Top 10 Best Countries In The Game Of Soccer
This guide presents a ranking of the top 10 best footballing countries based on their historical achievements in major tournaments like the World Cup and continental championships.
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Which Country Team Is Best In Football History?
Here are the top 10 countries best at football history:
1. Brazil
The Brazil national football team is one of the greatest teams in football history. The team is run by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
Brazil has been part of FIFA since 1923 and part of CONMEBOL since 1916, and they’re the most successful team in the FIFA World Cup, winning five times: in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.
They have the best overall performance in the World Cup with 76 wins in 114 matches, a 129-goal difference, 247 points, and only 19 losses.
Brazil is the only team to have played in every World Cup without missing any and the only team to win the World Cup on four different continents:
Europe (1958 in Sweden), South America (1962 in Chile), North America (1970 in Mexico and 1994 in the USA), and Asia (2002 in South Korea/Japan).
The team also did very well in the FIFA Confederations Cup, winning four times: in 1997, 2005, 2009, and 2013. They won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, making them one of only two countries to have won all men’s FIFA competitions.
Brazil holds the highest average football Elo rating and the fourth all-time peak rating, achieved in 1962. They have also won FIFA’s Team of the Year award 13 times, more than any other team.
Many pu dits and former players believe the Brazil team of 1970 is the greatest team ever. Other Brazil teams, such as those from 1958-62 and 1994-02, are also considered among the best of all time. In 1996, the Brazil team went 35 matches without losing, a record they held for 25 years.
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2. Germany
When talking about the best football teams in history, Germany is definitely one of the top contenders. The Germany national football team, also known in German as the “Deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft,” has a rich and successful history in international football.
They played their first match in 1908, and the team is managed by the German Football Association, which was founded in 1900.
Germany’s football history is unique due to the country’s division between 1949 and 1990. During this time, there were three different German teams: West Germany, East Germany, and the Saarland team.
After reunification in 1990, these records were combined, and the team now represents the unified Germany. Germany has an impressive record in international competitions.
They have won the FIFA World Cup four times, in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014. This achievement ties them with Italy and places them just one win behind Brazil, which has the most World Cup titles.
Additionally, Germany has won the European Championship three times, in 1972, 1980, and 1996, sharing the record with Spain.
The team also won the Confederations Cup in 2017 and has been runners-up at the European Championship three times.
In the World Cup, they have also finished in second place four times and in third place four times. East Germany, before reunification, won the Olympic Gold in 1976.
Germany’s women’s team is also very successful. Together, Germany’s men’s and women’s teams have won a combined total of six World Cups, making them the most successful football nation in terms of World Cup victories.
Germany also achieved a notable accomplishment by being the only European team to win a World Cup in the Americas.
In 2014, after winning the World Cup, Germany earned the second-highest Elo rating ever recorded for a national football team.
3. Argentina
The Argentina national football team is considered one of the best football teams in history. This team represents Argentina in men’s international football and is managed by the Argentine Football Association.
Argentina is famous for being the current world champion. They won the latest World Cup in 2022, which was their third win overall.
Their team crest proudly shows three stars, each representing a World Cup victory. Argentina has reached the World Cup final six times, a record that only Italy, Brazil, and Germany have matched or surpassed.
The first time they played in a World Cup final was in 1930, but they lost to Uruguay. However, in 1978, Argentina won the World Cup for the first time, beating the Netherlands.
In 1986, led by the legendary Diego Maradona, they won their second World Cup by defeating West Germany. They reached the final again in 1990 but lost to West Germany.
In 2014, with Lionel Messi, they made it to the final but lost to Germany again. Finally, in 2022, Argentina won their third World Cup, beating France in a thrilling match.
Argentina has also done very well in other tournaments. They have won the Copa América 15 times, a record they share with Uruguay.
Plus won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992 and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions twice, in 1993 and 2022.
