FIFA World Cup history: Past winners, runners-up, leading goalscorers and Golden Ball recipients

FIFA World Cup history: Past winners, runners-up, leading goalscorers and Golden Ball recipients..

FIFA World Cup history is full of legendary names, teams and tournaments. Played every four years, the list of past winners, best players and leading goalscorers is a veritable who’s who of footballing royalty.

In 2018 it was France who won the Cup, Harry Kane of England taking home the golden boot, and Luka Modric the golden ball.

Below is a list of the winners, runners-up, best performers and leading goalscorers of each World Cup.

FIFA World Cup history: Past tournaments

Year	Winners	Runners-up	Player of the tournament	Leading goal scorer
2018	France	Croatia	Luka Modric	Harry Kane
2014	Germany	Argentina	Lionel Messi	James Rodriguez
2010	Spain	Netherlands	Diego Forlán	Thomas Müller
2006	Italy	France	Zinedine Zidane	Miroslav Klose
2002	Brazil	Germany	Oliver Kahn	Ronaldo
1998	France	Brazil	Ronaldo	Davor Šuker
1994	Brazil	Italy	Romário	Oleg Salenko
1990	West Germany	Argentina	Salvatore Schillaci	Salvatore Schillaci
1986	Argentina	West Germany	Diego Maradona	Gary Lineker
1982	Italy	West Germany	Paolo Rossi	Paolo Rossi
1978	Argentina	Netherlands	Kempes	Mario Kempes
1974	West Germany	Netherlands	Johan Cruyff	Grzegorz Lato
1970	Brazil	Italy	Pelé	Gerd Müller
1966	England	West Germany	Bobby Charlton	Eusébio
1962	Brazil	Czechoslovakia	Garrincha	Garrincha, Vavá, Leonel Sánchez, Flórián Albert, Valentin Ivanov, Dražan Jerković
1958	Brazil	Sweden	Didi	Just Fontaine
1954	West Germany	Hungary	Ferenc Puskás	Sándor Kocsis
1950	Uruguay	Brazil	Zizinho	Ademir
1938	Italy	Hungary	Leônidas	Leônidas
1934	Italy	Czechoslovakia	Meazza	Oldřich Nejedlý
1930	Uruguay	Argentina	Nasazzi	Guillermo Stábile