No other sporting
event captures the world's imagination like the FIFA World Cup.
Ever since the first tentative competition in Uruguay in 1930,
FIFA's (Fédération Internationale de Football Association)
flagship has constantly grown in popularity and prestige.
A group of
visionary French football administrators, led in the 1920s by
the innovative Jules Rimet, are credited with the original idea
of bringing the world's strongest national football teams
together to compete for the title of World Champions. The
original gold trophy bore Jules Rimet's name and was contested
three times in the 1930s, before the Second World War put a
12-year stop to the competition.
When it resumed,
the FIFA World Cup rapidly advanced to its undisputed status as
the greatest single sporting event of the modern world. Held
since 1958 alternately in Europe and the Americas, the World Cup
broke new ground with the Executive Committee's decision in May
1996 to select Korea and Japan as co-hosts for the 2002 edition.
Since 1930, the
16 tournaments have seen only seven different winners. However,
the FIFA World Cup has also been punctuated by dramatic upsets
that have helped create footballing history - the United States
defeating England in 1950, North Korea's defeat of Italy in
1966, Cameroon's emergence in the 1980s and their opening match
defeat of the Argentinean cup-holders in 1990....
Today, the FIFA
World Cup holds the entire global public under its spell. An
accumulated audience of over 37 billion people watched the
France 98 tournament, including approximately 1.3 billion for
the final alone, while over 2.7 million people flocked to watch
the 64 matches in the French stadium.
After all these
years and so many changes, however, the main focus of the FIFA
World Cup remains the same - the glistening golden trophy, which
is the embodiment of every footballer's ambition.
World Cup Germany 2006 - Final
Extra time & penalty shoot out
|
Date, time |
Team 1 |
Score |
Team 2 |
Match ended |
Stadium |
09 Jul 2006,
19:00 BST |
ITALY |
1 - 1
(5 - 3) |
FRANCE |
Penalties |
Berlin
Olympic Stadium,
Berlin, Germany |
Korea/Japan 2002
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Brazil |
| 2 |
Germany |
| 3 |
Turkey |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Ronaldo |
Brazil |
8 |
| Rivaldo |
Brazil |
5 |
| Miroslav Klose |
Germany |
5 |
|
France 1998
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
France |
| 2 |
Brazil |
| 3 |
Croatia |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Suker |
Croatia |
6 |
| Batistuta |
Argentina |
5 |
| Vieri |
Italy |
5 |
|
United States 1994
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Brazil |
| 2 |
Italy |
| 3 |
Sweden |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Stoichkov |
Bulgaria |
6 |
| Salenko |
Russia |
6 |
| K. Andersson |
Sweden |
5 |
|
Italy 1990
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Germany |
| 2 |
Argentina |
| 3 |
Italy |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Schillaci |
Italy |
6 |
| Skuhravy |
Czechoslovakia |
5 |
| Lineker |
England |
4 |
|
Mexico 1986
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Argentina |
| 2 |
Germany |
| 3 |
France |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Lineker |
England |
6 |
| Altobelli |
Italy |
5 |
| Butragueno |
Spain |
5 |
|
Spain 1982
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Italy |
| 2 |
Germany |
| 3 |
Poland |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Rossi |
Italy |
6 |
| Rummenigge |
Germany |
5 |
| Boniek |
Poland |
4 |
|
Argentine 1978
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Argentina |
| 2 |
Netherlands |
| 3 |
Brazil |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Kempes |
Argentina |
6 |
| Rensenbrink |
Netherlands |
5 |
| Cubillas |
Peru |
5 |
|
Germany 1974
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Germany |
| 2 |
Netherlands |
| 3 |
Poland |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Lato |
Poland |
7 |
| Neeskens |
Netherlands |
5 |
| Szarmach |
Poland |
5 |
|
Mexico 1970
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Brazil |
| 2 |
Italy |
| 3 |
Germany |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Müller |
Germany |
10 |
| Jairzinho |
Brazil |
7 |
| Cubillas |
Peru |
5 |
|
England 1966
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
England |
| 2 |
Germany |
| 3 |
Portugal |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Eusebio |
Portugal |
9 |
| Haller |
Germany |
6 |
| Beckenbauer |
Germany |
4 |
|
Chile 1962
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Brazil |
| 2 |
Czechoslovakia |
| 3 |
Chile |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Jerkovic |
Yugoslavia |
5 |
| Garrincha |
Brazil |
4 |
| Albert |
Hungary |
4 |
|
Sweden 1958
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Brazil |
| 2 |
Sweden |
| 3 |
France |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Fontaine |
France |
13 |
| Pele |
Brazil |
6 |
| Rahn |
Germany |
6 |
|
Switzerland 1954
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Germany |
| 2 |
Hungary |
| 3 |
Austria |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Kocsis |
Hungary |
11 |
| Morlock |
Germany |
6 |
| Hügi |
Switzerland |
6 |
|
Brazil 1950
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Uruguay |
| 2 |
Brazil |
| 3 |
Sweden |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Ademir |
Brazil |
8 |
| Schiaffino |
Uruguay |
5 |
| Basora |
Spain |
4 |
|
France 1938
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Italy |
| 2 |
Hungary |
| 3 |
Brazil |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Leonidas |
Brazil |
7 |
| Sarosi |
Hungary |
5 |
| Piola |
Italy |
5 |
|
Italy 1934
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Italy |
| 2 |
Czechoslovakia |
| 3 |
Germany |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Nejedly |
Czechoslovakia |
5 |
| Conen |
Germany |
4 |
| Schiavio |
Italy |
4 |
|
Uruguay 1930
Winner
|
Pos |
Country |
| 1 |
Uruguay |
| 2 |
Argentina |
| 3 |
United States |
| 3 |
Yugoslavia |
|
Top Scorer
|
Player |
Country |
Goals |
| Stabile |
Argentina |
8 |
| Cea |
Uruguay |
5 |
| Anselmo |
Uruguay |
3 |
|
