But which country has been most victorious in the most widely watched sporting event in the world? That honor goes to Brazil, which will not only be hosting the event in 2014 but which has five titles and is the only country to date to have played in every World Cup. Brazil won the World Cup in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
Italy comes in second, having taken home four titles in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006.
For all the love of footie in the United Kingdom, the last and only time the Brits have taken the title was in 1966 -- and that was on British soil. There is something to be said for the home-field advantage when surveying the World Cup victors over the years.
Here are all of the World Cup winners since the tournament's inception:
1930 (in Uruguay): Uruguay over Argentina, 4-2
1934 (in Italy): Italy over Czechoslovakia, 2-1
1938 (in France): Italy over Hungary, 4-2
1950 (in Brazil): Uruguay over Brazil, 2-1, in a round robin finals format
1954 (in Switzerland): West Germany over Hungary, 3-2
1958 (in Sweden): Brazil over Sweden, 5-2
1962 (in Chile): Brazil over Czechoslovakia, 3-1
1966 (in England): England over West Germany, 4-2
1970 (in Mexico): Brazil over Italy, 4-1
1974 (in West Germany): West Germany over the Netherlands, 2-1
1978 (in Argentina): Argentina over the Netherlands, 3-1
1982 (in Spain): Italy over West Germany, 3-1
1986 (in Mexico): Argentina over West Germany, 3-2
1990 (in Italy): West Germany over Argentina, 1-0
1994 (in the United States): Brazil over Italy in a 0-0 tie and 3-2 penalty shootout
1998 (in France): France over Brazil, 3-0
2002 (in South Korea and Japan): Brazil over Germany, 2-0
2006 (in Germany): Italy over France in a 1-1 tie and 5-3 penalty shootout