Top 10 Greatest World Cup Finals in History

The "Miracle of Bern" saw the supposedly unbeatable Hungarians — undefeated in four years and 6-3 destroyers of England at Wembley — lose 3-2 to West Germany after leading 2-0. It remains the greatest upset in World Cup Final history and helped rebuild post-war German national identity.

England's only World Cup triumph went to extra time at Wembley, featuring the most controversial goal in history — Geoff Hurst's second, which may or may not have crossed the line. Hurst went on to complete a hat-trick; his three goals remain the only World Cup Final hat-trick ever scored.

The first World Cup Final decided by a penalty shootout, and also the first to end goalless after 120 minutes. Roberto Baggio's missed penalty — the most famous miss in history — sent Brazil to their fourth world title and left a generation of Italians haunted.

Zinedine Zidane headed in two first-half goals to give France a 3-0 win over a Brazil side visibly distracted by a mysterious pre-match collapse from Ronaldo. The mystery of what happened to Ronaldo in that Paris hotel room was never fully explained.

Brazil's 4-1 demolition of Italy at the Azteca Stadium was a coronation rather than a contest. Pelé, Jairzinho, Gérson, and Rivelino produced what many still call the finest team performance in international football history. The trophy was Brazil's to keep permanently.

A contentious final played in swirling ticker tape in Buenos Aires, with the host nation winning 3-1 AET. The Dutch refused to shake the hand of dictator Videla at the ceremony. Questions about match-fixing in Argentina's earlier 6-0 win over Peru clouded the tournament for decades.

Andrés Iniesta's extra-time winner gave Spain their first World Cup title and completed a tiki-taka era of total dominance. The Netherlands played brutally cynically, with fourteen yellow cards and one red — yet came within seconds of winning before Iniesta's moment of genius.

The Netherlands kicked off and Johan Cruyff's Total Football side had possession for 65 seconds before winning a penalty — without Germany touching the ball. West Germany came from behind to win 2-1, denying Cruyff the one trophy his genius deserved. Gerd Müller scored the winner.

Mario Götze's extra-time volley gave Germany a 1-0 win and their fourth World Cup title in their greatest generation's finest hour. The final was tighter than the 7-1 semifinal humiliation of hosts Brazil suggested, with Argentina's Messi unable to add to an outstanding individual tournament.

The "Miracle of Bern" saw the supposedly unbeatable Hungarians — undefeated in four years and 6-3 destroyers of England at Wembley — lose 3-2 to West Germany after leading 2-0. It remains the greatest upset in World Cup Final history and helped rebuild post-war German national identity.

England's only World Cup triumph went to extra time at Wembley, featuring the most controversial goal in history — Geoff Hurst's second, which may or may not have crossed the line. Hurst went on to complete a hat-trick; his three goals remain the only World Cup Final hat-trick ever scored.

The first World Cup Final decided by a penalty shootout, and also the first to end goalless after 120 minutes. Roberto Baggio's missed penalty — the most famous miss in history — sent Brazil to their fourth world title and left a generation of Italians haunted.

Zinedine Zidane headed in two first-half goals to give France a 3-0 win over a Brazil side visibly distracted by a mysterious pre-match collapse from Ronaldo. The mystery of what happened to Ronaldo in that Paris hotel room was never fully explained.

Brazil's 4-1 demolition of Italy at the Azteca Stadium was a coronation rather than a contest. Pelé, Jairzinho, Gérson, and Rivelino produced what many still call the finest team performance in international football history. The trophy was Brazil's to keep permanently.

A contentious final played in swirling ticker tape in Buenos Aires, with the host nation winning 3-1 AET. The Dutch refused to shake the hand of dictator Videla at the ceremony. Questions about match-fixing in Argentina's earlier 6-0 win over Peru clouded the tournament for decades.

Andrés Iniesta's extra-time winner gave Spain their first World Cup title and completed a tiki-taka era of total dominance. The Netherlands played brutally cynically, with fourteen yellow cards and one red — yet came within seconds of winning before Iniesta's moment of genius.

The Netherlands kicked off and Johan Cruyff's Total Football side had possession for 65 seconds before winning a penalty — without Germany touching the ball. West Germany came from behind to win 2-1, denying Cruyff the one trophy his genius deserved. Gerd Müller scored the winner.

Mario Götze's extra-time volley gave Germany a 1-0 win and their fourth World Cup title in their greatest generation's finest hour. The final was tighter than the 7-1 semifinal humiliation of hosts Brazil suggested, with Argentina's Messi unable to add to an outstanding individual tournament.