Chart Archive : World Cups

Chart Archive : World Cups
By popular request, here is a World Cup Archive. Here, we've included research notes on every world cup since the UK singles chart began in 1952 along with the Top 20 singles for the duration of the competition. 'Specialist' songs released to celebrate the involvement of a British / Irish team are also given. For the sake of completeness, details of pre-chart World Cups are given here.

# Switzerland 1954
# Sweden 1958
# Chile 1962
# England 1966
# Mexico 1970
# West Germany 1974
# Argentina 1978
# Spain 1982
# Mexico 1986
# Italy 1990
# USA 1994
# France 1998
# Korea/Japan 2002

# Football index



Switzerland 1954

Switzerland was the obvious choice of venue for the fifth World Cup. FIFA's headquarters were in Zurich and 1954 marked the 50th anniversary of its formation. The quarterfinal match between Austria and Switzerland brought a new World Cup record. Austria won 7-5, that's the highest number of goals ever in a World Cup match.

The Final:
West Germany 3 - Hungary 2
The Wankdorf Stadion saw West Germany and Hungary battle in one of the finest finals the World Cup had seen. When English referee Bill Ling blew for full time, it meant that Hungary had lost their first match since 1950 (30 games). West Germany became the first unseeded team to win the World Cup and coach Sepp Herberger received much individual praise for the way he tactically guided his team to their ultimate honour.
Top Scorer in Tournament: Sandor Kocsis (HUN) 11 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 140

Our Teams:

England qualified to the quarter finals where they were beaten by Uruguay 4-2.
Group D results: England 4 - Belgium 4, England 2 - Switzerland 0.

No other British teams took part in this tournament.

Top UK Singles : 16 June - 4 July 1954
1 Doris Day Secret Love
2 David Whitfield With Mantovani And His Orchestra Cara Mia
3 Johnnie Ray Such A Night
4 Perry Como Wanted
5 Perry Como Idle Gossip
6 Billy Cotton And His Band Friends And Neighbours
7 The Four Knights (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely
8 Obernkirchen Children's Choir The Happy Wanderer
9 Joan Regan Someone Else's Roses
10 Kitty Kallen Little Things Mean A Lot
11 Max Bygraves The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart
12 Kay Starr Changing Partners
13 Frankie Laine The Kid's Last Fight
14 Petula Clark The Little Shoemaker
15 Al Martino Wanted
16 Perry Como Wanted
17 Four Knights I Get So Lonely
18 Petula Clark The Little Shoemaker
19 David Whitfield The Book
20 Guy Mitchell Dime And A Dollar


Back to top of page


Sweden 1958

This was the first tournament to have international television coverage. It also saw the emergence of the great Pelé. Brazil started the tournament without him though, but he was brought into the side after Brazil's match against England which ended 0-0 (the first ever goalless draw in a World Cup match). Brazil were the clear favourites and they brought with them the innovative 4-2-4 system. This was also the first tournament to feature England, Scotland, Northern Ireland & Wales.

The Final:
Brazil 5 Sweden 2
The match was well beyond Sweden's grasp, when Pelé in the last minute scored his second goal. At the end Pelé was in tears. He had certainly enjoyed an outstanding competition and remains to this day the youngest ever winner of the World Cup. The contest was the best and friendliest so far. As if to symbolize the spirit of the tournament, the Brazilians did a lap of honour carrying a huge Swedish flag.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Juste Fontaine (FRA) 13 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 126

Our Teams:

England failed to qualify from their group after losing in the play off.
Group D results: England 2 - Soviet Union 2, Brazil 0 - England 0, Austria
2 - England 2. Play off Soviet Union 1 - England 0.

Scotland's first World Cup. They failed to qualify from their group.
Group B results: Scotland 1 - Yugoslavia 1, Paraguay 3 - Scotland 2, France 2 - Scotland 1.

Wales' first World Cup. They qualified to the quarter finals where they were beaten by Brazil 1 - 0.
Group C results: Hungary 1 - Wales 1, Mexico 1 - Wales 1, Sweden 0 - Wales 0. Play off Wales 2 - Hungary 1.

Northern Ireland's first World Cup. They qualified to the quarter finals where they were beaten by France 4 - 0.
Group A results: Northern Ireland 1 - Czechoslovakia 0, Argentina 3 - Northern Ireland 1, West Germany 2 - Northern Ireland 2.
Play off Northern Ireland 2 - Czechoslovakia 1.

