Veteran football chronicler Jeff Powell MBE reviews the twelve World Cup finals he has witnessed, ranking them from the gritty 1990 Rome showdown to the dramatic 2014 Germany‑Argentina clash, and sharing behind‑the‑scenes stories that illuminate the human drama behind each historic match.
In six weeks the world will still be buzzing from the drama of the 2022 World Cup final, but the long‑time chronicler Jeff Powell MBE is already looking back at the twelve finals he has witnessed, a record dating back to England's triumphant Wembley victory in July 1966.
Over four continents he has watched 36 goals, five matches go to extra time, two penalty shoot‑outs and countless unforgettable individual performances. In his latest essay he ranks the finals he considers the most compelling, weaving together on‑field drama with off‑field anecdotes that reveal the human side of the beautiful game. At the bottom of Powell's list sits the 1990 final in Rome, where West Germany edged Argentina 1‑0 after an 85th‑minute penalty by Andreas Brehme.
The match is remembered as much for the physical toll on Diego Maradona as for the result. Maradona, having endured a brutal tackle by Yugoslavia in the quarter‑final, arrived in Rome with his ankles swollen, bruised and barely functional. He had to cut open his boots to accommodate the injuries, yet still led his side to a semi‑final victory that crushed host nation Italy's hopes.
The final itself turned notorious for its cynical tone, featuring two Argentine players sent off and a decisive penalty that ended the contest. Yet the game also produced a historic milestone: Franz Beckenbauer became the first person to lift the trophy as both captain and manager, a feat that earned him universal admiration. The 1994 final in Pasadena, the first World Cup final held in the United States, occupies the next rung on Powell's ladder.
Brazil and Italy remained deadlocked at 0‑0 after extra time, forcing the first ever penalty‑shootout to decide a final. Brazil emerged victorious 3‑2, thanks largely to Romário's composure from the spot, while Italy's stars Franco Baresi and Roberto Baggio missed their kicks, the latter blasting his effort over the cross‑bar.
The match arrived against the backdrop of the Maradona scandal - the Argentine legend had been expelled from the tournament after failing a drugs test - a story that Powell broke to European audiences before the final. The goalless stalemate, coupled with the dramatic shootout, cemented the game as a landmark of both journalistic intrigue and sporting tension.
Fast‑forward to the 2014 showdown in Rio's Maracanã, where Germany broke Argentina's resistance 1‑0 after extra time, courtesy of a chest‑controlled finish by Mario Götze. Powell observes that the match, while not a goal‑fest, held immense significance as it marked the first time a European side lifted the trophy on South American soil.
The decisive moment arrived late in extra time, and the image of Lionel Messi staring wistfully at the prize would later become an iconic photograph, symbolising a career of near‑misses that would only be resolved eight years later in Qatar. Powell's ranking highlights how each final, from the 1998 French triumph over Brazil to the 2022 showdown, reflects broader narratives of player resilience, tactical evolution and the ever‑shifting fortunes of football's greatest stage.
In Powell's assessment, the 1998 final in Paris stands out for its clash of titans: Brazil's Ronaldo, fresh from a mysterious seizure‑like episode the morning of the match, versus France's Zinedine Zidane, who would go on to dominate the game with two stunning headers. The French side secured a 3‑0 victory, signifying a passing of the torch to a new generation of European talent.
Throughout his essay, Powell interlaces personal anecdotes-such as his friendship with South American reporting legend Hans Henningsen-and decisive on‑field moments, offering readers a vivid, human‑centred panorama of World Cup history. His definitive ranking not only celebrates the sport's most thrilling finals but also underscores the enduring power of storytelling in preserving football's legacy for future generations.
Overall, Jeff Powell's curated list provides a compelling narrative that blends statistical milestones with behind‑the‑scenes insights, reminding fans that every final is more than a scoreline; it is a tapestry of personal sacrifice, national pride and moments that shape the collective memory of the world's most beloved sport
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