England were back and Brazil sparkled but it was Italy who emerged triumphant thanks to a reborn Paolo Rossi.
England return, Brazil star but Rossi and Italy win
I had just turned 13 when the World Cup finals headed to sunny Spain.
And for me that meant seeing England on the World Cup stage for the first time.
In 1978, the first tournament I can remember, I had been an honorary Scotland supporter.
The Scots had been humiliated back then so surely England had to fare better - and it took just 27 seconds for Ron Greenwood's men to make their mark.
A quick throw-in from Steve Coppell, a flick on by Terry Butcher and there was Bryan Robson at the far post to hook the ball home.
Regretfully I wasn't in front of a TV to see it.
The game had clashed with a trip to the dentist and despite massive Kevin The Teenager-style "Huh, it's so unfair" protestations, my mother wouldn't be swayed.
Luckily my dentist had the wireless on, although when the French equaliser went in his drill almost removed my front teeth.
After a mad rush home for the closing stages, when my dad broke 60mph for the first and only time in his life, I actually got to see Robson head home a superb second and Paul Mariner sew it up with a third. Magnificent. What a start.
But that was to be the high for England.
Uninspired 1-0 wins over Czechoslovakia and Kuwait followed and our lack of goals was again apparent as we drew 0-0 with West Germany in the first game of the three-team second group phase.
It meant England needed a 2-0 win over hosts Spain to reach the last four - surely an impossible ask now the goals had dried up.
But wait, there was hope. We had a trump card, make that two trump cards, up our sleeve - the deadly double act of Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking.
The star pair had been injured for the early part of the tournament but it was now or never and Greenwood put them on the bench for the showdown with Spain.
With the nation roaring at Greenwood through their televisions to bring them on, the England boss finally relented with 20 minutes left.
Brooking picked up the pace from the start but a pumped-up Keegan looked far too anxious.
Having missed out on the finals in 1978, he had a golden chance to give England hope but somehow headed an absolute sitter wide of the post. And then it was all over.
To this day I still believe a shaven headed man would have scored that goal - as it was Keegan's perm got too much on the ball and it frizzed wide.
But for me the 1982 World Cup was all about falling in love for the first time. Not with a girl but with Brazil.
Greatest
Ahh, what a team. I had often cursed my luck that I hadn't been born 12 years earlier and seen the magical Brazilians of 1970 play live in Mexico.
But in 1982, I had my own version of the 1970 team to drool over. Zico, Socrates, Junior, Falcao and best of all, by a million miles, Eder!
Watching Brazil was sheer bliss and surely this team were destined to go down as one of the greatest in history as they headed into the game with Italy needing just a draw to reach the semi-finals.
The game has gone down as one of the greatest in World Cup history.
But to me it rekindles memories of total injustice and a huge sense of loss.
Playing what Dave Bassett might call "too much fanny dangle" at the back, Brazil defended like idiots and allowed Paolo Rossi to fire home a hat-trick and dump them out.
Rossi had previously been banned for his part in a match-fixing scandal and had looked poor in the opening games of Spain '82.
But suddenly he came over all ruthless and wrecked my entire summer.
I even agreed to turn out for the school cricket team when Italy played Poland in the semi-finals so, as I'd watched every single game of World Cup '82 so far, my heart was clearly no longer in it.
Nevertheless, I was still quietly pleased when Italy tonked West Germany 3-1 in the final - Marco Tardelli's passionate celebration of the second goal reminding me of how great football is for stirring the emotions.
And, of course, it also meant a loser's medal for villain of the piece Harald Schumacher.
If you think English referees are rubbish nowadays then remember that the German goalkeeper wasn't even booked for his assault on Patrick Battiston.
I shall also remember World Cup '82 for Northern Ireland.
Although 17-year-old Norman Whiteside was the centre of attention, Billy Hamilton and Gerry Armstrong became my personal favourites with their buccaneering runs and the two combined to score that memorable winner against hosts Spain.
The hairs on the back of my neck still stand on end when I hear John Motson cry "Armstrong" as the striker fires past the helpless Arconada.
As for Scotland, again I was left with a real sense of disappointment so goodness knows what real Scottish fans felt.
How, I wondered, could Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen be so good for Liverpool and yet look so mediocre in a Scotland shirt.
