Which country has played in the most World Cup finals?
Sunday will be Argentina’s seventh World Cup final, but only Spain’s second.
The World Cup semifinals are over, and we now await the 2026 final on Sunday, July 19, between Spain and Argentina.
It will be the seventh time Argentina have played in a World Cup final but only the second time Spain will feature, after their semifinal victories over England and France, respectively.
Which country has played in the most World Cup finals?
Germany have played in a record eight World Cup finals. Only eight countries have won the World Cup since its inception in 1930.
Like Argentina, Brazil have reached seven World Cup finals, with Italy (6), France (4), and the Netherlands (3) next on the list.
Five-star Brazil
Brazil, the only country to have participated in every tournament since the inaugural edition in Uruguay 96 years ago, have won the World Cup a record five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.
However, they have flattered to deceive in recent tournaments, failing to get beyond the quarterfinals since reaching the last four in 2014.
European heavyweights Germany and Italy are tied for second with four World Cup titles each, but they have also struggled in recent years.
The last time Germany reached a final was in 2014, when they broke Argentine hearts with an extra-time winner from Mario Götze. However, they haven’t progressed beyond the round of 32 since then.
Italy, quite incredibly, have failed to qualify for each of the last three World Cups.
Uruguay and France have lifted the trophy twice, while Spain and England have each won it once.
World Cup wins by country
- Brazil: 5 (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
- Germany/West Germany: 4 (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
- Italy: 4 (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)
- Argentina: 3 (1978, 1986, 2026)
- France: 2 (1998, 2018)
- Uruguay: 2 (1930, 1950)
- England: 1 (1966)
- Spain: 1 (2010)
Argentina’s World Cup successes
Argentina are, of course, the reigning World Cup holders, with Lionel Messi leading La Albiceleste to a penalty shootout victory over France in the final in Qatar in 2022.
That triumph ended a 36-year wait for World Cup glory. In 1986, a Diego Maradona-inspired side defeated West Germany 3-2 in Mexico City.
Eight years earlier, on home soil, Argentina beat the Netherlands 3-1 at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Spain’s lone World Cup triumph
Spain reached the final and lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time in 2010. Already European champions, La Roja edged past the Netherlands in a tense final in South Africa thanks to Andrés Iniesta’s injury-time strike.
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