Which country has won the most FIFA World Cups? 

After Uruguay became the first-ever world champion of international football in 1930, Italy became the first country to win the FIFA World Cup two editions in a row, in 1934 and 1938. They added two more titles to their cabinet in 1982 and 2006, but the four-time champions aren’t the most successful team in World Cup history.

Brazil, who won their first FIFA World Cup in 1958, went on to win the tournament four more times. No other country has won the FIFA World Cup as many times as the Selecao did. 

Countries with most the FIFA World Cups

Brazil - 5 World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2022)

Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup in 1958, in a tournament remembered for 17-year-old Pele’s heroic performance. They went on to add two titles in the next three editions. In 1994, they became the first team to win the tournament four times and eight years later, they added a fifth to their cabinet in South Korea 2002. 

Mario Zagallo, one of Brazil’s greatest players of all time, was a part of four of these five triumphs. After winning the tournament as a player in 1958 and 1962, he won it as a manager in 1970. He also worked as an assistant manager in 1994.

Italy - 4 World Cups (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)

The legendary Vittorio Pozzo and his Italian team became the first nation to win back-to-back titles, in 1934 and 1938. Pozzo is the only individual to win the World Cup twice as a manager.

Paulo Rossi’s heroics in 1982 steered the Azzuri to their third title and against all the odds, they defeated France on penalty shootout in the 2006 edition to make it four. 

Germany - 4 World Cups (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)

Germany’s first three triumphs came before the unification of West Germany and East Germany. They won the tournament for the first time in 1954, defeating hot-favourites Hungary in the final 3-2.

Franz Beckenbauer was at the helm of their next two World Cup wins, as captain in 1974 and as manager in 1990. After unification of the two nations, they won the title for the first time in 2014 under the stewardship of Joachim Lowe. 

Argentina - 3 World Cups (1978, 1986, 2022)

Argentina featured in the inaugural final of the FIFA World Cup, where they lost to Uruguay. They had to wait 48 years for their first title, which finally came in 1978. They defeated Netherlands in the final of that edition, with two goals in extra time to win 3-1.

Diego Maradona’s awe-inspiring performance led them to their next title eight years later in 1986. The Albiceleste overcame West Germany in a closely contested final, which finished 3-2 in regulation time. 

Lionel Messi scored seven goals and assisted three more, leading Argentina to their third World Cup triumph in 2022. Argentina defeated France in one of the most enthralling finales the World Cup has seen, ending a 36-year wait for a world title. 

France - 2 World Cups (1998, 2018)

Didier Deschamps captained France in their first-ever World Cup triumph in 1998. A first-half brace from Zinedine Zidane, followed by an injury time goal from Emmanuel Petit helped Les Bleus defeat Brazil 3-0. 

Deschamps was at the forefront of France’s second World Cup in 2018 win as well, this time as a manager. They defeated Croatia 4-2 in the final and Deschamps became the third footballer to win the tournament as a manager and player. 

Uruguay - 2 World Cups (1938, 1950)

Uruguay, who hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup, went on to win it by defeating Argentina in the final 4-2. They went on to win the 1950 edition hosted by Brazil, where the winner was decided by a round-robin contest between the four best teams of the group stages. 

Goals from Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia helped them defeat Brazil in the decisive match, becoming the only team to have a 100 per cent record in finals after appearing in two or more finals.

Photo Credit: Alamy