Top 5 moments in World Cup history

The World Cup is the premier international soccer competition. It takes place every four years and has hosted some of the most iconic moments in the sport's history. With the next World Cup on the horizon, we'll look today at some moments that have shaped the tournament over the last century.

Brazil has won the World Cup more often than any other nation. Having lifted the trophy five times, they again go into this year's tournament as favorites, with a full squad of highly gifted players. World Cup odds suggest that their South American counterparts Argentina and Uruguay will also be hoping to get to the latter stages of the competition.

Gordon Banks’ save vs Pele - group stage 1970

Widely regarded as the greatest save of all time, Gordon Banks seemingly defied physics to keep out the greatest player in the world at the time. Despite Brazil going on to win that particular group-stage game and the whole tournament, that moment is considered the most iconic of that World Cup. It is still fondly remembered by goalkeepers, who often cite it as one of the greatest displays of goalkeeping agility.

Zinedine Zidane headbutt - World Cup Final 2006

Hundreds of millions of people tuned in to watch France play Italy in the 2006 World Cup Final. Italy went on to win the game and lift the Giles Rimet Trophy, but this tournament will always be remembered as a moment that defined Zinedine Zidane's career. The midfielder was pivotal in the 1998 World Cup Final when France beat Brazil 3-0. He scored twice and received the man of the match award. Still, for better or worse, this moment for many is the one they remember when they attach Zinedine Zidane to the World Cup.

Even over a decade later, people still discuss this moment, and with the World Cup around the corner, many articles and blogs online still reference it. Zidane is, quite rightly, widely considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time and arguably the greatest player of his generation. As it was the last moment in such a sensational career, we had to include this incident on our list.

Diego Maradona - Hand of God goal vs England - 1986

Diego Maradona's World Cup campaign in 1986 is the stuff of legend. His crowning achievement and incredible talent were epitomized in this quarterfinal match during Mexico 86. Having handled the ball past the rising England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, he scored the second goal in the game, which many analysts believe is the greatest individual goal ever scored in the competition.

His performance throughout this tournament meant that he almost single-handedly drove his nation to the pinnacle of success. His name still commands enormous respect in Argentina and Naples, where football fans remember him vividly and fondly. Sadly, Diego has since passed away but the legacy of his sensational ability will continue to live on for many generations to come. The Hand of God goal is arguably the most polarizing and notable World Cup moment in history.

Luis Suárez handball vs Ghana 2010

When Luis Suárez committed a straight red card offence and handled the ball on the line against Ghana in 2010, the African team were on the verge of glory. They were about to become the first African team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup. This became a huge moment, the biggest of the 2010 competition. This was because Ghana missed the penalty, and Uruguay won the game.

Ghanaians still haven't forgiven Suárez for the moment that snatched away a semifinal from their golden generation. You can understand why, but it is similar to Maradona's Hand of God goal and is widely seen as the sign of a player who will stop at nothing at the possibility of winning the game. This mentality made Luis Suárez so unstoppable on the pitch, although some Ghanaians may disagree with that sentiment.

The birth of the Cruyff turn

During the match against Sweden in the 1974 World Cup, Johan Cruyff provided us with one of the most magical moments in the game's history when he invented the Cruyff turn. This move had never been performed before, leaving his Swedish opponents stunned. Nearly 50 years on, many players still perform this trick on the pitch, and when it is executed properly, it creates space for them to play the ball and can leave defenders looking a bit stupid.