World Cup History
1930
- URUGUAY
1934
- ITALY
1938
- FRANCE
1950
- BRAZIL
1954
- SWITZERLAND
1958
- SWEDEN
1962
- CHILE
1966
- ENGLAND
1970
- MEXICO
1974
- WEST GERMANY
1978
- ARGENTINA
1982
- SPAIN
1986
- MEXICO
1990
- ITALY
1994
- UNITED STATES
1998
- FRANCE
2002
- KOREA / JAPAN
A worldwide International
football tournament was the brainchild of two French football
administrators, Jules Rimet - after whom the original
trophy was named - and Henri Delauney. The 2002
renewal, held in Asia for the first time by co-hosts Japan
and Korea has attracted 196 entries, a far cry from the
13 nations that contested the first World Cup in Uruguay
1930, where the hosts prevailed in a thrilling final against
neighbours Argentina.
The next two tournaments were
held in Europe, with Italy winning as hosts in 1934,
then retaining the trophy on foreign soil in 1938 by beating Hungary
in Rimet's home city of Paris, France. The Second World
War and its aftermath meant that the next tournament was not
held until 1950, where hosts Brazil suffered a shock
defeat by Uruguay.
The following two tournaments
were held in Europe. West Germany emerged in 1954 to
inflict the only defeat Hungary suffered in six years,
while Brazil finally fulfilled their promise in 1958 with a
5-2 defeat of hosts Sweden.
Brazil retained the trophy in
Chile in 1962, and their third victory in Mexico
in 1970 saw them win the Jules Rimet trophy for keeps. In
between, England had beaten arch-rivals West Germany
at Wembley in 1966. Holland emerged as a
European rival to the sublime skills of the Brazilians in the
1970s, but were defeated in successive finals by hosts West
Germany in 1974 and Argentina in 1978.
Spain
failed to make
it a "hosts hat-trick" in 1982, with Italy beating
West Germany. The Germans again fell at the final hurdle to
Argentina in Mexico in 1986, but it was third time lucky when
they beat Argentina in Italy in 1990.
The USA, World Cup
minnows since making the semi-finals back in 1930, put on the
biggest of shows in 1994, where the final between Brazil and
Italy went all the way to penalties and victory for the South
Americans. Despite the great Ronaldo, Brazil could not
retain their title against the hosts France in 1998.
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