| 1962 Hosts for the 1962 edition were Chile | | | | expanded World Cup was launched in 1982 in |
| despite recently having suffered a | | | | Spain. Eight more teams participated |
| devastating earthquake. Brazil were | | | | bringing the total to 24. The idea was to |
| favorites to retain the trophy but Chile | | | | allow the lesser footballing countries to |
| thought they had a world-beating plan of | | | | enter the tournament. The idea was |
| action. Before they played Italy they ate | | | | vindicated by impressive displays by Algeria |
| spaghetti and won. Before they played | | | | and Cameroon. Italy proved to be unstoppable |
| Switzerland they ate Swiss cheese and won. | | | | that year and defeated the strong West German |
| Before they played Russia they drank vodka | | | | side 3-1 in the final even after Antonio |
| and won (must have been an interesting game). | | | | Cabrini of Italy became the first player to |
| So when they came up against Brazil in the | | | | miss a penalty in a World Cup |
| semi finals, what did they do? Did they eat | | | | final.Statistics Host Country: |
| Brazil nuts? No, they drank coffee and | | | | SpainCountries: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, |
| promptly lost 4-2. Brazil once again claimed | | | | Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, |
| the trophy by beating Czechoslovakia 3-1 in | | | | Czechoslovakia, El Salvador, England, France, |
| the final.Statistics Host Country: | | | | Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Kuwait, New |
| ChileCountries: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, | | | | Zealand, Northern Ireland, Peru, Poland, |
| Chile, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, England, | | | | Scotland, Spain, USSR, West Germany, |
| Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, | | | | YugoslaviaFinal: Italy 3, West Germany 1Top |
| Uruguay, USSR, West Germany, YugoslaviaFinal: | | | | goal scorer: Paolo Rossi, Italy (6)1986 |
| Brazil 3, Czechoslovakia 1Top goal scorer: | | | | Colombia had been chosen to host the 1986 |
| Drazen Jerkovic, Yugoslavia (5)1966 In 1966 | | | | World Cup but was unable to due to economic |
| the World Cup came back to where the modern | | | | considerations so the venue was switched to |
| game of football began in 1863, England and | | | | Mexico despite strong efforts by Holland and |
| the trophy was destined to stay there for | | | | the United States to have the competition on |
| four years. It might have stayed there | | | | home soil. Brazil, the favorites were |
| permanently because when it was put on show | | | | knocked out in the quarter finals by France |
| at the Westminster Central Hall in London | | | | on penalties. Another quarter final saw |
| four months before the tournament was to | | | | Argentina's Diego Maradona famous "hand of |
| start it was stolen. Seven days of acute | | | | God" goal against England. Several billion |
| embarrassment ensued while authorities tried | | | | TV viewers saw him use his hand to punch the |
| to find the missing cup without any result. | | | | ball into the back of the English goal but |
| Eventually a black and white dog called | | | | the referee did not. It was a blatant cheat |
| "Pickles" found it underneath a hedge wrapped | | | | that still rankles with English fans today as |
| in newspaper whilst doing what dogs do under | | | | it saw their team go home. In the final |
| hedges. Pickles shot to stardom and the | | | | against West Germany he showed that he didn't |
| English Football Association had a replica of | | | | need to cheat to win as he brilliantly led |
| the trophy made - "just in case". The | | | | his country to a hard fought win by 3 goals |
| replica can still be seen at the English | | | | to 2.Statistics Host Country: |
| National Football Museum.The 1966 World Cup | | | | MexicoCountries: Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, |
| was memorable for several reasons. It was | | | | Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, England, |
| the first World Cup to have a mascot - "World | | | | France, Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Mexico, |
| Cup Willie", a lion dressed in the English | | | | Morocco, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, Poland, |
| strip. It was a World Cup marred by vicious | | | | Portugal, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, |
| tactics on the field and by poor refereeing | | | | Uruguay, USSR, West GermanyFinal: Argentina |
| that saw Brazil literally kicked off the | | | | 3, Germany 2Top goal scorer: Gary Lineker, |
