Ranking every World Cup, from worst to best

With Russia 2018 fast approaching, we rank every World Cup tournament from Uruguay 1930 to Brazil 2014.

The World Cup has been contested 20 times since its inaugural tournament in 1930. The tournament, played every four years with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to World War II, has had various degrees of entertainment value during the course of those decades.

Some tournaments, like Mexico ’70, produced some heart-pounding soccer as well as some great teams and games. On the flip side, Italia ’90, a tournament featuring defensive play and time-wasting tactics, ranks among one of the worst.

From the best to the worst, we use our unscientific method to rate every World Cup on a scale of one (very poor) to 10 (great!). It’s anyone’s guess how Russia ’18 this summer will ultimately fare. For now, let’s get into the World Cup mood by taking a trip back in time to what made some tournaments memorable, while others not so much.

Italy 1938

Rating: 3/10

Champion: Italy  

The Italians repeated as world champions after defeating Hungary 4-2 in the final, much to the delight of dictator Benito Mussolini and his propaganda machine, as Europe was on the precipice of being plunged into World War II. In lifting the trophy, coach Vittorio Pozzo became the first manager in World Cup history (and to date the only one) to win two titles with the same nation.

Host nation: France 

France was chosen as host by FIFA in 1936 over Argentina and Germany in the first round of voting. The decision outraged officials from South America, who had argued for the tournament to alternate between the two continents. Matches were played in 11 venues scattered across the country. This was the last World Cup staged before the outbreak of World War II.

Best player: Leonidas (Brazil)   

The Brazilian striker, nicknamed the “black diamond,” scored seven goals at France ’38 to win the title of top scorer, including a hat-trick in a 6-5 overtime victory against Poland in the first round. He’s also one of several players credited with inventing the bicycle kick.

Iconic moment: 

There were several iconic moments. The one that stands out above all others was when Italy captain Giuseppe Meazza’s shorts fell down after he scored a penalty in the semifinal against Brazil. He had taken the kick with one hand holding up his shorts.

Quality of play: 

Italy played a 2-3-2-3 formation, the brainchild of Pozzo’s tactical genius. His formations produced teams that were both stylish and effective. The attack, spearheaded by striker Silvio Piola, produced 11 goals in just four matches.

Kits: 

Italy’s black shirts and shorts used in the quarterfinals earned the most attention given their political significance. On Mussolini’s orders, Italy wore the colors (instead of the usual away white) so as not to clash with France’s similarly blue shirts. If that represented the worst, Brazil’s canary yellow shorts, still used to this day, stand out as one of the best from that edition. Hungary’s all-white shirt, with a green, white and red stripe, across the chest also remain iconic.

Miscellaneous:

After defeating Czechoslovakia in the quarterfinals, Brazil decided to rest both Leonidas and fellow striker Tim against Italy. The only goal the Brazilians could muster in a 2-1 loss was in the 87th minute, making the game’s outcome appear closer than it was.