From the pioneers of 1930 to the coronation of Lionel Messi in 2022, including the arabesques of King Pelé or the chiaroscuro figure of Diego Maradona, the Football World Cup is full of big and small stories before the 2026 edition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
I – Uruguay, Italy, the pioneers
On July 13, 1930 at the Pocitos stadium in Montevideo, the first home of Peñarol, Lucien Laurent scored the first goal of a World Cup then with 13 participating countries, destined to become the biggest sporting event on the planet.
A French player thus launches the great adventure of a competition invented by one of his compatriots, Jules Rimet, president of the International Federation (Fifa), and the Blues beat Mexico (4-1) in the opening match.
The Uruguayan “Celeste” assumed its status as the best team in the world, inherited its Olympic titles in 1924 and 1928, by winning the competition at home against Argentina (4-2).
The Italy of Vittorio Pozzo, the only coach to win the trophy twice, succeeds Uruguay in the list of winners by winning the two following editions. First at home in 1934, under the eyes of its “duce” Benito Mussolini who used the competition as a propaganda tool, it beat Czechoslovakia in the final after having eliminated Spain in a support match (1-1, then 1-0), in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, the “Nazionale” had eliminated Austria (1-0) of Matthias Sindelar, the “Mozart of football”, symbol of the “Wunderteam”, and one of the first heroes of the game, who died in 1939 in mysterious conditions after having refused to play for Hitler’s post-Anschluss Germany.
In 1938 in France, Italy did it again with Silvio Piola and Giuseppe Meazza. She defeated Hungary in the final (4-2), after eliminating the French host in the quarterfinals (3-1). Brazil reached the semi-finals for the first time, they will often return to this level (11 times in the last four).
But the country where football is king is still waiting for its coronation. The Brazilians finally think of being crowned by organizing the World Cup in 1950, but they experience a terrible disillusionment: the “Maracanazo”, the drama of the Maracana, losing in the last match against Uruguay (2-1), under a torrent of tears.
During the only edition concluded by a group of four, the Seleçao marched on Sweden (7-1) and Spain (6-1), so that a draw was enough for them against the Céleste, on July 16, 1950. But despite Friaca’s goal (47th), Brazil lost. Juan Schiaffino (66th) makes the Brazilians tremble and Alcides Ghiggia crucifies them by deceiving the unfortunate goalkeeper Barbosa (79th) who, all his life, will hear about this cursed goal.
II – Brazil finally king
In 1954, in Switzerland, Brazil, the huge favorite, lost again in the final. The wonderful Hungary of Ferenc Puskas, one of the most beautiful teams of all time, the first to defeat England at Wembley (6-3) in 1953, marches on everyone, including the Federal Republic of Germany in the pool (8-3), but stumbles on the last step, against the even RFA (3-2), after having led 2-0 after eight minutes!
For the Germans, the “miracle of Berne” marks a great return to the concert of nations, nine years after the end of the Second World War.
Brazil’s turn finally arrived in 1958, in Sweden, thanks to a 17-year-old prince, Pelé, who was quickly crowned “King”. The Seleçao ends its demonstration with two 5-2s, in the semi-finals against the France of Raymond Kopa and Just Fontaine (13 goals in a tournament, absolute record), for the first time semi-finalist, and against Sweden in the final. As in 1934, 1950 and 1954, the unfortunate finalist opened the scoring, through Nils Liedholm, before collapsing.
This success launched the reign of Brazil, which then won the 1962 editions in Chile and 1970 in Mexico, with Pelé, the only three-time world champion footballer, to guide him.
In the Andes, Pelé could not go to the end of the tournament, injured during the second match against the Czechoslovaks. The two teams find themselves at the end of the competition and Czechoslovakia joins Hungary in the club of the cursed: two World Cup finals lost, without ever winning the trophy. In accordance with the strange curse, the Slavs opened the scoring, through Josef Masopust, before losing (3-1).
In 1966, Pelé was again slowed down, but this time irregularly. Attacked several times by the Bulgarian Dobromir Jetchev (2-0), “O Rey” missed the following match but returned, on one leg, for the decisive clash against Portugal (3-1) during which João Morais completed the dark works of Jetchev.
England triumphed at Wembley in a sensational final against West Germany (4-2 ap), marked by Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick. Including the goal of the 3-2, very controversial: we never knew if his shot, which had hit the crossbar (101st), had gone in or not.
