The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious football tournament in the world, which takes place every four years and brings together national teams from all continents. From the first edition in 1930 to the present day, the competition has provided countless memorable victories and memorable moments that will be recorded in the history of the sport. In this sense, we will contextualize the timeline of all World Cups and we highlight some of these unforgettable moments.

1930-1934 World Cup: Uruguay and Italy

The first World Cup was held in Uruguay, and the host team won the title. The most memorable moment was certainly the final, in which Uruguay defeated Argentina 4-2 in extra time. This was a milestone in the history of football and also in the world of sports, which resulted in Uruguayan fans warmly celebrating the title.

Italy hosted the second edition of the World Cup, 1934, and also emerged as the winner. The memorable moment chosen was the so-called “Battle of Florence” in the quarter-finals, where Italy defeated Spain after an extremely physical and tense match. The winner of the cup was, once again, the host team, in a 2-1 game against Czechoslovakia.

1938-1950 World Cup: Italy and Uruguay

Although the favorites to host were Argentina and Germany in 1938, France won this place in the World Cup, hosting the tournament. The final was played between the Italian team winning 4-2 against the Hungarian team. The memorable moment was the quarter-final victory over then champions Italy, which made history.

Due to the Second World War, some editions of the World Cup were not held. In the first World Cup in Brazil in 1950, Uruguay won its second title and made history by defeating Brazil with a score of 2-1 in the famous “Maracanã Final” or “Maracanaço”, one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the soccer.

1954-1958 World Cup: West Germany and Brazil

Switzerland was the host in 1954 and the milestone of the edition was when West Germany beat Hungary in the final, ending a run of 32 unbeaten games for the Hungarians. This event is known as the “Miracle of Bern”. In the sixth edition, Brazil won its first World Cup on Swedish soil, and Pelé's victory, who was just 17 years old, marked the tournament. It was at this moment that the world met a new star.

1962-1966 World Cup: Brazil and England

Brazil stands out by winning for the second time in a row, this time in Chile, and Pelé shone once again. The tournament is still remembered today for its technical quality and the exciting final between Brazil and Czechoslovakia resulted in a score of 3-1. England hosted the tournament in 1966 and won its first title in the tournament. Our special mention is the iconic final against West Germany. The final score was 4-2 for England and the chosen star was Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat trick.

1970-1974 World Cup: Brazil and West Germany

Brazil won its third title at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, with names like Pelé, Jairzinho and Tostão leading a legendary team. The last game was against Italy, which resulted in 4-1 for the Brazilians. This is remembered as one of the best finals of all time. West Germany won the '74 edition at home and the highlight was the victory in the final against the Netherlands, led by player Johan Cruyff. The second German title was secured by 2 goals to 1.

1978-1982 World Cup: Argentina and Italy

Argentina hosted and won its first World Cup, and the highlight was the skill of Diego Maradona, who would later become a legend. The 78 edition was controversial due to the influence of the military dictatorship, which the country was experiencing, in winning the cup. The World Cup in Spain was the first to feature 24 teams. In 1982, Brazil dazzled the world with its “artistic football”, but Italy took the title, standing out in the knockout matches, including a victory over Brazil. The final that guaranteed the title to the Italians came down to a 3-1 score against the Germans.

1986-1990 World Cup: Argentina and West Germany

Maradona led Argentina to a second victory in 1986, and his famous “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” against England are remembered as legendary football moments. Playing on Italian soil, this time, West Germany sought revenge for the previous World Cup and scored 1 goal against Argentina in the final, who did not score any. The tournament is remembered for being intense and very competitive.

1994-1998 World Cup: Brazil and France

Brazil won its fourth title in this edition, which was the United States' debut as host. The Brazilian team had Romário and Bebeto as highlights. The final against Italy was decided on penalties and, 3-2, the Brazilians won the cup. France won at home, and the final against Brazil is best remembered for Zinédine Zidane scoring two headed goals. The star of the green and yellow country, Ronaldo, suffered a seizure on the day of the final, but took to the field anyway. The defeat was three to zero for the French.

2002-2006 World Cup: Brazil and Italy

In 2002, Brazil became the only five-time World Cup champion country, playing in South Korea and Japan. The German team reached the final but had a total of 0 goals in the last game, losing to Ronaldo's 2 goals , who was the star of the edition. In the following World Cup, in 2006, Italy scored 1-1 against France and won 5-3 on penalties in the final, in an iconic game, marked by Zidane's header on Marco Materazzi.

2010-2014 World Cup: Spain and Germany

Spain won its first world title, on South African soil, with a style of play characterized by involving touches of the ball, defeating the Netherlands in the final. The score was zero to zero during the ninety minutes of play, but the Spanish scored the winning goal in extra time. In 2014, Brazil will host the tournament and the desire for the hexa at home is contagious across the country. The team was disqualified in the semi-finals by Germany, who scored 7 goals to Brazil's only one. The German team defeated Argentina in the final, with 1 goal scored in extra time.

2018-2022 World Cup: France and Argentina

In 2018, Russia hosted the tournament for the first time. France beat Croatia in the final, which resulted in 4-2. Highlighting the young talent like Kylian Mbappé. The last World Cup, in 2022, was hosted in Qatar. The last game was extremely competitive and some called it “the best final in history”. With the score tied at 3-3, the game goes to penalties and the current best player in the world, Messi, lifts the trophy after scoring 4 goals against France's 2.

The FIFA World Cup features stories, heroes and iconic moments that have contributed to making this tournament the most exciting sporting event on the planet. This championship not only celebrates talent and passion for football, but also promotes unity and sportsmanship on a global scale. From heroes of the past, such as Pelé, Maradona and Beckenbauer, to today's emerging talents, such as Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, the World Cup continues to be the stage where dreams come true.