Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
The 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup, a tournament contested every four years, kicks off in just over two weeks on June 14, and pits 32 nations against each other over a three-week period.
Brazil is the most successful World Cup nation of all time, lifting the cup five times, followed closely by Germany and Italy on four tournaments.
The Seleção won its first title in 1958, when a 17-year-old Pelé burst onto the scene. Pelé went on to lift three World Cup titles, the most for any individual soccer player ever.
Only eight nations have won the World Cup - with five of those teams winning more than once.
In this list we profile all the winners since the first tournament, held in the South American nation of Uruguay back in 1930.
Italy were crowned champion four years later in 1934.
Host nation: Italy.
Final: Italy 2-1 Czechoslovakia (after extra time).
Top goalscorer: Czechoslovakia forward Oldřich Nejedlý scored five goals.
Italy successfully retained the World Cup in 1938, one year before the outbreak of World War Two.
Host nation: France.
Final: Italy 4-2 Hungary.
Top goalscorer: Brazil forward Leônidas scored seven goals.
There were no tournaments in 1942 or 1946 because of war and recovery, but Uruguay reclaimed the World Cup when it was next held in 1950.
Host nation: Brazil.
Final: Uruguay 2-1 Brazil.
Top goalscorer: Brazil forward Ademire scored eight goals.
Then Brazil won the first of its five World Cup titles in 1958.
Host nation: Sweden.
Final: Brazil 5-2 Sweden.
Top goalscorer: France forward Just Fontaine scored 13 goals.
England was crowned champion at Wembley Stadium in London in 1966.
Host nation: England.
Final: England 4-2 West Germany (after extra time).
Top goalscorer: Portugal striker Eusébio scored nine goals.
Brazil, and Pelé, won a third World Cup in 1970.
Host nation: Mexico.
Final: Brazil 4-1 Italy.
Top goalscorer: West Germany striker Gerd Müller scored 10 goals.
West Germany won its second World Cup title in 1974.
Host nation: West Germany.
Final: West Germany 2-1 Netherlands.
Top goalscorer: Poland winger Grzegorz Lato scored seven goals.
Argentina was crowned World Cup champion on home soil in 1978.
Host nation: Argentina.
Final: Argentina 3-1 Netherlands (after extra time).
Top goalscorer: Argentina striker Mario Kempes scored six goals.
Italy lifted the World Cup trophy for a third time in 1982.
Host nation: Spain.
Final: Italy 3-1 West Germany.
Top goalscorer: Italy forward Paolo Rossi scored six goals.
Argentina won its second World Cup title in 1986.
Host nation: Mexico.
Final: Argentina 3-2 West Germany.
Top goalscorer: England striker Gary Lineker scored six goals.
West Germany won a third World Cup title in 1990.
Host nation: Italy.
Final: West Germany 1-0 Argentina.
Top goalscorer: Italy striker Salvatore Schillaci scored six goals.
20 years after its third triumph, Brazil won another World Cup in 1994.
Host nation: United States.
Final: Brazil 0-0 Italy (3-2 after a penalty shoot-out).
Top goalscorer: Bulgaria forward Hristo Stoichkov and Russia forward Oleg Salenko both scored six goals.
France won the World Cup in Paris in 1998.
Host nation: France.
Final: France 3-0 Brazil.
Top goalscorer: Croatia striker Davor Šuker scored six goals.
Brazil won its fifth World Cup title in 2002.
Host nation: Japan and South Korea.
Final: Brazil 2-0 Germany.
Top goalscorer: Brazil striker Ronaldo scored eight goals.
Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'y16epPhlSbRnnc-sFbhEyw',sig:'WlyA0Q8T6gKLhkY_8sjqYquhMuHGult54ZRFk47GUmM=',w:'594px',h:'397px',items:'891938',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});
France took Italy into a sudden death penalty shoot-out, but the Italians prevailed and claimed a fourth trophy in 2006.
Host nation: Germany.
Final: Italy 1-1 France (5-3 after a penalty shoot-out).
Top goalscorer: Germany striker Miroslav Klose scored five goals.
Spain won its first World Cup trophy in 2010.
Host nation: South Africa.
Final: Spain 1-0 Netherlands.
Top goalscorers: Germany forward Thomas Müller, Spain striker David Villa, Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder, and Uruguay striker Diego Forlán all scored five goals.
Germany is reigning champions as it won the last World Cup in 2014.
Host nation: Brazil.
Final: Germany 1-0 Argentina (after extra time).
Top goalscorer: Colombia attacking midfielder James Rodríguez scored six goals.
