H i s t o r y O f W o r l d C u p

tip: this page is not including Germany 2006

 

Uruguay 1930

 

FIFA's decision to hold the first FIFA World CupT in Uruguay did not meet universal acclaim, as Europe was plunged in the midst of an economic crisis. Participation in a FIFA World Cup taking place overseas involved a long sea journey. Moreover,
for some clubs it meant having to go without their best players for two months - a problem that is still topical today.

 

Teams

Argentina

Chile

France

Mexico

Yugoslavia

Brazil

Bolivia

Uruguay

Romania

Peru

USA

Paraguay

Belgium

 

 

 

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

USA

Yugoslavia

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Uruguay

Argentina

 

 Result

 4

 2

 

 

 

Italy 1934

 

Italy, one f the unsuccessful applicants for the honor of staging the 1930 tournament, was chosen as host by the FIFA for the second FIFA World CupT.
Italy's triumph left both Argentina and Brazil disenchanted after travelling 8,000 miles (13,000 km) for just one game each in the first round. Italy beat Czechoslovakia 2-1 after extra time in the final after trailing 1-0 until eight minutes from time.

 

Teams

Spain

Brazil

Austria

France

Germany

Belgium

Switzerland

Netherlands

Czechoslovakia

Romania

Italy

USA

Hungary

Egypt

Sweden

Argentina

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Germany

Austria

 

 Result

3

2

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Italy

Czechoslovakia

 

 Result

2

1

 

 

 

France 1938

 

The third FIFA World CupT was played in France as the war clouds gathered throughout Europe and politics kept away a number of top nations. Austria qualified, but withdrew -- though some of their players appeared in the colours of Germany and Spain was ravaged by
civil war. Argentina and Uruguay also stayed away.

 

Teams

Switzerland

Germany

Brazil

Poland

France

Belgium

Czechoslovakia

Netherlands

Cuba

Romania

Hungary

Dutch East Indies

Italy

Norway

Sweden

Austria

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Brazil

Sweden

 

 Result

4

2

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Italy

Hungary

 

 Result

4

2

 

 

 

Brazil 1950

 

Throughout the Second World War the Italian Vice-President of FIFA, Dr. Ottorino Barassi, hid the FIFA World CupT trophy in a shoe-box under his bed and thus saved it from falling into the hands of occupying troops.
The qualifying competition turned into something of a farce with teams qualifying then withdrawing - and teams already eliminated being offered places. India withdrew because FIFA would not let them play in bare feet. So only 13 teams participated in the final tournament.

 

Teams

Brazil

Yugoslavia

Switzerland

Mexico

Spain

England

Chile

USA

Sweden

Italy

Paraguay

Uruguay

Bolivia

 

 

 

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Sweden

Spain

 

 Result

3

1

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Uruguay

Brazil

 

 Result

2

1

 

 

 

Switzerland 1954

 

Four years after the frenzy of the Maracana stadium, the Jules Rimet trophy returned to Europe to a calmer atmosphere in Switzerland. The field of play, however, produced breathtaking entertainment. This fifth FIFA World CupT was unforgettable
for its sensational high-scoring games, and a surprise win for the German Federal Republic.

 

Teams

Brazil

Yugoslavia

France

Mexico

Hungary

Turkey

West Germany

Korea Republic

Uruguay

Austria

Czechoslovakia

Scotland

England

Italy

Switzerland

Belgium

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Austria

Uruguay

 

 Result

3

1

 

 

Final Match

 

 

West Germany

Hungary

 

 Result

3

2

 

 

 

Sweden 1958

 

After Switzerland, Sweden was named host country for the 1958 FIFA World CupT - a Cup which, on 16 October 1956, lost its founding father, when Jules Rimet died in Paris at the age of 83.
Brazil, inspired by a 17-year-old youngster called Pelé, won the trophy for the first time. Pelé scored against Wales, hit a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over France in the semi-finals and struck two more in the final, a 5-2 triumph over the hosts.

 

Teams

West Germany

Czechoslovakia

Northern Ireland

Argentina

France

Yugoslavia

Paraguay

Scotland

Sweden

Hungary

Wales

Mexico

Brazil

England

Soviet Union

Austria

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

France

West Germany

 

 Result

6

3

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Brazil

Sweden

 

 Result

5

2

 

 

 

Chile 1962

 

Another Brazilian triumph, but Pelé played in only the opening game against Mexico before being injured. Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 in the final in Santiago with goals from Amarildo, Zito and Vava. The tournament also staged one of
the most notorious matches in FIFA World CupT history - the Battle of Santiago between Italy and Chile, in which two Italians were sent off and one had his nose broken by a solid left-hook from a Chilean player.

