The previous World Cup champions have all come from Europe or South America. European teams have won the World Cup twelve times, while the trophy has gone to a South American team nine times. Teams from Africa, Asia, North America and Australia have never won a World Cup title. The record winner is Brazil with five World Cups won. It is followed by Germany and Italy.
All soccer world champions
- Brazil: 5 (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).
- Germany: 4 (1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014)
- Italy: 4 (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)
- France: 2 (1998, 2018)
- Argentina: 2 (1978, 1986)
- Uruguay: 2 (1930, 1950)
- Spain: 1 (2010)
- England: 1 (1966)
Germany has the most semifinal appearances. They have qualified for the final round a total of thirteen times. With a total of 19 appearances, this is a truly impressive record. Brazil has reached the last four eleven times.
Players with the most World Cup appearances
- Antonio Carbajal (MEX): 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966
- Lothar Matthäus (GER): 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998
- Rafael Márquez ‘(MEX):2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
- Gianluigi Buffon (ITA): 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
Players with the most matches at World Cup finals
- Lothar Matthäus (GER): 25
- Miroslav Klose (GER): 24
- Paolo Maldini (ITA): 23
Players with the most World Cup goals
- Miroslav Klose (GER): 16 – 2002 (5), 2006 (5), 2010 (4), 2014 (2)
- Ronaldo (BRA) 15 – 1998 (4), 2002 (8), 2006 (3)
- Gerd Müller (GER) 14 – 1970 (10), 1974* (4)
- Just Fontaine (FRA): 13 – 1958 (13)
- Pelé (BRA): 12 – 1958* (6), 1962 (1), 1966 (1), 1970 (4)
Most…
- World Cup matches: Brazil and Germany (109 each)
- World Cup wins: Brazil (73 in 109 matches)
- World Cup draws: England and Italy (21; including four games each decided by penalty shootout)
- World Cup defeats: Mexico (27 in 57 matches)
The highest-scoring matches in World Cup history
- 12 goals: Austria – Switzerland 7:5 in 1954 World Cup quarter-finals
- 11 goals: Hungary – El Salvador 10:1 (preliminary round 1982), Hungary – Germany 8:3 (preliminary round 1954), Brazil – Poland 6:5 n. V. (Round of 16 1938)
- 10 goals: France – Paraguay 7:3 (preliminary round 1958)