Top UK Singles : 8 June - 29 June 1958
1 Conne Francis Who's Sorry Now
2 Vic Damone On The Street Where You Live
3 Elias & His Zigzag Jive Flutes Tom Hark
4 Michael Holliday Stairway Of Love
5 Max Bygraves with The Clark Brothers and Eric Rodgers & his Orchestra You Need Hands / Tulips From Amsterdam
6 Everly Brothers All I Have To Do Is Dream / Claudette
7 Don Lang & His Frantic Five Witch Doctor
8 Pat Boone A Wonderful Time Up There
9 Mudlarks Lollipop
10 Frankie Vaughan Kewpie Doll
11 Lonnie Donegan Grand Coolie Dam
12 Platters Twilight Time
13 Mudlarks Book Of Love
14 Elvis Presley Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
15 Perry Como I May Never Pass This Way Again
16 Four Preps Big Man
17 Perry Como Kewpie Doll
18 David Seville Witch Doctor
19 Robert Earl I May Never Pass This Way Again
20 Buddy Holly Rave On


Back to top of page


Chile 1962

In May 1960 Chile was rocked by dreadful earthquakes which claimed 5000 lives. This tragedy, one may have thought, would have made would-be-hosts Argentina even stronger candidates, but powerful pleading by the Chilean FA president, Carlos Dittborn, won the sympathy of FIFA and Chile were declared hosts for the 1962 tournament. Dittborn said: "We have nothing - that is why we must have the World Cup."

The Final:
Brazil 3 Czechoslovakia 1
Even though Czechoslovakia took the lead early on, Brazil looked like the better team and came back and won the final. Even without Pelé for most of the tournament, Brazil managed to defend their title. Brazil joined Uruguay and Italy as two-times winners.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Garrincha (BRA) 4 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 89

Our Teams:

England qualified to the quarter finals where they were beaten by Brazil 3-1.
Group D results: Hungary 2 - England 1, England 3 - Argentina 1, Bulgaria 0 - England 0.

No other British teams took part in this tournament.

Top UK Singles : 30 May - 17 June 1962
1 Elvis Presley Good Luck Charm
2 Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard Come Outside
3 Cliff Richard & The Shadows Do You Want To Dance
4 Joe Brown & The Bruvvers A Picture Of You
5 Brian Hyland Ginny Come Lately
6 Billy Fury Last Night Was Made For Love
7 Eden Kane I Don't Know Why
8 Adam Faith with John Barry & his Orchestra As You Like It
9 B Bumble & The Stingers Nut Rocker
10 Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen The Green Leaves Of Summer
11 Cliff Richard with The Norrie Paramor Orchestra I'm Looking Out The Window
12 Mr Acker Bilk with The Leon Young String Chorale Stranger On The Shore
13 Ray Charles I Can't Stop Loving You
14 Ketty Lester Love Letters
15 Richard Chamberlain Theme From Dr Kildare
16 Jimmy Justice Ain't That Funny
17 Karl Denver A Little Love A Little Kiss
18 Shadows Wonderful Land
19 Brenda Lee Here Comes That Feeling
20 Elvis Presley Follow That Dream EP


Back to top of page


England 1966

Finally in 1966 it was England's turn to host the World Cup. The FA organized the tournament in an exemplary manner and the stadiums used were probably the best overall selection of stadiums used for any World Cup celebration up to that date. The attendance figures were amongst the best ever recorded. But the teams of this 1966 tournament failed to produce the excitement and skills of some of the past great teams.

The Final:
England 4 - West Germany 2
Host nation England met West Germany for this 8th World Cup Final. It was to be perhaps the most dramatic of them all. England's victory was sealed in the dying seconds of the game when Hurst ran away from the German defence and completed his hat-trick to make the score 4-2. So England became the third team to win the World Cup on homesoil.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Eusebio (POR) 9 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 89

Our Teams:

England won the World cup, beating West Germany in the final 4-2.
Group A results: England 0 - Uruguay 0, England 2 - Mexico 0, England 2 - France 0.
Quarterfinal: England 1 - Argentina 0
Semi-final: England 2 - Portugal 1
Final: England 4 - West Germany 2

No other British teams took part in this tournament.

