The first memory of the World Cup in football that remained in our editorial office

Every football fan, whether casual or die-hard, has their first memory of the World Cup. It could be a moment of brilliance or something that has a personal touch. Yet each memory holds a special meaning in their hearts.

For some, the World Cup came through the stories of a family member. For others, it was a legendary team, a shocking moment, or even something that transcended the game. Across generations, the tournament has served as more than just the biggest football scene. It was a shared experience that brought families together, ignited lifelong passions and created memories that lasted long after the final whistle.

With another World Cup adding new chapters to football’s rich history, members of India Today’s News Desk revisit the tournament and the moments that first captured their imaginations, the moments that captivated them and the memories that continue to define their relationship with the beautiful game.

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WHEN RONALDO, RIVALDO AND RONALDINO RULED THE WORLD

Koustav Daš

My first real memory of the World Cup is from 2002. I was addicted to watching the Brazil team with Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. I probably didn’t understand the tactics or the larger story lines at that age, but I remember being blown away by the skill, the atmosphere, and the sheer drama of it all. The World Cup was simply different from any other sporting event. I was equally fascinated by players like Oliver Kahn and Miroslav Klose when Germany reached the final. Brazil won the 2002 World Cup. (Image: Reuters)

Since then I have followed every World Cup religiously. My favorite memory though has to be the win in Spain in 2010. Watching Xavi, Iniesta and David Villa play was pure joy. They made football look effortless. I still remember jumping off the couch when Iniesta scored in the final. There was something special about that Spanish side and the way they played.

More than a decade later, those memories are still fresh and I still hope that Spain will produce a team that can recapture that kind of magic.

A WEDDING, ONE TV AND THE WORLD CUP

Akshay Ramesh

My first World Cup had nothing to do with football. I was 13, growing up in Chennai, which meant cricket was the only sport that counted. Then a family event pulled us to a small town near Trichy.

We slept in the wedding hall, a dozen relatives under one roof, the kind of loud, sprawling gathering that Indian families do. There was one television in that hall. Getting everyone in front of them past midnight required planning, negotiation and the usual family politics. But they did it, every night. Fans sit together watching the 2014 FIFA World Cup. (Image: Reuters)

What I remember is not Zidane or the ass or any of that. I remember my paternal uncle, the one who talked too much and was always right, holding court in that hall and telling anyone who would listen about Trichy’s football past.

Club teams from all over India used to come here. There were local legends. People cared deeply about this city in a way I couldn’t have imagined. We were up late every night that week. For football, yes. But mainly because of the stories.

SUMMER FOOTBALL HAS COME TO BIHAR

Saurabh Kumar

I was nine years old in Bihar when the 2002 FIFA World Cup was held in Japan and South Korea. Back then, football wasn’t a big deal around me. I actually discovered the World Cup through a neighbor bhaiya from Bengal who treated the tournament as a monthly festival.

He called me one morning to watch Brazil on TEN Sports. I had no idea who was playing or why it mattered, but within minutes I was hooked. Soon my mornings before school revolved around football. Hours were longer, lunch breaks were shorter, and every conversation somehow ended up on the World Cup.

The tournament gave us characters you will never forget. Ronaldo’s ridiculous hairstyle caught our attention as much as his goals. Ronaldinho looked like he was playing a different sport to everyone else and his lob over David Seaman stunned our school hall. Oliver Kahn became my hero. It seemed that he would save everything and Germany somehow made it to the final. Then there was Pierluigi Collina, whose bulging eyes looked like he could dispatch a player just by staring at him.

Ronaldinho wears the SPERSTAR brand and is an icon!
He made a solo appearance against England at the 2002 World Cup:
A smart helper
Seaman’ aresiz brakan o uzajl ii freak goal
And then he saw the red card! pic.twitter.com/S42N2MZAp2— Aslann D Sesi (@AslaninDisSesi) June 12, 2026

I wanted Germany to win, so the final was painful. Ronaldo scored twice, Brazil lifted the trophy and I sulked for days. But when I think back to the 2002 World Cup now, I don’t remember the statistics. I remember the alarm clocks, school mornings, TEN Sports, Ronaldo’s haircut and the feeling that the whole world was watching the same thing at the same time.

