Greatest FIFA World Cup Finals of All Time

June 22, 2026 8:54 am

Table of Contents

The FIFA World Cup final is a big deal. The month-long tournament features the best football teams competing for the biggest prize. Every final is special as it crowns a champion. But only a few games become memorable, with people talking about them for years. Some games are famous for the fascinating goals that were scored. Others have teams that show miraculous comebacks. A few changed the history of football forever by making legends like Pelé, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. The best football games have endings decided by penalty kicks. They have winners that are scored in the final minutes of the game. The FIFA World Cup finals are football at its best. If you plan to bet on the FIFA world cup finals, use expert predictions on Dafabet to get the best out of your stakes.

What Makes a World Cup Final Truly Great?

A game does not need many goals to be remembered. The greatest FIFA World Cup finals usually have some things in common. They have amazing things done by individual players, big surprises that change the game, and make an important part of the history of football. They also leave a lasting memory that people remember for a long time. The FIFA World Cup finals have the best players and the most exciting endings that clearly display what makes football so great.

1. Argentina vs France 2022. This was the final ever.

The result was Argentina 3-3 France, and Argentina won 4-2 on penalties. A lot of people who like football think the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was the one final people will remember forever. Argentina was going to win. Lionel Messi scored a penalty in the half, and Ángel Di María scored another goal after a great team play. France did not do well for most of the game. Then something big happened. Kylian Mbappé scored a penalty. Then he scored another goal with a great kick less than two minutes later. The game was not one-sided anymore. It was a game that people would never forget. When the game went into extra time it got even more exciting. Lionel Messi scored a goal that made it look like Argentina would win the World Cup. Then Kylian Mbappé scored another penalty, and that made him the second player to score three goals in a World Cup final. The game went to penalties. Argentina did not get nervous. They won the penalties 4-2. This was a moment for Lionel Messi. He had done everything in his career, but he had not won the World Cup. Now he has. For Kylian Mbappé, this game showed that he is one of the best football players. He scored three goals in the final, which is a very hard thing to do. The game had six goals, and the score changed continuously. The players showed amazing sportsmanship. The end of the game was very emotional. Argentina vs France was a game.

2. West Germany vs Hungary (1954) – The Miracle of Bern

Result: West Germany won against Hungary with a score of 3-2. The final match of the 1954 World Cup is still talked about because it was such a surprise. West Germany played against Hungary, which was really good at football in those days. They had not lost a game in more than four years. They even beat West Germany with a score of 8-3 earlier in the tournament. Hungary had some players like Ferenc Puskás and Sándor Kocsis. It was winning 2-0 after just eight minutes in the game. But West Germany did not give up. They scored some goals, and the score was tied by the time the first half was over. Then Helmut Rahn scored the winning goal for West Germany with six minutes left in the game. This was a big deal because nobody thought West Germany could beat Hungary. So when they did, it was called the "Miracle of Bern". This game changed football in Germany forever. It is still remembered as one of the stories of a team beating the odds. West Germany winning against Hungary is still a story.

3. Brazil vs Italy (1970) – The Greatest Team Performance

Result: Brazil wins 4-1 against Italy Sometimes greatness comes from dominance, not drama. Brazil’s performance in the 1970 final is one of the best by an international team. Pelé scores first with a header before Italy briefly ties through Roberto Boninsegna. That just makes Brazil play better. Goals from Gérson, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto seal a win. Carlos Alberto’s famous goal, after a team move, is still one of the greatest World Cup goals. Brazil's football combines skill, creativity, movement and teamwork like never before. The win gives Brazil their World Cup title, so they get to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy forever. Pelé becomes the player to win three World Cups.

4. England vs West Germany (1966) – Football Comes Home

Result: England 4-2 West Germany (after time) England's only World Cup win is still one of the most famous finals ever. Geoff Hurst scored first for England. Then West Germany scored two times. They got an equaliser just before the end of the game. This made the game go into overtime. The match is still talked about for one of football's most debated moments. Hurst hit the ball hard. It hit the bottom of the crossbar. Then it bounced down close to the goal line. The referee gave the goal after talking to his assistant. People still argue about whether the ball fully crossed the line. Hurst then scored two more goals. He became the first player to score three goals in a men's World Cup final. The win is still England's football achievement. It also helped make the World Cup popular all over the world as many people watched it on TV.

5. Argentina vs West Germany (1986) – This Was Maradona's Big Moment

Result: Argentina 3-2 West Germany Diego Maradona was the star of the show. Even though Diego Maradona did not score in the final, Argentina vs West Germany was about him. Argentina was winning 2-0 at first. Then West Germany made a comeback to tie the game 2-2. It looked like West Germany was going to win. Then Maradona did something amazing. He kicked the ball to Jorge Burruchaga, who scored the winning goal. Maradona was great in the tournament. He did some cool things. Like the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century" against England.

