The 2022 World Cup graced 32 teams from all over the world with a series of premium actions and dramas from start to finish. Following the tournament, everyone could agree it was the best-ever World Cup tournament despite being held from November to December as against June to July.
World Cup 2022 Winner
Despite losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their first game in the group stage, Argentina secured their first World Cup trophy since 1986. This meant that seven times Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi won the biggest competition in the history of football.
The Paris Saint Germain superstar was very influential, scoring 7 goals and providing three assists.
Messi also won 5 man-of-the-match awards before claiming the Golden Ball.
It would be a tournament to remember for many.
Apart from Argentina, Morocco also did exceptionally well, getting into the semi-finals before losing 2-0 to France. Although they lost the third-place match 2-1 to Croatia, they received a heroic welcome for their performance throughout the tournament.
Also, despite having to settle for second, France had an excellent tournament, playing in successive finals and making life challenging for Argentina in the final. The final ended in a 3-3 draw before Argentina won 4-2 on penalties.
Furthermore, Croatia also did quite well, getting the bronze medal after finishing second in the 2018 edition in Russia.
Another notable side that had an outstanding performance was Japan. Although they crashed out of the tournament in the round of 16 following a 3-1 penalty loss to Croatia after a 1-1 draw, they had a successful tournament, notably beating Germany and Spain to qualify from their group.
Odds Table: Possible World Cup Winners
Several bookmakers already have odds available for the possible World Cup winner. Betting sites like Betway, Betboro, 1xBet, BetWinner, and Premier Bet are all well-prepared for the World Cup with thrilling odds and betting offers.
In fact, some of them have provided odds to win for most of the group-stage games. It means you can place your World Cup bets from now.
Here is a table showing the odds of the possible World Cup winner, as Betway has provided.
Who Is Likely to Win the World Cup 2026?
Predicting who is likely to win the World Cup 2026 could be tricky because you never know what will happen.
The tournament is still over three years away, and it would be an entirely different ball game, with the USA, Mexico, and Canada all coming together to host the competition. In fact, what will happen at the next edition will be determined by how much preparation the sides put in from now on.
First, different tournaments will hold before then for each continent, including the African Cup of Nations, European Championship, Copa America, AFC Asian Cup, and others. Also, the countries have to play qualifying rounds to secure a place in the next World Cup.
So we can never tell who will qualify. For instance, Italy did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup despite winning the 2020 European Championship just a year before then.
In addition, the 2026 World Cup will grace 48 teams as against the usual 32 teams, making the competition more competitive.
However, predicting is still possible based on several factors, including past World Cup winners, statistics, and current form. Here are some of the likely World Cup winners.
France
After getting to consecutive finals at the 2022 World Cup, France may be one of the favourites to win the competition in 2026. They won the 2018 edition in Russia before falling to a defeat at the hands of Argentina in the 2022 edition.
France is likely to remain strong by 2026, as they have a group of players that are coming of age.
By the 2026 World Cup, Kylian Mbappe would be 27, an age at which he would just reach his prime. After winning the golden boot with 8 goals in Qatar, the superstar will be expected to compete for the golden boot again in 2026.
Players like Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, William Saliba, Ibrahima Konate, Randal Koko Muani, Marcus Thuram, and several others would also have come of age. If they can keep the squad together, they have a great chance of winning the tournament for the third time.
Brazil
Despite crashing out in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup following a 4-2 loss to Croatia on penalties after a 1-1 draw, Brazil will always be a side to reckon with.
Although the likes of Neymar, Casemiro, Alisson, and Marquinhos would’ve aged by then, players like Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr., Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and others would’ve just come of age. As a result, they could claim their sixth World Cup title come 2026.
England
Although they crashed out of the tournament in the quarter-finals, losing 2-1 to France, England remains a favourite to fight for the next edition. The team is blessed with lots of talents, and it would be challenging to look past them to mount a challenge in 2026.