Despite taking the lead against Brazil and beating New Zealand, Hansen and Willie Miller ran into each other near the touchline, Russia broke away and scored and the Tartan Army's trip to sunny Spain was all over.
Player of the tournament
It's obvious to pick Rossi, whose six goals in the last three games drove Italy to World Cup glory. But for me it had to be the brilliant Brazilian Eder. Despite bearing a passing resemblance to Barry Manilow, Eder was the most skilful player I had ever seen. A real old school Brazilian who you imagined the Brazilian coaches had dragged off a beach a few days before the tournament. His left foot could be murderous, thumping a glorious goal against Russia and almost breaking the crossbar against Argentina. Or it could be like velvet, caressing the ball over Alan Rough in the 4-1 rout of Scotland. His celebration - a sort of sideways skip - I repeated many times on school lunchtimes. Zico and Socrates also took the eye in 1982 but sullied their reputations four years later in Mexico. Eder had vanished by then, leaving us all to wonder just what magic he could have conjured if Brazil had gone all the way to the 1982 final.
Goal of the tournament
It has to be Eder of course and that fantastic goal against Scotland. Incredibly the Scots had gone in front with a great strike by David Narey but the goal merely stirred Brazil into action. Zico equalised, the lumbering Serginho (how on earth did he get into the Brazilian team) made it 2-1 and the game was up. But if ever a moment emphasised the gulf in class, it came in the 63rd minute. Although Alan Rough served the popular myth at the time that all Scottish goalkeepers were rubbish, not even Gordon Banks, Lev Yashin and Peter Shilton all rolled into one could have done anything about Eder's exquisite strike. Running onto a pass, Eder, not breaking stride, feathered the ball over Alan Rough and into the net with the most gentle ripple.
Match of the tournament
No guesses here. Italy 3 Brazil 2. After beating old rivals Argentina 3-1, Brazil needed only a draw against the so far unimpressive Italians to reach the semi-finals. In hindsight, that scenario probably didn't suit them. Although Italy took an early lead Brazil were soon back on level terms as a wonderful turn by Zico set up Socrates to slot past Zoff at his near post. But the alarm bells rang louder when careless defending allowed Rossi to race away and put Italy back in front. The Italians held out until half-time and as the second 45 ticked away Brazil's plight was becoming desperate. But with time running out, Falcao cut inside and hammered a left-foot shot past Zoff. His screaming face and bulging veins left one of the most lasting images of the tournament. The goal deserved to be the crucial moment but Rossi had other ideas and punished more slack defensive work by firing in his hat-trick moments later. Zoff made one last-gasp save on his goal-line and amazingly Italy had pulled off what no-one thought possible. To this day I still watch the video of that game and wonder how on earth Brazil blew it.
Home nations
England came second in a testing qualifying Group 4 that included Romania and eventual table-toppers Hungary. The Three Lions' victory over Hungary in their final outing proved vital in sealing the runners-up berth.
They went on to top Group 4 in Spain after beginning with an opening win over France. A brace from Bryan Robson and a strike from Paul Mariner downed Les Bleus. Victory over Czechoslovakia and Kuwait wrapped up first place.
But in the second round, when a second group stage was played out, things went pear shaped for England. A 0-0 draw with West Germany was followed by the same scoreline against Spain, confirming England's exit.
Northern Ireland emerged as runners-up in qualifying Group 6. They finished above Sweden, Portugal and Israel.
The Northern Irish started their campaign with a 0-0 draw versus Yugoslavia before again being held, this time versus Honduras after Gerry Armstrong had handed them the lead.
They then rocked Spain via a 1-0 triumph, again Armstrong was on target, to ensure they claimed top spot and advanced to the second group stage.
But from there they struggled, first drawing 2-2 against Austria and then being dumped out by France, who were 4-1 victors.
Scotland booked their place at Spain 1982 after they finished top of qualifying Group 6 ahead of Northern Ireland.
Things started promisingly for the Scots when they put five past New Zealand but that result was followed by a 4-1 loss versus the brilliant Brazilians.
Scotland crashed out after snatching a 2-2 draw against USSR, who advanced at their expense due to their better goal difference.
Wales came so close to booking their place at the 1982 World Cup finals but ultimately fell short by virtue of goal difference, as Czechoslovakia progressed at their expense.