| pitch in the first round. The final against | | | | England (6)1990 The 14th World Cup was |
| West Germany was also memorable due to one of | | | | without doubt the most boring so far. Every |
| the most controversial goals in Cup history. | | | | team was so scared of losing that games |
| In extra time Geoff Hurst of England launched | | | | became low-scoring brutal chess matches. |
| a shot that hit the underside of the goal | | | | Both semi finals went into extra time and |
| crossbar and bounced down. The referee ruled | | | | then went on to be decided by penalty kicks. |
| that it had landed behind the goal-line and | | | | The final contested by West Germany appearing |
| was therefore a goal. The West Germans | | | | in its last World cup before unification and |
| protested that it did not go behind the line | | | | Argentina. In a dour and dirty struggle with |
| but the linesman upheld the referee and the | | | | two sendings off. West Germany won 1-0 by |
| goal stood. Hurst put the matter beyond | | | | way of a penalty.Statistics Host Country: |
| doubt in the last minute by | | | | ItalyCountries: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, |
| scoring.Statistics Host Country: | | | | Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, |
| EnglandCountries: Argentina, Brazil, | | | | Czechoslovakia, Egypt, England, Ireland, |
| Bulgaria, Chile, England, France, Hungary, | | | | Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Scotland, South |
| Italy, Mexico, North Korea, Portugal, Spain, | | | | Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, |
| Switzerland, Uruguay, USSR, West | | | | Uruguay, United States, USSR, West Germany, |
| GermanyFinal: England 4, West Germany 2 | | | | YugoslaviaFinal: West Germany 1, Argentina |
| (after extra time)Top goal scorer: Eusebio, | | | | 0Top goal scorer: Salvatore "Toto" Schillaci, |
| Portugal (9)1970 Mexico 1970 was Brazil's and | | | | Italy (6)1994 FIFA saw the United States as |
| Pele's World Cup. After 1966 when Brazil | | | | an untapped market as far as football (or |
| were knocked out in the first round, Pele had | | | | soccer as the Americans call it) was |
| vowed never to play in the World Cup again. | | | | concerned and so decided to award the 1994 |
| Fortunately he was persuaded to make a final | | | | tournament to them. Italy were on song with |
| appearance in 1970. Hopes were high in | | | | their play-maker Roberto Baggio playing some |
| England for a repeat of the 1966 success but | | | | sublime football. Argentina were hopeful |
| matters were not helped when the England | | | | that a newly re-called Maradona could steer |
| captain was jailed for four days on | | | | them to success but the hope evaporated when |
| manufactured charges of stealing a bracelet | | | | he proved positive for a banned substance and |
| in Guadalajara a couple of weeks before the | | | | was sent home in disgrace. The U.S. on home |
| opening game. Those, the humid playing | | | | ground had a better than expected tournament |
| conditions and Gerd Muller in devastating | | | | finally going out to Brazil. Earlier they |
| form, were enough to see West Germany take | | | | had beaten Colombia thanks to an own goal by |
| their revenge in the quarter final for the | | | | Colombian Andres Escobar who was shot dead |
| defeat in the previous competition's final. | | | | when he arrived back home. The final between |
| But Brazil seemed unstoppable thanks to their | | | | Brazil and Italy was an absorbing game of |
| magnificent attackers but their defense was | | | | Brazil's irresistible attacking force meeting |
| questionable. Could the Italian front line | | | | Italy's immovable defensive force. |
| turn this to their advantage? At half time | | | | Predictably the match ended 0-0 after extra |
| it seemed that they could with the score line | | | | time so it went to the penalties and sudden |
| at 1-1 and the Brazilians obviously | | | | death. Roberto Baggio of Italy sent his kick |
| demoralized. But after half time Pele took | | | | high over the cross-bar and Brazil were the |
| charge laying on passes that led to two | | | | winners.Statistics Host Country: United |
| Brazilian goals and finding the net himself. | | | | StatesCountries: Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, |
| Brazil had won the World Cup for the third | | | | Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, |
| time and therefore was allowed to keep the | | | | Germany, Greece, South Korea, Ireland, Italy, |
| Jules Rimet Trophy permanently. Some year | | | | Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, |
