For me it has to be 2002 - was 18 so drinking age and on summer shift work before Uni so could fit work around games and the pub.
A real feeling England could win it, a couple of great nights out after the Argentina and Denmark wins, interesting pieces on the two countries all the time and the hosts' enthusiasm was infectious.
Big shocks like Senegal v France in the very first game, and a lovely story in the final with Ronaldo making up for 4 years earlier.
Remember really getting into USA 94 as the first World Cup I really remember too, and 2014 was really good.
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I got the video "Every Goal in Italia 90". I watched it everyday for a year after.
To be honest Euro 96 was better than any World Cup I remember! Was 12 and went to Wembley for England v Scotland. Cried my eyes out after the semi final.
But in my adult life it's 1990 by a mile.
from an England perspective obviously Italia 90 was superb
People going mad in the street after we won a game. And a bit madder when we lost to Germany...
A big crowd greeted the England team when they returned at Luton airport; I can't imagine a recurrance of that unless we actually won it.
Linekar and Gazza were like pop stars. In the first friendly game at Wembley afterwards Vs Hungry I remember loads of girls screaming everytime they touched the ball.
Loved Bobby Robson, loved the England team - the perfect blend of artists (Waddle, Gazza, etc) and soldiers (Mark Wright, Stuart Pearce and so on).
World In Motion - best ever England world cup song
Should've beaten Germany, although they were the best side in terms of consistency across the whole tournament.
The first one I remember was 1982.
I enjoyed 2002 and being in the pub early morning for games and stayed there all day.
Personal favourite though was Mexico 86.
I loved 1982 and 1994 as well. England weren't involved, but there were some cracking games
Didn't really enjoy the other two but loved 2014, was so much anticipation for it and was 18 at the time just finished uni so like you said in OP, was out drinking and watching it in pubs. I think there's a little resurgence of your love for international football when you turn 18 and go from watching it at home to being old enough to go to a boozer with your mates. Probably why I'm looking forward so much to the euros too!
Feel that due to my age I missed a generation of great tournaments (from a match-going fans perspective) like 96,98,2002,2004.
Loved 2002 as I was 17 but working and could go out on the lash - remember queuing for pubs to open and ordering jugs of larger at 5am esp. for the Brazil game. Great care-free times. I should have gone to 2004 but didn't have the money at the time.
My first that I attended was 2006 which I thought was very sanitised and didn't do much for me, other than being amazed by the numbers of England at some games. I was in and out for the Eng games (without tickets) which never helps.
Could not do 2010 or 2014 due to work as it's incredibly hard to get significant time off in June for me, which was required for SA and Brazil.
This also affected Ukraine 2012 for me and yet again for France this summer I need to go in and out, rather than staying out and soaking up the tournament atmosphere. Grrrrrr.
Having spoken to many England fans who have travelled to all the major tournaments in the last 30 odd years they nearly to a man say that Japan 2002 was the best (so unique, amazing people and we beat the argies) , but that apart they seems to get worst and more sanitised as time goes on.
If you're going just from a football perspective then be prepared to be disappointed but if you can go for two weeks and actually see the places then SA and Brazil would have been superb I imagine.
The next two do not appeal one bit, so I think France will be my last tournament for a long long time (esp. as kids will be imminent) but then I prefer the qualifiers to eastern Europe anyway.
Watched the Cameroon game in the Drayman. Then launched ourselves up the Broadway dancing round the Clocktower till all hours. Slow day at work that Monday.
That French and Brazilian team were absolute class.