My FIFA World Cup memories

Every four years, a football fan's world is literally turned upside-down.

Sleep schedules are thrown asunder, Facebook timelines fill with postulations on games, and for one glorious month, nothing else seems to matter except for the Beautiful Game.

I don't really keep tabs on European club leagues that closely, but the World Cup is different. Ever since I was a kid, I've followed the world's biggest sporting event religiously. I've watched every final match live since 1986 with the exception of the 1990 one, plus countless other games.

In terms of footballing quality, it's understood that the UEFA Champions League, featuring top teams that train together all year round, is actually better than the World Cup. But when it comes to drama, passion, and history, nothing tops the World Cup.

The first World Cup that I really remember watching was the 1986 edition in Mexico. I was a thirteen-year-old living in Singapore then, and my family huddled around out TV set in our den to catch the games in the wee hours of the morning.

This was the World Cup when Diego Maradona infamously handled the ball against England in the quarterfinals for the first goal, then somewhat made up for the transgression with a breathtaking solo effort, scything through the English defense for 2-0. Many consider that the finest World Cup goal effort.

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France was an eye-catching team then. The names are imprinted in my memory. Platini. Tigana. Rocheteau. And their acrobatic keeper, Joel Bats.

But alas, West Germany eliminated Les Bleus in a penalty shootout. I can still hear the BBC's legendary football commentator, John Motson, call Michel Platini's hoof over the bar in the shootout.

“Platini's skied it!!”

My sister Crissy backed the French, and when they exited, she cried.

The final between West Germany and Argentina was a cracking game. Still the best final of any tournament. I remember it as if it happened yesterday.

The Albiceleste central defender, Jose Luis Brown, heads in the opener. 1-0 Argentina. Brown would later injure his collarbone, but since his height was needed in the back, coach Carlos “Big Nose” Bilardo refused to sub him. Instead the Argentinians cut a hole in the chest area of Brown's jersey so he could stick his thumb in it to make a makeshift sling. That's how he played the rest of the match.

Jorge Valdano beat German keeper Harald Schumacher early in the second half for 2-0. The crowd at the Azteca stadium surely felt the game was over then.

Problem is, Germany never know when they are beat (do a Yahoo! Search on “Euro 1996 final, Germany- Czech Republic, Oliver Bierhoff) and Karl-Heinz Rummenige and Rudi Voeller leveled the game with scores off corners.

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Maradona had been hogtied by a physical German defense all game long. But the irrepressible “El Diez” was not to be denied his moment of glory. From the middle of the park he flicks a pass to a streaking Jorge Burruchaga, who outruns the defense and sneaks the ball past Schumacher for 3-2 with just minutes left on the clock. That's how the game ended, and Argentina had their second world title.

I will never, ever, forget that match.

The next final I watched was in 1994. I was living in Camiguin then as a Jesuit Volunteer teaching in a school for dropouts. I went to my relatives in Iligan for the weekend to watch the final early Monday morning. But Brazil and Italy couldn't produce a goal in regulation and extra time. I had to catch the bus back to work so I missed the penalty shootout where Roberto Baggio and Franco Baresi missed, handing the Selecao their fourth world title.

1998 was a great World Cup for us because PTV-4 aired it live on free TV. I recall watching the final on my bedroom in that early Monday morning. Zinedine Zidane, who was held in check for much of the tournament, came alive as Les Bleus ran out to a 2-0 lead over Brazil. With the Selecao chasing the game Emmanuel Petit sealed it for the home side with a composed escapada goal.

Four years later Brazil were not to be denied on a rainy night in Saitama, Japan. Ronaldo, hobbled by seizures in Paris in 1998, was in fine form, beating Germany's Oliver Kahn twice to give Brazil its fifth title. In the top floor of the Mandarin Hotel I saw it all with my Dad.

