The most repeated final has been Germany against Argentina with three confrontations, being precisely the Teutons the last team to take the decisive duel by beating the Albiceleste in the final of the World Cup in Brazil 2014
The final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup between Argentina and France will be the 11th confrontation between teams from the Conmebol and UEFA. The balance is favorable for South America with seven victories in 10 finals, of which five have been from Brazil, three of them with Pelé in charge, and two from Argentina.
The most repeated final has been Germany against Argentina with three confrontations, being precisely the Teutons the last team to take the decisive duel by beating the Albiceleste in the final of the 2014 Brazil World Cup.
In addition, the clashes between Brazil and Italy marked an era in Mexico in 1970 and then decided the first final on penalties in the United States in 1994.
Conmebol’s last triumph against UEFA in the final of a World Cup was in Korea and Japan in 2002, when Ronaldo’s double against Germany led Brazil to win its fifth championship.
We take the opportunity to review how the World Cup finals were after World Cup.
Sweden 1958, Sweden 2-5 Brazil
It was the tournament that marked the birth of a legend in the history of world football: Pelé. The barely 17-year-old Brazilian player is the youngest to win the competition and led the Canarian to win the first of his three World Cups with Brazil. The South Americans humiliated Sweden five by two, being the first win in the finals of the tournament.
On June 29, 1958, the match was held at the Rasunda Stadium in Solna. The goals from Rio were the work of Vavá (9′, 32′), Pelé (55′, 90′) and Mario Zagallo (68′). For the hosts, Nils Liedholm (4′) and Agne Simonsson (80′) scored.
The attendance was 49 thousand 737 people and the main referee was the French Maurice Guigue.
Brazil’s triumph allowed them to be the first and, so far, the only non-European team to prevail in the old continent. He is also the first world champion outside his continent, an achievement that he repeated in 2002 in Korea and Japan, but in Asia.
Chile 1962, Brazil 3-1 Czechoslovakia
Chile hosted its first and only World Cup, which saw Pelé’s Brazil become the third two-time world champion, after Italy (1934 and 1938) and Uruguay (1930 and 1950).
On June 17, 1962, the Canariña achieved the double, thanks to goals from Amarildo (17′), Zito (69′) and Vavá (78′), who became the first player to score in two finals. Josef Masopust (15′) sent the ball into the net for the Europeans.
The referee Nickolaj Latychev, born in the Soviet Union, was in charge of delivering justice. The attendance was 68 thousand 679 people.
Mexico 1970, Brazil 4-1 Italy
The consecration of Brazil came in one of the most iconic finals of all time. On June 21, 1970, the Azteca Stadium hosted the final between Brazil and Italy, won by the Canariña four goals to one, in a great offensive display and champagne soccer.
The goals for the cariocas were scored by Pelé (18′), Gerson (66′), Jairzinho 71′) and captain Carlos Alberto (86′). For Italy, Roberto Boninsegna (37 ‘) shortened the distance.
The attendance was 107 thousand 412 people and the main referee was the German Rudi Glockner.
In this way, Brazil became the third country to win all the games it played and to be the first four-time champion.
For his part, Pelé retired through the front door, winning his third World Cup, being the only one to do so so far.
Argentina 1978, Netherlands 1-3 Argentina (extra time)
Argentina won its first World Cup at the hands of “Matador” Mario Alberto Kempes. La Albiceleste beat the Netherlands three goals to one in extra time, in a match held to bursting at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Kempes, who finished as the Cup’s top scorer with six goals, opened the scoring after 38 minutes. The Dutch response reached 82, with a goal from Dirk Nanninga to force extra time.
Already in additional time, Argentina was in charge of sentencing the duel with goals from Kempes at 105 and Ricardo Bertoni at 115.
Thus it was the fifth organizing country to win the title, after Uruguay in 1930, Italy in 1934, England in 1966 and Germany in 1974.
