Next up: World Cup 2030
Hosted by the Spain, Portugal & Morocco (centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina & Paraguay). Marks 100 years of the World Cup, returning to where it all began in 1930.
All-time champions
Brazil 51958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
Germany 41954, 1974, 1990, 2014
Italy 41934, 1938, 1982, 2006
Argentina 31978, 1986, 2022
France 21998, 2018
Uruguay 21930, 1950
England 11966
Spain 22010, 2026
Every final, 1930 – 2026
SpainArgentinaFranceGermanySpainItalyBrazilFranceBrazilWest GermanyArgentinaItalyArgentinaWest GermanyBrazilEnglandBrazilBrazilWest GermanyUruguayItalyItalyUruguay| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | United States, Canada & Mexico | Spain | Argentina | 1–0 (aet) |
| 2022 | Qatar | Argentina | France | 3–3 (4–2 pens) |
| 2018 | Russia | France | Croatia | 4–2 |
| 2014 | Brazil | Germany | Argentina | 1–0 (aet) |
| 2010 | South Africa | Spain | Netherlands | 1–0 (aet) |
| 2006 | Germany | Italy | France | 1–1 (5–3 pens) |
| 2002 | South Korea & Japan | Brazil | Germany | 2–0 |
| 1998 | France | France | Brazil | 3–0 |
| 1994 | United States | Brazil | Italy | 0–0 (3–2 pens) |
| 1990 | Italy | West Germany | Argentina | 1–0 |
| 1986 | Mexico | Argentina | West Germany | 3–2 |
| 1982 | Spain | Italy | West Germany | 3–1 |
| 1978 | Argentina | Argentina | Netherlands | 3–1 (aet) |
| 1974 | West Germany | West Germany | Netherlands | 2–1 |
| 1970 | Mexico | Brazil | Italy | 4–1 |
| 1966 | England | England | West Germany | 4–2 (aet) |
| 1962 | Chile | Brazil | Czechoslovakia | 3–1 |
| 1958 | Sweden | Brazil | Sweden | 5–2 |
| 1954 | Switzerland | West Germany | Hungary | 3–2 |
| 1950 | Brazil | Uruguay | Brazil | 2–1 (final pool decider) |
| 1938 | France | Italy | Hungary | 4–2 |
| 1934 | Italy | Italy | Czechoslovakia | 2–1 (aet) |
| 1930 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | 4–2 |
How it's played
The FIFA World Cup is a month-long tournament between national teams: a group stage, where every team plays three matches for points, is followed by a knockout bracket. Knockout draws are settled by extra time and penalty shootouts, and the last team standing lifts the trophy every four years.
A brief history of the World Cup
FIFA stages the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay, with 13 teams and all matches in Montevideo. The hosts beat Argentina 4–2 in the final to lift the first trophy.
Italy wins on home soil in 1934 and retains the title in France in 1938 under Vittorio Pozzo — still the only coach to win two World Cups. The tournament then pauses for World War II.
The World Cup returns in Brazil, where Uruguay stuns the hosts before a world-record crowd at the Maracanã — the most famous upset in the tournament's history.
A 17-year-old Pelé announces himself in 1958, and Brazil takes three of the next four titles (1958, 1962, 1970), with the 1970 side widely considered the greatest team ever assembled.
The field expands to 24 teams in 1982, opening the door to African and Asian breakthroughs — Cameroon's 1990 run and Morocco's 1986 quarter-final — while Maradona's 1986 triumph defines the decade.
France's 1998 home triumph opens the modern format. Brazil claims a record fifth title in 2002, and Lionel Messi's Argentina completes the story in Qatar in 2022.
The 2026 tournament, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, becomes the first 48-team World Cup and the largest in history.
World Cup records
The numbers that define the tournament's history.
Most goals, all tournaments
Miroslav Klose
16 goals across 24 matches, 2002–2014
Most goals in one tournament
Just Fontaine
13 goals for France in 1958
Most matches played
Lionel Messi
26 matches, 2006–2022
Most tournaments played
Lothar Matthäus
5 (1982–1998), matched by Messi, Ronaldo, Buffon & Carbajal
Most World Cups won
Pelé
3 titles — 1958, 1962, 1970
Most finals played
Cafu
3 finals — 1994, 1998, 2002
Youngest player
Norman Whiteside
17 years, 41 days (Northern Ireland, 1982)
Youngest goalscorer
Pelé
17 years, 239 days (Brazil, 1958)
Oldest player
Essam El-Hadary
45 years, 161 days (Egypt, 2018)
Fastest goal
Hakan Şükür
11 seconds (Turkey v South Korea, 2002)
Biggest win
Hungary 10–1 El Salvador
Group stage, 1982
Record attendance
173,850
Maracanã, Uruguay v Brazil, 1950
All-time World Cup top scorers
Miroslav Klose(Germany)16Ronaldo(Brazil)15Gerd Müller(West Germany)14Just Fontaine(France)13Lionel Messi(Argentina)13Pelé(Brazil)12Kylian Mbappé(France)12
Sándor Kocsis(Hungary)11Jürgen Klinsmann(Germany)11…with Cubillas, Batistuta, Lineker, Rahn and Thomas Müller among those on 10.
