Back to back champions...?

The winners list says no repeat champions since 1962. It doesn't tell the full story.

You have probably heard this a million times over the course of this World Cup and certainly a million more times since Argentina won their semi-final on Wednesday.

No team has won back to back World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. 64 years.

To put into context just how long ago that is England’s sole World Cup victory came after that.

If, like me, you were born after the turn of the century, this Argentina team is only the second team you’ve witnessed have the chance to win successive World Cups, following France at the last tournament.

In fact, these are the only two teams I’ve seen make successive finals since the 2002 World Cup, when as a two year old I was obviously sapient and vigourously watched.

It was the 2002 World Cup that started a new trend which makes consecutive winners impossible.

Going into that tournament, France were looking to put an end to the then 40 year drought. To say it went badly would be a gross understatement. The team crowned world champions in 1998 and European champions in 2000, failed to win a single game. Worse yet, they failed to score a single goal.

In doing so they became the first defending champion since, ironically, the 1966 Brazil team, to get knocked out in the group stage.

Brazil, champions in 02, managed to get out of the group in 2006 but their quarterfinal loss to France ensured another four years of waiting. It also started a trend for Brazil at this tournament, but that’s for another piece.

Italy made the most of Brazil’s exit to the French and assumed their throne. However they had no interest in taking the mantle as the only nation to repeat as World Champions twice. At the 2010 World Cup, in a show of solidarity with their European brethren France, Italy failed to win a game and crashed out of group stage.

For what it’s worth, the 2010 Spanish team that ended up winning was so dominant I don’t think the Italians would’ve completed the mission anyway. If you think I’m being hyperbolic, look at the Euros final two years later when Spain routed Italy 4-1.

Anyway, sandwiching a World Cup title between two Euros crowns meant Spain went into the 2014 World Cup with sky high expectations. Unlike France and Italy before them, they didn’t finish last in their group. They finished third instead.

Now, in the 2026 world cup they might’ve gotten through because of the expansion of the tournament. That wasn’t the case 12 years ago so the World Champions once again crashed out in the group stage.

In stepped Germany. Defeated semi finalists to Spain in 2010 and Italy in 2006 and runners up in 2002, a fourth World Cup victory had long been coming for one of the sport’s international powerhouses. Their semi final win over Brazil in 2014 is a true “where were you” moment in football.

Four years later they strode into Russia with their typical expectations. For context, since first participating in the 1934 tournament, Germany had made at least the quarterfinals in every appearance except one. They had played eight finals (the joint most with Brazil) and made it to the semi finals another four times.

So there are no words in my vocabulary to accurately express how utterly astonishing it was to see Germany finish at the bottom of their group in the 2018. It simply wasn’t in the realm of possibility and yet, it happened.

For two decades the defending champion was more likely to be knocked out in the group stage than get to the final. Crazier still they were most likely to finish last in the group.

Looking at this evidence of course the drought has lasted six decades. You would even say it’s a miracle a team ever successfully won consecutive World Cups.

Yet, its actually quite surprising we’ve waited so long for a double champion.

It’s true between 2000 and 2022 only three teams had even played two finals but if you look at the 40 years between Brazil’s victory in 1962 and their victory in 2002 the picture is very different.

The 1970s saw West Germany and Argentina claim their second and first titles respectively. The Germans, winners in 1974, didn’t make it back to the final in 1978 but Argentina faced the same Netherlands team (sans Johan Cruyff) who had suffered defeat four years earlier.

This is the biggest stretch because the Dutch lost both finals but there is a world where the Netherlands became back to back world champions merely 16 years after Brazil.

After missing the final in 1978 West Germany were runners up to Italy in 1982 and Argentina in 1986. Not satisfied with silver they finally claimed their third star in 1990.

Three consecutive finals. It is true they were never defending champions in any of them but if you swap their win with either of their losses they would’ve been. I know that’s not how sport works but we’re going with it here.

Speaking of 1990 any guesses who Germany beat in the final?

How about defending champions Argentina.

So while the Germans were running off three straight finals the Argentinians decided to join in on the action and play two in a row themselves.

Obviously this is where the run stops. No back to back finalists in the 90s.

Re-enter Brazil.

Champions over Italy in 1994 and, as mentioned, over Germany in 2002.

You will be pointing out there was a tournament in between. Good catch.

That brings us back to where we started. France. First time world champions in 1998.

No prizes for guessing who they beat in the final.

In the three tournaments immediately after Germany made all the finals, Brazil replicated the feat.

Everything taken into account it is absolutely astonishing we haven’t had a repeat champion in 64 years.

It could’ve happened in the 70s, 80s AND 90s.

TWO teams could’ve done it in the 80s.

Twice there could’ve been a three peat. And yet, every time a team made it to consecutive finals they lost at least once.

Including the team that started the inexplicable group stage crash outs, France.

Dominant world champions in 2018 they returned to the world’s biggest game 60 years after Brazil’s successful defense.

Arguably they came as close as any team but they too fell short, losing to Argentina on penalties after a rollercoaster match.

Now it is Argentina’s turn, again. It’s one game, 90 minutes. It’s possible we have our first repeat champion since before man walked on the moon.

But history, remarkably, tells us it isn’t probable.