The best moment from each of the last ten World Cups

No African team has ever reached the World Cup semifinals but Ghana came agonisingly close in 2010, losing to Uruguay on penalties in the quarters. That's only half the story: in the last minute of extra time, Uruguayan striker blocked a goal-bound shot on the line with his hand. Suarez was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty and the chance to make history. 

Yes, Zidane's headbutt will always be the image of the tournament, but the Germany vs Italy semifinal remains the best World Cup match contested this century. Two fantastic teams playing to their absolute peak with everything on the line. The two Italian goals came in the last seconds of extra time, Fabio Grosso's curler capped by a flowing counterattack which Alessandro Del Piero finished with aplomb – the toppest of top corners. 

In hindsight, the 2002 World Cup is England's great missed opportunity of the modern age. 1-0 up against Brazil in the quarterfinals, Sven's men conceded on the stroke of halftime. Early into the second period Brazil were awarded an innocuous free kick absolutely miles from goal... only for their bucktoothed maestro Ronaldinho to chip the ball over David Seamen with a staggering piece of luck / skill. Despite the scorer sportingly getting himself sent off, England couldn't find a way through and lost the first of three consecutive quarterfinals. The opponents in the semis? That would be Turkey. 

Holland vs Argentina. World Cup quarterfinals. 1-1. 90th minute. Frank De Boer launches a long ball from deep inside his own half. It's going out of play for a goal kick – only for the tip of Dennis Bergkamp's boot to bring the ball down on the touchline. Two seconds and two further touches, and the Dutch striker is wheeling away in joyous disbelief at his own skill. Keep your Carlos Albertos and your Maradonas – this is the greatest World Cup goal of the lot. 

Poor Roberto Baggio. He scored five goals and largely carried Italy to the final, but the tournament and indeed his career would be defined by what happened next. In the first World Cup Final to be decided by penalties – only one has been since – Italy trailed Brazil 2-3 in the shootout and needed their talisman to step up. Baggio duly stepped up... and sent his penalty flying over the crossbar. He hung his head, a picture of dejection, while the Brazilians cavorted all around. At least it was better than Diana Ross's.  

You know this one. Our first and only World Cup semifinal since 1966. Fluky German opener, Lineker cancels it out late, onto extra time. Late Gascoigne tackle, Berthold makes a meal of it, oh no it's a yellow. Hands on hips, bottom lip trembling, Linker glancing to the bench, "have a word with him." Penalties, Pearce then Waddle, over and out. Robson consoles Gascoigne, "You've got your life ahead of you, this is your first..." He never played in one again. 

The second handball in our list, but if Suarez was included because, let's face it, not much else happened in 2010, this is one of the most famous moments in all sport. People blame Shilton for being outjumped by a man half his size, but in fairness the goalkeeper probably didn't expect Maradona to take up volleyball mid-leap. It should have been spotted, it wasn't, and then came that second goal so good it almost legitimised the first. Almost. England have been beating to the punch many, many times since but never quite as literally as this.   

A viable contender for the greatest World Cup match ever played. Two teams stuffed with legends – Zoff, Zico, Tardelli, Socrates – fighting it out for a place in the semifinals. This was actually the last match of the second group stage (World Cups used to be weird) and due to an inferior goal difference Italy had to win to progress. Win they did, thanks to a hat-trick from Paolo Rossi and a late wonder save by Dino Zoff. Brazil 1982 rivals Holland 1974 for the unwanted title of best team never to win a World Cup. (Both, uncoincidentally, are also contenders for coolest team of all time.) 

It may seem remarkable now but Scotland travelled to the 1978 World Cup with genuine aspirations to win the thing. A crowd of 30,000 waved the team off at Hampden Park, with manager Ally MacLeod promising to return home with the trophy. In their final group game, the Scots justified such lofty expectations by beating 1974 finalists Holland 3-2; Achie Gemmil scored a wonder goal that would later be immortalised in the film Trainspotting. "I haven't felt that good since Archie Gemmill scored against Holland in 1978." Shame the Scots had lost their opening game to Peru, and drawn the second with Iran – Ally and the boys were out.