Only two nations have ever won the World Cup twice in a row. Italy did it early – winning in 1934 and then in 1938 – while Brazil’s generation of Pele, Garrincha and co. repeated the feat in 1962.
In the modern era, it has so far proved impossible, though a few teams have come close. Brazil were soundly beaten in 1998, Argentina lost in 1990, and France were vanquished in 2022.
