped on the bandwagon

[seafoid]

https://www.behance.net/gallery/17180121/Naranjito-Espana-82-by-Alejandro-Mila

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

78. The Peru rig

[AustinPowers]

I remember being absolutely  gutted when Brazil lost to France on penalties in Mexico 86

Even as a youngster I knew the  admiration for the Brazil team and  I couldn't comprehend how  they could be beaten

Around that time too  Pat Jennings was regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world  and I couldn't figure out how  the worlds best goalkeeper could let in  3 goals

Life was simpler then

[weareros]

Earliest was watching Scotland and Peru in 1978 as a young lad in a pub with my uncle. Remembered the distinctive Peru jersey. Loved the 1982 World Cup and a Cameroon player Roger Milla really caught my attention. Never heard of him again until he starred in the 1990 World Cup at the ripe old age of 38. The 1978 final remains with me for one reason. We had got our living room wallpapered that very day, and when my parents went out for a drink that night, I got a football and thought I was Mario Kempes only to trip over myself, grab the wall to break my fall, and I ripped a huge gash in the new wallpaper.

[Substandard]

Earliest that I think I can remember,  although I could have it arseways,  was 86- I have it in my head that Dancing in the Dark was the RTE theme or continuity music, or if not, then it was something similar.
I remember having a poster of Maradona kissing the trophy up on the wall, I think it was out of the Sunday World.

[An Astrail]

1982 - I remember Gerry Armstrong's goal vs Spain and Bryan Robson's goal in the first few seconds against France. But it's the Italy - Brazil game with Rossi's hat trick that really sticks in the mind after all these years.

[Armamike]

78.  Great spectacle with the ticker tape.  The theme tune.  Kempes' long hair and the tightness of the Argentinian shorts.  The talk around Cruyff not playing - he had fallen out with the Dutch FA i think and that was his last chance at a tournament.  Archie Gemmill's goal and how Scotland were so close to pulling off a great escape act.  The talk before the tournament from Ally McCloud about how Scotland were going to win it.  The images of him with his head in his hands.  Willy Johnson being sent home for failing a drugs test.

[north_antrim_hound]

Gerry Armstrong, Archie Gemmell and the genius of Maradona.

[weareros]

Forgot to mention 82 was first memories of World Cup songs. NI had Dana. But Scotland had a classic:
https://youtu.be/gmzDOqUdu8A