This edition is also marked by the course of North Korea, which surprises Italy (1-0) and goes as far as the quarter-finals where it is eliminated by a brilliant Portuguese: Eusebio, author of a quadruple who signs a memorable “comeback” (from 0-3 to 5-3).
Pelé’s final triumph came four years later in Mexico, where a legendary Brazil definitively pocketed the Jules-Rimet trophy thanks to his third victory. In the final against Italy (4-1), this time the future winner opened the scoring with his N.10.
This Mexican campaign is punctuated by other legendary actions from King Pelé, notably a large bridge without touching the ball which mystified the Uruguayan goalkeeper in the semi-final (3-1), a breathless strike to the side from his own camp against Czechoslovakia (4-1) in group play, or even this sublime blind pass for the last goal in the final, signed Carlos Alberto.
The Mexican World Cup is also that of a legendary Italy-FRG in the semi-finals, with five goals in overtime (4-3 ap for the “Nazionale”) and a future star, with his arm in a sling, Franz Beckenbauer.
III – German specialists
The Brazilian “samba” era gave way to the German period, which applied a certain “realpolitik” to football. In 1974, Beckenbauer’s West Germany defeated Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands and their revolutionary total football in the final (2-1). The “Oranje” however opened the score in the second minute, on a penalty from Johan Neeskens obtained by Cruyff, the genius with legs and long hair.
The Dutch had flown through the groups and the semi-finals by knocking out all their opponents, Argentina (4-0), the GDR (2-0) and Brazil (2-0), but did not assume their position as favorites in the final.
This edition also saw Poland appear on the chessboard, led by Grzegorz Lato, third, a bronze medal which they also obtained in 1982.
In 1978, the Netherlands had the misfortune of losing a second final in a row, without Cruyff, who was sulking. They were beaten again by the organizing country, Argentina (3-1 ap), in front of the “wax statue” of the dictator Jorge Videla and because of Mario Kempes, author of a double.
German domination resumed in the 1980s. The Germans, European champions in 1980, played in three world finals in a row, but they only won the one in 1990.
In 1982, Paolo Rossi’s Italy won (3-1) in Madrid at the end of a difficult journey, the “Nazionale” waking up at the same time as its scorer. After three draws in the first round of the “Mundial”, Italy only eliminated debutant Cameroon thanks to one more goal scored in the group stage (2 against 1)!
In the groups which serve as the quarter-finals, she dominated Diego Maradona’s Argentina (2-1) then Socrates’ Brazil (3-2), with a hat-trick from Rossi. With also a double in the half against Poland (2-0) and another goal in the final against Germany (3-1), the Italian finished top scorer (6 goals).
To reach this final, Germany displays its realism by qualifying despite a surprise defeat against Algeria (2-1), through a very accommodating success against Austria (1-0), a “match of shame” which caused a lot of talk. The Germans also showed their nerves of steel by defeating Michel Platini’s France in the semi-final, who led 3-1 (3-3 ap, 5 tab to 4), in Seville. A match that went down in history, for its scenario and Harald Schumacher’s unpunished charge on Patrick Battiston (who ended up on a stretcher).
In 1986 in Mexico, the FRG lost again in the final, this time against Argentina (3-2), carried by the player who most clearly dominated a World Cup alone, Diego Maradona.
The “Pibe de oro” scores five goals, including two doubles against England in the quarters (2-1) and Belgium in the semis (2-0). The two goals against the English remained in history: the first, diabolical, scored with the hand and not signaled by the referee; the second, divine, four minutes later, dribbling past the entire English defense and midfielder.
In 1986, it was also the first qualification of an African team for the second round. Morocco dominates a group which includes England, Portugal and Poland.
In the final, Maradona was closely watched by the Germans but he escaped once to give the winning goal to Jorge Burruchaga (84th), while the FRG had just come back from 0-2 to 2-2.
In 1990, the brilliant N.10 again guided Argentina to the final, but this time Germany took its revenge (1-0), for its third final in a row.
The other heroes of 1990 are the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, led by a 38-year-old scorer, Roger Milla (4 goals), first quarter-finalists on the African continent, beaten by England (3-2 ap).
This Italian “Mondiale” heralds two decades of more austere and calculating football. In 1994 in the United States, for the first time, no goal was scored in the final and Brazil won on penalties against Italy (0-0, 3-2 tab) when the shot from Roberto Baggio, the best Italian player, flew into the clouds.