Top UK Singles : 11 July - 30 July 1966
1 Kinks Sunny Afternoon
2 Ike & Tina Turner River Deep Mountain High
3 Gene Pitney Nobody Needs Your Love
4 Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames Get Away
5 Frank Sinatra Strangers In The Night
6 Hollies Bus Stop
7 Beatles Paperback Writer
8 Chris Farlowe Out Of Time
9 Los Bravos Black Is Black
10 Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich Hideaway
11 Petula Clark I Couldn't Live Without Your Love
12 Cilla Black Don't Answer Me
13 Percy Sledge When A Man Loves A Woman
14 Elvis Presley Love Letters
15 Mamas & The Papas Monday Monday
16 Troggs With A Girl Like You
17 Chris Montez The More I See You
18 Dusty Springfield Going Back
19 Roy Orbison Lana
20 Animals Don't Bring Me Down


Back to top of page


Mexico 1970

This World Cup held in Mexico is rated by many to be the best of all time. Fair play dominated and no player was sent off during these weeks. Attacking football returned, notably from those talented Brazilians and the West Germans. The opening ceremony was spectacular with 50.000 coloured balloons released. This was the first of the spectacular opening ceremonies now associated with major soccer events.

The Final:
Brazil 4 - Italy 1
Mario Zagallo managed Brazil to their 1970 triumph, with that he became the first man to play in and then manage a World Cup winning team. He was a member of the Brazilian sides which won the trophy in 1958 and 1962. Later Franz Beckenbauer copied that feat.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Gerd Müller (GER) 10 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 95

Our Teams:

England qualified to the quarter finals where they were beaten by West Germany 3-2.
Group C results: England 1 - Romania 0, Brazil1 - England 0, England 1 -
Czechoslovakia 0.

No other British teams took part in this tournament.

Top UK Singles : 31 May - 21 June 1970
1 Christie Yellow River
2 Mungo Jerry In The Summertime
3 Mr Bloe Groovin' With Mr Bloe
4 Glen Campbell Honey Come Back
5 England World Cup Squad Back Home
6 Beach Boys Cottonfields
7 Ray Stevens Everything Is Beautiful
8 Moody Blues Question
9 Supremes Up The Ladder To The Roof
10 Gerry Monroe Sally
11 Marvin Gaye Abraham Martin And John
12 Free All Right Now
13 Fleetwood Mac The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)
14 Jackson 5 ABC
15 Roger Whittaker I Don't Believe In If Anymore
16 Tom Jones Daughter Of Darkness
17 Cliff Richard Goodbye Sam Hello Samantha
18 Norman Greenbaum Spirit In The Sky
19 Four Tops It's All In The Game
20 Status Quo Down The Dustpipe
Special release:
# England World Cup Squad - "Back Home" (no. 1 in May)

Back to top of page


West Germany 1974

This World Cup saw the arrival of those great Dutchmen. Johann Cruyff & Co played some great attacking football, but they were not alone in that. The Hosts West Germany also had a great team with quality players up front, as well as Sweden and Poland who enjoyed some great weeks in West Germany.

The Final:
West Germany 2 - Holland 1
The final in Munich was a dramatic one. The English referee gave Holland a penalty after barely a minute which Neeskens converted. The Germans characteristically came back and turned the game and won the cup for their second time. A proud captain Franz Beckenbauer could lift the new trophy in front of his home crowd. He had now won gold, silver and bronze in the World Cup.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Grzegorz Lato (POL) 7 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 97

Our Teams:

Scotland failed to qualify from their group.
Group B results: Scotland 2 - Zaire 0, Brazil 0 - Scotland 0, Scotland 1 - Yugoslavia 1.

No other British teams took part in this tournament.

Top UK Singles : 13 June - 7 July 1974
1 Charles Aznavour She
2 Gary Glitter Always Yours
3 Ray Stevens The Streak
4 Showaddywaddy Hey Rock And Roll
5 R Dean Taylor There's A Ghost In My House
6 Lobo I'd Love You To Want Me
7 Leo Sayer One Man Band
8 Drifters Kissin' In The Back Row Of The Movies
9 Slade Bangin' Man
10 Cockney Rebel Judy Teen
11 Alan Price Jarrow Song
12 Scaffold Liverpool Lou
13 George McCrae Rock Your Baby
14 Arrows A Touch Too Much
15 Pearls Guilty
16 Roy Wood Going Down The Road
17 Bad Company Can't Get Enough
18 10CC The Wall Street Shuffle
19 Isley Brothers Summer Breeze
20 Scotland World Cup Squad Easy Easy
Special release:
# Scotland World Cup Squad - "Easy Easy"(no. 20 in June)


Back to top of page


Argentina 1978

Argentina had been promised the 11th World Cup in 1966, but ten years later, a military junta headed by General Videla ousted Isabella Perón amidst charges of corruption. With two years to the start of the World Cup, then, it was a worrying time for FIFA and some European countries, notably Holland, talked openly about boycotting the tournament. But FIFA gave the go-ahead and all the pre-tournament worries were unfounded when the 11th World Cup was to pass without a major incident.