| later it was stolen and never recovered. It | | | | Norway, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, |
| is presumed it was melted down.Statistics | | | | USA, Sweden, SwitzerlandFinal: Brazil 1, |
| Host Country: MexicoCountries: Belgium, | | | | Italy 0 (3-2 on penalty kicks)Top goal scorer |
| Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, El | | | | (Joint): Oleg Salenko, Russia and Hristo |
| Salvador, England, Israel, Italy, Mexico, | | | | Stoitchkov, Bulgaria (6) 1998 France, played |
| Morocco, Peru, Romania, Sweden, Uruguay, | | | | host to an expanded World Cup with the number |
| USSR, West GermanyFinal: Brazil 4, Italy 1 | | | | of participants brought up to 32. Nobody |
| (after extra time)Top goal scorer: Gerd | | | | thought that France had a chance of winning |
| Muller, West Germany (10)1974 In 1974, West | | | | and everyone was very surprised when the made |
| Germany played hosts for the competition for | | | | it to the final. Amazement took the place of |
| the new trophy, the FIFA World Cup. West | | | | surprise when the managed to destroy Brazil |
| Germany had a tremendously strong side but | | | | 3-0 in the final. To this day nobody who |
| then so did Holland with its brand of "total | | | | isn't French can explain how they did it. |
| football" and Poland. Holland beat Brazil | | | | Serious hooliganism reared its ugly head |
| 2-0 to face West Germany in the final in | | | | during the early stages of the tournament |
| Berlin but the German ultra efficient | | | | when English fans rampaged through Marseille |
| football machine held out against the | | | | and German fans attacked a police officer |
| inspirational Dutch to grab a late | | | | with an iron bar and left him permanently |
| winner.Statistics Host Country: West | | | | brain damaged.StatisticsHost Country: |
| GermanyCountries: Argentina, Australia, | | | | FranceCountries: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, |
| Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, East Germany, Haiti, | | | | Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, |
| Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Sweden, | | | | Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, |
| Uruguay, West Germany, Yugoslavia, | | | | Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, |
| ZaireFinal: West Germany 2, Netherlands 1Top | | | | Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, |
| goal scorer: Grzegorz Lato, Poland (7)1978 | | | | Romania, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South |
| 1978 saw the FIFA World Cup being held in | | | | Africa, South Korea, Spain, Tunisia, United |
| Argentina and it was one of the most | | | | States, YugoslaviaFinal: France 3, Brazil |
| controversial with very strange refereeing | | | | 0Top goal scorer: Davor Suker, Croatia |
| and organizational decisions seeming to | | | | (6)2002 For the first time the World Cup had |
| favour the home country. In a second-round | | | | co-hosts in Japan and South Korea. It was |
| match Argentina needed to score at least four | | | | also the first to be held on the continent of |
| goals against Peru. It scored six and Peru | | | | Asia. Fears of major rioting due to |
| were heavily criticized for giving the game | | | | hooligans proved unfounded due to the superb |
| away. In the final Argentina seemed to have | | | | preparations by the co-hosts and the whole |
| an extra man in referee Sergio Gonella. His | | | | tournament had a party atmosphere. It was |
| decisions were so blatantly pro Argentina | | | | also a tournament of upsets. In 1998 the |
| that there were calls (particularly by the | | | | United States had finished last but in 2002 |
| Dutch) for the match to be re-played in a | | | | they sailed into the quarter finals before |
| neutral country - calls that fell on deaf | | | | being knocked out by Germany. France, the |
| ears.Statistics Host Country: | | | | holders were eliminated in the first round |
| ArgentinaCountries: Austria, Argentina, | | | | without scoring a single goal and Italy left |
| Brazil, France, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Mexico, | | | | the tournament early after some poor |
| Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Scotland, Spain, | | | | refereeing. In the end it was Brazil and |
| Sweden, Tunisia, West GermanyFinal: Argentina | | | | Germany who contested the final with Brazil |
| 3, Netherlands 1 (after extra time)Top goal | | | | winning by two goals. |
| scorer: Mario Kempes, Argentina (6)1982 An | | | | |