Golden Ball & Golden Boot
Every tournament's best player (awarded since 1982) and top scorer, from 1930 to 2026.
Lamine YamalLamine YamalLionel MessiKylian Mbappé
Luka ModrićHarry KaneLionel Messi
James RodríguezDiego ForlánThomas MüllerZinedine ZidaneMiroslav KloseOliver KahnRonaldoRonaldoDavor ŠukerRomário
Oleg Salenko & Hristo StoichkovSalvatore SchillaciSalvatore SchillaciDiego MaradonaGary LinekerPaolo RossiPaolo RossiMario Kempes
Grzegorz LatoGerd Müller
EusébioSix players incl. Garrincha & VaváJust FontaineSándor KocsisAdemirLeônidasGuillermo Stábile| Year | Golden Ball | Top scorer | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Lamine Yamal | Lamine Yamal | 7 |
| 2022 | Lionel Messi | Kylian Mbappé | 8 |
| 2018 | Luka Modrić | Harry Kane | 6 |
| 2014 | Lionel Messi | James Rodríguez | 6 |
| 2010 | Diego Forlán | Thomas Müller | 5 |
| 2006 | Zinedine Zidane | Miroslav Klose | 5 |
| 2002 | Oliver Kahn | Ronaldo | 8 |
| 1998 | Ronaldo | Davor Šuker | 6 |
| 1994 | Romário | Oleg Salenko & Hristo Stoichkov | 6 |
| 1990 | Salvatore Schillaci | Salvatore Schillaci | 6 |
| 1986 | Diego Maradona | Gary Lineker | 6 |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Paolo Rossi | 6 |
| 1978 | — | Mario Kempes | 6 |
| 1974 | — | Grzegorz Lato | 7 |
| 1970 | — | Gerd Müller | 10 |
| 1966 | — | Eusébio | 9 |
| 1962 | — | Six players incl. Garrincha & Vavá | 4 |
| 1958 | — | Just Fontaine | 13 |
| 1954 | — | Sándor Kocsis | 11 |
| 1950 | — | Ademir | 8 |
| 1938 | — | Leônidas | 7 |
| 1934 | — | Oldřich Nejedlý | 5 |
| 1930 | — | Guillermo Stábile | 8 |
National record holders
Choose a country to see its most-capped player and all-time top scorer.
AlbaniaThe 100 greatest international players
The players most widely considered the greatest to have represented their countries — from Pelé and Maradona to Messi and Mbappé.
Legends #1–25
Pelé
Brazil · 1957–1971
The only player to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970); scored 77 international goals in 92 games.
Diego Maradona
Argentina · 1977–1994
Won the 1986 World Cup almost single-handedly, including the Goal of the Century.
Lionel Messi
Argentina · 2005–present
World Cup winner in 2022 and Argentina's record caps holder and top scorer.
Johan Cruyff
Netherlands · 1966–1977
Led Total Football to the 1974 final and won three Ballons d'Or.
Franz Beckenbauer
West Germany · 1965–1977
'The Kaiser' won the World Cup as captain (1974) and manager (1990).
Zinedine Zidane
France · 1994–2006
Headlined France's 1998 World Cup and 2000 Euro double.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal · 2003–present
All-time leading international goalscorer; Euro 2016 champion.
Ronaldo Nazário
Brazil · 1993–2011
Two World Cups and a record 15 World Cup goals at the time of his retirement.
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Argentina & Spain · 1947–1963
The complete centre-forward behind Real Madrid's first five European Cups.
Ferenc Puskás
Hungary · 1945–1963
84 goals in 85 games for the Golden Team; a fourth star of football history.
Garrincha
Brazil · 1955–1966
Michel Platini
France · 1976–1987
Xavi Hernández
Spain · 2000–2014
Andrés Iniesta
Spain · 2002–2018
Lev Yashin
Soviet Union · 1954–1967
Bobby Charlton
England · 1958–1970
Gerd Müller
West Germany · 1966–1974
Paolo Maldini
Italy · 1988–2002
Franco Baresi
Italy · 1982–1994
Sándor Kocsis
Hungary · 1948–1956
Romário
Brazil · 1987–2005
Zico
Brazil · 1976–1986
Sócrates
Brazil · 1979–1986
Roberto Baggio
Italy · 1988–2004
Marco van Basten
Netherlands · 1986–1992
World Cup Legends — Top 100 & Playing Cards
The two official legends sets: the full Top 100 greatest World Cup players and the 52-card playing deck.
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