The Greatest Teams Without a World Cup Title
Only 8 nations have won the World Cup. Here are the best teams still chasing glory.
Netherlands (3 Finals, 0 Wins)
Finals: 1974, 1978, 2010 Best players: Cruyff, Van Basten, Robben Why they haven't won: Bad luck, tactical inflexibility in finals
Portugal (0 Finals)
Best finish: 3rd (1966, 2006) Best players: Eusébio, Figo, Ronaldo Why: Small nation, tough draws
Belgium (0 Finals)
Best finish: 3rd (2018) Golden generation: De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku Why: Peaked between tournaments
Hungary (2 Finals, 0 Wins)
Finals: 1938, 1954 Golden team: 1950s dominance Why: 1954 upset by West Germany
Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic (2 Finals, 0 Wins)
Finals: 1934, 1962 Why: Small nation, limited resources
Sweden (1 Final, 0 Wins)
Final: 1958 (lost to Brazil) Best finish: 2nd (1958), 3rd (1950, 1994)
Croatia (1 Final, 0 Wins)
Final: 2018 (lost to France) Population: 4 million Remarkable achievement: Consistent overperformance
Poland (2 x 3rd Place)
Best: 3rd (1974, 1982) Best player: Lewandowski Why: Tough draws, small windows