7 Greatest FIFA World Cup Final Rivalries

7 GREATEST FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL RIVALRIES

By Creation Edges Desk JULY 19, 2026

[{"selector":"#anim-90a8b9ee-0d99-46ff-a001-da63495520db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24b8fe1b-d3c3-48fc-af71-8aa9dbd22f6c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 130.59579%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c46ff90-2b52-41be-a25e-a0cfd0fecd22 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 8.928571677791263%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Argentina vs France (2022) Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé delivered an unforgettable final. Argentina won on penalties after a thrilling 3–3 draw in one of football's greatest matches.

[{"selector":"#anim-bde3b51b-7913-4d46-97b2-9a743fc78bfc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6cda58a-f410-4375-95f7-7be10bda26d9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 130.59579%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0d74628-ab3d-44b3-aca1-e8ca6a0f96d8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, -8.928571179351586%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Argentina vs Germany These two nations met in three World Cup finals (1986, 1990, and 2014). Their rivalry featured legends like Maradona, Messi, Matthäus, and Götze.

[{"selector":"#anim-149209ee-709d-491b-9637-a780f400c319","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a349130-43b0-4524-a3db-781f0ed7dff2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.03607%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc97d935-b9ba-425c-8014-b440566375c9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, -6.978155511205841e-7%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Brazil vs Italy (1994) The first World Cup final decided by penalties ended with Brazil lifting the trophy after Roberto Baggio's unforgettable missed spot-kick.

[{"selector":"#anim-237ecd77-d318-4889-9603-9e4d976158e2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b59b07d-d636-4dd0-b8d2-850b039f3f22","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.03607%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-435c3435-757c-435d-96d4-7d2ec5435afb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 8.928571677791263%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Italy vs France (2006) Remembered for Zinedine Zidane's famous headbutt, this dramatic final ended with Italy winning the World Cup on penalties.

[{"selector":"#anim-4c41ce43-5c0a-4eb7-9453-5832ba2c42f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0353d79f-d46d-41b4-b2c2-4e383c92896f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.57027%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15dbd784-f1c4-44bd-aa33-cb4b3c4c20e9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 8.928571677791263%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Germany vs Netherlands (1974) Johan Cruyff's Dutch "Total Football" faced Franz Beckenbauer's West Germany in one of the most iconic tactical battles in football history.

[{"selector":"#anim-d5c6f69c-2bd8-4220-b62a-ed87f66b1537","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19fea9e4-1955-457b-9c80-dcef7281cdd6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 130.59579%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4971d0ae-02b8-486e-98d0-8921f2f9af94 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, -8.928571179351586%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Brazil vs Sweden (1958) A 17-year-old Pelé announced himself to the world as Brazil won its first FIFA World Cup with a brilliant 5–2 victory.

[{"selector":"#anim-555139c4-c65f-4bf1-a133-56d2e2587c38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3581b0bd-2cda-4a2f-83c2-4481b89203d6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 130.59579%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c48997bb-275f-4389-adbe-9b42973f285f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 8.928571677791263%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Spain vs Netherlands (2010) Andrés Iniesta's extra-time goal secured Spain's first-ever World Cup title in a tense and historic final.