2002 also saw the emergence of Landon Donovan of the USA. He led the stars and stripes to a second round win over archrival Mexico before his side fell 1-0 to Germany in the quarters. Members of Sam's Army, as the USA Soccer ultras are known, still bellyache over the non-call on Torsten Frings' goal-line handball that could have swung the match.

'02 is also notable since it was the last, and I believe only, World Cup to feature the Golden Goal (sudden-death) rule in extra time. Turkey reached the final four when Ilhan Manzis' goal off an Umit Davala cross ended their quarterfinal against Senegal.

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The 2006 World Cup final in Germany was perhaps the most shocking one ever, with Zidane headbutting his way into footballing lore. Italy win the penalty shootout over France after the sides finished 1-1 after extra time. The ghosts of 1994 had been exorcised. I fondly recall the wild atmosphere in the Manila Polo Club, from where I took it all in.

2010 was a special World Cup. The memories are vivid. Since I'm a USA fan I loved it when Michael Bradley leveled against Slovenia in the group match to bring the states back from 2-2 down. I shrieked so hard in Murphy's Irish Pub in Makati that my voice was hoarse for two weeks after.

The Yanks fell to Ghana in the second round thanks to an Asamoah Gyan strike in extra time. It was the second time in two cups that the Black Stars had eliminated them.

But 2010 in South Africa was Spain's moment. Europe's underachieving footballing power finally picked up a star on the jersey by defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time with Andres Iniesta's winner. I saw it in Fiamma on Jupiter in Makati, along with what felt like 3000 others sandwiched into the place.

Iniesta, for ending Spain's misery, has most certainly paid for his last cerveza in a Spanish bar. Unfortunately the Dutch continue to wait. 2010 was their third final match loss in as many tries. They fell to hosts West Germany in the Munich final in 1974 and in 1978 lost in Buenos Aires to Mario Kempes and the Argentinians.

But the World Cup isn't just about who wins the title. For many sides, even making the trip, winning a game, or just scoring a goal is an achievement. New Zealand's All Whites proudly stake the claim of being the only undefeated team from the 2010 World Cup final stage after drawing all three of their assignments. (Spain lost a group game to the Swiss.)

I believe that having the 2010 World Cup take place mere months before the 2010 Suzuki Cup undoubtedly helped boost the rise of the Azkals that year. There surely was some residual leftover football hangover when the Pinoy fans saw the national team gain glory in Vietnam. It only added fuel to the flame.

For me, football is the world's most popular sport because it is so much like sex. There are missed chances and close calls that mimic foreplay. Then all of a sudden the orgasm of a goal, where for a few moments, tens of thousands of people in the stands and millions on TV all simultaneously lose their minds.

Then, like good sex, sometimes there's a second orgasm, or even a third.

Multiply that by a factor of maybe a thousand, spread out over 60-odd games over one month, throw in a healthy serving of national pride, make everyone wait four years for it, and you get the mind-bending drama that is the FIFA World Cup. Sports Illustrated once called it “two or three Superbowls a day for 30 days.”

They aren't kidding. You sort of have to watch every game, because you never know which match will be an absolute cracker. That's precisely why my Friday night will be spent taking in Mexico versus Cameroon.

The FIFA World Cup is a time set aside for football fans to feel like kids again. To soak in the rapture, the agony, the delight, frustration, joy, and madness of football for one precious, magical month.

The 2014 World Cup is upon us, folks. Let the party begin.

For complete coverage of the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup, check out Yahoo! Philippines dedicated World Cup page on www.ph.sports.yahoo.com/football/world-cup/.

The FIFA World Cup will be aired live on Balls Channel starting 4am on Friday, when Brazil meet Croatia. To get every single match LIVE on High Definition (with replays), Sky subscribers can order the FIFA World Cup HD Season Pass by calling 381-0000. Just call and it will get dialed in within minutes.

If you don't have cable, don't despair! ABS-CBN Sports +Action will show group games on a delayed telecast basis, but starting from the second round (round of sixteen), every match will be live.

Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH.