From the pioneers of 1930 to Lionel Messi’s victory in 2022, passing through the grace of King Pelé or the shadowy figure of Diego Maradona, the World Cup is full of big and small stories before the 2026 edition in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
I – Uruguay, Italy, the pioneers
On July 13, 1930, at the Pocitos stadium in Montevideo, Lucien Laurent scored the first goal of a World Cup. With 13 participating countries, it became the biggest global sporting event.
Thus, a French player began the great adventure of a competition invented by a fellow countryman, Jules Rimet, president of the International Federation (FIFA), and the Blues beat Mexico (4-1) in the opening match.
Uruguay lived up to its status as the best team in the world, inheriting its Olympic titles in 1924 and 1928, by winning the competition at home against Argentina (4-2).
Italy, led by Vittorio Pozzo, the only coach to win the trophy twice, succeeded Uruguay by winning the following two editions.
In 1938 in France, Italy repeated the feat with Silvio Piola and Giuseppe Meazza, defeating Hungary in the final (4-2).
However, the football kingdom of Italy is still waiting for its triumph. Brazilians believed they would finally be crowned when hosting the World Cup in 1950, but they experienced a terrible disillusionment by losing to Uruguay (2-1) in the final.
The reign of Brazil finally began in 1958 in Sweden with the iconic 17-year-old prince, Pelé, quickly dubbed the “King”. The Seleção finished its demonstration with two 5-2 victories, first against France in the semi-finals, and then facing Sweden in the final.
This success launched Brazil’s reign, winning the 1962 edition in Chile and the 1970 edition in Mexico, with Pelé as their guiding star.
In the Andes, Pelé could not finish the tournament due to injury. Brazil and Czechoslovakia met in the final, with the Slavs taking the lead but eventually losing 3-1.
In 1966, Pelé faced irregularities, notably against Bulgaria. The final saw England triumph against West Germany in a dramatic match.
The European dominance resumed in 1974, with West Germany defeating the Netherlands in the final.
Continuing into 1982, Italy under Paolo Rossi won the tournament in Madrid after a tumultuous journey…
[Context: The article highlights the historical journey of soccer’s World Cup from its inception in 1930 to Lionel Messi’s victory in 2022. It covers key moments, victories, defeats, and iconic players throughout the tournament’s history.]
[Fact Check: The World Cup has indeed seen many historic moments and upsets over the years, including Brazil’s heartbreak in the 1950 final and Pelé’s rise to stardom in the 1958 tournament.]
