Wikipedia
The Football World Cup (official name: FIFA World Cup) is the most important competition in international Football (soccer) football (soccer). Organised by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's governing body, the World Cup finals tournament is the most widely-viewed and followed sporting event in the world exceeding even the Olympic Games.The finals tournament is held every four years, but the World Cup competition itself takes place over a three-year period. Teams representing 197 (for the 2006 competition) national football assocations compete in regional qualifying tournaments for a place in the finals. The finals tournament now involves 32 national teams (increased from 24 in 1998) competing over a 4-week period in a previously nominated host nation. A recent innovation has allowed more than one country to act as joint hosts. In the past, the host country and current world champions automatically qualified for the next World Cup, but from 2006 on only the hosts will get an automatic berth. In all 207 nations have competed to qualify to the World Cup, but only eleven have made it to the final match, and of those eleven only seven national teams have actually won. As a consequence of this exclusiveness, the World Cup inspires a great deal of enthusiasm and national pride amongst the tournament's fans.Six of the seven past world champions have won while playing in their homeland, and nations actively lobby to be selected as World Cup hosts. The only previous winner not to have won on home ground is the otherwise extremely successful Brazil national football teamBrazil, who famously lost the deciding match when they hosted the Football World Cup 19501950 tournament. Even traditionally "weaker" nations have been successful during their spell as hosts, most recently South Korea national football teamSouth Korea, who made it to the semifinals while hosting the Football World Cup 20022002 World Cup. Both England national football teamEngland (Wc1966 ) and France national football teamFrance (Wc1998 ) won their only World Cups whilst playing as host nations.The next football World Cup will be held in Germany in Football World Cup 20062006.
History - The World Cup was not the first international football competition. Amateur football became a part of the official Olympic programme for the first time in 1908 (See: Football at the 1908 Summer Olympics). In Turin in 1909, in what is sometimes described as ''The First World Cup'', Sir Thomas Lipton organised a football tournament to contest the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy. Italy, Germany and Switzerland sent their most prestigious professional club sides to the competition but The Football Association of England refused to be associated with it and declined the offer to send a team. Not wishing to have Britain unrepresented in the competition, Lipton invited West Auckland FC, an amateur side from the north-east of England and mostly made up of coal miners, to take part. West Auckland won the tournament and returned to Italy in 1911 to defend their title. In the second competition West Auckland beat Juventus 6-1 in the final and were awarded the trophy outright.In the Olympic games of 1924 and 1928, Uruguay won the football gold medal, in what was considered a proto-world cup. Unofficialy, FIFA recognized Uruguay as World Champion. These victories led the FIFA to choose Uruguay as the home of the first FIFA sanctioned World Cup.In 1927 the 1932 Summer Olympics were awarded to Los Angeles in the United States where the popularity of American football far surpassed that of the international game of association football (by then becoming known as ''soccer'' in the US). The general lack of interest from the Americans and a disagreement between FIFA and the IOC over the status of amateur players led to football being dropped from the official Olympic programme for the 1932 games. As a consequence, Jules Rimet, who had become president of FIFA in 1921, set about organising the Football World Cup 1930inaugural World Cup tournament, to take place in Uruguay in 1930. The national associations of selected nations were invited to send a team but the choice of Uruguay as a venue for the competition meant a long and costly trip across the Atlantic for European sides and up until two months before the start of the competition no team from that continent had promised to send a team. Rimet eventually persuaded teams representing Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia to make the trip. In total, thirteen nations took part - seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America. Uruguay national football teamUruguay beat Argentina national football teamArgentina 4-2 in front of crowd of 93,000 in Montevideo to become the first nation to win Jules Rimet trophythe World Cup trophy. In 1946 the World Cup trophy (''Coupe du Monde'') was renamed the ''Jules Rimet trophy'' in his honour.In Football World Cup 19701970, Brazil national football teamBrazil's third victory in the tournament entitled them to keep the original trophy and a new trophy was then designed. Argentina, Germany national football teamGermany (both times as West Germany), and Brazil have all won the second trophy twice. However, the current trophy will not be retired until the name plaque has been entirely filled with the names of winning nations. This will not happen until 2038.Brazil, by a clear margin, is the most successful World Cup team overall, having won the tournament five times in total and finished as runners-up twice. Brazil is also the only nation to have participated in every World Cup so far. Germany, three-time winners (as West Germany) and four-time runners-up (three times as West Germany), are next, while Italy have also won three trophies and two-time runners-up. Argentina and Uruguay are both two-time World Champions, although Uruguay's two successes came rather a long time ago, in the early years of the tournament. England national football teamEngland (Wc1966 ) and France national football teamFrance (Wc1998 ) have both won the title once.To date, the final of the World Cup has only been contested by European and/or South American teams. The greatest success of a North American team was reaching the semi-finals. This was achieved by the United States men's national soccer teamUSA at the Wc1930 . The first Asian teams to make it to the semi-finals was at the Wc2002 , when South Korea national football teamSouth Korea and Turkey national football teamTurkey both did this (Turkey is however a member of the UEFA, and thus sometimes considered a European country when it comes to football). Two African teams have reached the quarter-finals: Cameroon national football teamCameroon at the Wc1990 and Senegal national football teamSenegal in 2002. The only visits of teams from Oceania in the finals tournament ended in the first round: Australia national football teamAustralia at the Wc1974 and New Zealand national soccer teamNew Zealand in the Wc1982 .The next World Cup finals will be held in Germany, in Football World Cup 20062006. As indicated below, the Football World Cup 20102010 World Cup will be held in South Africa. The Football World Cup 20142014 World Cup, which FIFA has earmarked for South America, is expected to be held in Brazil as CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation, has already backed it as their choice. For the Football World Cup 20182018 finals, Netherlands and Belgium have expressed interest in holding the finals jointly, and England have also expressed a possibility of bidding for the prestigious event.