WITNESS TO ZIDAN’S FINAL ACT

Prateek Chakraborty

The 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany was the first football tournament I really remember. I was mesmerized by the electric atmosphere, the packed stadiums and the stars who seemed larger than life.

Every game was special, but Italy’s scintillating campaign stood out the most. From Fabio Cannavaro’s rock-solid defense to the bravery and belief of the team, Italy were destined for something special. But the moment that will remain etched in my memory came in the final.

Like millions of people around the world, I watched in disbelief as France’s Zinedine Zidane defeated Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the final. One minute I was watching a football genius in his last game; another left with a red card.

That moment of shock is something I still vividly remember. 2006 was not just a tournament for me; it was the world cup that made me fall in love with football.

THE WILD WHO BECAME A LEGEND

Ritaban Misra

I was eight when my journey to the 2006 World Cup began. My father was a Brazil fan and I already had memories of my first international tournament in 2005 when Brazil lifted the Copa America.

As a kid, those players in the yellow jerseys impressed me more than anything else. The excitement surrounding the 2006 World Cup was immense, but my dream of Brazil completing their ‘Mission Hexa’ was crushed by none other than Zinedine Zidane.

I hated him at the time. I didn’t care that Thierry Henry scored the goal. The image that still haunts me is Zidane nutmeging Ronaldinho, with the latter looking confused and unsure of how to react. Wherever the ball was, the bald man in the white shirt seemed to be there.

I was pleased when Zidane failed to win the World Cup, but over time, thanks to my support for Real Madrid, I understood who he was and his importance in football history.

I may be a Brazil fan through and through, but my first memory of the World Cup will always be of Zinedine Zidane. I still remember going to sleep during the final after he scored that audacious Panenka penalty against Gianluigi Buffon, convinced he was going to win the World Cup in his last game. Again.

AFTER A FAMOUS FOOTBALL JOURNAL

Anisha Rao

If memory serves, my first real World Cup experience was in 2010, the year of Paul the Octopus.

It was absolute madness. I was around 13 at the time, and although I wasn’t much into football tactics or teams, I vividly remember the frenzy surrounding an octopus that seemed to predict match results with uncanny accuracy. Paul the Octopus predicted Spain to win the World Cup. (Image: Reuters)

Even that made me watch most of the games that year, which I barely remember today.

DISCOVERING BRAZIL THROUGH MY DAD

Debodinna Chakraborty

My earliest memories of the World Cup are from South Africa in 2010. I was in Germany in 2006 but I was too young to really understand the game. However, in 2010, football really grabbed me. Growing up in Calcutta, where debates between Brazil and Argentina are practically a family tradition, I had heard about the magic of Brazilian football for years. That summer I finally saw it with my own eyes.

For the first time I understood why people spoke of Brazilian football with such respect. Watching Kaka, Robinho, Maicon and Luis Fabiano do their thing with the likes of Lucio and Gilberto Silva showing what a defender is capable of, football showed me its true brilliance.

I still remember the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The flag-waving song was rivaled only by the waka waka, which polluted the air with its brilliance, Shakira’s hips sent the entire continent into ecstasy, Siphiwe Tshabalala’s opening goal only set the mood. pic.twitter.com/33kQmNVLdN— Destiny Klems (@klemsx) November 2, 2025

Brazil may not have made it all the way to South Africa, but I didn’t care. Sitting next to my equally football-crazy father and finally following the rhythm of Joga Bonito felt like football at its best.

THE NIGHT GRANDFATHER CHOOSE FOOTBALL

Amar Panicker

Even though I’ve been watching football since 2003, the magic of the World Cup really hit me in 2014. That year, it wasn’t Lionel Messi or Neymar who made the tournament special. It was my late grandfather.

Growing up in Kerala, I only knew him as someone who watched the news. Morning or evening, the television was always tuned to a news channel. Football was never something I associated with him. Fans watch the 2014 FIFA World Cup semi-final between Brazil and Germany. (Image: Reuters)

Then one weekend I mentioned that I wanted to watch the World Cup. His eyes lit up the moment I did. He immediately asked me when Brazil was going to play. Coincidentally, their next game was the semi-final against Germany – a result that no Brazilian fan will ever forget.

Still, the score isn’t what sticks with me. I remember the happiness when I found out that someone else in my family shared my love for football. Years after his death, this unexpected connection remains my most treasured memory of the World Cup.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

14 Jun 2026 10:47 IST