Which Are the Only Countries to Win Back to Back FIFA World Cups?
Only two countries have won FIFA World Cup back to back. Learn which countries achieved this unique feat and also check the stats.
World Cup is the most important football tournament in the world, and no glory can be matched in football other than winning the FIFA World Cup. There are only 8 countries in the world that have won FIFA World Cup in its almost 100 year history.
Defending champions Argentina have reached the finals of FIFA World Cup 2026 by beating England in semi-finals played at the Atlanta Stadium and they are on the verge of creating history if they manage to defeat Spain in the finals on 19th July by becoming only the third team in history to win back to back FIFA World Cups.
In this article, let us explore the only countries that have managed to win the FIFA World Cup back to back.
Countries Who Retained the FIFA World Cup
In the history of football World Cup, only two countries have won the FIFA World Cup back to back, and the teams are as follows:
Italy
Source: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Italy became the first country to win the FIFA World Cup back to back, they achieved this feat in 1934 and 1938. In the 1934 World Cup Final, Italy defeated Czechoslovakia by a margin of 2-1 in extra time.
While in 1938, Italy defeated Hungary by 4-2 margin and retained the FIFA World Cup, thereby becoming the first country to do so.
Brazil
Source: AP Photo
20 years later Brazil was the second country to retain the FIFA World Cup as they won the 1958 and 1962 FIFA World Cup. In the 1958 finals, Brazil defeated the hosts Sweden with a score of 5-2. Pele was the top scorer for Brazil with 6 goals in the tournament.
In 1962, Brazil defeated Czechoslovakia by a margin of 3-1, with goals from three different players of the team namely Amarildo, Zito, and Vavá. Vavá finished as the top scorer for Brazil along with Garrincha with 4 goals each.
Argentina will be third team to achieve this feat in 68 years, if they defend their title against Spain in the FIFA World Cup Finals.
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Mriganka Chakraborty is a seasoned digital journalist and communications professional who is currently working as Deputy Manager at Jagran Josh, where he leads the General Knowledge Section. As a subject matter expert with 8+ years of editorial experience, he has created authoritative content that is trusted by millions of readers around the world in Science, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Sports, and Technology. His extensive expertise in these subjects enables him to present complex topics in an engaging, accurate, and reader-friendly manner to a global audience, making learning addictive and fun.
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