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History of the Football World Cup
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.
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 Uruguay 1930
On the 30th July 1930 in the colossal Centenario stadium ( 100,000 capacity ), the atmosphere was electric as spectators were awaiting the South American final between Uruguay and Argentina. At half-time, Uruguay were down 2-1, but fought back bravely and put three second half goals past the stunned Argentinans, ending the game with a 4-2 victory. The FIFA President Jules Rimet presented the " Victoire aux Ailes d'Or " trophy, a statuette 30cm high, made of gold and weighing 4 kg, to the Uruguayan captain José Nazassi. Celebrations in Montevideo went on for several days and nights and the day after the famous victory, the 31 July, was proclaimed a national holiday. The ball had begun to roll for football's most prestigious prize and the universal nature of the game had been officially proclaimed! |  Italy 1934
Staged between 27 May and 10 June 1934, this FIFA World Cup was markedly more encouraging than its forerunner. Thirty-two nations took part so that a preliminary round was necessary (even the hosts, Italy, had to qualify), which qualified 16 teams for the finals. As a retort to the many withdrawals of European teams four years earlier, several South American nations, such as Argentina and Brazil, did not send their best teams to Italy. Uruguay declined to participate and defend its title. |
 France 1938
The third FIFA World Cup™ was played in France as the war clouds gathered throughout Europe and politics kept away a number of top nations. Austria qualified, but withdrew -- though some of their players appeared in the colours of Germany -- and Spain was ravaged by civil war. Argentina and Uruguay also stayed away. |  Brazil 1950
The FIFA World Cup™ returned and Uruguay won it for a second time in the "final which was not a final".
Before that, however, the United States beat England 1-0 in Belo Horizonte and Sweden's amateurs beat Italy 3-2 in Sao Paulo.
A mini-league format was used and Brazil, Sweden, Spain and Uruguay were the final contestants. Brazil needed only a draw in their clash with Uruguay to clinch the trophy, but lost 2-1 in front of a crowd of 174,000 in Rio's Maracana Stadium.
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 Switzerland 1954
Four years after the frenzy of the Maracana stadium, the Jules Rimet trophy returned to Europe to a calmer atmosphere in Switzerland. The field of play, however, produced breathtaking entertainment. This fifth FIFA World Cup™ was unforgettable for its sensational high-scoring games, and a surprise win for the German Federal Republic.
Hungary were the favourites with a team including Puskas, Bozsik, Kocsis and Hidegkuti, unbeaten in 28 internationals and Olympic champions. But after the infamous "Battle of Berne" with Brazil -- three players were sent off and the teams fought afterwards in the dressing rooms -- the Hungarians were rattled.
In the final, after leading 2-0 against West Germany, whom they had beaten 8-3 in the opening round, they went down 3-2
|  Sweden 1958
After Switzerland, Sweden was named host country for the 1958 FIFA World Cup™ - a Cup which, on 16 October 1956, lost its founding father, when Jules Rimet died in Paris at the age of 83.
Brazil, inspired by a 17-year-old youngster called Pelé, won the trophy for the first time. Pelé scored against Wales, hit a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over France in the semi-finals and struck two more in the final, a 5-2 triumph over the hosts.
Frenchman Just Fontaine scored 13 goals in the tournament, a record which still stands. It was also the first FIFA World Cup™ in which a match ended in a 0-0 draw: the first round game between England and Brazil.
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 Chile 1962
Another Brazilian triumph, but Pelé played in only the opening game against Mexico before being injured. Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 in the final in Santiago with goals from Amarildo, Zito and Vava. The tournament also staged one of the most notorious matches in FIFA World Cup™ history - the Battle of Santiago between Italy and Chile, in which two Italians were sent off and one had his nose broken by a solid left-hook from a Chilean player. |  England 1966
Since its launch in 1930, the FIFA World Cup™ had grown in stature to become clearly the world's senior international football tournament.
After the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen while on display in London, the hosts triumphed again when it was recovered by a dog called Pickles under a bush in a suburban front garden in south London a few days later.
Pelé was again battered, this time by Bulgaria and Portugal as Brazil's bid for a third consecutive title faltered. England, shrewdly managed by Alf ( later Sir Alf ) Ramsey, beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time in a thrilling final at Wembley, when Geoff Hurst made history with a hat-trick, including the most controversial goal ever scored. Did the ball really cross the line after bouncing down from the crossbar? The debate still rages.
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 Mexico 1970
The ninth FIFA World Cup™ also became a major TV spectacle and to fit in with television company requests, some matches kicked off at 12 noon. This was an unpopular decision with many players and managers because of the intense heat in Mexico at that time of day.
