Every FIFA World Cup Winner — Full List + Quiz (1930–2022)”

Q: Has any team ever won back-to-back World Cups?

Yes — Italy won in 1934 and 1938, and Brazil won in 1958 and 1962. No team has defended the title since Brazil in 1962.

Q: How many nations have never won the World Cup but been runners-up?

Netherlands have lost three finals (1974, 1978, 2010), Czechoslovakia and Hungary both lost two finals. Several nations have reached the final without winning.

Q: Which player has won the most World Cups?

Pelé is the only player to win three World Cup medals — with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970.

Q: Who scored the only hat-trick in a World Cup final?

Geoff Hurst of England in the 1966 final against West Germany at Wembley. England won 4–2 after extra time.

June 8, 2026 James Pitchford

🏆 World Cup · All-Time Winners · Updated May 2026

🔑 Key Facts: 22 World Cups have been played since 1930. Brazil leads all nations with 5 titles, followed by Germany and Italy with 4 each. Only 8 different nations have ever lifted the trophy. Argentina are the defending champions (2022).

From Uruguay’s maiden triumph in 1930 to Argentina’s dramatic penalty shoot-out victory in 2022, the FIFA World Cup has produced 92 years of unforgettable moments. With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, and the new 48-team format set to create even more history, now is the perfect time to test your knowledge of every champion. All 50 questions below — how many can you get?

Questions

Nations Have Won

Brazil Titles (Record)

📋 Jump To A Section

All-Time Winners Table
Easy Questions (Q1–15)
Medium Questions (Q16–35)
Hard Questions (Q36–50)
Score Guide
FAQ

Every World Cup Winner — Full Table (1930–2022)

Year	Winner	Runner-Up	Score	Host
1930	Uruguay	Argentina	4–2	Uruguay
1934	Italy	Czechoslovakia	2–1 (aet)	Italy
1938	Italy	Hungary	4–2	France
1950	Uruguay	Brazil*	Round robin*	Brazil
1954	West Germany	Hungary	3–2	Switzerland
1958	Brazil	Sweden	5–2	Sweden
1962	Brazil	Czechoslovakia	3–1	Chile
1966	England	West Germany	4–2 (aet)	England
1970	Brazil	Italy	4–1	Mexico
1974	West Germany	Netherlands	2–1	West Germany
1978	Argentina	Netherlands	3–1 (aet)	Argentina
1982	Italy	West Germany	3–1	Spain
1986	Argentina	West Germany	3–2	Mexico
1990	West Germany	Argentina	1–0	Italy
1994	Brazil	Italy	0–0 (aet), pens	USA
1998	France	Brazil	3–0	France
2002	Brazil	Germany	2–0	Japan/South Korea
2006	Italy	France	1–1 (aet), pens	Germany
2010	Spain	Netherlands	1–0 (aet)	South Africa
2014	Germany	Argentina	1–0 (aet)	Brazil
2018	France	Croatia	4–2	Russia
2022	Argentina	France	3–3 (aet), pens	Qatar

*1950 had no knockout final. Uruguay won the decisive final group game 2–1 against Brazil to claim the title.

⬤ EASY

Easy Questions — Winners and Title Counts (Q1–15)

