Photo by Wikimedia Commons 2.0
Few sporting events bring the world to a standstill in the way that a FIFA World Cup final does and since 1930, it has been viewed as the pinnacle of the global footballing calendar.
Played out every four years, with the hopes of two nations resting on one game, World Cup finals tend to be dramatic and frenetic affairs.
Inevitably, there can only be one winner in these scenarios and with two countries giving their all to be etched into footballing immortality, the stakes are always sky high in World Cup finals.
This tends to have one of two impacts on the final match itself.
With so much on the line, both teams can become inhibited and play to ‘not lose’, making the match very cagey and tense.
The other, is one that plays into the hands of many World Cup betting sites, is that both teams sense this is their one shot at glory and free-flowing, attacking football is on the agenda from the first minute to the last.
However, the game itself pans out, is ultimately irrelevant in the context of the whole tournament, with lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy the ultimate objective for every country involved in the tournament.
Yet, there have been some incredible World Cup finals over the past century or so, which will live long in the memory for all who witnessed them and here is a rundown of the five greatest World Cup finals of all time:
France 1 – 1P Italy (Italy won 5-3 on penalties)
2006 FIFA World Cup, Germany
Iconic moments define World Cups and the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany will always be remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s input.
The legendary Frenchman had been the match winner as France lifted their first World Cup on home soil eight years earlier, netting a brace as they beat Brazil in the final.
Fast forward to 2006 and Zidane had announced that his glittering career with France was coming to an end, after the final against Italy.
True to form, Zizou opened the scoring for les Blues, with Marco Materazzi responding for the Italians.
The game’s key flash point came late on however, as Materazzi was seen provoking Zidane verbally and uncharacteristically, Zidane reacted, headbutting the big Italian defender with all his might in the chest.
Zidane was sent off, setting the stage for one of the most poignant images in sporting history, as he walked past the iconic World Cup trophy in the tunnel.
Over the lottery of penalties, it was Italy who came out on top, with Fabio Grosso netting the winning spot kick and securing Italy’s fourth World Cup triumph.
West Germany 3 – 2 Hungary
1954 FIFA World Cup, Switzerland
Heading into the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, expectation was firmly on Hungary to finally break their major tournament duck and secure their place as the best team in the world.
While West Germany had done brilliantly to reach the final in Bern, very little was expected of them. Partly due to the excellence of the Hungarian team but also due to the fact that these two sides had met in the group stages of the competition, with Hungary winning 8-3.
Goals looked to be on the agenda, regardless of which side came out on top and with Hungary going 2-0 up inside ten minutes, through Puskas and Czibor, the writing looked to be on the wall for the Germans once again.
They responded well, with Morlock and Rahn netting for West Germany to make it 2-2 before half time and while Hungary spurned chances, it was the West Germans who held their nerve.
In the 84th minute, Helmut Rahn scored again for West Germany, to secure their first ever World Cup win, capping a remarkable turnaround for his side, who played their part in one of the most entertaining World Cup finals in history.
Brazil 5 – 2 Sweden
1958 FIFA World Cup, Sweden
Just four years later, the goals were ready to flow again in the World Cup final, as hosts Sweden took on the mercurial Brazil in Stockholm.
Having always been in and around the conversation for being the best team in the world in the 1930’s and 1940’s, Brazil finally came of age in 1958, and it was the birth of one of their greatest ever players, Pele.
Then just 17 years of age, Pele propelled Brazil to the World Cup final with his goals and presence, a role he would continue to excel in for two decades.
As the tournament went on, it was clear that Brazil would be the firm favourites against hosts Sweden in the final, but when Liedholm opened the scoring for the Swedes, a few questions were asked.
However, this optimism lasted less than five minutes with goals from Vava (x2), Pele (x2) and Zagallo put the match beyond doubt for Brazil, with Svensson hitting back for Sweden in what proved to only be a consolation goal.
England 4 – 2 West Germany (AET)
1966 FIFA World Cup, England
Hosts England were feeling the weight of expectation in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany and what followed was one of the greatest sporting spectacles of all time.
Both sides had navigated tricky routes to the showpiece encounter at Wembley and there was no love lost between the two teams from the outset.
Haller gave West Germany the lead but goals from Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters put England on the brink, before Weber struck in the 89th minute to force extra time.
The game ebbed and flowed, before Hurst bagged twice in the additional 30 minutes, with his first still carrying a degree of contention to this day and his second yielding the iconic commentary line of ‘they think it’s all over, it is now!’.
France 3 – 3P Argentina (Argentina won 4-2 on penalties)
2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will seemingly always be remembered for hosting one of the most incredible finals ever.
France continued to knock at the door, with Kylian Mbappe netting twice in two minutes to force extra time, where both he and Messi scored again to force penalties.
It was Argentina who held their nerve, with Gonzalo Montiel netting the winning spot kick, securing their third World Cup triumph.
Both sides played their part in what was an incredible final in Qatar, and they look set to be amongst the favourites for glory with many FIFA World Cup 2026 betting sites.
