Pele at the Azteca? England in '66? Ranking the best World Cup finals

By Alex Bysouth BBC Sport Senior Journalist Published 13 minutes ago Every World Cup final, by its very nature, is iconic. It is a rare treat we get to enjoy every four years and this summer is only the 23rd edition of a men's tournament that has spanned the best part of a century. So how do you quantify the 'best' - is it goals, drama, superstars at their peak? Well, I have tried to take into account all of those aspects, as well as the showpieces that provided the most compelling storylines and delivered the most enduring legacies. So below are my top 10 World Cup finals - you can rank your own at the bottom of this page, too. To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Korea-Japan 2002 World Cup final: Ronaldo's Redemption 10. Brazil 2-0 Germany (2002) Not the most dramatic standalone final but one dripping with gripping narrative. It was a summer that evolved into Ronaldo's redemption arc after the trauma he went through before Brazil's defeat by France in the final four years earlier, and the career-threatening injuries sustained in between World Cups. Ronaldo only played a handful of games for Inter Milan before the tournament but was at his goalscoring best to fire Brazil to the final, the number nine supported by Rivaldo and Ronaldinho with the explosive Roberto Carlos and Cafu flying down the flanks. Ronaldo's second-half double proved decisive as Brazil saw off Germany in the Yokohama showpiece - no-one in the stadium would have banked on the Selecao not winning another World Cup since. To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Germany 2006: Italy win World Cup after Zidane headbutt 9. Italy 1-1 France (5-3 pens) (2006) The image of Zinedine Zidane trudging past the pitchside World Cup trophy is legendary. Just not for the manner the Frenchman would wish. Zizou was enjoying a stellar tournament and had already Panenka'd Gianluigi Buffon in the final with a spot-kick that kissed the bar and wriggled just over the goalline before he was later dismissed in extra time. Marco Materazzi would prove the main protagonist in Berlin. Having fouled Florent Malouda for France's opener, the towering defender levelled with a thundering header from Andrea Pirlo's corner inside 20 minutes. The Inter Milan centre-back's most memorable contribution, though, was to get a reaction out of Zidane, the balding French playmaker landing a headbutt on the Italian's sternum. It was Zidane's last act as a player, having announced his decision to retire after the World Cup. Zidane walked, and Italy won on penalties. Materazzi, of course, scored his. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Zidane was sent in the 2006 final with 10 minutes of extra time remaining 'A true miracle of destiny' - Messi and Lamine Yamal's incredible first meeting Published 23 hours ago Why you should care about World Cup third-place play-off Published 1