The FIFA World Cup is arguably the most extraordinary sports event. The last installment of the tournament garnered a colossal viewership of 3.2 billion from around the globe. That’s almost half the world’s population!
So, how did it all begin? What are the most exciting events of the FIFA World Cup? Today, we look at the history of the FIFA World Cup as we gear up for its upcoming 2022 edition.
History of the FIFA World Cup
Background:
The most prestigious tournament in global football before the instigation of the first ever FIFA World Cup was the summer Olympics. However, with the sport transitioning towards professionalism, a tournament of its own that could become the identity of Football was FIFA’s pressing priority. Jules Rimet and Henri Delauney first coined the idea of a World Cup. The decision of arranging the first edition was officially declared on May 26, 1928.
The first FIFA World Cup:
The inaugural World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay. The event consisted of only 13 teams and was played entirely in the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo. Uruguay won the inaugural tournament, defeating Argentina in the final and finishing second runner-up behind the United States. European teams couldn’t participate in the tournament as a result of the economic depression in the continent and the countries couldn’t defray the travel expenses of their respective teams. Nevertheless, in 1930 the stage was set for the tournament to be the crown jewel of world sports.
Format:
Since its inaugural, Twenty-one editions of the FIFA World Cup have been played. The tournament takes place every four years with the only exception when the World Cup wasn’t played was during the World War II era. Between 1934 and 1978, sixteen teams competed in the event. Most of the participating nations were from Europe and South America, with a small minority from North America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. To overcome this and make the World Cup more exciting, it was expanded to 24 teams in 1982, then to 32 in 1998, diversifying the event.
Competition Winners:
Only eight teams have conquered the World Cup in its century-old history. Brazil has won the World Cup five times, making them the most successful team overall. Germany and Italy are next with four championships each. Uruguay, France, and Argentina follow with two titles. Other prior champions include England, and Spain, who each have one trophy.
The Trophy:
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is arguably one of the most iconic prizes in the sporting world. The picture of Maradona lifting the 1986 World Cup trophy is etched into the minds of modern football aficionados.
However, that’s not what the World Cup trophy always looked like. It has gone through multiple transitions and names. The former trophy’s title was “Victory.” In 1946 the trophy was renamed to Jules Rimet trophy, in the honor of the third FIFA president and the brains behind the tournament. When Brazil won the World Cup final for the third time in 1970, the trophy was finally retired. Brazil was granted permanent possession of the trophy following their victory.
FIFA needed a replacement trophy when the Jules Rimet Trophy was retired. The football governing body issued a call for suggestions, and fifty-three sculptors from seven different nations responded. FIFA ultimately decided to use the creation of Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga for their new World Cup trophy and that’s how the prize we’re so accustomed to seeing and desire for our country to once lift, came into being.
Individual Records
Below is a list of the best players to have graced the FIFA World Cup with their presence.
Pele:
Pele is widely regarded as the Greatest player of the 20th Century. Pele scored 1,279 goals in his illustrious career. Pele also holds the record for most Championships, he conquered the world stage three times (1958, 1962, and 1970). He also holds the record for being the youngest player to play the World Cup final at 17 years and 249 days and also the youngest to score a hat trick in the cup.
Miroslav Klose:
Klose holds multiple World Cup records. He has scored the most number of goals in the final stage of the FIFA World Cup in the tournament’s history (16 goals). He also holds the records for playing the most Knock Out matches and winning the most number of matches.
Just Fontaine:
The Frenchman cemented his name as one of the best individuals to play football when he scored a record thirteen goals in six games of a single World Cup event.
Paolo Maldini:
The Italian defender is regarded as the best Center Back in football’s history. Maldini has played the most number of minutes in the FIFA World Cup (2,217 minutes).
Gerd Muller:
Muller, the Goals-per-Game ratio King, played only 13 games in the tournament and reached a whopping 14 goals tally. He has scored the most number of hat tricks in the world event (2 hat tricks).
Cristiano Ronaldo:
No list of football achievements can be completed without Ronaldo making that list. He is arguably the Greatest One of All Time. Cristiano became the oldest player to score a hat trick in the World Cup (33 years and 130 days) against Spain in a thriller that was perhaps the best game of the 2018 installment of the event.
FIFA World Cup 2022
The FIFA World Cup 2022 is set to take place for the 22nd time in 2022. Qatar will host it from November 20 till December 18, 2022. After the event in South Korea and Japan in 2002, this will be the second World Cup entirely held in Asia and the first World Cup to ever be contested in the Arab world. Additionally, the tournament will include 32 teams for the last time; the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026 will have 48 teams instead. This World Cup will be the first to not be hosted in May, June, or July; it will be played in a shorter time frame of roughly 29 days due to the extreme summer heat in Qatar. The tournament will take place from late November to mid-December. At Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, the opening game of the tournament will be played between Qatar and Ecuador. The final is scheduled for December 18, 2022, which also happens to be Qatar National Day.
How can I watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 online?
The World Cup will be broadcasted by various channels, but these are not available in every country. However, you can still stream the FIFA World Cup 2022 live online by using a VPN to get an IP address from the country of your choosing — this will enable you to access your preferred broadcaster hassle-free!
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