Q: Which nation has won the most World Cup titles?
A: Brazil, with 5 titles — in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.
Q: Which nations have won the World Cup 4 times?
A: Germany (including West Germany) and Italy have each won 4 World Cups.
Q: How many different nations have won the FIFA World Cup?
A: Only 8 nations have ever won the World Cup: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, Uruguay, England, and Spain.
Q: Who were the inaugural World Cup champions in 1930?
A: Uruguay, who defeated Argentina 4–2 in the final, played in Montevideo.
Q: Who are the defending World Cup champions entering 2026?
A: Argentina, who beat France in the 2022 final in Qatar after a 3–3 draw, winning on penalties.
Q: Which nation won the World Cup only once — in 1966?
A: England, who beat West Germany 4–2 after extra time at Wembley Stadium.
Q: Which nation won the World Cup only once — in 2010?
A: Spain, defeating Netherlands 1–0 in extra time in Johannesburg.
Q: How many World Cup titles does Argentina have?
A: Three — in 1978, 1986, and 2022.
Q: How many World Cup titles does France have?
A: Two — in 1998 (as hosts) and 2018.
Q: In which year did Italy win their last World Cup title?
A: 2006, defeating France on penalties in Berlin after a 1–1 draw in regular time.
Q: Which nation won consecutive World Cups in 1958 and 1962?
A: Brazil, making them the first team to win back-to-back World Cup titles.
Q: Has any nation successfully defended the World Cup title since 1962?
A: No — Brazil’s back-to-back wins in 1958 and 1962 remain the only consecutive titles in World Cup history. No defending champion has won the following tournament since.
Q: Which nation did West Germany beat in the 1954 World Cup final, considered one of the biggest upsets?
A: Hungary, the dominant “Mighty Magyars” who had been unbeaten for four years. West Germany won 3–2.
Q: How many World Cups have been held in total (through 2022)?
A: 22 World Cups, from Uruguay 1930 to Qatar 2022. The 2026 edition will be the 23rd.
Q: Which continent has produced the most World Cup champions?
A: Europe, with 12 titles (Germany 4, Italy 4, France 2, England 1, Spain 1), compared to South America’s 10 (Brazil 5, Argentina 3, Uruguay 2).

💡 Did You Know?

Pelé won his first World Cup at age 17 years and 249 days in 1958 — the youngest World Cup winner in history. He scored two goals in the final against Sweden, including a breathtaking chest-trap-and-volley many consider the most skillful goal ever scored in a World Cup final. He remains the only player to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) — a record no one has come close to matching.

⬤ MEDIUM

Medium Questions — Finals and Drama (Q16–35)

Q: Which final is the highest-scoring in World Cup history?
A: The 1958 final — Brazil 5–2 Sweden — with 7 goals total. A teenage Pelé scored twice in his first World Cup final.
Q: Who scored the golden goal to win the 2014 World Cup final?
A: Mario Götze of Germany, who came off the bench to score in the 113th minute, beating Argentina 1–0 in extra time in Rio de Janeiro.
Q: Which final ended 3–3 after extra time before going to penalties?
A: The 2022 final between Argentina and France — widely considered the greatest World Cup final ever. Argentina won 4–2 on penalties.
Q: Which was the first World Cup final decided by a penalty shoot-out?
A: The 1994 final — Brazil vs Italy, which finished 0–0 after extra time. Brazil won 3–2 on penalties at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Q: How many times did West Germany/Germany reach the World Cup final?
A: Eight times — 1954 (W), 1966 (L), 1974 (W), 1982 (L), 1986 (L), 1990 (W), 2002 (L), 2014 (W) — the most final appearances of any nation.