For its part, the Netherlands became the first team to lose two consecutive World Cups.
The game was whistled by the Italian Sergio Gonella and was played on June 25, 1978.
The “Skinny” César Luis Menotti won the tactical duel against Ernst Happel.
Mexico 1986, Argentina 3-2 Federal Germany
Diego Armando Maradona’s World Cup could not end without the title. The Argentine star led the Albiceleste to the two-time championship, defeating Federal Germany three goals for two at the Azteca Stadium in front of 144,600 people.
June 29, 1986 was written in golden letters for the South Americans, who prevailed with goals from José Luis Brown (23′), Jorge Valdano (55′) and Jorge Burruchaga (83′). For Germany, Karl Rummenigge (73′) and Rudi Voller had scored in the minute (80′), but it was not enough to stop the Albiceleste.
The match was whistled by the main Brazilian Romualdo Arppi Filho.
Soccer World Cup Final 1986, Azteca Stadium, Mexico, June 29, 1986 (Photo Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
Italy 1990, Argentina 0-1 West Germany
Teutonic revenge came four years later. Federal Germany beat Argentina by the slightest difference, with a penalty from Andreas Brehme in the 85th minute.
The Mexican referee Edgardo Codesal was in charge of whistling the controversial penalty at the Olympic Stadium in Rome before 73,603 spectators, who minutes later saw Germany become three-time world champions.
USA 1994, Brazil 0-0 Italy (3-2 penalties)
The Rose Bowl stadium in Los Angeles witnessed the first final in history to be decided on penalties and the first goalless in 120 minutes. Brazil and Italy met again 24 years after the meeting in Mexico 70 and the joy was once again Brazilian.
Roberto Baggio missed the last penalty, which became an iconic image in the World Cups. Thus Brazil became the first four-time champion, in a team full of stars with Romario, Bebeto, Dunga and Taffarel.
The duel was whistled by the Hungarian Sándor Puhl and 94,194 people attended the stadium, in a duel that was played at noon, with inclement sun and high humidity.
France 1998, Brazil 0-3 France
The first World Cup with 32 teams ended with a celebration at home. France hosted its first tournament since 1938 and joined Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), England (1966), Germany (1974) and Argentina (1978) in winning the World Cup as hosts.
The Frenchmen played a dream final at the Stade de France in Saint-Dennis in front of 80,000 people, beating Brazil three to zero, with a brace from Zinedine Zidane (27′,45+1′) and the same from Emmanuel Petit (90+2′), before the incredulous gaze of Ronaldo and company.
The final was played on July 12, 1998 and was refereed by the Moroccan Said Belqola, who was the first African to direct the final of a World Cup.
Korea and Japan 2002, Germany 0-2 Brazil
The first final held on the Asian continent and the first World Cup organized between two countries was dyed yellow. Ronaldo had his reward and with a brace in the 63rd and 79th minute, he defeated Germany to become the first country to win five World Cups and the second team, after Germany (1982, 1986, 1990), to play in three consecutive finals.
On June 30, 2002, this duel was played at the Yokohama International Stadium and was whistled by the Italian Pierluigi Collina before 69,029 spectators.
Captain Cafu has been the only one to play in three consecutive finals (1994, 1998 and 2002) and it was the first final held by Germany as a unified nation.
It was the second World Cup won by Brazil outside its continent, after the success achieved in Sweden in 1958.
Brazil 2014, Germany 1-0 Argentina (extra time)
Germany and Argentina met for the third time in history, after the 1986 and 1990 editions. This time, the setting was on July 13, 2014 at the legendary Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro and Mario Gotze defined the match with a goal in the 113th minute of extra time, to give Germany their fourth world title.
Thus the Teutons equaled Italy as four-time champions and were the first Europeans to win on the American continent. In addition, they frustrated Lionel Messi’s dream of winning with Argentina.
The game was whistled by the Italian Nicola Rizzoli and had an attendance of 74,738 people.
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