The Final:
Argentina 3 - Holland 1
Mario Kempes had been Argentina's most influential player in this tournament and in the last minute of the first period of extra time, he beat three men before pushing the ball over the goalline to give his team the lead. Just to confirm his greatness, Kempes ran through the Dutch defence and set up Bertoni to score the 3-1 goal five minutes from the end. This was Argentina's first World Cup triumph and the second time in a row the host nation had won it.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Mario Kempes (ARG) 6 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 102

Our Teams:

Scotlands failed to qualify from their group.
Group D results: Peru 3 - Scotland 1, Iran 1 - Scotland 1, Scotland 3 - Holland 2.

No other British teams took part in this tournament.

Top UK Singles : 1 June - 25 June 1978
1 Boney M Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring
2 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John You're The One That I Want
3 Darts Boy From New York City
4 Yvonne Elliman If I Can't Have You
5 Bee Gees Night Fever
6 Plastic Bertrand Ca Plane Pour Moi
7 Smokie Oh Carol
8 John Paul Young Love Is In The Air
9 Manfred Mann's Earth Band Davy's On The Road Again
10 James Galway Annie's Song
11 Tavares More Than A Woman
12 Rolling Stones Miss You / Far Away Eyes
13 Patti Smith Group Because The Night
14 Father Abraham & Smurfs The Smurf Song
15 Rod Stewart featuring The Scottish World Cup Football Squad '78 Ole Ola (Mulher Brasilieira)
16 Ian Dury & Blockheads What A Waste
17 Goldie Making Up Again
18 Hi Tension Hi Tension
19 David Soul It Sure Brings Out The Love In Your Eyes
20 Ruby Winters Come To Me
Special releases:
# Rod Stewart featuring the Scottish World Cup Squad - "Ole Ola (Mulher Brasileira)" (no. 4 in June)
# Andy Cameron - "Ally's Tartan Army"(for Scotland, no. 6 in April)
# San Jose featuring Rodriguez Argentina - "Argentine Melody" (BBC World Cup theme, no. 14 in July)

Back to top of page


Spain 1982

Spain hosted the 12th World Cup with 24 competing nations for the first time. Some people said this was at least a few qualifiers too many, but apart from El Salvador, none of the "new" nations made a fool of themselves. This tournament included the youngest player to have appeared in a World Cup match, Norman Whiteside of Northern Ireland. He was 17 years and 42 days old when he played against Yugoslavia.

The Final:
Italy 3 - West Germany 1
Manager Enzo Bearzot had been critized throughout the tournament for using Paolo Rossi. Rossi had failed to score in all the first round matches and also in the second round match against Argentina where he wasted several chances. But after his hat-trick against Brazil, Bearzot was hailed as a genius. Rossi went on to score the first goal of the final and his sixth goal in the tournament that won him the Golden Boot. Italy took their third World Cup title, and the first since 1938.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Paolo Rossi (Italy) 6 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 146

Our Teams:

England qualified to group 2 of the second phase, but failed to qualify for the semi finals.
Group D results: England 3 - France 1, England 2 - Czechoslovakia 0, England 1 - Kuwait 0.
Group 2 results: England 0 - West Germany 0, England 0 - Spain 0.

Scotland failed to qualify from their group.
Group F results: Scotland 5 - New Zealand 2, Brazil 4 - Scotland 1, Scotland 2 - Soviet Union 2.

Northern Ireland qualified to group 4 of the second phase, but failed to qualify for the semi finals.
Group E results: Northern Ireland 0 - Yugoslavia 0, Honduras 1 - Northern Ireland 1, Northern Ireland 1 - Spain 0.
Group 4 results: Austria 2 - Northern Ireland 2, France 4 - Northern Ireland 1.