Q: How many host nations have won the World Cup?
A: Six — Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), England (1966), West Germany (1974), Argentina (1978), and France (1998).
Q: Which nation appeared in three consecutive World Cup finals between 1978 and 1990?
A: Argentina appeared in finals in 1986 (won) and 1990 (lost); West Germany appeared in 1982 (lost), 1986 (lost) and 1990 (won). West Germany / Germany holds the record for most consecutive final appearances in a period — winning in 1974, losing in 1982 and 1986, then winning again in 1990.
Q: France’s 1998 World Cup final win over Brazil was extraordinary — what was the score?
A: France 3–0 Brazil, in a match heavily dominated by France. Zinedine Zidane scored twice with headers, both in the first half.
Q: Which World Cup winner was playing only their second-ever World Cup?
A: Spain in 2010 — they had never won the World Cup in their previous appearances and claimed the title at only their second final (having never reached a final before).
Q: Who did France beat in the 2018 World Cup final, and what was the score?
A: Croatia, 4–2. Mario Mandžukić scored an own goal and a proper goal in the same match — the only player to do so in a World Cup final.
Q: The 1990 World Cup final was notable for what record?
A: It remains the lowest-scoring World Cup final in history — West Germany 1–0 Argentina, decided by a Brehme penalty. It is also considered one of the worst finals for quality of play.
Q: How long was the gap between Uruguay’s two World Cup wins?
A: 20 years — Uruguay won in 1930 and 1950. They have not won since and enter 2026 without a title in 76 years.
Q: Which nation appeared as a runner-up the most times without ever winning?
A: Netherlands (Holland), who have lost three World Cup finals — 1974 (to West Germany), 1978 (to Argentina), and 2010 (to Spain) — without ever winning the title.
Q: In 1938, Italy became only the second team to win back-to-back titles — who was the first?
A: Italy themselves, winning in 1934 and 1938. No other nation has defended the title successfully. (Brazil’s 1958–1962 titles came later.)
Q: Argentina’s 1986 win over West Germany — what was the final score?
A: Argentina 3–2. Argentina led 2–0, West Germany equalised to 2–2, then Jorge Burruchaga scored the winner in the 83rd minute.
Q: Brazil’s 2002 World Cup win — who did they beat in the final?
A: Germany, 2–0. Ronaldo scored both goals in Yokohama, Japan, claiming the Golden Boot and the trophy.
Q: What is unique about the 1950 World Cup winner’s match format?
A: There was no knockout final — Uruguay won a four-team round-robin final group (featuring Brazil, Uruguay, Spain, Sweden). Their decisive 2–1 win over hosts Brazil in the final round-robin game effectively decided the championship.
Q: Which World Cup final went to extra time in the most recent three editions?
A: Three consecutive finals went to extra time: 2010 (Spain vs Netherlands), 2014 (Germany vs Argentina), and 2022 (Argentina vs France). The 2018 final (France vs Croatia, 4–2) did not require extra time.
Q: How many times has a South American team won the World Cup on European soil?
A: Never — no South American team has ever won a World Cup held in Europe. Brazil won in Sweden (1958) and — notably — that is the only final held outside of the Americas or Europe at the time. All European-hosted wins went to European nations.
Q: West Germany beat Hungary 3–2 in 1954 — what made this so shocking?
A: Hungary had been unbeaten in 32 international matches (4 years) and had beaten West Germany 8–3 in the group stage of the same tournament just days earlier. West Germany’s final win is known as the “Miracle of Bern.”

