The World Cup has had some great teams. Either as winners of the World Cup or teams that did not quite go the distance in their World Cup, but were still very good! Here are a few of the best teams not to have won the FIFA World Cup.
For some, the Hungarian team of 1954 was one of the great teams to have played in the FIFA World Cup. They were not able to win that World Cup or indeed any other. This Hungary side boasted such talented players as Kocsis, Puskas, and Hidegkuti. The team was particularly devastating going forward and scored a record 27 goals in the 1954 World Cup, including an 8–3 thrashing of Germany in the group stages.
Indeed, they made steady progress into the final, beating Brazil en route, and were favorites to win. Germany was better organized in the final and was able to come back from two goals down to win the game 3–2. It was a surprise, and a great team had not won the cup.
Holland’s team of 1974 played an exciting brand of football, spearheaded by Cruyff. With such a team, they were able to top both of their groups in the 1974 World Cup with some notable wins, including a 4–1 victory over Bulgaria, a 2–0 win against Brazil, and a 4–0 thrashing of Argentina. Overall, they conceded one goal in six games played.
They made it to the final of the 1974 World Cup, where they played the hosts, Germany. Indeed, they were able to take the lead in this game but did not take full advantage of their chances. The Germans got back into the match with an equalizer and then took the lead with a goal from Muller. The scoreline remained 2–1, and Germany won the World Cup.
The Brazilian team did not make the final of the 1982 World Cup. However, they still had one of the best-attacking teams in the World Cup and were one of the favorites to win in the ’82 World Cup. The team was very exciting and had fine players such as Zico, Falcao, and Eder. They dominated the first group, winning all their games, thrashing Scotland 4–1 and New Zealand 4–0.
In the second group, Brazil also seemed on course for the semi-finals with a 3–1 win over Argentina. With a draw needed against Italy, Brazil conceded three goals. With only two goals scored, they lost the game 3–2 overall, with Rossi’s goals ending Brazil’s World Cup prematurely.
They are three of the best teams never to have won the FIFA World Cup. The great Hungarian team of 1954 and the fantastic Dutch team of 1974 both reached the final, only to fall short of winning by one or two goals. In 1982, Brazil did not get so far, but still played some fine football and scored 15 goals in five games.
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