The World Cup is arguably the greatest sporting spectacle on the planet, with billions of people tuning in to watch 32 of the best footballing nations battle it out for the greatest prize in sports. The FIFA World Cup is a pinnacle achievement for any player and a prize that is unattainable for many world-class footballers. To date, there has been a total of 22 World Cup tournaments, including this year’s competition based in Qatar.
The very first World Cup was hosted by Uruguay back in 1930 and saw just 13 teams enter the tournament, with the host nation taking home the first-ever World Cup trophy. As one might expect, the tournament has since changed dramatically, as there are now 32 teams featured in the event, and in 2026, this number will increase even further to 48 total teams for the very first time in World Cup history.
For players, competing in the world cup is an opportunity like no other, and often the high point of their careers. It is the biggest footballing stage in the world and has been the platform for some of the most memorable moments in sports history. Let’s take a look at the nations that have triumphed the most in this captivating tournament.
Brazil (5 World Cups)Â
Unsurprisingly, the skilful Brazilians hold the record for the most World Cup wins in the event’s long and fruitful history, with A Seleção picking up the accolade a record five times. The nation first one the cup in 1958 when a 17-year-old Pele scored two goals in the final against Sweden. The Brazilians would retain the trophy in 1962 with a team that featured renowned superstars like Garrincha, Zito, Vava, and Pele.
The Brazilians lost out to England in the following tournament but in 1970 they won the trophy again, with a team that is widely regarded as the greatest unit to ever play the game. The team included Pele in his prime, who scored in the final against Italy in a 4-1 victory, as well as Carlos Alberto, Clodoaldo, Gerson, Rivelino, Tostao, and Jairzinho.
It wouldn’t be until 1994 that the Brazilians won the world cup again. However, this time there was a new superstar on the scene named Ronaldo, who was just 17 years old at the time. While fans would have to wait until the 2002 World Cup to see him truly shine, he put on a performance that was well worth the wait. Ronaldo scored twice in the final and even took home the coveted Golden Boot by the end of the tournament, becoming a world champion alongside superstars like Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho, and Rivaldo.
Germany (4 World Cups)
The Germans have always played disciplined and organized football, which has seen them enjoy much success on the international stage. Germany first won the trophy in 1954, when they were called West Germany, knocking off a Puskas-led Hungary squad in an entertaining 3-2 nailbiter in the cup final.
Their second win came in 1974 with an incredibly strong German side that included Gerd Muller, who was the hero of the tournament for the Germans. The country waited a few years before winning the tournament again in 1990 off the back of legendary performances by striker Jurgen Klinsmann.
Most recently, the Germans won the tournament against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, with unlikely hero Mario Götze knocking home the game and championship-winning goal in the 113th minute of extra time.
Italy (4 World Cups)
The Italians are known for being some of the most passionate fans in the world, and football is like a religion to them. Although Italy did not qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the Italians have won it on four separate occasions and are widely regarded as one of the elite nations in world football.
They won the second-ever World Cup tournament in 1934 when Angelo Schiavio’s goal was just enough to beat Czechoslovakia in extra time. And then in 1938, they managed to retain the trophy when Gino Colaussi and Silvio Piolo scored two each to beat Hungary in the final.
Italy’s next triumph wouldn’t come until 1982 when the likes of Paolo Rossi and Alessandro Altobelli were on the team, who ultimately carried the nation to beat Germany 3-1 in the final to hoist the cup once more. Italy became World Cup winners again in 2006 after beating down a talented French squad in the cup final, though the most memorable moment came from Zinedine Zidane when he was sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi, ultimately costing Les Bleus the game and the tournament.
Argentina (2 World Cups)
The Argentines are another footballing-mad nation that surprisingly only boasts two World Cup triumphs. The first of which came in 1978 when Mario Kempes scored twice in a 3-1 victory against a strong Netherlands squad that featured Johan Cruyff.
The country won its second FIFA World Cup trophy in 1986 when Argentina, led by the legendary Diego Maradona, soared all the way to the final where they would ultimately beat Germany 3-2 in a captivating matchup. One might ask why hasn’t Messi won a World Cup. Well, despite his unbelievable talent as one of the greatest footballers of all time, there are many legends of the game who never won it, like Johan Cruyff, for example.
France (2 World Cups)
France first won the World Cup in 1998, as the host nation nonetheless, with a team that featured the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Emmanuel Petit, and Didier Deschamps. Despite having to duel it out with a strong Brazilian team that included Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Rivaldo, Les Bleus would prevail in the end.
Zidane scored two headers and led the team to a 3-0 thrashing on home soil. The French also won as recently as 2018, when Kylian Mbappe inspired a 4-2 win against Croatia in Russia and are to this day considered one of the most dominant nations in world football.
Brazil soccer fans Robert Atterberry, center, Miguel Padilla left, and Surinder Leuthra, all of San Jose, Calif., cheer as they watch Brazil win the opening World Cup soccer match on a phone while attending a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals, Thursday, June 12, 2014, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Beck Diefenbach)
