Lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy is the ultimate price that a fan of any football country could ask for. So, let’s find out about countries that tasted this gold multiple times, leading to all the success and glory this prestigious tournament has today. Although we are about to unfold the history books, we can still feel the vibration and energy of Lusail stadium, like on 18 December 2022 when Argentina met France in the finals.
Do you know the most prosperous countries in the FIFA World Cup?
Brazil has won the prestigious FIFA World Cup trophy five times more than any other country. They have lifted the trophy in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. Brazil is the only team to have taken part in every single one of the 21 editions of the tournament. Nicknamed ‘La Selecao,’ Brazil is also the most dominant country in the World Cup, considering the total matches played (109), won (73), and goals scored (229). When Brazil won their first title in 1958, legendary goal scorer Pele came to the scene. He scored six sensational goals in that World Cup, two of which came in the crucial final game against Sweden. During his glorious career, Pele went on to win three FIFA World Cups – 1958, 1962, and 1970. Pele remains the only player in history to achieve this feat.
After Brazil, the two most successful teams in the FIFA World Cup are Germany and Italy, winning the FIFA World Cup trophy four times each. While Germany won it in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014, Italy, on the other hand, was the champions of the world in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Germany, a dominant force in European football, has achieved top-three finishes 12 times, including four second-place finishes. Notably, Miroslav Klose, the renowned German striker, still holds an impressive record for scoring the most goals at the World Cup, with an astonishing 16 goals in his name.
Italy, a team with remarkable resilience and determination, has also lifted the FIFA World Cup four times. Their journey has had many ups and downs. In 1934 and 1938, the team won the first two World Cups held in Europe. Italy’s most recent World Cup success was in 2006 in an overtime and humongous victory against France. However, this glorious team has also faced setbacks, failing even to make it to the tournament’s group stage. The circumstances have gone from bad to worse, as one of the most successful teams of the World Cup was not even qualified in 2018 and 2022. Despite these challenges, Italy’s determination and resilience continue to inspire.
Argentina has won the FIFA World Cup thrice – in 1978, 1986, and 2022. They’ve made it to the final six times and even came in second place in the first one in 1930. Two of the game’s biggest dribbling giants are also from Argentina; yes, you got it right, Maradona and Messi. Maradona lifted this fantastic piece of gold in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, and his successor, Messi, finally became the World Champion in the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 after beating the defending champions France in penalties.
France has enjoyed lifting this prestigious trophy twice; they won their first title in 1998 by beating the most successful team in the FIFA World Cup history, Brazil 3-0. Zinedine Zidane scored twice in the final to secure his national team their maiden trophy. They again shocked the whole world by winning their 2nd title in 2018. It was a young and talented team full of energy and skills back then. A few upcoming football stars shined in France’s success in FIFA World Cup 2018, such as Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Paul Pogba. France was again in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 against Argentina, in which they came close but failed to lift the piece of gold for the third time by the barest margin. Although they didn’t win the trophy, how Mbappe scored two back-to-back goals in less than a minute brought them back into the game. Every football expert worldwide appreciated This epic comeback by France and Mbappe, and their resilience in the final was appreciated when they returned to Paris from Qatar.
