The twentieth edition of the FIFA World Cup will be revived in the Persian Gulf country of Qatar for the first time in history. This occasion makes it perfect for us to look at the footballing histories of different countries. In this blog post, we count down the top countries with the most FIFA World Cup titles:
France – 2 Titles
France is one of the most successful countries in World Cup history. They have won two FIFA World Cups, winning their first title in 1998 and again in 2018.
France’s first triumph came in 1998 when they defeated Brazil 3-0 in the final. They also reached the semi-finals of that year’s European Championship, losing to Italy on penalties after a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes.
France’s second World Cup win came in 2018 when they defeated Croatia 4-2 in Moscow, Russia. In addition to winning the World Cup, France also won the Confederations Cup that same year by defeating Chile 2-0 in the final game.
Argentina – 2 Titles
Argentina is one of the most successful teams in the history of the FIFA World Cup. They have won two titles, and it was done twice in different decades. The first time Argentina won the World Cup was in 1978 with a 3-1 win over the Netherlands at Estadio Monumental de River Plate in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The second time they won the World Cup was in 1986 when they defeated Germany 3-2 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.
Italy – 4 Titles
Italy is the country that has won the FIFA World Cup four times. The first time they won was in 1934 when they defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final.
Italy defended its title in 1938 when it beat Hungary 4-2 in the final. They also won the 1982 edition, in which Italy beat West Germany 3-1 in the final. The last and most recent time Italy became world champions was in 2006. In this edition, Italy beat France 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw during extra time.
Germany – 4 Titles
Germany is the second nation to win the World Cup on four separate occasions, alongside Italy. Germany won it in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014. Their last win ended with a 7-1 demolishing of Brazil.
Their victories have been marked by exceptional football players, including Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Lothar Matthäus, and Michael Ballack.
Germany has won the FIFA World Cup four times: in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014. They are also one of only two nations (along with Italy) to have won back-to-back titles; they achieved this in 1982 and 1986.
Brazil – 5 Titles
Brazil is the only country to have won the World Cup five times. The first time was in 1962, 1970, and 1994, and then again in 2002. They have also been runners-up three times.
The country has had some incredible players that have contributed to its success on the international stage, including Pele, Carlos Alberto Torres, and Ronaldo de Lima.
Brazil has also produced some of the best managers in football history. This includes Mário Zagallo (who led Brazil to victory at both the 1966 and 1970 World Cups), Carlos Alberto Parreira (who coached Brazil to victory at the USA 1994), and Luiz Felipe Scolari (who led Brazil to another World Cup victory in 2002).
