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Germany will host the 18th World Cup Finals this summer. Relive the previous 17 as Football Italia goes back in time
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Mondiali Memories
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| Uruguay 1930: Uruguay |
| Just 13 countries participated in the first ever World Cup with the hosts inviting teams to play. More |
| Italy 1934: Italy |
| Italy, at the time under the fascist rule of Benito Mussolini, who had taken power in 1922, was chosen as the venue for the second World Cup. More |
| France 1938: Italy |
| Two years after Hitler had used the Berlin Olympics to glorify Nazism, and with Europe teetering on the brink of major conflict, France was chosen to stage the 1938 World Cup. More |
| Brazil 1950: Uruguay |
| World War II was still fresh in the memory for the 1950 Finals. Europe, devastated by the fighting, was licking its wounds while Asia was enveloped in new conflicts. More |
| Switzerland 1954: West Germany |
| Switzerland was the obvious choice for the fifth World Cup. FIFA's HQ was in Zurich and 1954 marked the 50th anniversary of its formation. More |
| Sweden 1958: Brazil |
| This was the year Brazil, so unfortunate in 1950, finally captured the title they had been threatening to win for so long. More |
| Chile 1962: Brazil |
| Despite violent earthquakes which claimed over 5,000 lives, Chile beat off Argentina and West Germany for the right to stage the World Cup. More |
| England 1966: England |
| Alf Ramsey predicted three years earlier that his team would win the World Cup for the first time. More |
| Mexico 1970: Brazil |
| Despite fears about altitude and heat, the 1970 tournament turned out to be one of the best of all time. More |
| West Germany 1974: West Germany |
| There was a different feel to the 1974 tournament and not just the wet conditions of West Germany. More |
| Argentina 1978: Argentina |
| More than 100 countries took part in qualifying, Holland again favoured among the 15 teams that eventually journeyed to Argentina to join the hosts. More |
| Spain 1982: Italy |
| The World Cup had expanded from 20 to 24 teams by 1982 with the likes of Honduras, Cameroon, Algeria and El Salvador making their bows. More |
| Mexico 1986: Argentina |
| The 1986 competition was all about one man. Diego Armando Maradona had a hand in almost everything Argentina did. More |
| Italy 1990: West Germany |
| This World Cup is best remembered for Gazza’s tears and Italy’s torment. More |
| USA 1994: Brazil |
| Despite the USA's lack of football pedigree, massive crowds greeted these Finals and it was Brazil who deservedly claimed their record fourth World Cup. More |
| France 1998: France |
| France ‘98 opened its doors to 32 teams and the 16th World Cup turned out to be one of the best ever with the 64 matches watched by an estimated to be 37 billion TV viewers. More |
| Japan & Korea 2002: Brazil |
| Ronaldo’s redemption proved to be the fitting fairy story for a World Cup devoid of genuine class, but rich in its unpredictability and disregard for reputations. More |
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