Soccer: Finals of the soccer world championships

The history of the finals at soccer world championships:

URUGUAY AT THE TOP: 13 nations take part in the first football World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. The hosts win 4-2 against neighboring Argentina in Montevideo, the two-time Olympic champion Uruguay wins the first of two World Cup titles and is the undisputed number one.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITALY: Italy hosted the first World Cup in Europe in 1934 and also used home advantage to win the title. In the first final with extra time, the Squadra Azzurra defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1. In Rome, dictator Benito Mussolini watched the triumph with satisfaction.

TITLE DEFENSE: The legendary trainer Vittorio Pozzo leads the Italians to defend their title in Paris in 1938. Striker Silvio Piola scores twice in a 4-2 win against Hungary. Shortly before the Second World War, it remains the last World Cup for twelve years.

SHOCK IN THE MARACANA: In the decisive final round match of the 1950 World Cup, which will be played without a real final, Brazil would have been enough to win the title with a draw against Uruguay. But the little neighbor shocked an entire nation with the 2-1 victory in front of an estimated 180,000 fans in Rio.

WUNDER VON BERN: The DFB team around Fritz Walter beats the favorite Hungary after an early 2-0 deficit. For many Germans, Helmut Rahn’s low shot to make it 3-2 nine years after the end of the war is far more than just the winning goal for their first German title.

PELÉS STERN RISES: A Brazilian teenager enchants the football world in Sweden in 1958. The hosts, who won 3-1 in the semi-finals against defending champions Germany, have no chance against Pelé and Seleçao in the 5-2 in the final.

GARRINCHA: A saber-legged dribbler fills the void that Pelé leaves after his early injury in Chile. Right winger Garrincha leads Brazil to the second triumph, which is certain after the 3-1 in the final against Czechoslovakia.

WEMBLEY GATE: The most controversial goal in football history was decided in 1966 in London’s Wembley Stadium. Geoff Hurst’s shot to make it 3-2 is said to have been behind the goal line. Motherland England wins 4-2 after extra time against the impressively fair DFB selection around Uwe Seeler.

PELÉS FAREWELL: In Brazil’s third triumph, Pelé says goodbye to the World Cup in Mexico. At 4-1, the tired Italians have no chance. The game of the century is in their legs: The 4: 3 after extra time in the semifinals against Germany is football history.

ES MÜLLERT: One of Gerd Müller’s countless goals from the rotation ensures the second DFB title in Munich. Goalkeeper Sepp Maier saves the 2-1 victory against the Dutch for Johan Cruyff, while captain Franz Beckenbauer was the first to receive the new World Cup trophy in 1974.

CONTESTED GOALS: Argentina is allowed to host the World Cup in 1978 despite its military regime and to cheer after the 3-1 win against the Dutch, who lost again unhappily. Mario Kempes hits the goal twice, while Rob Rensenbrink hits the post before extra time.

AZZURRI: Toni Schumacher saves a penalty, Paul Breitner scores like 1974 in a World Cup final, but it’s only 3-1 against Italy in Madrid. In 1982 striker Paolo Rossi initiated victory for the Azzurri’s third world title with 40-year-old keeper Dino Zoff.

MARADONA: The DFB selection, which was not very convincing in Mexico, actually equaled the 2-0 draw against Argentina in the final, when Diego Maradona played the decisive pass. Jorge Burruchaga scores 3-2, but the dominant player in the World Cup is Maradona.

REVANCHE IN ROM: The controversial penalty from Andreas Brehme to 1-0 after a fall from Rudi Völler gives Germany the third title and coach Franz Beckenbauer the second. Guido Buchwald eliminated Maradona in 1990, two Argentinians saw the red card.

FIRST TIME PENALTY: The first World Cup in the non-soccer country USA ends with the first final without a goal. Brazil only prevailed 3-2 on penalties against Italy. Roberto Baggio, whose goals brought the Italians to the final, failed as the last scorer in 1994.

ZIDANES HEADBALLS: The Brazilians missed their fifth title in 1998 against France’s multi-cultural selection with today’s national coach Didier Deschamps. Zinedine Zidane’s headed goals brought the decision in the hosts’ 3-0 win before the break.

KAHNS PATZER: Sitting at the post, Oliver Kahn ponders his mistake before the 0-1, which Ronaldo uses after the 2-0 draw against Brazil. The top scorer is the decisive player in the fifth triumph of the record champions in 2002 in South Korea and Japan, also in the final.

ZIDANES HEADNUT: First Zidane scored a penalty in the 2006 final in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium to take the lead, then Italy’s goalscorer Marco Materazzi provoked him to headbutt in extra time. In the penalty shootout, the Italians win title number four with 5: 3.

TIKI-TAKA: With their possession soccer ball, European champions Spain 2010 are making themselves world champions for the first time. The 1-0 win against the DFB team in the semi-finals was followed by another 1-0 win against the Netherlands in the final thanks to Andrés Iniesta’s goal in extra time.

GÖTZE MAKES HIM: After the unbelievable 7: 1 in the semifinals against the deeply shocked hosts Brazil, the DFB team achieved their fourth triumph in Rio. In the third final against Argentina, Mario Götze used André Schürrle’s pass in extra time to make the winning goal 1-0.

dpa Twitter lists for the World Cup

Crowd tangle on World Cup topics on social media

World Cup schedule

FIFA-WM-Homepage

Information on World Cup participants

World Cup venues

Information on World Cup tickets

World Cup history on the FIFA homepage