Soviet Union 1986
The Soviet Union at Mexico 1986 opened the tournament with what many consider the greatest team goal in World Cup history. Against Hungary, a 20-pass move of breathtaking precision ended with a finish that left the football world in awe part of a devastating 6-0 victory. Valeriy Lobanovskyi, the visionary manager who pioneered scientific football at Dynamo Kyiv, brought his pressing system and collective philosophy to the international stage. Igor Belanov, who would win the Ballon d'Or that year, was electric scoring a hat-trick against Belgium in the round of 16. But Belgium won 4-3 in extra time in one of the wildest matches in World Cup history. The Soviet Union were eliminated, but their opening match against Hungary endures as a testament to what football can be when every player thinks and moves as one a vision of total collective football that rivalled anything the Dutch had produced.