Top UK Singles : 14 June - 11 July 1982
1 Captain Sensible Happy Talk
2 Adam Ant Goody Two Shoes
3 Charlene I've Never Been To Me
4 Duran Duran Hungry Like The Wolf
5 Steve Miller Band Abracadabra
6 Odyssey Inside Out
7 Kid Creole & The Coconuts I'm a Wonderful Thing Baby
8 Imagination Music And Lights
9 Irene Cara Fame
10 Soft Cell Torch
11 Shalamar A Night To Remember
12 Madness House Of Fun
13 Tight Fit Fantasy Island
14 Diana Ross Work That Body
15 Bow Wow Wow I Want Candy
16 Midge Ure No Regrets
17 Beatles Beatles Movie Medley
18 Genesis 3 x 3 EP (Paperlate)
19 Gary Numan We Take Mystery (To Bed)
20 Bucks Fizz Now Those Days Are Gone
Special releases:
# England World Cup Squad - "This Time (We'll Get it Right)" / "England We'll Fly the Flag" (no. 2 in May)
# Scotland World Cup Squad - "We Have A Dream" (no. 5 in May)
# Northern Ireland World Cup Squad and Dana - "Yer Man" (didn't chart)
# Jeff Wayne - "Matador" (ITV World Cup Theme, no. 57, July)
# Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - "BBC World Cup Grandstand" (no. 61 in July)

Back to top of page


Mexico 1986

Colombia was originally given the 13th FIFA World Cup, but had to withdraw because of economical reasons. On short notice Mexico was given the job to stage the tournament. Only eight months before the cup, Mexico suffered an earthquake and an estimated 25.000 people died. Still they managed to stage the greatest event in the world and did it very well. England and Argentina met in a quarter final where Maradona scored two legendary goals, "The Hand of God" and the wonderful soloraid from inside his own half. Lineker got one back and became the first Briton to win the Golden Boot as topscorer with 6 goals.

The Final:
Argentina 3 - West Germany 2
The big final in the Azteca stadium between West Germany and Argentina was an exciting game - one of the best finals ever. A capacity crowd of 115.000 people watched it. Maradona crowned himself king of soccer as Argentina ran out 3-2 winners. The Germans ended up as losers in the final for the second time in a row.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Gary Lineker (ENG) 6 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 132

Our Teams:

England qualified from their group and beat Paraguay in the second round.
They were themselves beaten in the quarter final by Argentina 2-1.
Group F results: Portugal 1 - England 0, England 0 - Morocco 0, England 3 - Poland 0.
Second Round: England 3 - Paraguay 0.

Scotland failed to qualify from their group.
Group E results: Denmark 1 - Scotland 0, West Germany 2 - Scotland 1, Scotland 0 - Uruguay 0.

Northern Ireland failed to qualify from their group.
Group D results: Algeria 1 - Northern Ireland 1, Spain 2 - Northern Ireland 1, Brazil 3 - Northern Ireland 0.

Top UK Singles : 31 May - 29 June 1986
1 Dr & The Medics Spirit In The Sky
2 Simply Red Holding Back The Years
3 Nu Shooz I Can't Wait
4 Robert Palmer Addicted To Love
5 Peter Gabriel Sledgehammer
6 Real Thing Can't Get By Without You (Second Decade Remix)
7 Wham! The Edge Of Heaven / Where Did Your Heart Go
8 A-Ha Hunting High And Low
9 Jaki Graham Set Me Free
10 Tears For Fears Everybody Wants To Run The World
11 Amazulu Too Good To Be Forgotten
12 Falco Vienna Calling
13 Spitting Image The Chicken Song
14 Housemartins Happy Hour
15 Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald On My Own
16 Bucks Fizz New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)
17 Level 42 Lessons In Love
18 Owen Paul My Favourite Waste Of Time
19 Pet Shop Boys Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)
20 Lovebug Starski Amityville (The House On The Hill)
Special releases:
# England World Cup Squad - "We've Got the Whole World at Our Feet" / "When We Are Far from Home" (no. 66 in April)
# Heads - "Aztec Lightning" (Theme From BBC World Cup Grandstand, no. 45 in June)
# Silsoe - "Aztec Gold" (ITV World Cup Theme, no. 48 in June)

Back to top of page


Italy 1990

When talks come to great World Cups, this tournament held in Italy will certainly not be mentioned. Even if all previous champions were present, very few teams relied on attacking football, not even Brazil. Cameroon was the team who caused surprise. On the tournament's opening day, they beat defending champions Argentina by 1-0. This was Ireland's first world cup, and they reached the quarter final, where they were beaten by Italy 1-0.
England reached the semi final and a tense penalty shoot out against West Germany, Stuart Pearce & Chris Waddle missed and England went out.