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4. Italy
Italy is one of the greatest football teams in history. The Italy national football team, known in Italian as “Nazionale di calcio dell’Italia,” played its first match in 1910, having been managed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), which is a founding member of UEFA.
Italy has a rich history of success in international football. They have won the World Cup four times: in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Also, they reached the World Cup finals in 1970 and 1994 and secured third place in 1990 and fourth place in 1978.
Plus won the European Championship twice, in 1968 and 2020, and were runners-up in 2000 and 2012. The team is often called “gli Azzurri” (the Blues) because they wear blue jerseys.
This color represents the royal House of Savoy, which used to rule Italy. Italy became the first team to defend its World Cup title in 1938, and they kept this title for 12 years because of World War II.
They also won two Central European International Cups and the Olympic football tournament in 1936. Tragedy struck in 1949 when most of the team died in a plane crash.
This affected their performance in the 1950s, and they failed to qualify for the World Cup in 1958. They also missed out on the World Cup in 2018 and 2022. However, from October 2018 to October 2021, Italy set a world record by going 37 matches without losing.
5. Spain
The Spain national football team has been a major force in international football since it started in 1920. Spain has a remarkable football history. They are one of only eight countries to have won the FIFA World Cup.
Out of the 22 World Cup tournaments, Spain has participated in 16, consistently qualifying since 1978. They have also won three UEFA European Championships, participating in 11 out of 16 Euro tournaments.
Recently, Spain won the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League. This made them the second national team, after France, to win three major titles: the World Cup, the Euro, and the Nations League.
Spain’s golden era in football was from 2008 to 2012. During this period, Spain won three major titles in a row. They won the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, and the World Cup in 2010.
This achievement made them the first European team to win a World Cup outside of Europe. Because of their incredible performance during these years, many pundits and commentators believe that Spain had one of the best football teams in history.
From 2008 to 2013, Spain was named the FIFA Team of the Year, second only to Brazil in the number of times this award was won.
During this time, Spain also went 35 consecutive matches without losing, a record they shared with Brazil. Besides, Spain is one of only two countries to have won both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, with Germany being the other.
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6. Netherlands
The Netherlands national team deserves special mention. Known as “Het Nederlands Elftal” (The Dutch Eleven) or simply “Oranje” because of their bright orange jerseys, the Netherlands team has a rich and impressive history in international football.
The Netherlands national football team has been playing since 1905 and is run by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB).
They play most of their home games at famous stadiums like the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion, and De Grolsch Veste.
The team’s fans, known as Het Oranje Legioen (The Orange Legion), are known for their passionate support. However, the Dutch team has participated in eleven FIFA World Cups.
They reached the final three times, in 1974, 1978, and 2010, but finished as runners-up each time. Despite never winning the World Cup, the Netherlands is often considered one of the best teams ever to have lifted the trophy.
This reputation is due to their exciting style of play and the high quality of their players over the years. In the European Championships, the Netherlands has had significant success.
They won the tournament in 1988, held in West Germany. Besides that, the team also won bronze medals in the Olympic football tournaments in 1908, 1912, and 1920.
7. France
France is widely considered one of the best football teams in history. The France national football team, known as Équipe de France de football in French, is controlled by the French Football Federation (FFF).
It is a part of both UEFA, which governs football in Europe, and FIFA, which oversees football globally. The team’s nickname is Les Bleus, which means “The Blues,” reflecting their blue-white-red colors that mirror the French flag.
They also use the Gallic rooster, a national symbol, in their imagery. Founded in 1904, the French team has won two FIFA World Cups, in 1998 and 2018.
They have also won two UEFA European Championships, two FIFA Confederations Cups, an Olympic Games medal, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, and the UEFA Nations League title.
In fact, they are the first and only European national team to have won every senior FIFA and UEFA competition. France first showed their potential on the world stage in 1930, participating in the first-ever World Cup.
They achieved a notable success in 1958, finishing third in the World Cup. The 1980s marked the beginning of their golden eras, with Michel Platini leading the team to win Euro 1984 and other significant achievements.