Début of National Teams - Each successive World Cup has welcomed at least one national football team qualifying for the first time as detailed below. Brazil holds the honour of being ever present at the World Cup Finals, and in 2005 became the first ever reigning champions to have to (and manage to) qualify for the World Cup. 1930 - ARGf BELf BOLf BRAf CHIf FRAf MEXf PARf PERf ROMf URUf USAf YUGf *1934 - AUTf TCHf EGYf flagiconThird Reich Germany national football teamGermany HUNf ITAf NEDf ESPf SWEf SUIf 1938 - CUBf DEIf (now Indonesia) NORf POLf 1950 - ENGf 1954 - SCOf KORf TURf FRGf 1958 - NIRf WALf URSf 1962 - BULf COLf 1966 - PRKf PORf 1970 - SLVf ISRf MARf 1974 - AUSf GDRf HAIf ZAIf 1978 - IRNf TUNf 1982 - ALGf CMRf HONf KUWf NZLf 1986 - CANf DENf IRQf 1990 - CRCf IRLf UAEf 1994 - GREf NGAf RUSf KSAf 1998 - CROf JAMf JPNf RSAf flagiconSerbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro national football teamFR Yugoslavia*2002 - CHNf ECUf SENf SVNf 2006 - Qualification - On-Going ANGf CIVf GHAf TOGf UKRf * At least one more first-time qualifier is assured. Neither participant in the Football World Cup 2006 - Asia-CONCACAF Qualification PlayoffAFC-CONCACAF playoff — BHRf or TRIf — has appeared in a World Cup final. Both CZEf and/or SVKf could qualify through the UEFA playoffs, as neither has qualified since Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1993.''* After Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia & Slovenia seceded from the SFR Yugoslavia in 1992, Serbia and Montenegro formed the FR Yugoslavia. They competed as Yugoslavia until 2003 when they became Serbia and Montenegro and qualified for 2006 finals under the new name.''
Football World Cup tournaments - FIFA hasn't yet specified which continent will host the World Cup in Football World Cup 20182018 and Football World Cup 20222022, even though several nations have already announced their intention to bid.1 ''There was no official World Cup Third Place match in 1930; United States men's national soccer teamUSA and Yugoslavia national football teamYugoslavia lost in the semi-finals.''2 ''At their 1939 Congress, FIFA did not arrive at a decision on whether the 1942 World Cup should be held in Brazil or Germany, and decided to adjourn until their next meeting. Shortly after this, WWII broke out, and all planning was destroyed.''3 ''There was no official World Cup final match in 1950. The tournament was decided in a final group contested by four teams. However, Uruguay's 2-1 defeat of Brazil was the decisive match which put them ahead on points and ensured that they finished top of the group as world champions.''
''Final group standings: 1st: Uruguay; 2nd: Brazil; 3rd: Sweden; 4th: Spain.''
World Cup winners ranking - South America holds the most titles at nine, followed by Europe at eight.# flagiconBRA Brazil national football teamBrazil - Football World Cup 19581958, Football World Cup 19621962, Football World Cup 19701970, Football World Cup 19941994, Football World Cup 20022002 (5 titles)# flagiconDEU Germany national football team Germany - Football World Cup 19541954, Football World Cup 19741974, Football World Cup 19901990 (3 !titles)
flagiconITA Italy national football teamItaly - Football World Cup 19341934, Football World Cup 19381938, Football World Cup 19821982 (3 titles)# flagiconARG Argentina national football teamArgentina - Football World Cup 19781978, Football World Cup 19861986 (2 !titles)
flagiconURY Uruguay national football teamUruguay - Football World Cup 19301930, Football World Cup 19501950 (2 titles)# flagiconEngland England national football teamEngland - Football World Cup 19661966 (1 !title)
flagicon FRA France national football teamFrance - Football World Cup 19981998 (1 title)You can have access to a worldcuphistory.free.fr - full view of World Cup teams ranking according to their performance during the 17 World Cups.