The Final:
West Germany 1 - Argentina 0
In every World Cup Final from 1930-86, at least three goals had been scored. In this final, only one! And it was once again from the penalty spot. Brehme converted it and gave West Germany their third title. Argentina who had played miserably during the tournament had 4 players suspended in the match and got two players sent off.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Salvatore Schillaci (ITA) 6 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 115

Our Teams:

England qualified at the top of their group, and went on the reach the semi final and lost to West Germany on penalties.
Group F results: England 1 - Ireland 1, England 0 - Holland 0, England 1 - Egypt 0.
Second Round: England 1 - Belgium 0.
Quarter final: England 3 - Cameroon 2
Semi final: West Germany 1(4) - England 1(3)
Bronze match: Italy 2 - England 1

Scotland failed to qualify from their group.
Group C results: Costa Rica 1 - Scotland 0, Scotland 2 - Sweden 1, Brazil
1 - Scotland 0.

Ireland's first World Cup in which they qualified from their group and beat Romania in the second round. They were themselves beaten in the quarter final by Italy 1-0.
Group F results: England 1 - Ireland 1, Egypt 0 - Ireland 0, Holland 1 - Ireland 1.
Second Round: Ireland 0(5) - Romania 0(4)

Top UK Singles : 8 June - 8 July 1990
1 Elton John Sacrifice / Healing Hands
2 Englandneworder World In Motion
3 Luciano Pavarotti Nessun Dorma
4 Roxette It Must Have Been Love
5 Wilson Phillips Hold On
6 Snap Oops Up
7 Betty Boo Doin' The Do
8 Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 Mona
9 Don Pablo's Animals Venus
10 Chad Jackson Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked)
11 New Kids On The Block Step By Step
12 Adamski Killer
13 FAB featuring MC Parker Thunderbirds Are Go
14 Charlatans The Only One I Know
15 Maxi Priest Close To You
16 MC Tunes vs 808 State The Only Rhyme That Bites
17 MC Hammer U Can't Touch This
18 Adventures Of Stevie V Dirty Cash
19 Big Fun & Sonia featuring Gary Barnacle You've Got A Friend
20 Bob Geldof The Great Song Of Indifference
Special releases:
# EnglandNewOrder - "World in Motion" (no. 1 in June)
# Scotland World Cup Squad - "Say It With Pride" (no. 45 in June)
# Republic of Ireland World Cup Squad - "Give It a Lash, Jack" (didn't chart)
# Luciano Pavarotti - "Nessun Dorma" (BBC TV World Cup Theme, no. 2 in July)

Back to top of page


USA 1994

Many people were sceptical when the United States were awarded the World Cup. They thought most matches would be played with stadiums filled with less than half the capacity. They couldn't be more wrong. Even though the stadiums were huge, people turned up and filled the stadiums for every game. On the field, this World Cup was also a success.

The Final:
Brazil 0(3) - Italy 0(2)
This World Cup Final will not be remembered for the great soccer it produced, but for being the first final to be decided on penalties. Both teams had the chance of being the first country to win for their fourth time. Italy were 3-2 down on penalties and Roberto Baggio had to score to keep Italy's dream alive, but he missed the target and saw his shot end up in the crowd.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Hristo Stoitchkov (BUL) 6 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 141

Our Teams:

Ireland qualified from their group but lost to Holland in the second round 2-0.
Group E results: Ireland 1 - Italy 0, Mexico 2 - Ireland 1, Ireland 0 - Norway 0.
No other British teams took part in this tournament.

No British teams took part in this tournament.

Top UK Singles : 17 June - 17 July 1994
1 Wet Wet Wet Love Is All Around
2 All-4-One I Swear
3 Take That Love Ain't Here Anymore
4 The Grid Swamp Thing
5 Ace Of Base Don't Turn Around
6 Aswad Shine
7 Big Mountain Baby I Love Your Way
8 Prodigy No Good (Start The Dance)
9 BC-52s (Meet) The Flintstones
10 Let Loose Crazy For You
11 Two Cowboys Everybody Gonfi-Gon
12 Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman Go On Move
13 Dawn Penn You Don't Love Me (No No No)
14 Elton John Can You Feel The Love Tonight
15 Gun Word Up
16 Cappella U And Me
17 Oasis Shakermaker
18 Rolling Stones Love Is Strong
19 China Black Searching
20 Juliet Roberts Caught In The Middle
Special releases:
# Republic of Ireland World Cup Squad - "Watch Your House For Ireland" (didn't chart)
# Daryl Hall and the Sounds Of Blackness - "Gloryland" (for the USA, no. 36 in July)
# Leonard Bernstein, Orchestra & Chorus - "America" (BBC TV World Cup Theme, no. 44 in July)