The late 1990s to early 2000s saw another successful period for France. Under the leadership of captain Didier Deschamps and star player Zinedine Zidane, France won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
They also claimed the FIFA Confederations Cup twice, in 2001 and 2003. Although they reached the World Cup final again in 2006, they lost to Italy in a penalty shootout.
More recently, France won the 2018 World Cup with a new generation of talented players. They also made it to the World Cup final again in 2022 but lost to Argentina on penalties.
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8. England
When talking about the best football team in history, many names come to mind, and England is certainly one of them.
The England national football team has a proud history in international football. They have been playing since the first-ever international match in 1872, which was against Scotland.
This makes England one of the oldest national teams in the world. However, the team is controlled by The Football Association (FA), which is the main organization for football in England.
The FA is part of UEFA, the group that runs European football, and FIFA, the global football governing body. England competes in major tournaments like the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship, and the UEFA Nations League.
One of England’s most famous moments was in 1966 when they won the FIFA World Cup. This victory happened on home soil at Wembley Stadium in London.
Winning the World Cup put England in an elite group of just eight nations that have achieved this feat. Besides their World Cup win, England has qualified for the tournament sixteen times.
They finished fourth in the 1990 and 2018 World Cups. Despite their success in the World Cup, England has never won the European Championship.
Their best result in this tournament was in 2020 when they were runners-up. The team trains at St George’s Park in Burton upon Trent, and their home games are played at Wembley Stadium.
England is part of the United Kingdom, which means they don’t compete in the Olympic Games. They are also unique because they are the only team to have won the World Cup but not their major continental title (the European Championship).
Additionally, England is the only non-sovereign entity to have won the World Cup, as they are part of the UK rather than a fully independent country.
9. Portugal
Portugal is definitely one of the top countries In football history. The Portugal national football team, also known as the Seleção Portuguesa de Futebol, has been representing the country in international competitions since 1921.
Portugal’s first major success was in the 1966 World Cup, where a team led by Ballon d’Or winner Eusébio finished in third place.
They reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro 1984, losing to the eventual winners, France. In the 1990s, Portugal’s “Golden Generation” began to impress, featuring stars like Luís Figo, Rui Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
This generation helped Portugal consistently qualify for major tournaments. Portugal finished fourth in the 2006 World Cup and was runners-up in Euro 2004. They also reached the semi-finals in Euro 2000 and Euro 2012.
Portugal’s biggest triumph was in 2016 when they won their first major trophy, defeating France in the Euro 2016 final.
This victory helped them to qualify for the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2017, where they finished third. In 2019, Portugal hosted and won the inaugural Nations League finals, defeating the Netherlands in the final.
Portugal also has a notable history in the Olympic football tournament, reaching the semi-finals in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and finishing fourth.
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10. Uruguay
Uruguay’s national team often comes up as a strong competitor. The team has a fantastic record in the Copa América, the oldest international football competition in the world.
They have won the tournament 15 times, sharing the record for the most titles with Argentina. Their most recent win was in 2011 to tell you that they have been strong competitors for many decades.
In addition to their Copa América success, Uruguay has also won four FIFA-recognized World Championships. Their first two world titles came from the Olympic Games in 1924 and 1928, which were organized by FIFA and included professional players.
In 1924, Uruguay beat Switzerland 3-0 in the final. They followed this by winning again in 1928, this time beating Argentina 2-1 in the final match.
Uruguay’s third world title was in 1930 when they won the very first FIFA World Cup held in Montevideo, their capital city.
In the final, they once again faced Argentina and won 4-2 in front of their home crowd. Their fourth world championship came in 1950 during the World Cup held in Brazil.
Uruguay faced Brazil in the final match and won 2-1 in a game that is still remembered as one of the most surprising and dramatic matches in football history. This match played in front of 173,850 people, remains the highest official attendance for a football match ever.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.
