Full list of World Cup winners
By Ty Finch
![Germany's team-mates celebrate with the World Cup trophy after they won the 2014 FIFA World Cup final football match between Germany and Argentina 1-0 following extra-time at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images) Germany's team-mates celebrate with the World Cup trophy after they won the 2014 FIFA World Cup final football match between Germany and Argentina 1-0 following extra-time at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/1b144e54dcf52f29e7b4de50c82a7c55e7bd9dd415f33092315bcc126cbec690.jpg)
The World Cup is inching ever closer. Here’s a list of all the winners from the past.
The upcoming World Cup in Russia will be the 21st iteration of the prestigious tournament. One of the best parts of this competition is that, in theory, any team that qualifies can win it all. However, only a handful of countries have reached that peak, and that doesn’t look like it’s changing any time soon.
There have been eight different winners in the previous 20 World Cups, with Brazil holding top spot having won it five different times. Germany and Italy have four apiece, but the latter failed to even qualify this year. The only other countries with multiple winners are Argentina and Uruguay, who have two each. France, England and Spain each have one win as well.
Next: One reason every team at the World Cup can win
The favorites this year are mostly usual suspects. Germany and Brazil are the front-runners to take home the 21st World Cup trophy, but there are a few others that could surprise.
France’s team that was left off the roster could probably make it to the quarterfinals, and they’re loaded with talent across the board, although they have struggled to fit it all together at times, including at Euro 2016, when they lost in the final to Portugal.
Argentina and Portugal are always in contention as long as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are fit and playing, and Belgium arguably have the most talent they’ve ever assembled. Spain dropped some of their older statesman in favor of youth, and have a fantastic squad across the board.
Here’s a comprehensive list of the winners from the previous 20 tournaments:
1930: Uruguay
1934: Italy
1938: Italy
1950: Uruguay
1954: West Germany
1958: Brazil
1962: Brazil
1966: England
1970: Brazil
1974: West Germany
1978: Argentina
1982: Italy
1986: Argentina
1990: West Germany
1994: Brazil
1998: France
2002: Brazil
2006: Italy
2010: Spain
2014: Germany