6. Italy vs France (2006) – This Was Zidane's Last Game

Result: Italy 1-1 France (Italy won 5-3 on penalties) This game is famous for one moment.  Zinedine Zidane scored a penalty kick. Then Marco Materazzi scored a goal. The game was tied until something crazy happened. Zidane got mad and headbutted Marco Materazzi. He got kicked out of the game. This was a deal because it was the end of Zidanes career. Italy won the game. They beat France in the penalty shootout. People still talk about Zidane’s last game. Italy, vs France was a deal because of what happened to Zidane.

7. Uruguay vs Brazil (1950) – The Maracanazo

Result: Uruguay 2-1 Brazil This match was not really a final. It was a very important game in the 1950 World Cup. It is still remembered as one of the games in football history. Brazil just needed to tie the game to win the World Cup in front of a crowd of almost 200,000 people at the famous Maracanã Stadium. When Friaça scored a goal for Brazil in the first half, everyone thought the game was already won. The people in the stadium were already celebrating. Uruguay had plans. Juan Alberto Schiaffino scored a goal to tie the game. Then Alcides Ghiggia scored the winning goal. The crowd was completely silent. This game is still famous today. Is called the "Maracanazo". It is one of the best upsets in sports history.

8. Brazil vs Sweden (1958) – The Arrival of Pelé

Result: Brazil 5-2 Sweden The 1958 World Cup final was the time the world saw a 17-year-old boy named Pelé play. He was very good. Scored two goals. Everyone was amazed by how he played. Brazil beat Sweden, the host country, with a score of 5-2. They played an exciting game that people all around the world watched. This was Brazil's time to win the World Cup. It was the start of a time for Brazilian football. Pelé became one of the football players of all time. Many people think that this game was where Pelé became a superstar.

9. West Germany vs Netherlands in 1974 – This Is Where Total Football Met German Efficiency

Result: West Germany won against the Netherlands with a score of 2-1 The match in 1974 was really interesting because of the way the teams played. The Netherlands team had a player named Johan Cruyff, and they played something called Total Football. They scored a goal before West Germany even got to touch the ball. A lot of people thought the Netherlands would win the game. West Germany did not give up. They stayed calm. Played well. Paul Breitner scored a goal from a penalty shot. Then Gerd Müller scored another goal. This meant that the Netherlands did not win the World Cup. West Germany won the game even though they were under a lot of pressure.

10. Germany vs Argentina in 2014 – The Moment Mario Götze Became A Hero

Result: Germany won against Argentina with a score of 1-0 after they played overtime The final match in 2014 was a very tight game.  Argentina had some chances to score. One of their players, Gonzalo Higuaín, had a chance to score. He missed it. Germany waited for a time for a chance to score. Finally, they got their chance in time. Mario Götze scored a goal. He controlled the ball that André Schürrle kicked to him into the goalpost. The goalkeeper, Sergio Romero, could not stop it. It helped Germany win their World Cup title. It was a moment in the tournament.  The game was not as exciting as some finals. It was still a great game because of the way the teams played and the goal that Mario Götze scored.

The Legacy of Great World Cup Finals

Every generation has its special World Cup final that people will always talk about. Some people recall the time Pelé was amazing in the World Cup in 1958 and 1970. Others think about Maradona and how he helped Argentina win in 1986, or they think about Zidane and how he said goodbye in 2006. Today’s fans probably remember Messi and how he finally won the World Cup in 2022 after one of the amazing finals ever. Get ready for online betting on the FIFA World Cup on Dafabet with amazing football odds and sports bonuses. These World Cup finals are not about winning trophies. They are about people being proud of their country and sharing their feelings together. The greatest World Cup finals keep inspiring players and fans all around the world.  

FAQs

A lot of football fans and experts think the 2022 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France was the one. This game had six goals. It went into extra time. Kylian Mbappé scored three goals, and Lionel Messi did something great. The game even went to a very exciting penalty shootout.

There are FIFA World Cup finals that had a lot of goals. These are Uruguay beating Argentina 4-2 in 1930; Italy beating Hungary 4-2 in 1938; Brazil beating Sweden 5-2 in 1958; England beating West Germany 4-2 in 1966; France beating Croatia 4-2 in 2018.

Geoff Hurst from England scored three goals in a men's FIFA World Cup final. He did this when England played West Germany in the 1966 final at Wembley Stadium.

The 1954 final is called the "Miracle of Bern" because West Germany came back from being 2-0 down to beat Hungary 3-2. Hungary was very good. Had not lost in over four years. Nobody thought West Germany could beat them.

Brazil has won the FIFA World Cup five times. They won in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. This makes Brazil the country that has won the FIFA World Cup the most times. Germany and Italy have each won the FIFA World Cup four times.

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