World Cup 1962

Winners Brazil

Teams 16



Teams in qualifiers 56

Notable absentees Sweden

Surprises Colombia

Golden Boot Garrincha, Vavá (Brazil), Leonel Sánchez (Chile), Drazan Jerkovic (Yugoslavia) , Flórián Albert (Hungary), Valentin Ivanov (USSR) - 4

Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match); Brazil (14) scored the most

Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals



Number of matches 32

World Cup 1958

Winners Brazil

Teams 16



Teams in qualifiers 45

Notable absentees Italy, Uruguay

Surprises Wales, Northern Ireland

Golden Boot Just Fontaine (France) - 13

Stats A total of 126 goals were scored (3.60 per match); France (23) scored the most

Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals



Number of matches 35

World Cup 1954

Winners West Germany

Teams 16



Teams in qualifiers 45

Notable absentees Spain

Surprises Korean Republic

Golden Boot Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) - 11

Stats A total of 140 goals were scored (5.38 per match); Hungary (27) scored the most

Format Four groups of four with two seeded and two unseeded teams in each group. However, the teams played just two matches per group rather than the usual three, with the seeded sides facing unseeded sides. Where teams ended up tied for the second qualifying position by points, they required a play-off. The two teams finishing at the top of their group went through to the quarter-finals



Number of matches 26

World Cup 1950

Winners Uruguay




Teams 13



Teams in qualifiers 34

Notable absentees France, Germany, Hungary

Surprises Bolivia

Golden Boot Ademir (Brazil) - 9

Stats A total of 88 goals were scored (4.00 per match); Brazil (22) scored the most

Format Four groups, with the winners of each progressing to a four-team round-robin final group. Withdrawals meant there were two groups of four, one of three and one of two



Number of matches 22

World Cup 1938

Winners Italy

Teams 15



Teams in qualifiers 37

Notable absentees Argentina, England, Spain, Uruguay

Surprises Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Cuba

Golden Boot Leônidas (Brazil) - 7

Stats A total of 84 goals were scored (4.67 per match); Hungary (15) scored the most

Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches



Number of matches 18



                           

    

World Cup 1934

Winners Italy

Teams 16



Teams in qualifiers 32

Notable absentees Holders Uruguay, England

Surprises Egypt

Golden Boot Oldrich Nejedlý (Czechoslovakia) - 5

Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (4.12 per match); Italy (12) scored the most

Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches



Number of matches 17

World Cup 1930

Winners Uruguay  Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers N/ANotable absentees Of the major European countries, only France took partSurprises USA, who finished thirdGolden Boot Guillermo Stábile (Argentina) - 8Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (3.89 per match); Argentina (18) scored the mostFormat One group of four and three groups of three in the qualifying stage, with the top from each group going into the semi-finals. Number of matches 18