The Early Years: 1930-1938
The very first World Cup final in 1930 saw hosts Uruguay defeat Argentina 4-2. The goalscorers on that historic day were Pablo Dorado, Pedro Cea, Santos Iriarte, and Héctor Castro for Uruguay, with Carlos Peucelle and Guillermo Stábile scoring for Argentina.
In 1934, Italy beat Czechoslovakia 2-1 after extra time, thanks to goals from Raimundo Orsi and Angelo Schiavio, while Antonín Puč scored for the runners-up. Four years later, in the last final before World War II, Italy defended their title against Hungary. A 4-2 victory for the Italians featured two goals each from Gino Colaussi and Silvio Piola. Hungary's goals came from Pál Titkos and György Sárosi.
The Post-War Era and Brazil's Rise: 1950-1962
The 1950 tournament had a unique round-robin final stage, but the decisive match saw Uruguay beat Brazil 2-1 in what became known as a virtual final. Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia scored for Uruguay to overturn Friaça's opener for Brazil. In 1954, West Germany stunned the heavily favoured Hungarians in the "Miracle of Bern." Despite early goals from Ferenc Puskás and Zoltán Czibor, West Germany won 3-2 with strikes from Max Morlock and two from Helmut Rahn. The 1958 final was a high-scoring affair where Brazil beat Sweden 5-2. The scorers were Vavá (2), Pelé (2), and Zagallo for Brazil, and Nils Liedholm and Agne Simonsson for Sweden. A 17-year-old Pelé scoring twice announced his arrival on the world stage. Brazil won again in 1962, beating Czechoslovakia 3-1. Amarildo, Zito, and Vavá scored for Brazil, with Josef Masopust netting for the Czechs.
Hurst's Hat-Trick and a European Mix: 1966-1982
England's only World Cup triumph came on home soil in 1966. Geoff Hurst became the first and, for 56 years, the only player to score a hat-trick in a final, leading England to a 4-2 extra-time win over West Germany. Martin Peters scored England's other goal, while Helmut Haller and Wolfgang Weber scored for the Germans. In 1970, a legendary Brazil side dismantled Italy 4-1 with goals from Pelé, Gérson, Jairzinho, and Carlos Alberto. Roberto Boninsegna scored for Italy. West Germany hosted and won in 1974, beating the Netherlands 2-1. Johan Neeskens scored an early penalty, but Paul Breitner and Gerd Müller replied for the champions. Argentina won at home in 1978, beating the Netherlands 3-1 in extra time with two goals from Mario Kempes and one from Daniel Bertoni; Dick Nanninga scored for the Dutch. The 1982 final saw Italy defeat West Germany 3-1, with Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli, and Alessandro Altobelli scoring before Paul Breitner's consolation goal.
Maradona's Moment and Zidane's Rise: 1986-1998
The 1986 final is remembered for Diego Maradona's Argentina beating West Germany 3-2. José Luis Brown, Jorge Valdano, and Jorge Burruchaga scored for the winners, while Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Rudi Völler brought the Germans level before the late winner. Four years later, the same two teams met in the 1990 final, with West Germany winning 1-0 thanks to a single penalty from Andreas Brehme. The 1994 final between Brazil and Italy was the first to be scoreless and decided on penalties. In 1998, hosts France won their first title, stunning Brazil 3-0. Zinedine Zidane was the hero, scoring two headers before Emmanuel Petit sealed the victory in injury time.
The New Millennium: 2002-2014
In the 2002 final, Brazil's Ronaldo scored both goals in a 2-0 victory over Germany. The 2006 final was a dramatic affair between Italy and France. Zinedine Zidane opened the scoring with a penalty, but Marco Materazzi equalized for Italy. The match ended 1-1 and went to penalties, where Italy triumphed, but not before Zidane was famously sent off. The 2010 final was a tense battle, with Spain winning their first World Cup through a single extra-time goal from Andrés Iniesta against the Netherlands. Germany claimed their fourth title in 2014, also with a single extra-time goal. Mario Götze was the hero, scoring in the 113th minute to defeat Argentina 1-0.
The Modern Era: Mbappé's Brilliance
The 2018 final between France and Croatia was a high-scoring thriller. France won 4-2, with goals from Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba, and Kylian Mbappé, plus an own goal from Mario Mandžukić. Ivan Perišić and Mandžukić himself scored for Croatia. The 2022 final is widely considered one of the greatest of all time. Argentina triumphed over France on penalties after a spectacular 3-3 draw. Lionel Messi scored twice and Ángel Di María once for Argentina. Kylian Mbappé was extraordinary for France, scoring a hat-trick to become only the second man to do so in a final, though ended up on the losing side.
