The Brazilian National Football Team in World Cups
Brazil, the undisputed king of football, built its global fame alongside the rich history of its national team. The Selecao stands alone as the only five-time World Cup champion, with a tournament history that deserves a closer look.
Reaching the World Cup final seven times and claiming victory on five of those occasions is a remarkable feat, printed in the hearts of Brazilians with pride and affection.
So, let’s have a look at each of these 7 finals, starting from the ones Brazil lost!
World Cup 1950 & 1998 Finals
In 1950, Brazil hosted the World Cup for the first time and showed a great performance during the competition. However, despite needing a draw to become champions in the final match against Uruguay, they suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat.
The match took place at Maracana stadium, so it became known as the “Maracanaco,” remaining one of the most painful memories in Brazilian football history, surpassed only by the 7-1 loss to Germany in 2014.
Another final that haunts Brazilian fans is the 1998 World Cup. Despite dominating the tournament, the team lost to France with a heartbreaking score 3-0 in the final match.
Brazil Victories in the World Cups
Ok, now let’s come to the exciting part and check out all the World Cup victories one by one!
World Cup Final 1958, Brazil vs Sweden
In 1958, Brazil won its first World Cup cup in an epic game against Sweden, which was considered the best team in the world at the time. The match ended 5-2 for Brazil and it was the game where Pele started to shine brightly.
World Cup Final 1962, Brazil vs Czechoslovakia
As strange as it may seem, it was the second World Cup final for Czechoslovakia. First was in 1934 when they lost to Italy. In the 1962 final, they suffered their 2nd loss, this time against Brazil.
The final score was 3-1 in favor of the Brazilian team. The game was all about the great play of the Brazilians, especially with Mané Garrincha stepping up, even without Pelé.
Check out also one of the most historic football rivalries, Brazil vs Argentina!
World Cup Final 1970, Brazil vs Italy
In the last World Cup in Mexico, Brazil again showed a great performance, beating Italy 4-1 in the final match and becoming world champions for the 3rd time. To be fair, it was practically impossible to beat a team with Pelé, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto, three great Brazilian players.
World Cup Final 1994, Brazil vs Italy
After 1970, it took 24 years from Brazil to reach the final of the World Cup. It was in 1994 and again against Italy. The game finished 0-0, and in the penalty kicks, Brazil won 4-2. This match is remembered with Roberto Baggio’s missed crucial penalty.
World Cup Final 2002, Brazil vs Germany
In 2002, Brazil became the first and so far the only 5-time World Cup champions. In the final match, they won Germany 2-0 with both goals scored by Ronaldo.
