Most Successful Teams in FIFA World Cup History | Most World Cup Winners in Football History

Most World Cup Winners in Football History

The most popular football tournament of all time, the FIFA world cup is held every four years where some of the best football playing countries across the globe come together to showcase their talents amidst all the football lovers in the world. The competition is the toughest football competition as players from all the countries play for their nation with utter aggressiveness and prowess. Every four years, although only one country can lift the much-coveted world cup, all other countries play equally well and it would be an injustice if we don’t mention their playing skills and tactics.

While some teams may transcend all barriers in the world cup tournament and exhibit spectacular competence in the game, some other teams may perform extraordinarily well in other FIFA tournaments but fail to display their prowess in the world cup matches. So it would be unjust to tag the most successful teams in FIFA history based solely on the number of world cup titles won by any team. Some teams have exceptionally well-trained players who play well throughout the year. Some teams play really well in the world cup matches and reach the semi-finals. However, winning the world cup needs a little bit of luck along with versatility in playing.

Some of the most successful teams in FIFA World Cup history are Brazil, Germany, Italy, and Argentina. Brazil has lifted the world cup trophy five times in the years -1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 while both Italy and Germany have won the world cup titles 4 times each. While Germany won World cup final in the years- 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014, Italy has won the tournament final in the years 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006. Compared to these high profile teams, Argentina holds the record of winning the world cup 2 times only but it completed as runners up in the final in the years 1930, 1990 and 2014. The developing countries of South America have been in the top list of the best football playing nations in the world since time immemorial. Uruguay, a small developing country was the first nation to have won the FIFA world cup in 1930.

List of the Most Successful Teams in Football World Cup History

#1. Brazil National Football Team

Most Successful Teams in FIFA World Cup : Brazil is the birthplace of a few of the best footballers of all time. The first name which comes to anyone’s mind while discussing Brazil football team is none other than Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele. He is often regarded as the greatest player of all time. He started playing for the Brazil national team since the age of 16. During his career, Brazil won FIFA world cup 3 times in the years – 1958, 1962 and 1970. He was an electrifying striker who possessed amazing dribbling skills. He is also the all-time leading goal scorer for Brazil and holds a record of 77 goals in 92 matches only. It is true that after him, Brazil didn’t get any great player who can match up to his competence level.

However, many other great players with budding talents and excellent striking and defending skills joined the Brazil national team. One of the most gifted attacking midfielders of Brazil is Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, also known as Ronaldinho. He was excellent as a forward or a winger too. He was a part of the 2002 FIFA world cup where Brazil won defeating Germany. He was the top goal scorer for the tournament. Along with Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Rivaldo are two other attacking footballers of 2002 world cup. In recent times, Neymar and Kaka have gained popularity for their amazing show of talents in football tournaments. The main strength of the Brazilian team is that there are a plethora of central midfielders. Given match records, Brazil is one of the most successful teams in FIFA history.

#2. Germany National Football Team

Germany National Football Team comes next while talking about the most successful teams in FIFA history. Germany holds a record of playing 8 World cup finals, the highest number of finals played by any nation ever. While the team managed to win the world cup title only four times, the rest of the times Germany ended up as runners up. The obvious strengths of the German players are definitely squad depth and attacking talent. German players are known to be patient and they can change any almost lost match into a winning one. This country has produced some of the best footballers in the world.

The world has witnessed the likes of Matthias Sammer and Franz Beckenbauer make the sweeper position their own while on the other hand, Thomas Muller revitalizes football with his extraordinary ability to find space no-one else can, making that Raumdeuter role his own. Jurgen Klinsmann, one of the greatest footballer played for the German national team and he scored 40 goals in 82 games, establishing himself in German football history.

Apart from that, he also came third in the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995. Bastian Schweinsteiger is another celebrated footballer who helped Germany win the 2014 world cup title with his heroic performance against Argentina in the final. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Fritz Walter, Miroslav Klose are few other great German players. Miroslav Klose took Ronaldo’s record from him in 2014, scoring 16 goals in World Cup football, thereby surpassing the Brazilian’s tally of 15.

Gerd Muller, popularly known as “The Bomber” is celebrated as the top scorer for Germany and he scored 68 goals in 62 matches at the international level. Germany is also fortunate enough to be blessed with world-class goalkeepers, some of which have been the best of their era. Most importantly, German ideology and the work culture brings out the best in most of the players by encouraging them to work hard consistently in order to achieve success.

#3. Italy National Football Team

Italy is one of the European nations that had been successfully producing top-class football players exhibiting amazing prowess and attacking skills in the world football arena. One of the most discussed traits of the Italian football team is its flexibility. It works both as a strength as well as a weakness for the team. Italy National Football Team had been consistently playing football since 1910. In 1938, they became the first team ever to defend their World Cup title and owing to the outbreak of World War II, Italy retained the title for a further 12 years. It had won four world cup titles and was a part of the final matches in 1970 and 1994.

Italy has top-level club teams as well like AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, etc. However, the weak Italian economy is affecting the quality of players in the team. Few of the world-class players of Italy of all time are – Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, Sandro Mazzola, Giuseppe Meazza, Andrea Pirlo, etc. Italians are famous for their attacking skills and defense.

#4. Argentina National Football Team

FIFA history becomes bleak if we fail to mention the achievements of the Argentina National Football Team. Although Argentina has won the world cup title only two times, this team has gifted the world of football mind-blowing manifestation of talent. Argentina is all time favorite for all football lovers across the globe. Ever since the time of Diego Maradona this team had broken and rebuild records in the world football scenario.

In recent times, Lionel Messi has made a place in the hearts of all. Diego Armando Maradona is often considered as one of the greatest footballers in the world. His competitor in achieving the top list of the great footballers is none other than Pele. He earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals during his international career with the Argentina national team.

During his captaincy period in the 1986 World cup, Argentina won the final against West Germany and he was awarded the Golden Ball for being the best player of the tournament. He started playing for Argentinos Juniors 10 days before he turned 16. From the age of 12 itself, he amused people with his excellent skills with the football. However, his drug addictions led to his downfall in the international football scenario.

In recent times, Messi is carrying forward the legacy of Maradona. He led Argentina to three consecutive finals: the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he was awarded the Golden Ball, and the 2015 and 2016 Copas América. Apart from Maradona and Messi, Gabriel Batistuta, Alfredo Di Stefano, Daniel Passarella, Mario Kempes, Carlos Teves, Omar Sivori, Gonzalo Higuain, etc are few of the notable players for the Argentina national team. Football lovers across the world adore this team for its excellent showcase of football matches.

Apart from these, England, France, Spain, Portugal is a few of the other successful football teams. These teams have few of the best players in the world. However, the overall performance of the team is not as great as that of Brazil or other top-class teams. Success can be achieved by any team any time only if adequate hard work and perseverance are there. Keeping this in mind, if all individual players put up their best efforts, then the world scenario of the most successful teams in FIFA history might change forever.

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