World Cup Awards - At the end of each World Cup final tournament, several awards are attributed to the players and teams which have distinguished from the rest, in different aspects of the game.There are currently five awards:the Golden Boot for top goalscorer;the Golden Ball for best player;the Yashin Award for best goalkeeper;the FIFA Fair Play Award for the team with the best record of fair play;the Most Entertaining Team award.
Golden Boot - Top Goalscorers - The World Cup Golden BootGolden Boot (or ''Golden Shoe'') is awarded to the top goalscorer of the World Cup final tournament. The award was introduced at the Football World Cup 19821982 World Cup for the first time.
Adidas Golden Ball - The Golden Ball is an award attributed to the most outstanding player of the World Cup final tournament. FIFA announces a shortlist of ten nominees which is then voted by media representatives. The most voted player is elected to win the Golden Ball, the second most voted player wins the Silver Ball and the third most voted player wins the Bronze Ball. Its awarding is shrouded by allegations of being influenced by diplomacy: the three awards have always been won by players from three different nations.
Yashin Award - The Yashin Award is attributed to the best goalkeeper of the World Cup final tournament. The award is named in honour of the late and legendary Russian goalkeeper, Lev Yashin.
FIFA Fair Play Award - The FIFA Fair Play Award is given to the team with the best record of fair play during the World Cup final tournament. Only teams that qualified for the second round are considered.
Most Entertaining Team - The Most Entertaining Team award is attributed to the team that has entertained the public the most, during the World Cup final tournament. It is always decided through public participation in a poll.
Overall Top Goalscorers - 14 GoalsflagiconGermany Gerd Müller13 GoalsflagiconFrance Just Fontaine12 GoalsflagiconBrazil PeléflagiconBrazil Ronaldo11 GoalsflagiconGermany Jürgen KlinsmannflagiconHungary Sándor Kocsis10 GoalsflagiconArgentina Gabriel BatistutaflagiconPeru Teófilo CubillasflagiconEngland Gary LinekerflagiconPoland Grzegorz LatoflagiconGermany Helmut Rahn9 GoalsflagiconBrazil Ademir (#44)flagiconItaly Roberto BaggioflagiconPortugal EusébioflagiconBrazil JairzinhoflagiconItaly Paolo RossiflagiconGermany Karl-Heinz RummeniggeflagiconGermany Uwe SeelerflagiconBrazil VaváflagiconItaly Christian Vieri8 GoalsflagiconBrazil Leônidas da SilvaLeônidasflagiconArgentina Diego MaradonaflagiconUruguay Oscar MíguezflagiconArgentina Guillermo StábileflagiconBrazil RivaldoflagiconGermany Rudi Völler? There was controversy regarding how many goals Brazilian Ademir Menezes scored in 1950, because of incomplete data concerning the Final Round game Brazil vs. Spain (6:1). The first goal had been credited as an own goal by Spanish defender Parra, and the 5:0 goal had been credited to Jair. However, recently FIFA credited Ademir with both these goals; thus he's the 1950 World Cup top scorer with 9 goals.
Fastest Goals -
See also - Football World Cup TrophyWorld Cup TrophyWorld Cup TeamsFIFA Women's World CupHomeless World CupWorld Cup Golden BootList of sporting eventsFIFA World Cup mascotFootball World Cup video games
External links - fifa.com - FIFA organization official site fifaworldcup.yahoo.com - FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Official Site fifa.com - FIFA Official Ranking of all Participants at Finals 1930-2002 (PDF) fifaworldcup.yahoo.com - FIFA Match Results for all Stages 1930-2002 worldcup-history.com - WorldCup-History.com planetworldcup.com - ''Planet World Cup'' with information on each men's World Cup finals worldcuplatest.com - 2006 World Cup news and statistics information Football World Cup Category:Football World Cup*Category:International national football competitionsWorld CupCategory:Football (soccer) competitionsWorld Cupbg:Световно първенство по футболbs:SP u nogometuda:Verdensmesterskab !(fodbold)de:Fußball-Weltmeist erschaftet:Jalgpalli? !maailmameistrivõistlusedes:Co pa? Mundial de Fútboleo:Mond-Pokalo de Futbalofa:جام جهانی فوتبالfr:Coupe du monde de footballga:Corn Sacair an Domhainko:축구 월드컵id:Piala Dunia FIFAit:Campionato mondiale di calciohe:גביע העולם בכדורגלlv:FIFA Pasaules kausslt:Pasaulio futbolo !čempionatasnl:Wereldkampioens chap? !voetbalja:FIFAワールドカ プno:Verdensmesterskapet? i fotballpl:Mistrzostwa Świata w piłce nożnejpt:Copa do Mundosimple:FIFA World Cupsl:Svetovno prvenstvo v nogometusr:Светско првенство у фудбалуfi:Jalkapallon !maailmanmestaruuskilpailutsv:V M? i !fotbollth:ฟุตบอล ลกuk:Чемпіонат? світу з !футболуzh:世界杯足 赛 DEBUG REDIRECT (football world cup)
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