Players like Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, and others would all have come of age by then.
Other notable sides that could challenge the competition include Argentina, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
List of World Cup Winners
Eight teams have won the trophy since the World Cup commenced in 1930. Here is the past 21 World Cup winners list.
| S/N | Year and Place | Winner | Score in the Final | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Qatar 2022 | Argentina | 3-3 (4-2 on penalties) | France |
| 2. | Russia 2018 | France | 4-2 | Croatia |
| 3. | Brazil 2014 | Germany | 1-0 after extra time | Argentina |
| 4. | South Africa 2010 | Spain | 1-0 after extra time | The Netherlands |
| 5. | Germany 2006 | Italy | 1-1 (5-3 on penalties) | France |
| 6. | Korea/Japan 2002 | Brazil | 2-0 | Germany |
| 7. | France 1998 | France | 3-0 | Brazil |
| 8. | USA 1994 | Brazil | 0-0 (3-2 on penalties) | Italy |
| 9. | Italy 1990 | West Germany | 1-0 | Argentina |
| 10. | Mexico 1986 | Argentina | 3-2 | West Germany |
| 11. | Spain 1982 | Italy | 3-1 | West Germany |
| 12. | Argentina 1978 | Argentina | 3-1 after extra time | The Netherlands |
| 13. | West Germany 1974 | West Germany | 2-1 | The Netherlands |
| 14. | Mexico 1970 | Brazil | 4-1 | Italy |
| 15. | England 1966 | England | 4-2 after extra time | West Germany |
| 16. | Chile 1962 | Brazil | 3-1 | Czechoslovakia |
| 17. | Sweden 1958 | Brazil | 5-2 | Sweden |
| 18. | Switzerland 1954 | West Germany | 3-2 | Hungary |
| 19. | Brazil 1950 | Uruguay | 2-1 | Brazil |
| 20. | France 1938 | Italy | 4-2 | Hungary |
| 21. | Italy 1934 | Italy | 2-1 after extra time | Czechoslovakia |
Who Has Won the Most World Cups?
With eight teams having their names written in gold as previous World Cup winners, six of these countries have won it more than once. Brazil, Germany, Italy, Uruguay, Argentina, and France have won more than once, while England and Spain have one each.
Brazil has won the most World Cups after claiming the trophy five times. In fact, they won in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. Also, the Selecao have reached the World Cup finals seven times, failing to claim the trophy just twice.
In addition, Germany and Italy have won the World Cup four times each, and both are very successful when it comes to the big stage.
The German National team have played the most World Cup finals in World Cup history, appearing eight times, of which they won four. As a result, Germany won in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014.
However, Italy has appeared in six World Cup finals, and they ended up winning four. Italy won in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Additionally, other teams who have come close in World Cup history include Argentina, France, and Uruguay, who have two each.
FAQ
We will answer some common questions about the World Cup winners list and the final matches in this section.
Germany has lost the most World Cup finals after reaching the finals eight times and only winning the trophy four times in their World Cup history. Germany was runner-up in 1966, 1982, 1986, and 2002.
England has won the World Cup once by claiming the trophy in 1966 after beating West Germany at Wembley.
Brazil has won the World Cup five times, being the side that has won the World Cup the most in World Cup history.
Ghana has never won the World Cup. The Ghanaian national team has qualified for the World Cup four times; 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2022. The highest they have gone in their World Cup history was when they reached the quarter-finals in 2010. They finished 7th out of 32 teams in the World Cup that year. Furthermore, they reached the round-of-16 stage in 2006, finishing 13th out of the 32 teams to grace the event.
Pele has won the highest number of World Cups in World Cup history. Pele claimed the title three times in 1958, 1962, and 1970. Also, he appeared for Brazil in 1966 but could lead them past the group stage.
No African country has won the World Cup so far. The highest an African country has gone in World Cup history is the quarter-final with Ghana in 2010.
