And Gazza Misses The Final - Softcover

Classic World Cup clashes brought to life and re-evaluated by two of the writers of the popular Guardian minute-by-minute football blog. Watching each match in real time and reacting to the twists and turns of the action, Murray and Smyth bring you the real stories of the matches as they happened, not the highlights package or rose-tinted version.

From the crowd swarming over the pitch moments before the Brazil-Uruguay classic of 1950 kicked off, to the dubious refereeing decisions that decided England's single triumph at Wembley, this is the history of the World Cup as you've never seen it before. As well as 30 classic moments from other matches, the games given a full report include:

1950
Uruguay v Brazil
1962
Chile v Italy
1966
England v Argentina
England v West Germany
1970
England v West Germany
Italy v West Germany
Brazil v Italy
1974
West Germany v Holland
1978
Scotland v Holland
1982
Brazil v Italy
West Germany v France
1986
England v Argentina
France v Brazil
1990
England vs Cameroon
England v West Germany
1994
Romania v Argentina
1998
Argentina v England
2006
Italy v Germany
2010
Spain v Holland

Everyone remembers Gazza's tears, Zidane's headbutt and Maradona's hand of God

But do you recall Platt's late ‘goal’ that nearly sent England to the 1990 final?

West Germany beating the Dutch with Total Football of their own in '74?

The 1970 final veering from the sublime to the ridiculous with Pele shanking shots into the stand?

The goals, the genius, the farces and the fistfights. The men behind the Guardian's world-famous minute-by-minute football reports - the original and best - bring you the story of the World Cup from 1930 to the present day, as seen through fresh eyes. History unencumbered by received wisdom, Smyth and Murray give you the classic matches as they happened.