Today, the attention of the whole world was focused on the final match of the World Cup-2026 - the Spain-Argentina game. The final match, which Spain won 1:0, brought the country its second World Cup since 2010, exactly 16 years later.
Modern.az has investigated which countries have won how many times in the 22 tournaments held since 1930. Since 1930, although more than 100 national teams have competed, only 8 selected countries have had the honor of lifting this elite trophy.
Which country has won how many times?
Looking at the hierarchy of world football, we see that the cups are divided between Europe (12 titles) and South America (10 titles).
Brazil (5 Titles — 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002): Representatives of "Samba football" are the only 5-time champions of the planet. At the same time, Brazil is the only national team that has participated continuously in all championships held in the history of the tournament.
Germany (4 Titles — 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014): The "German machine", a symbol of precision and stability, has not only been champion 4 times, but has also lost in the final 4 more times, making it the only team to play in 8 finals in total.
Italy (4 Titles — 1934, 1938, 1982, . Italy established the first great football dynasty by winning the cup twice in a row in the 1930s.
Argentina (3 Titles — 1978, 1986, 2022): "Albiseleste", who won their first two titles with the individual genius of Kempes and Maradona, won the title of the planet's latest champion under the leadership of Lionel Messi in Qatar in 2022.
France (2 Titles — 1998, 2018): The most stable team of the 21st century with its multicultural composition and strong academy. They have played in the final in 4 of the last 7 tournaments.
Uruguay (2 Titles — 1930, 1950): Uruguay, the winner of the first tournament in 1930, made history's biggest shock by defeating Brazil at home in 1950.
Spain (2 Titles - 2010, 2026): The Spanish national team, which defeated the Netherlands with a goal by Iniesta in extra time in 2010, repeated its historic success for the second time today.
England (1 Title — 1966) and Spain (1 Title — 2010): England, considered the home of football, only triumphed at home.
Absolute Records in World Cup History
Individual records in the World Cup should not be forgotten. The unique peaks that still cannot be renewed are:
Top scorer: Miroslav Klose (Germany) — 16 goals.
Most goals in a single tournament: Just Fontaine (France, 1958) — 13 goals in just one tournament.
The only player with the most championships: Pelé (Brazil) — 3 times world champion (1958, 1962, 1970).
Legend with the most matches: Lionel Messi (Argentina) — played a record 26 games in World Cups.
5 Unforgettable Finals That Changed the Course of History
1. Lusail Thriller: Argentina 3:3 France (Penalties: 4:2) — 2022
The match, declared "The best final in history" by world media, was a duel between two generations of superstars — Lionel Messi (2 goals) and Kylian Mbappé (hat-trick). It was a 120-minute emotional roller-coaster where tactical schemes were shattered, and ultimately Messi's last cup completing his divine career.
2. "Maracanazo" Disaster: Uruguay 2:1 Brazil — 1950
Although not officially a final match, the last match of the group was a final in terms of status. Uruguay's comeback victory in front of 200,000 Brazilian fans gathered at the Maracanã stadium caused national mourning in Brazil and led the country's team to abandon their white jerseys and switch to the yellow and blue colors we all know today.
3. Collapse of the "Berlin Wall" and Zidane's Drama: Italy 1:1 France (Penalties: 5:3) — 2006
The game, which is the biggest anti-hero story in football history, was remembered for Zinedine Zidane's headbutt to Marco Materazzi in the last seconds of his magnificent career and the red card he received. The genius footballer walking past the World Cup with his head down is one of the most dramatic scenes in sports history. The winner was Italy, who remained calm in the penalty shootout.
4. "Wembley Goal" and Eternal Debate: England 4:2 West Germany — 1966
Whether the ball crossed the goal line after English Geoff Hurst's shot in extra time is still being investigated with modern technologies today. With Azerbaijani linesman Tofiq Bahramov's "goal" decision, England won its first and only cup in history. Hurst became the first player to score a hat-trick in a final (this record was only repeated by Mbappé 56 years later - ed).
5. Birth of the King: Brazil 5:2 Sweden — 1958
This match was the day a 17-year-old poor Brazilian boy — Pelé — became the monarch of world football. Pelé, who crushed Sweden with 2 goals in the final, brought Brazil its first world championship and laid the foundation of the "Joga Bonito" (Beautiful Game) philosophy.
Finally, it should be noted that the FIFA World Cup is not just a 90-minute tactical battle. This tournament is humanity's greatest drama theater, written with Pelé's tears, Bahramov's flag, Zidane's headbutt, and Messi's robe. That is why every four years, humanity stops and watches the new history that only 22 people on the green field will write.
