World Cup's 101 Most Memorable Moments: Marco Tardelli's iconic celebration

Editor’s note: Each day between now and the kickoff of the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 20, we’ll unveil a different memory from World Cup history. The countdown from 101 continues with Marco Tardelli’s emotional celebration in 1982 World Cup Final.

Even for the most focused and disciplined athlete, the emotion just takes over. That’s what happened to Marco Tardelli when the Italian midfielder gave his country a 2-0 lead over West Germany in the final at Spain ’82 in front of a packed Santiago Bernabaeu Satdium in Madrid.

He didn’t even know at the time that his left-footed strike would turn out to be the eventual game winner; Alessandro Altobelli made it 3-0 for the Azzurri before Paul Breitner pulled back a consolation goal for the Germans with just seven minutes of normal time to play.

As consequential as the tally was, Tardelli’s reaction would become far more memorable than the goal itself. With tears of joy rolling down his cheeks, Tardelli ran across the field shaking his head from side to side in disbelief, repeatedly yelling “goal” as if to convince himself that the feat he had just accomplished actually happened. The raw emotion of the moment was visceral, and it resonated with fans across the globe — which is why it remains the most unforgettable World Cup goal celebration of all time.

Marco Tardelli’s emotional celebration

Tardelli couldn’t hide his excitement after scoring the eventual game-winner for Italy in the 1982 World Cup Final.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.