As we head toward the conclusion of this 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the Final on Saturday, December 18 (FOX, 10 EST/9 CST/7 PST), let’s take a quick kick down Memory Lane and take a look at five of the Greatest World Cup Finals ever.
The last four winners of the FIFA World Cup have all been from the UEFA confederation in Italy (2006), Spain (2010), Germany (2014), and France (2018). Croatia can now make it five different European sides if it shocks the world and get to and win this 2022 Final.
Who knows if Argentina-France, Argentina-Morocco, Croatia-France, or the longest shot, Croatia-Morocco, will again provide us with another wonderful memory like the quintet of Greatest World Cup Finals ever we will look at below.
A 2022 FIFA World Cup Final between Lionel Messi and Argentina versus Kylian Mbappe and France could also end up being an instant classic, depending on if the CONMEBOL and UEFA giants can make it to the Finals with wins on Tuesday and Wednesday in Qatar.
Here are five of the Greatest World Cup Finals in history and of course you know that Pelé and Brazil, Maradona and Argentina, and Zinedine Zidane are all going to make the cut in what is easily the biggest game in the world’s biggest and most-watched sport.
1970 FIFA World Cup—Brazil 4 Italy 1
No Greatest FIFA World Cup Finals list would be complete without Brazil and Pelé and the 1970 Brazilian team was legendary. Pelé is Brazil’s joint-scoring leader with 77 goals in international play and of course he scored in this one.
This 1970 FIFA World Cup game in Mexico was played at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in front of 107,413 fans and saw Brazil jump out to a 1-0 lead over Italy, thanks to Pelé who gave his side the lead against the hosts at the 18-minute mark.
Italy answered with a goal through Roberto Boninsenga at the 37-mute mark and the two teams went into the locker room at Halftime deadlocked at 1-1.
The match, played on June 21, 1970, would remain tied all the way until the Brazilians took the lead with goals from Gérson (65”), Jairzinho (71”), and Carlos Alberto (86”) in a game that look easy on the scoreboard at 4-1 but really wasn’t.
Italy defeated West Germany at Azteca in the Semifinals of this tournament. To this very day, most soccer pundits hail that SF matchup as the ‘Game of the Century.’ It also made our 10 Greatest World Cup Games of All-Time list.
1966 FIFA World Cup—England 4 West Germany 2
Not so long ago when West Germany was still a country, there was another classic FIFA World Cup Final in the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, with the hosts finding a way to win it in a controversial ending before 96,924 rabid fans at Wembley Stadium in London.
The 19- to 79-minute marks saw no scoring for an hour before Martin Peters looked like he had won the game for the Three Lions with a goal. But Wolfgang Weber tied this classic Greatest World Cup Finals of all-time game at 2-2 with a quick answer for West Germany.
The game went into Extra Time where Hurst scored again for England to make it 3-2. After arguing with the Russian linesman on whether or not the ball crossed the goal line.
Hurst added another goal for England in Extra Time for a Hat Trick and provided us with that wonderful and nostalgic photo of Bobby Moore lifting the 1966 FIFA World Cup Trophy in joy for the Three Lions.
1994 FIFA World Cup—Brazil 0 France 0 (Brazil 3-2, Penalties)
The two teams who were the pre-tournament favorites to win this 2022 FIFA World Cup, Brazil, and France, met in one of the Greatest World Cup Finals ever. and played in the US at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in the last Final to be played in broad daylight.
The 1994 FIFA World Cup Final was also significant as it was the 4th time winning it for CONMEBOL representatives Brazil, who passed UEFA heavyweights Germany with the win in the 1994 World Cup held in the US in Los Angeles. Here is the whole PK SO for you.
1986 FIFA World Cup—Argentina 3 West Germany 2
Estadio Azteca in Mexico City was the site of yet another of the greatest World Cup Finals between two storied clubs: West Germany and Argentina. Led by Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in the Quarterfinals, Argentina made it to the Finals.
The 24-team tournament in 1996 is also famous for the introduction of “The Wave,” the spectator phenomena of sections standing up one-after-another, completely around the stadium in a movement that was popularized worldwide.
Maradona was just 25 years old at the time of this World Cup, the second time Argentina captured the World Cup. Played on June 29, 1986, this World Cup final saw Argentina jump out to a 2-0 lead from goals by José Brown (22”) and Jorge Valdano (55”).
Argentina got the game-winner just three minutes later from Jorge Burruchaga, and La Albiceleste made history as a young Maradona in his prime capped off one of the best World Cup performances ever by taking that beautiful trophy back to South America.
Colombia was originally selected to host the FIFA World Cup in 1986 but because of poor economic conditions, Mexico was chosen as the replacement hosts, making this North American nation the first-ever to host two World Cups.
Mexico, Canada, and the United States will tri-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup which will be expanding to include 48 teams. Because they are hosts, all will automatically qualify for that larger field of 48 teams. Thirty-two teams qualified/played in Qatar this time around.
2010 FIFA World Cup—Spain 1 Netherlands 0 (A.E.T.)
The classic final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw Spain win its first-ever World Cup in dramatic fashion. The Spaniards won 1-0 in Added Extra Time (AET) in front of 84, 490 in Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 11, 2010.
The Netherlands made it to the 2010 World Cup final by eliminating Slovakia (Round of 16), Brazil (Quarterfinal), and Uruguay (Semifinal) in route to this clash of UEFA teams.
Sergio Ramos (then Real Madrid, now PSG) Spain beat Portugal (Round of 16), Paraguay (Quarterfinal), and Germany (Semifinal) to get its first crack at a World Cup win and La Roja and its pass-heavy Tiki-Taka style didn’t disappoint.
It looked as though a Penalty Kick shootout might determine who the best team on the planet was 12 years ago. And Spain certainly had its chances in regulation in the oh-so loud Vuvuzela-ville.
Ramos was stopped by Oranje GK Maarten Steklenburg on a First Half header, and the Ducth keeper also stopped David Villa. Ramos again had a chance to be the hero at the 77-minute mark, but his header flew over the crossbar and the game remained at 0-0.
But Spain ultimately found its hero in Man of the Match Andrés Iniesta (then Barcelona) who tallied the Final’s only goal on a volley into the corner as Spain’s GK and Golden Glove winner Iker Casillas (then Real Madrid) enjoyed the 1-0 win at the perfect time.
Past FIFA World Cup Final Winners
- 2018—France over Croatia
- 2014—Germany over Argentina
- 2010—Spain over Netherlands
- 2006—Italy over Brazil
- 2002—Brazil over Germany
- 1998—France over Brazil
- 1994—Brazil over Italy
- 1990—West Germany over Argentina
- 1986—Argentina over West Germany
- 1982—Italy over West Germany
- 1978—Argentina over Netherlands
- 1974—West Germany over Netherlands
- 1970—Brazil over Italy
- 1966—England over West Germany
- 1962—Brazil over Czechoslovakia
- 1958—Brazil over Sweden
- 1954—West Germany over Hungary
- 1950—Uruguay over Brazil
- 1934—Italy over Czechoslovakia
- 1930—Uruguay over Argentina