Back to top of page


France 1998

The 16th FIFA World Cup held in France turned out to be one of the best ever. 32 nations participated for the first time, and it turned out to be one of the tightest World Cups of all time. The popularity of the tournament has increased every time, and the total TV audience of the 64 matches was estimated to be 37 billion viewers, averaging 578 million viewers per game, with the final itself watched live by 2 billion people, or every third human being! Simply staggering numbers which outclass any other TV event. England's David Beckham won notoriety when he was sent off for a memorable 'kick'.

The Final:
France 3 - Brazil 0
France became the seventh country to win the World Cup and the first host nation to do so since Argentina in 1978. Michel Platini, twice a World Cup semi-finalist himself, hugged all the French players as they collected the trophy. It was lifted by their captain Didier Deschamps, and it signalled the start for days of celebrations for France out in the streets.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Davor Suker (CRO) 6 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 171

Our Teams:

England qualified from their group but lost to Argentina during the penalty shoot out in the second round 2(4)-2(3).
Group E results: England 2 - Tunisia 0, Romania 2 - England 1, England 2 - Colombia 0.
Second Round: Argentina 2(4)- England 2(3).

Scotland failed to qualify from their group.
Group A results: Brazil 2 - Scotland 1, Scotland 1 - Norway 1, Morocco 3 - Scotland 0.

Top UK Singles : 10 June - 12 July 1998
1 Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds 3 Lions '98
2 Fat Les Vindaloo
3 Pras Michel featuring Ol' Dirty B******d introducing Mya Ghetto Superstar That Is What You Are
4 B*Witched C'est La Vie
5 Mousse T vs Hot 'N' Juicy Horny
6 Five Got The Feelin'
7 Eagle-Eye Cherry Save Tonight
8 Brandy & Monica The Boy Is Mine
9 Karen Ramirez Looking For Love
10 Fatboy Slim The Rockafeller Shank
11 Celine Dion with The Bee Gees Immortality
12 Dario G Carnaval
13 Beastie Boys Intergalactic
14 Des'ree Life
15 Lighthouse Family Lost In Space
16 Mansun Legacy (EP)
17 Jean-Michel Jarre & Apollo 440 Rendez-Vous 98
18 Sparkle featuring R Kelly Be Careful
19 Garbage I Think I'm Paranoid
20 911 How Do You Want Me To Love You?
Special releases:
# Baddiel & Skinner & Lightning Seeds - "Three Lions '98" (for England, no. 1 in June/July)
# Fat Les - "Vindaloo" (for England, no. 2 in July)
# England United - (How Does It Feel To Be) On Top Of The World (no. 9 in June)
# England Supporters' Band - "The Great Escape" (no. 46 in June)
# Grandad Roberts And His Son Elvis - "Meat Pie Sausage Roll (Come On England Gi's A Goal)" (for England, no. 67 in in June)
# Del Amitri - "Don't Come Home Too Soon" (for Scotland, no. 15 in June)
# Dario G - "Carnaval De Paris" (topical instrumental, no. 5 in July)
# Jean Michel Jarre & Apollo 440 - "Rendez-Vous '98" - (ITV World Cup Theme, no. 12 in June)
# Wimbledon Choral Society - "World Cup 98 - Pavane by Faure" (BBC TV World Cup theme no. 20 in July)
# Collapsed Lung - "Eat My Goal" (topical track; it had been used in an ad campaign by Coca Cola during Euro '96, no. 18 in June)
# Ricky Martin - "The Cup of Life" (official tournament theme, no. 29 in July)
# Chumbawamba - "Top Of The World (Ole, Ole, Ole)" (topical track, no. 21 in June)
# Tibor Rudas presents The Three Tenors: Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo & Luciano Pavarotti - "You'll Never Walk Alone" (topical, no. 35 in July)
# Jamaica United featuring Ziggy Marley, Buju Banton, Diana King, Shaggy, Maxi Priest, Ini Kamoze, Toots Hibber - "Rise Up" (no. 54 in July)
# Wes - "I Love Football" (official song for Cameroon, no. 75 in June)

Back to top of page


Japan / South Korea 2002

Putting both South Korea and Japan in charge of the 17th Fifa World Cup was a controversial decision. The two countries were surprised and disappointed, as each of them wanted the tournament for themselves. The Japanese offered modern sports and recreation facilities, and South Korea's advantage was its sports achievements (participation in four World Cups). Eventually, FIFA decided, that the competition should be organized by the two countries together: half of the games (including the 3rd place game) was played in South Korea, and the others (including the final) in Japan.

