Ranking every World Cup, from worst to best

Switzerland 1954

Rating: 4/10

Champion: West Germany

West Germany won their first (of four) World Cups, defeating Hungary 3-2 in the final. After going down 2-0, the West Germans mounted a comeback and scored three unanswered goals as forward Helmut Rahn tallied the winner with six minutes left to play for the shock win. The Hungarians had entered the final unbeaten in 29 games over a four-year period.

Host nation: Switzerland

Switzerland were awarded the tournament unopposed on July 22, 1946, the same day Brazil were chosen by FIFA to host the 1950 World Cup.

Best player: Ferenc Puskas (Hungary) 

The great Hungarian striker, famous for his time at club side Real Madrid, was a prolific scorer. At the 1954 World Cup, he finished runners up with the team known as the Mighty Magyars. He scored four goals at the tournament for Hungary, including one in the final against West Germany.

Iconic moment: 

Three players were sent off in the game between Hungary and Brazil officiated by English referee Arthur Ellis. The game would go down in history as the “Battle of Berne.” Even after Hungary won the quarterfinal clash 4-2, the fracas continued after the final whistle as the Brazilians burst into the Hungarian dressing room.

Quality of play:

This tournament featured lots of poor defending and plenty of scoring. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goals, including the highest average goals scored per game at 5.38. South Korean goalkeeper Hong Duk-Yung, for example, conceded 16 goals in just two games.

Kits:

Among the best was West Germany’s iconic white shirts and black shorts, while the worst was highlighted by Mexico’s burgundy shirts and blue shorts.

Miscellaneous:

Ottmar and Fritz Walter of West Germany became the first brothers to be part of a winning World Cup team. In the semifinals, they also became the first siblings to ever score in the same game (a 6-1 victory against Austria) at a World Cup.