What national teams have the most appearances in World Cup history?

From Uruguay in 1930 to Qatar in 2022, the samba boys of Brazil are the only ones to have appeared at them all. In those 22, the South American nation lifted the prestigious trophy aloft on a record five occasions.

1. Brazil - 22 World Cup appearances

The World Cup’s most decorated national team, five-time champions Brazil are the only country to have qualified for all 22 editions of the tournament.

It took the Brazilians until World Cup 1958 to lift the trophy for the first time, but that victory - inspired by a 17-year-old Pelé - began a run of three triumphs in four tournaments, as the Canarinha established themselves as the competition’s major force.

Brazil became only the second side so far to retain their world title in 1962, and in 1970 lifted the trophy with what is widely considered the greatest team the finals have ever witnessed, in Pelé's final World Cup.

In 1994, Brazil ended a 24-year wait for a fourth crown with a penalty shootout victory over Italy in the final, before eight-goal Ronaldo fired the South Americans to their fifth World Cup win in 2002.

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2. Germany - 20 World Cup appearances

Germany, who competed as West Germany from 1954 and 1990, have never failed to qualify for a World Cup that they’ve entered. They didn’t take part in the inaugural tournament in 1930, and missed the 1950 finals as they hadn’t yet been readmitted to FIFA following the Second World War.

The Germans have won the World Cup four times. At Switzerland 1954, they recovered from 2-0 down in the final to beat a much-fancied Hungary side 3-2, in a game dubbed the ‘Miracle of Bern’. Die Mannschaft then secured their second title on home soil in 1974, beating a Netherlands side viewed as one of the greatest never to win the competition.

A third World Cup win followed at Italia ‘90, before a team coached by Joachim Löw secured the country’s most recent crown in 2014. Germany’s victory in Brazil eight years ago included a historic 7-1 semi-final trouncing of the tournament hosts.

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3. Italy - 18 World Cup appearances

Also four-time World Cup winners, Italy hadn’t missed the finals for half a century when they failed to qualify for Russia 2018. However, the reigning European champions have now had to sit out two in a row, after also missing out on Qatar 2022.

Beaten to a World Cup berth by Sweden four years ago, the Azzurri suffered a stunning defeat to Macedonia in the qualifying playoffs for this year’s tournament.

The Italians didn’t enter the first World Cup 92 years ago, but were then winners in 1934 and 1938 - the only other occasion on which a country has lifted the trophy twice in a row. A third world title followed in 1982, before Marcelo Lippi led the Italians to victory over France on penalties in the 2006 final.

Since then, Italy’s World Cup record reads: out in the group stage, out in the group stage, did not qualify, did not qualify.

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3. Argentina - 18 World Cup appearances

Having also featured at 18 World Cups, two-time winners Argentina join Italy on the final step of the podium. The Albiceleste have only failed to qualify for one tournament that they’ve entered - Mexico ‘70 - and have been at each of the last 13 finals. The Argentinians also missed the World Cup in 1938, 1950 and 1954 as they opted to withdraw.

Argentina’s first World Cup triumph came when they were hosts in 1978, Mario Kempes’ double in the final condemning the Netherlands to a second straight finish as runners-up.

Eight years later, Diego Maradona delivered one of the great individual tournament performances to lead the Argentinians to their most recent World Cup victory. ‘El Pibe de Oro’ scored five goals in Mexico - including an infamous finish with his hand and a sublime solo effort - before setting up Jorge Burruchaga for the winner over West Germany in the final.

Completing the top 10…