The surprise of the competition is Bulgarian, personified by Hristo Stoitchkov, co-top scorer of the tournament with the Russian Oleg Salenko (6 goals), author of the world’s only quintuple against Cameroon (6-1).
IV – The reign of Europe
Europe won all subsequent World Cups, except in 2002 (Brazil). In 1998, France triumphed at home by correcting the “Seleçao” in the final (3-0), thanks to a double from Zinédine Zidane.
After having overcome a first round in their hands (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Denmark), the Blues defeated Paraguay in the 8th, the first golden goal victory in the history of the competition (1-0), five minutes from penalties.
France then tamed Italy in the quarters (0-0, 4-3 tab) then Croatia in the semis (2-1) thanks to the only two goals from defender Lilian Thuram in 142 caps.
Ronaldo and Brazil won in 2002, suspending for a time the implacable European reign over the competition. “O Fenomeno” scored eight goals, a performance worthy of football from another era, including the two in the final victory at the expense of Germany (2-0).
The South Korean host caused a sensation, signing the first semi-final on the Asian continent, for the first co-organization (Japan-South Korea). Guus Hiddink’s “Taeguk Warriors” eliminated Italy (2-1 golden goal) in the 8th and Spain (0-0, 5-3 tab) in the quarters, not without refereeing controversies, before coming up against Germany (1-0).
In 2006 and 2010, the finals are 100% European. Italy and France meet in Berlin, where Zidane precipitates the fall of his people, whom he has nevertheless carried so far through his talent. “Zizou” is sent off for a headbutt to Marco Materazzi, one of the most famous images in World Cup history.
The Nazionale is supported by an iron defense, commanded by Fabio Cannavaro, and a fabulous goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon. She triumphs a fourth time.
This German World Cup is also marked by the “Battle of Nuremberg” in the eighth between the Netherlands and Portugal. Results: four red cards and 16 yellows for a Pyrrhic victory for the Lusitanians (1-0).
In 2010, for the first African tournament, in South Africa, Spain and the Netherlands took Europe to the roof of the world. The golden generation of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta, scorer in the final, is crowned (1-0 ap), filling a big hole in the record of Spain, this immense football country. Inconsolable, the Netherlands of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben lost a third final (out of three), after those of 1974 and 1978.
On the dark side, France was covered in opprobrium, before the eyes of the whole world, when its players went on strike and refused to get off their bus in Knysna.
On the bright side, Ghana came close to the first semi-final of an African country, but Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty at the very end of extra time which would have sent the Black Stars into history, and Uruguay’s rogue Luis Suarez reached the last four (1-1 ap, 4-2 tab).
In 2014 in Brazil, Europe won again, but for the first time on the South American continent, because Germany defeated Argentina in the final (1-0 after). On her way, she inflicted on Brazil the worst defeat in its history, a terrible 7-1 in the semi-final, in the Atletico Mineiro stadium in Belo Horizonte. The “Mineirazo” joins the “Maracanazo” in Brazilian nightmares.
In this tournament, England and Italy went down together in the first round, eliminated by Uruguay and the amazing Costa Rica of goalkeeper Keylor Navas who went all the way to the quarterfinals, eliminated by the Netherlands (0-0, 4-3 tab).
With four coronations, Miroslav Klose’s Germany – top scorer in the history of the competition (16 goals in four editions) – joins Italy, one length behind Brazil.
And in 2018 France joins Uruguay in the ranks of double winners, whom it beats in the quarter-finals (2-0), after having eliminated Argentina (4-3) in the round of 16 in the most spectacular match of the tournament before settling Croatia in the final (4-2).
V – Messi finally crowned
In 2022, the emirate of Qatar will host the World Cup. Suspicions of corruption during the award, working conditions of workers on stadium construction sites, moving the tournament to winter to avoid extreme heat: the controversies precede this edition. The last before the passage from 32 to 48 participants.
On the field, Kylian Mbappé’s France reached the final again, but it was Lionel Messi’s Argentina who won their third world title. The first for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner who finished second best scorer in the tournament (7 goals), behind Mbappé (8), and best player in the competition.
During the final, the Albiceleste and the Blues, tied 3-3 after extra time, were separated in a penalty shootout in which the whimsical and provocative Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero (4 shots on goal to 2).
Argentina, however, began its tournament with an unexpected setback (2-1) against Saudi Arabia, coached by Hervé Renard. Another sensation during this tournament was the performance of Morocco, the first African country to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
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