This years competition is now up and running. As we start to collect memories of this competition lets look back at some of the thoughts, by and of, Tottenham players at previous tournaments. From the bliss of goal scoring moments to the 'delights' of being a pampered star of the 1950’s. Along the way we will hear the recollections of  amongst others Jermain Defoe, Clint Dempsey, Alf Ramsey, Paul Gascoigne, Terry Medwin and Robbie Keane. This image Paulinho the first Tottenham player in action, wonder what his memories will be ?

Its finally arrived, so as you prepare to stay up half the night I've assembled some, trivia and images to pass the time till kick off. I've mixed in a few questions just to keep you on your toes.  Some of the answers have appeared during this series. Answers at the end. 

So who is the World Cup clever clogs ? One point per answer. 

What did you score ? 

When I started this series there was this bell ringing, not a full blown Closter Bell clanging away but a slight jingling noise. I remembered being told, many years ago, that we once gave a trial to an American player who had gone to the World Cup but we had not taken him on, and to honest at that point I tended to ignore the tale. Now I went in search of Jim Brown. This is what I discovered.

There are a few World Cup stories that shouldn’t be lost in the mists of time. Today we remember two more of them. We look back at a game that only lasted three minutes.
Before that we recall how advertising has changed the world of sport over the years when we remember the curious tale of the famous ’Pele Pact.”  If we go back to the late 1960’s and a time known in the USA as “The Sneakers War”.  Slowly since the end of the 1940’s athletes had changed from being grateful for free shoes given to them by sportswear companies to demanding massive payments for wearing them.

We all love a conspiracy and the World Cup has had more than its fair share over the years, some of which have been mentioned during this series. However did you know about the match fixing, the drugs used with FIFA’s blessing or the political influences brought to bear. All these tales are true, well true conspiracies. Prepare to be amazed as we look at the side of the World Cup FIFA would rather you didn’t, as we open the ‘FIFA Files.’  Remember the truth is out there.  

Our journey looking at the Tottenham connections with the World Cup comes up to date as we look back just 4 years to South Africa. The 19th tournament and the first finals to be held on that continent. The Tottenham links feature a number of countries. England leading the way with five of our players in their squad. Ledley King, Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson, Aaron Lennon and Peter Crouch as well as ex-Spur Michael Carrick were in the party.

The weekend before the World Cup starts is time for music, dancing girls, amazing facts, a referee who can't count, some Tottenham connections,the policeman who claimed an assist, own goals, sending offs, hat tricks and of course you will need to know how to banish evil spirits.
First we have some Red Indian squaw's, well it is the Italy 1990 opening ceremony so would you expect?  So that's what a squaw would of looked like if she did her shopping in Milan. 

In 1970 England manager Alf Ramsey was watching Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 4-1. After the game he confided his thoughts on the Brazilians his team were due to play next (1). "By Christ, these people can play, So much ability, so much cunning, such teamwork."

With Cliff Jones, Alan Mullery, Jimmy Greaves, Charles Roberts, Pat Jennings and Alf Ramsey we are looking at some of the experiences Tottenham and its players have had when they met the great Brazilian sides.

As Brazil prepare to host their second World Cup there is also a feeling that they have a ghost to lay after 64 years. It was 1950 and the competition was coming to a climax . The Brazilian people believed they were about to be crowned world champions for the first time. In the previous three tournaments the home side had triumphed twice, including Uruguay 20 years earlier.

There are Tottenham connections aplenty for the 2006 competition when we include past and future players. Italy would win the trophy for the fourth time using 21 of their 23 man squad in the process. Beating France in a shootout in the final. Their success being based on a strong defence. They only conceded two goals, one a penalty the other an own goal. None of their players scored more than two. The hosts under the leadership of Jurgen Klinsmann finished in third place.

Long before I was old enough to make my first pilgrimage to White Hart Lane I was lucky enough to regularly receive Tottenham programmes and handbooks which  became my bedtime reading. So was born my love of programmes and the wonderful tales they contained.

Then as I got older family members passed on their own highly prized collections. With Tottenham and England games dating back to the 1940’s.

These have now been passed on to fourth and fifth generations of Spurs fans. A slight shame as they would of made my researching articles much easier.

The World Cup entered the new century by holding the competition in Asia for the first time. The competition was also split between two host countries for the first time as Japan and South Korea welcomed the world. Another first was when teams from five different federations reached the quarter finals and it was also the last finals that had the Golden Goal rule.

The other first was a Tottenham player took part in the Final game.