As excitement builds towards the 2014 World Cup, BBC Sport is to look back at the tournament’s 80-year history by broadcasting the entire FIFA World Cup Official Film Collection.
This is the first time the entire FIFA Films collection has been transmitted by the BBC, giving football fans the chance to relive the highlights and memorable moments from previous World Cups.
In the three weeks prior to kick-off in Brazil, BBC Two will transmit the entire official film collection, which covers the 1930 to 2002 competitions.
It will also broadcast seminal documentaries ‘The Story Of The 2006 World Cup’ and ‘Match 64: The Final Of The FIFA World Cup 2010’, featuring behind-the-scenes footage from each event.
The FIFA World Cup film collection comprises feature length movies produced at the time of each tournament and which include enhanced coverage and greater perspective compared to more conventional television footage.
The 14 films present a unique insight to the events and include the colour record of England’s 1966 World Cup win, Maradona’s key role in 1986, as well as the classic 1970 Mexico tournament.
Each documentary turns the spotlight on the seminal moments of the global spectacle that is the World Cup.
Against a backdrop of war, natural disasters and terrorism, the World Cup has flourished from an invitational event involving 13 nations to a competition involving 200 teams from all over the world.
The films complement BBC Sport’s extensive 2014 World Cup programming, featuring 31 live games, highlights shows, match replays and special documentaries.
Scroll down below for full schedule details of every FIFA World Cup Official Film on BBC Two.
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| 1930-1954 – Sat 24 May 10.00am-11.45am BBC Two |
The series begins with an in-depth documentary looking back on the first five World Cup tournaments.
The World Cup journey began in Uruguay in 1930 with the hosts defeating neighbours Argentina. La Celeste went on to win two of the first four tournaments.
Perennial World Cup powerhouses Italy also claimed two wins in the formative years of the competition, while England suffered the ignominy of losing 1-0 to the unheralded USA team at the 1950 tournament in Brazil.
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| 1958 – Sun 25 May 9.00am-10.25am BBC Two |
Spotlight turns to the 1958 World Cup which saw a Pele-inspired Brazil claim their first global crown.
The Brazilian legend broke records galore in the 1958 tournament, becoming the youngest man to play in the World Cup Final, to score in the World Cup Final and to win the World Cup, all before his 18th birthday.
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| 1962 – Sat 31 May 10.00am-11.30am BBC Two |
Garrincha was the inspiration for a Brazil side that flew across the Andes and mounted a successful defence of the Jules Rimet Cup in Chile in 1962.
This tournament included the infamous ‘Battle of Santiago’ match between the hosts and Italy, described by the BBC’s David Coleman as “the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football”.
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| 1966 – Sun 1 June 9.00am-10.40am BBC Two |
England, the country that invented football, reached the summit of the global game on home soil in 1966 after defeating West Germany in one of the most exciting, and controversial, of all World Cup Finals.
Led by Sir Alf Ramsey and captained by Bobby Moore, England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time in one of the most exciting and controversial World Cup finals of all time, Sir Geoff Hurst immortalising himself with a hat trick.
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| 1970 – Sun 7 June 10.00am-11.30am BBC Two |
For the first time, the World Cup was broadcast in colour around the globe and tens of millions watched spellbound as the brilliance of Brazil won a third world crown.
The Brazilians’ 4-1 Final triumph over Italy gave them the right to keep the Jules Rimet Cup and provided the perfect farewell for Pele on his final appearance on the world stage.
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| 1974 – Sun 8 June 9.00am-10.30am BBC Two |
Hosts West Germany were hosts were the eventual champions, although it was the team they beat in the final, the Netherlands, who were the stars of the tournament.
The memorable Netherlands team introduced their brand of total football to the world at the 1974 tournament, which was the stage for Johan Cruyff to announce himself as a new football superstar with the birth of the ‘Cruyff turn’.
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Further schedule details to follow…
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