In the final at Mexico City's Aztec Stadium, Brazil dazzled and danced to a memorable 4-1 win over Italy with Jairzinho becoming the only player to have scored in every match. Italy had beaten West Germany 4-3 in an astonishing semi-final, the only match in FIFA World Cup history to have produced five goals in extra time.
|  Germany 1974
Another host triumph as the West Germans took the new FIFA World Cup™ for the first time with a quite exceptional display of the hard-running, interchanging style in a tournament remembered for the arrival of "total football".
The Netherlands, with Johan Cruyff outstanding, beat Argentina 4-0 and Brazil 2-0 to announce their arrival, but could not overcome West Germany in the final and went down 2-1, Gerd Müller, "Der Bomber', typically scoring the winner.
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 Argentina 1978
Having reached the final in 1930, Argentina had to wait a while before winning the FIFA World Cup™, which they eventually did on own soil in 1978. The great support for the home team helped carry them to victory over the Netherlands in the final, Cruyff having turned his back as he refused to travel to Argentina because of the political situation.
Argentina were outplayed by Italy in the opening round group games, but charged back to reach the final with a 6-0 win over Peru.
In Daniel Passarella, Osvaldo Ardiles and Mario Kempes, top scorer with six goals, they had outstanding players. They beat the Dutch 3-1 after extra time in the final. |  Spain 1982
Italy survived the opening round on goal difference and then went on to win the trophy for a third time after a creative Brazilian team had bowed out to them in an astonishing match in the second phase.
Zico, Socrates, Falcao and Eder could not stop attacking and Brazil paid for it when they lost 3-2 to a Paolo Rossi hat-trick. Italy went on to the final and beat West Germany 3-1. Rossi finished top scorer with six goals.
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 Mexico 1986
The 13th FIFA World Cup™ was awarded to Mexico, who thus became the first country to host the competition on two occasions. However, the Mexicans were selected only as replacement hosts after the original choice, Colombia, announced in 1983 that it could no longer afford to stage football's greatest tournament. Terrible earthquakes were the prelude to the tournament, but the stadiums were not affected and it was decided to go ahead with the preparations.
Maradona, with two goals against both England -- one a handball he proudly dubbed scored by "the hand of God", the other one of the greatest goals ever scored -- and Belgium, led Argentina through and in the final they overcame West Germany 3-2 in front of 115,000 at the Aztec Stadium.
|  Italy 1990
A disappointing FIFA World Cup™ with too much dull defensive football and matches won on penalty kicks. The final itself between West Germany and Argentina was the least inspiring in the history of the competition and ironically decided by a late penalty converted by West Germany's Andreas Brehme. Argentina became the first team not to score in the final -- and also the first team to have not one, but two players sent off in the final.
Hosts Italy flattered to deceive before losing on penalties in the semi-finals to Argentina. West Germany won the other semi on penalties against England. |
 USA 1994
A superb FIFA World Cup™ marred only by a disappointing final which Brazil won on penalties after a goalless draw with Italy. There were plenty of goals, excitement, drama and surprises. Bulgaria, who had never won a FIFA World Cup match in 16 previous attempts, were the biggest upsets beating Germany en route to the semi-finals.
There was drama when Diego Maradona, Argentina's hero of 1986, tested positive for drugs and was expelled from the tournament, and there was tragedy too when Colombian Andres Escobar was murdered days after returning home from scoring an own goal against the United States.
The hosts were not disgraced, going out to Brazil in the second round. The Brazilians were the best team in the tournament and were deserved winners, even if the nature of their final victory left a hollow taste for many. |  France 1998
The 16th FIFA World Cup™ was the largest ever, contested by 32 teams with 64 matches played. The eight groups of four teams were spread out throughout France in the ten new or refurbished stadia, with the opening game and the final held in the splendid new Stade de France just north of Paris.
32 countries meant 30 qualifying spots, providing more opportunities for teams from Africa and Asia. The four-team groups also reflected the geographical spread, with all but one of the pools comprising two Europeans, one from the Americas and one from Africa or Asia.
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 Korea / Japan 2002
The first round of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™ reflected a changing football world as upsets and surprises thrilled right from the start. In the end however, it was two familiar faces, Germany and Brazil, who played for the world championship, and it was the South Americans who won their unprecedented fifth FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo, who suffered a famously poor final four years earlier, was the hero for the Seleçao, scoring both in the 2-0 victory. He ended up with eight goals in the tournament – the most in a FIFA World Cup since Gerd Müller scored ten times at Mexico ‘70.
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