With the 2026 World Cup now upon us, it is a good time to look back at the five tournaments that came before it. The last five World Cups gave us new champions, unforgettable finals and some of the finest players the game has seen, and each one tells its own story. Every four years, the World Cup dominates the sporting calendar and everything around it, from packed pubs to the World Cup betting odds that move with each result.
In this article, we revisit the last five World Cups and what made each one memorable.
2022: Argentina and Messi’s crowning moment
The most recent World Cup, in Qatar, produced one of the greatest finals of all time. Argentina beat France on penalties after a 3-3 draw, with Lionel Messi finally lifting the trophy that had eluded him.
Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the final and still finished on the losing side. It was the first World Cup held in winter and the first in the Middle East, and a fitting send-off for Messi on the biggest stage.
2018: France champions again
Four years earlier, France won their second title in Russia, beating Croatia 4-2 in an open final. A teenage Mbappe announced himself to the world, becoming the first teenager since Pele in 1958 to score in a World Cup final.
Croatia, inspired by Luka Modric, reached the first final in their history, and Modric took the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. England, under Gareth Southgate, reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1990.
2014: Germany’s masterclass in Brazil
Germany lifted their fourth title on Brazilian soil in 2014, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time through Mario Gotze. The tournament is remembered most for the semi-final, when Germany thrashed the hosts 7-1, one of the most shocking results in World Cup history. The action on the pitch is matched off it every four years, when even casual fans get involved, often through the free bets and previews that surround a major finals. For Brazil, the 7-1 remains a painful memory.
2010: Spain’s first title
In 2010, Spain won the World Cup for the first time, beating the Netherlands 1-0 after extra time in the first tournament held in Africa. Andres Iniesta scored the only goal of a bad-tempered final late in extra time.
Spain’s passing style, built around their Barcelona core, set the template for a generation of international football. The tournament was also remembered for the constant drone of the vuvuzelas in the stands.
2006: Italy’s fourth star
The oldest of the five, the 2006 World Cup in Germany, ended with Italy beating France on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The final is best remembered for Zinedine Zidane, sent off for a headbutt on Marco Materazzi in what proved to be the last match of his career.
Italy’s win, their fourth, was built on a defence marshalled by Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon. It rounded off a tournament played in a fine spirit across Germany.
Five tournaments, five different champions, and a host of moments that will be replayed for years to come. As the 2026 World Cup gets under way, the question is which player and which nation will be added to that list next.