The 2026 FIFA World Cup – the greatest football show on earth – is less than a week away…
It all starts with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa at the famous Azteca (now known as the Estadio Banorte) in Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June (8pm UK).
Co-hosted by USA and Canada, this will be the 23rd World Cup, the inaugural tournament back in 1930.
As we build up to the summer’s football fest, we take a look at the Spurs players to feature on the greatest stage of all…
Darren Anderton fires home against Colombia at the 1998 World Cup
Darren Anderton, Sol Campbell, Les Ferdinand
Darren Anderton became the fourth Spurs player score for England at the World Cup in another rollercoaster tournament for the Three Lions that ultimately ended in heartbreak in France.
A key player for Terry Venables as England reached the semi-finals of Euro 96, Anderton remained a mainstay this time under Glenn Hoddle, who followed Venables into the hotseat. Indeed, Darren started all four of England’s matches against Tunisia, Romania, Colombia and Argentina – his goal-den moment coming when it really mattered in the final group game against Colombia.
England started well with a 2-0 win against Tunisia but were then shocked by Romania’s last-minute winner in Toulouse. That left a shoot-out against Colombia to progress with Romania expected to beat Tunisia and top group – they duly won 1-0 – and a moment of magic from Anderton settled the nerves, pinging home a beauty from the angle into the top corner on 20 minutes. David Beckham added the second and England were through.
Things turned sour for Beckham against Argentina – infamously sent off on 47 minutes – in a thriller. It was 2-2 at half-time and the 10 men stuck to their task to take the game to extra time and then penalties – where Argentina came out on top, 4-3. Sol Campbell, capped 40 times at Spurs, also started all four matches while Les Ferdinand was also in the squad but didn’t feature.
Darren Anderton challenges Argentina’s Jose Chamot – France 1998
Colin Calderwood
Colin Calderwood didn’t make his international debut until he was 30, but that didn’t prevent him from featuring at two major tournaments for Scotland, including the 1998 World Cup in France.
Drawn against Norway, Morocco and Brazil, hopes were high that Scotland could reach the second round for the first time, despite an opening game defeat to the South Americans. That was Calderwood’s first taste of the football on the world stage and although faced with the daunting task of combating the significant threat of Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Bebeto, the Scots almost caused a major shock – they looked on course for a point at 1-1 until an own goal handed Brazil the win on 73 minutes.
Calderwood started the next group game against Norway, a 1-1 draw, but was withdrawn just before the hour mark and that proved to be his last action in the tournament as he was left out of the side for the final group game against Morocco – needing a win to progress, they crashed to a 3-0 defeat.
Colin Calderwood’s eyes fixed on the great R9, Ronaldo – Scotland vs Brazil, France 98
Jurgen Klinsmann
German striker Jurgen Klinsmann had already featured in two World Cups – winning in 1990 – when he travelled to France for the 1998 tournament as a Spurs player.
Germany were strongly fancied to do well again a squad including Klinsmann, Lothar Mattheus, Andreas Moller, Jens Jeremies, Oliver Bierhoff and the future Spurs pair of Steffen Freund and Christian Ziege.
Jurgen scored in the opening win against USA and after a comeback draw against Yugoslavia, he was on target again in a 2-0 win against Iran. It was the same story against Mexico in the Round of 16 – Mexico led and Germany had to wait until 74 minutes for Klinsmann’s equaliser. Oliver Bierhoff completed the turn around for a 2-1 win.
Just as Germany appeared to be shifting through the gears, disaster struck in the quarter-finals. Croatia, competing in their first World Cup since independence from Yugoslavia, caused one of the shocks of the tournament with a 3-0 triumph with Germany down to 10 men on 40 minutes. That was Klinsmann’s 108th and final appearance for his country, netting 47 times, including 11 in World Cups.
Jurgen Klinsmann on target against Mexico – 1998
Allan Nielsen
It was just six years after Denmark had shocked the world by winning the 1992 European Championships and with a squad boasting the likes of Peter Schmeichel, the Laudrup brothers Brian and Michael, Thomas Helveg and Ebbe Sand, the Danes were hopeful of making another big splash at a major tournament.
Tigerish midfielder Allan – always remembered at Spurs for his late winner in the 1999 League Cup Final – started Denmark’s first game on the bench, a 1-0 win against Saudi Arabia, before making his mark in game two against South Africa as he started and opened the scoring on 13 minutes in a 1-1 draw.
He kept his place against France, a defeat, but four points took the Danes through to face Nigeria in the Round of 16. Nigeria took the scalps of Spain and Bulgaria en route to winning their group, but had no answer for Denmark, who won 4-1, Nielsen again starting.
Next up for Nielsen and co were Brazil – Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Bebeto et al – and the Danes were dreaming of glory when Martin Jorgensen gave them an early lead. Brazil hit back to win 3-2, with Nielsen substituted at half-time.
Allan Nielsen scores against South Africa – 1998