🏆 Record Breaker

Germany/West Germany’s record of 8 World Cup Final appearances (4 won, 4 lost) is unmatched by any other nation. Brazil is next with 7 final appearances (5 won, 2 lost). Brazil also holds the unique record of being the only nation to qualify for every World Cup — all 22 editions from 1930 to 2022, plus 2026. No other team has qualified every single time the tournament has been held.

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⬤ HARD

Hard Questions — Obscure Records (Q36–50)

Q: Who scored a hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final?
A: Geoff Hurst of England — the only hat-trick ever scored in a World Cup final. His controversial second goal was ruled in after crossing (or not crossing) the goal line.
Q: Which player scored in two different World Cup finals?
A: Pelé scored in the 1958 final (2 goals vs Sweden) and the 1970 final (1 goal vs Italy). Zinedine Zidane also scored in two finals — 1998 (2 goals vs Brazil) and 2006 (penalty vs Italy, before being sent off).
Q: The 2022 final featured a player scoring a hat-trick in a losing cause — who?
A: Kylian Mbappé, who scored 3 goals for France in the final (including a dramatic brace to level at 2–2 in 90 minutes and 3–3 in extra time) but ended on the losing side in the penalty shoot-out.
Q: Which nation was runner-up in the first two World Cups?
A: Argentina — losing the 1930 final to Uruguay 4–2 and not reaching the final again until 1978.
Q: Which player won the World Cup three times?
A: Pelé of Brazil — the only player in history to win three World Cup winners’ medals (1958, 1962, 1970). He is the only man to achieve this feat.
Q: How many World Cup finals have ended 0–0 after 90 minutes?
A: One — the 1994 final between Brazil and Italy, which finished 0–0 after extra time and was decided on penalties.
Q: Who refereed the 1966 World Cup final and became famous for his goal-line decision?
A: Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst, assisted by Soviet linesman Tofiq Bahramov (known as “the Russian linesman”), awarded Geoff Hurst’s disputed second goal after consulting his linesman.
Q: Which stadium has hosted the most World Cup finals?
A: Estadio Azteca in Mexico City has hosted two finals (1970, 1986) — the only stadium to do so. No other venue has hosted more than one final.
Q: What is Germany’s record in World Cup finals overall (W/D/L)?
A: Germany/West Germany have played 8 finals: Won 4 (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014), Lost 4 (1966, 1982, 1986, 2002).
Q: Which World Cup final had the largest attendance?
A: The 1950 deciding match — Uruguay vs Brazil at the Maracanã — drew an estimated 199,854 spectators (though official records vary), making it the highest-attended football match in history.
Q: Argentina’s 1978 World Cup win was controversial — why?
A: Argentina hosted the tournament under the military dictatorship of Jorge Videla. Additionally, Argentina’s crucial 6–0 win over Peru in their final group game — a result that conveniently eliminated Brazil — has been subject to long-standing allegations of match-fixing.
Q: Which player was sent off in a World Cup final?
A: Zinedine Zidane of France in the 2006 final — he headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest in extra time and was given a red card. France lost on penalties despite the incident occurring well after his penalty goal.
Q: Brazil holds the record for most World Cup appearances — how many have they played in?
A: Brazil is the only nation to have qualified for every World Cup — all 22 editions from 1930 to 2022, and the 2026 edition as well, totalling 23 consecutive World Cups.
Q: Which final is the only one decided by a “golden goal” (sudden-death extra time)?
A: No World Cup final has been decided by a golden goal — the golden goal rule was used in earlier rounds (e.g., France’s win in the 1998 semi-final was not via golden goal). The concept was discontinued. No final has been settled by sudden death.
Q: If a ninth nation wins the 2026 World Cup, which would be the most likely first-time winner?
A: The most commonly cited potential first-time winners include Portugal, Netherlands (three-time runners-up), and Belgium — though any of the 48 qualifying nations theoretically could achieve the feat.

⚽ How Did You Score?

41–50

World Cup Encyclopedia

You could write a book about this tournament.

26–40

History Expert

You remember final scorelines other fans have forgotten.

0–25

Just Warming Up

You know some winners but the details need work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has won the most World Cups?

Brazil leads with 5 World Cup titles — won in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. Germany and Italy are joint second with 4 titles each. Only 8 nations in total have ever won the tournament in its 92-year history.

Has any team ever won back-to-back World Cups?

Yes — twice. Italy won in 1934 and 1938 (the only team to defend the title before the Second World War break), and Brazil won in 1958 and 1962. No team has successfully defended the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962, making it the longest-standing record in the tournament.

How many nations have never won the World Cup but been runners-up?

Several notable nations have reached the final without winning: Netherlands (lost 1974, 1978, 2010 — three finals), Czechoslovakia (1934, 1962), Hungary (1938, 1954), Croatia (2018), and Sweden (1958). Netherlands’ three losses without a win is the most painful record in World Cup history.

Which player has won the most World Cups?

Pelé is the only player in history to win three World Cup medals — with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970. No other player has won three. Multiple Brazilian players won two (including Garrincha in 1958 and 1962, and Ronaldo in 1994 and 2002).

Who scored the only hat-trick in a World Cup final?

Geoff Hurst of England, in the 1966 final against West Germany at Wembley. England won 4–2 after extra time. Hurst’s controversial second goal — which may or may not have crossed the line — was awarded by Soviet linesman Tofiq Bahramov. Hurst sealed the win with a thunderous left-foot shot in the final seconds.

Which World Cup final is considered the greatest ever?

The 2022 final between Argentina and France is widely considered the greatest. It ended 3–3 after extra time — Argentina led 2–0, Mbappé scored a 97th-minute penalty to level at 3–3, and Argentina won 4–2 on penalties. Mbappé’s hat-trick in a losing cause was unprecedented in final history.

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