2014 World Cup: Is this the best tournament ever?

What’s the best World Cup in living memory?

That’s the question we’re asking as the world enjoys a thrilling tournament in Brazil full of goals, drama and talking points galore.

Is this World Cup set to become the best of all time? Or do you prefer one of the classic tournaments of the past?  Take a look at what some of the Sky Sports experts rate as their favourites and then have your say by voting in our poll.

Paul Merson – 1982

My favourite World Cup was 1982 when Brazil had the best team never to win it, England did well, there were goals galore and it included the best game I’ve seen in World Cup football as Italy beat Brazil with a Paolo Rossi hat-trick. For me that was the one, but this World Cup has been good. I would like to see who ends up winning this one though because I don’t think there’s been a lot of really, really good teams (which is the gutting thing about England’s exit). Brazil and Argentina barely got going and teams like Colombia and Costa Rica aren’t exactly great. There weren’t LOADS of great teams in 1982, but I do think the Brazil team back then was 100 times better than this one and they never won it. I think that competition was much harder to win than this one.

Tony Gale - 1970

People say 2014 has been a great World Cup and it has been fantastic and yes, there have been more goals and the stats point to that. But when you digest the closeness of the games with Costa Rica getting to the quarter-finals and the USA doing so well, it suggests that world football is not as good as we are making out at this World Cup. That’s my opinion. I have enjoyed this World Cup but my favourite ever was 1970. That’s because the 1970 Brazil team had seven superstars and the team of today only had one - and he got injured! I also think that England’s squad in 1970 was better than the team that won the World Cup in 1966.

Niall Quinn – 1978

The 1978 World Cup brings back great memories from my childhood, watching Holland and Argentina in Argentina. The ticker tape coming from the crowd and Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa, who later came to play with Tottenham, stokes up memories of my youth. The great Mario Kempes was the star of the show at that tournament with Argentina winning it and they are amazing memories that really defined the moment when I decided I had to become a footballer. I remember the Dutch players, who I was probably shouting for when the tournament started; Rob Rensenbrink, Willy van de Kerkhof, Johan Neeskens, Ruud Krol -  there were some great names there and it was just glorious times. They were great, great players and they had a huge effect on young people who followed football.

Jamie Redknapp – 1970

I think 2014 has been a good World Cup, but I don’t subscribe to the view it has been the best World Cup ever. The quarter-finals didn’t really catch fire and there has been a lack of great individual performances. It’s been exciting, but probably because of the teams we didn’t expect to do well like Chile and Costa Rica, who’ve added to the tournament – and also the colour of it being in Brazil. Saying that, it has been breathless, exciting and something you have not been able to take your eyes off. The next one has a lot to l