Men’s international football’s pinnacle tournament, the FIFA World Cup, features teams from around the globe. Considering the widespread consensus that football is the most popular sport on the planet, the FIFA World Cup’s every-four-year iteration reliably draws in a massive crowd.
Football’s worldwide regulatory organization, FIFA, was established in 1904, and it was FIFA that oversaw the game’s continental recognition in the Antwerp 1920 Olympics. The groundwork was therefore laid for the inaugural FIFA World Cup to be played in 1930. Due to their status as Olympic champions from 1924 and 1928 and their celebration of 100 years of independence, Uruguay was chosen as the host country.
As a result of their victory over Argentina (4-2) in the final, Uruguay became the inaugural FIFA World Cup champions and hoisted the trophy in their home country. Brazil and Spain were the only countries that didn’t win the World Cup when they were the hosts. Brazil came in second in 1950, and Spain made it to the second round in 1982.
Here are the six times the host country won the World Cup:
Uruguay (1930)
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Since Uruguay hosted and won the inaugural World Cup in 1930 with only 13 teams, they have a long and storied history in the tournament. Only 18 games were contested, but Uruguay had to earn their championship, especially in their showdown with Argentina, another South American team.
But on that day in Montevideo, the Uruguayans triumphed over the Argentines 4-2 to earn the title of first-ever world champions. Uruguay won their second championship in 1950 after 20 years, this time at the expense of Brazil by a score of 2-1. In 1954, the South Americans again finished in the top four after a 3-1 loss to Austria in the third-place match.
Italy (1934)
Italy hosted the tournament and won it, making them the first country to do so. Italian soccer has won four World Cups, tying them for second place with Germany and trailing only Brazil. It is worth noting that Italy, along with Brazil (1958–1962), is the only two-time World Cup champion.
Italy will not be participating in this year’s tournament; since their 2006 World Cup victory, they have been noticeably absent from the international scene. Italy defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1 in extra time in Rome in 1934 to win the tournament. Other championships were won in 1938 and 1982.
England (1966)
England’s 1966 victory in the capital was also historic, as the Three Lions won their first and only World Cup on that fateful day at Wembley. This year’s championship was likewise won in overtime, as the hosts defeated West Germany 4-2. Geoff Hurst’s hat trick on that day in London was the talk of the town, and Martin Peters scored once as well. Since then, though, England’s major-stage performance has been relatively quiet. If Gareth Southgate’s team uses the energy from their 2018 World Cup semi-final appearance, they could be in for a wild ride in Qatar this winter.
Germany (1974)
Germany’s 1974 World Cup victory was the country’s second overall and second as hosts, bucking the norm of first-time winners winning on home territory. Footballing superpower West Germany had previously won the title of the best nation in the world in 1954. The 1974 World Cup was also won by West Germany, this time by a 2-1 score against the Netherlands at the Olympiastadion in Munich.
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In 1994, West Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in Rome for their third title; 16 years later, in 2014, they beat Argentina again in extra time to earn their fourth title—this time as Germany, not West Germany. Germany has finished in second place more often than any other country, with four times to their credit.
Argentina (1978)
In the subsequent World Cup, when hosts Argentina faced off against the Netherlands, another triumph occurred in extra time. The last team suffered a heart-breaking 3-1 defeat at the hands of the host nation in the World Cup final in Buenos Aires.
Heroes included Mario Kempes and Daniel Bertoni, who scored twice at Estadio Monumental. Eight years later, in 1986, Argentina won their second World Cup after beating West Germany 3-2 in Mexico. The South Americans routinely field a highly skilled World Cup team, and Lionel Messi and company will be looking to make more history this winter.
France (1998)
France won the World Cup for the first time on home soil and repeated as champions four years later. Twenty years after the hosts of France 98′ had put on a display for their own people, the Russians finally won again in Russia in 2018.
At Stade de France, legends like Zinedine Zidane, Frank Leboeuf, and Didier Deschamps couldn’t save Les Bleus from a 3-0 loss to Brazil despite having players like Cafu, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Rivaldo on their roster. Two decades later, in 2018, the French team led by stars like Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, and Mbappe won the title. With Mbappe in top form again, they are among the favourites to win the tournament in Qatar. But they are without Pogba and N’Golo Kante, who are both injured.
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