 

Teams

Soviet Union

Yugoslavia

Uruguay

Colombia

West Germany

Chile

Italy

Switzerland

Brazil

Czechoslovakia

Mexico

Spain

Hungary

England

Argentina

Bulgaria

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Chile

Yugoslavia

 

 Result

1

0

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Brazil

Czechoslovakia

 

 Result

3

1

 

 

 

England 1966

 

Since its launch in 1930, the FIFA World CupT had grown in stature to become clearly the world's senior international football tournament.
After the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen while on display in London, the hosts triumphed again when it was recovered by a dog called Pickles under a bush in a suburban front garden in south London a few days later.

 

Teams

England

Uruguay

Mexico

France

West Germany

Argentina

Spain

Switzerland

Portugal

Hungary

Brazil

Bulgaria

Soviet Union

North Korea

Italy

Chile

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Portugal

Soviet Union

 

 Result

2

1

 

 

Final Match

 

 

England

West Germany

 

 Result

4

2

 

 

 

Mexico 1970

 

The ninth FIFA World CupT also became a major TV spectacle and to fit in with television company requests, some matches kicked off at 12 noon. This was an unpopular decision with many players and managers because of the intense heat in
Mexico at that time of day.

 

Teams

Soviet Union

Mexico

Belgium

El Salvador

Italy

Uruguay

Sweden

Israel

Brazil

England

Romania

Czechoslovakia

West Germany

Peru

Bulgaria

Morocco

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

West Germany

Uruguay

 

 Result

1

0

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Brazil

Italy

 

 Result

4

1

 

 

 

Germany 1974

 

Another host triumph as the West Germans took the new FIFA World CupT for the first time with a quite exceptional display of the hard-running, interchanging style in a tournament remembered for the arrival of "total football".
The Netherlands, with Johan Cruyff outstanding, beat Argentina 4-0 and Brazil 2-0 to announce their arrival, but could not overcome West Germany in the final and went down 2-1, Gerd Müller, "Der Bomber', typically scoring the winner.

 

Teams

East Germany

West Germany

Chile

Australia

Yugoslavia

Brazil

Scotland

Zaire

Netherlands

Sweden

Bulgaria

Uruguay

Poland

Argentina

Italy

Haiti

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Brazil

Poland

 

 Result

0

1

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Netherlands

West Germany

 

 Result

1

2

 

 

 

Argentina 1978

 

Having reached the final in 1930, Argentina had to wait a while before winning the FIFA World CupT, which they eventually did on own soil in 1978. The great support for the home team helped carry them to victory over the
Netherlands in the final, Cruyff having turned his back as he refused to
travel to Argentina because of the political situation.

 

Teams

Italy

Argentina

France

Hungary

Poland

West Germany

Tunisia

Mexico

Austria

Brazil

Spain

Sweden

Peru

Netherlands

Scotland

Iran

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Brazil

Italy

 

 Result

2

1

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Argentina

Netherlands

 

 Result

3

1

 

 

 

Spain 1982

 

Italy survived the opening round on goal difference and then went on to win the trophy for a third time after a creative Brazilian team had bowed out to them in an astonishing match in the second phase.
Zico, Socrates, Falcao and Eder could not stop attacking and Brazil paid for it when they lost 3-2 to a Paolo Rossi hat-trick. Italy went on to the final and beat West Germany 3-1. Rossi finished top scorer with six goals.

 

Teams

Poland

Italy

Cameroon

Peru

West Germany

Austria

Algeria

Chile

Belgium

Argentina

Hungary

El Salvador

England

France

Czechoslovakia

Kuwait

Northern Ireland

Spain

Yugoslavia

Honduras

Brazil

Soviet Union

Scotland

New Zealand

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Poland

France

 

 Result

3

2

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Italy

West Germany

 

 Result

3

1

 

 

 

Mexico 1986

 

The 13th FIFA World CupT was awarded to Mexico, who thus became the first country to host the competition on two occasions. However, the Mexicans were selected only as replacement hosts after the original choice, Colombia,
announced in 1983 that it could no longer afford to stage football's
greatest tournament. Terrible earthquakes were the prelude to the tournament, but the stadiums were not affected and it was decided to go ahead with the preparations

