3 hours ago
3
All-time table revealed
©TM/IMAGO
It's officially World Cup season, with the 2026 tournament getting underway in Mexico City this Thursday. Co-hosts Mexico will face South Africa in the opener. As many as 48 nations will convene in North America this summer in the biggest ever edition of football's showpiece spectacle. But down the years, who have been the most dominant nations in World Cup history?
Now, we don't just mean trophies, but consistent impact at the greatest international stage. Here at Transfermarkt, we have calculated the all-time World Cup table, counting knockout wins as three points, and knockout games that went to extra-time or penalties as draws so therefore one point. Let's see which nations make the top 20 and in which order.
The all-time World Cup table
Leading the way, unsurprisingly, are five-time World Cup winners Brazil. The famous South American nation have taken a total of 247 points from 114 games and have never not qualified for a World Cup. They are 22 points ahead of second placed Germany (including East Germany and West Germany results before the re-unification in 1990), who are on 225 points from 112 matches. There is then quite the drop to third-placed Argentina - the current holders - who have accumulated 158 points from 88 World Cup games
Italy, who remarkably didn't qualify for this summer's tournament, are fourth with 156 points from 82 matches. 2018 winners France complete the top five, having taken 131 points from 73 games. England - last victorious all the way back in 1966 - are sixth with 118 points from 74 World Cup matches. Euro 2024 winners Spain are seventh with 110 points from 67 games. The Netherlands (104 points), Uruguay (88 points) and Belgium (73 points) complete the top 10.
Mexico are the highest North American side on the table, sitting in 12th with 66 points, whilst no African or Asian nations make the top 20. Portugal are as low as 13th on the list, which may come as a surprise even though they have never won the World Cup. Two former nations which no longer exist are also in the top 20 in Yugoslavia (15th) and the Soviet Union (16th).
Note: When you search for something on Google, you’ll see a box with the latest news alongside the usual results. If you set Transfermarkt as your preferred source, our content will appear there more often. Add Transfermarkt as your preferred source here.
