Top World Cup Teams Of All Time
The World Cup has been graced by many great teams, capturing the collective celebrations of fans from around the globe.
From its inauguration in 1930 in Uruguay to the last tournament in Qatar, the World Cup has seen great stars like Pele, Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Messi, with only three of them lifting the trophy.
But, which are the greatest teams? Here are the top World Cup teams of all time in football history.
1. Brazil | 1970 | Pele
The Brazilian squad that competed in Mexico is highly considered the best team ever by critics, as it boasted the legendary players — Pele, Jairzinho, Tostao, Rivelino, and Carlos Alberto that won all six games en route to becoming the first nation to ever win three World Cups.
The 1970 World Cup was the first to be broadcasted on TV in colour, thanks to technology and the Brazilian team thrilled the Mexican crowds with its brilliant Technicolour gameplay, especially in the final when they broke the defensive Italian wall into shreds in front of more than 100,000 fans inside of Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca. Brazil is now among the best teams in world cup.
2. West Germany | 1974 | Franz Beckenbauer
Under captain Franz Beckenbauer West Germany was just pure bliss, as it had goalkeeper Sepp Maier and goal-scoring machine Gerd Muller as the torchbearers. The Germans overcame a shocking first-round defeat to lowly East Germany to win their second World Cup, much to the delight of the home nation. However, the Germans were able to win the final in Munich by overcoming Johan Cruyff and the Netherlands was at the peak of its “Total Football” revolution, which was the icing on the cake.
3. Italy | 1982 | Paolo Rossi
The Azzurri started slowly at Spain, tying all three round games – including one against World Cup debutantes Cameroon. Moreover, they only managed to scrape through into the quarter-finals by the closest of margins. But once they stepped into the knockout stage, the Italian’s transformation was mind-blowing, dispatching defending champions Argentina under Diego Mara dona, followed by a Brazil side many said was better than the 1970 team. Later, it was Poland in the semifinals and the dangerous West German team in the final. The victory by Paolo Rossi’s team in the 1982 tournament-leading six goals, is proof that nothing is impossible.
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4. France | 1998 | Zidane
Led by the ravishing Zinedine Zidane, Les Bleus orchestrated their beats on home soil to its first World Cup crown in the most stylish way. Italy and Croatia faced the wrath in the knockout round before the Brazilians tasted humiliation in the final with an emphatic 3-0 victory. Moreover, France was crowned champions of the world in front of millions of French fans as they danced the night away at the Champs Elysées.
5. Brazil | 1958 | Pele
Brazil’s 1958 squad was equally brilliant but were overshadowed by the 1970 team. Often out of the world’s knowledge at the start of the tournament, a teenage Pele rose to global fame by leading Brazil past a star-studded Sweden to win its first World Cup title, making the loss to Uruguay the in World Cup on home soil eight years earlier a lost memory. Whatever was said and done the 1958 Brazilian side still remains the only South American side to win the World Cup on European soil.
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6. Spain | 2010 | Iniesta
Spain entered the World Cup as European champions and favourites. But, an opening 1-0 loss to Switzerland cast some doubts, and many thought the Spaniards would get back to their underachieving ways. But La Roja quickly shocked the world with their tiki-taka brand of football, overwhelming their opponents completely. The championship moment came with Andres Iniesta scored the extra-time winner against the Netherlands in the final to lift their first World Cup.
7. Hungary | 1954 | Puskas
The “Magical Magyars”-Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis, Nandor Hidegkuti, and Jozsef Bozsik were the greatest team never to win the World Cup. Under the legendary skipper Ferenc Puskas, they were Gold-medal winners at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, and unbeaten in 28 games (with 24 wins) prior to the World Cup. Sadly they fell victim to a comeback of the ages in the final against the West Germans in Berne. This was their first loss in 50 international matches between 1950 and 1956 which is a truly remarkable feat.
8. Argentina | 1986 | Maradona
Among the best world cup teams, The Mexico World Cup was all about Diego Maradona, but this was hardly a one-man team. It also had the presence of hard-working Jorge Luis Burruchaga, and the talents of Jorge Valdano, and Oscar Ruggeri, added to a solid defensive presence. With Maradona in his finest form apart from the Hand of God, right? — the Mexican audience adopted Argentina, as they won their second World Cup.
9. Netherlands | 1974 | Cruyff
Another heroic failure in the World Cup features the likes of the incomparable Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens. The Dutch mesmerized fans and opponents with an attacking brand of “Total Football.” Both Stylish and sleek, the Netherlands toyed with the Germans in the final but failed to add their name to the golden trophy.
10. Germany | 2014 | Muller
The Germans roared their way into Brazil, hammering Portugal 4-0 in their opening game. In contrast, the U.S. and Ghana provided a better fight in the group stage, as did Algeria in the Round of 16. Germany then went full throttle, beating France in the quarter-finals and completely destroying the hosts 7-1 in the semis. Argentina and Lionel Messi’s victory in the final was postponed, by Mario Gotze’s extra-time finish, claiming its fourth World Cup crown and becoming the first European nation to win the tournament in South America.
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