 

Teams

Argentina

Italy

Bulgaria

South Korea

Mexico

Paraguay

Belgium

Iraq

Soviet Union

France

Hungary

Canada

Brazil

Spain

Northern Ireland

Algeria

Denmark

West Germany

Uruguay

Scotland

Morocco

England

Poland

Portugal

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

France

Belgium

 

 Result

4

2

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Argentina

West Germany

 

 Result

3

2

 

 

 

Italy 1990

 

the 14th FIFA World Cup returned to Europe: to Italy .Germany take their place in history After Mexico in 1986, , footballing nation where no expense was to be spared in making the FIFA World Cup a roaring success. Ten of the twelve FIFA World Cup stadiums were given a complete facelift
and the other two (in Turin and Bari), were built from scratch especially for the event.

 

Teams

Italy

Czechoslovakia

Austria

USA

Cameroon

Romania

Argentina

Soviet Union

Brazil

Costa Rica

Scotland

Sweden

West Germany

Yugoslavia

Colombia

United Emirates

Spain

Belgium

Uruguay

Korea

England

Netherlands

Ireland

Egypt

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Italy

England

 

 Result

2

1

 

 

Final Match

 

 

West Germany

Argentina

 

 Result

1

0

 

 

 

USA 1994

 

147 countries - a new record - entered for the FIFA World Cup 94 qualifiers. Among them was South Africa, back after a lengthy exclusion. Many big guns, however, were not to make it to the finals: England, Denmark, the 1992 European champions, Portugal, Poland, and once again France, knocked
out by a Bulgarian goal in the last second of their last qualifying game. Also excluded was Yugoslavia, where civil war raged with Bosnia. 24 counties competed in the finals of the 15th FIFA World Cup.

 

Teams

Romania

Switzerland

USA

Colombia

Brazil

Sweden

Russia

Cameroon

Germany

Spain

South Korea

Bolivia

Nigeria

Argentina

Bulgaria

Greece

Mexico

Ireland

Italy

Norway

Netherlands

Saudi Arabia

Belgium

Morocco

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Sweden

Bulgaria

 

 Result

4

0

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Brazil

Italy

 

 Result

3

2

 

 

 

France 1998

 

The 16th FIFA World CupT was the largest ever, contested by 32 teams with 64 matches played. The eight groups of four teams were spread out throughout France in the ten new or refurbished stadia, with the opening game and the final held in the splendid new Stade de France just north of Paris.
32 countries meant 30 qualifying spots, providing more opportunities for teams from Africa and Asia. The four-team groups also reflected the geographical spread, with all but one of the pools comprising two Europeans, one from the Americas and one from Africa or Asia.

 

Teams

Brazil

Norway

Morocco

Scotland

Italy

Chile

Austria

Cameroon

France

Denmark

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

Nigeria

Paraguay

Spain

Bulgaria

Netherlands

Mexico

Belgium

South Korea

Germany

Yugoslavia

Iran

USA

Romania

England

Colombia

Tunisia

Argentina

Croatia

Jamaica

Japan

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Netherlands

Croatia

 

 Result

1

2

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Brazil

France

 

 Result

0

3

 

 

 

Korea & Japan 2002

 

Putting both South Korea and Japan in charge of the XVII World Cup was a controversial decision. The two countries were surprised and disappointed, as each of them wanted the tournament for themselves. The Japanese offered modern sports and recreation facilities, and South Korea's advantage was its sports achievements (participation in 4 World Cups, etc.). Eventually, FIFA decided, that the competition should be organized by the two countries together: half of the games (including the 3. place game) will be played in South Korea, and the other half (including the final) in Japan.

 

Teams

France

Senegal

Uruguay

Denmark

Spain

Slovenia

Paraguay

South Africa

Brazil

Turkey

China

Costa Rica

Korea

Poland

USA

Portugal

Germany

Saudi Arabia

Ireland

Cameroon

Argentina

Nigeria

England

Sweden

Italy

Ecuador

Croatia

Mexico

Japan

Belgium

Russia

Tunisia

 

3rd/4th Place

 

 

Turkey

South Korea

 

 Result

3

2

 

 

Final Match

 

 

Brazil

Germany

 

 Result

2

0

 

 

coming later Germany 2006