The Final:
Germany 0 - Brazil 2
Ronaldo’s two second-half goals gave Brazil their fifth FIFA World Cup championship and firmly put the ghosts of the France 98 final to rest. It was a hard-fought and equally played match befitting a clash of world football’s biggest titans, but Ronaldo had the touch of greatness that separated the two teams in Yokohama, Japan.

Top Scorer in Tournament: Ronaldo (BRA) 8 goals

Total Goals in Tournament: 161

Our Teams:

England lost to Brazil in the quarterfinals. Near hysteria hit when England took the lead from a Michael Owen goal after 23 minutes. But Brazil were to strike back with goals from Rivaldo (after 45 mins) and Ronaldinho (50 mins).
Group F results: England 1 - Sweden 1, Argentina 0 - England 1, Nigeria 0 - England 0
Second Round: Denmark 0 - England 3
Quarterfinals: England 1 - Brazil 2

The Republic of Ireland went out to Spain after a penalty shoot out in the second round.
Group E results: Ireland 1 - Cameroon 1, Germany 1 - Ireland 1, Saudi Arabia 0 - Ireland 3.
Second Round: Spain 1(3) - Ireland 1(2)

No other British teams qualified for the finals.


Top UK Singles : 31 May - 30 June 2002
1 Elvis vs JXL A Little Less Conversation
2 Eminem Without Me
3 Will Young Light My Fire
4 Liberty X Just A Little
5 Ronan Keating If Tomorrow Never Comes
6 Atomic Kitten It's OK
7 Ant And Dec We're On The Ball
8 Ian Van Dahl Reason
9 Kylie Minogue Love At First Site
10 Scooter The Logical Song
11 Sophie Ellis-Bextor Get Over You / Move This Mountain
12 Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott Hero
13 Oasis Stop Crying Your Heart Out
14 Nelly Hot In Here
15 Christina Milian When You Look At Me
16 Puddle Of Mudd Blurry
17 Paffendorf Be Cool
18 Pink Don't Let Me Get Me
19 Moony Dove (I'll Be Missing You)
20 Holly Valance Kiss Kiss
Special releases:
# Elvis vs JXL - "A Little Less Conversation" (no. 1 in June/July)
# Ant & Dec - "We're On The Ball" (official England song, no. 3 in June)
# DJ Otzi - "Hey Baby (World Cup Remix)" (no. 10 in June)
# Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds - "Three Lions" (no. 16 in June)
# Bell & Spurling - "Goldenballs (Mr Beckham to You)" (no. 25 in June)
# Dario G - "Carnival 2002" (no. 34 in June)
# Opera Babes - "One Fine Day" (ITV World Cup Theme, no. 54 in July)
# The Babe Team - "Over There" (no. 45 in June)
# England Boys - "Go England" (no. 26 in June)
# Anastacia - "Boom" (offical song) (didn't chart)
# Bubble & Deano - "Standing Tall" (didn't chart)
# Crazy Rider featuring Terry Venables - "England" (no. 46 in June)
# Faithless - "Tarantula (remix)" (BBC World Cup Theme, didn't chart)
# Fat Les/Ricky Tomlinson - "Who Invented Fish & Chips?" (didn't chart)
# Irish World Cup Squad - "Here Come the Good Times" (official Irish song, didn't chart)
# Love United - "Love For Love United" (didn't chart)
# Mr Smash & Friends - "We're Coming Over" (no. 67 in June)
# People United - "World Cup In Our Hands" (didn't chart)
# Sally Kettle - "This Is For England" (didn't chart)
# Svengland - "This Time (We'll Get It Right)" (didn't chart)
# Sven's 11 - "Smells Like Team Spirit" (didn't chart)
# V For Victory - "We've Got Goldenballs" (didn't chart)
# Vangelis - "FIFA 2002 World Cup Anthem" (official anthem, didn't chart)
# The Fire - "Back For The Football 2002" (official anthem of the England Football Supporters' Association, didn't chart)