Back-to-back World Cup winners: Argentina seek to join elite group

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Argentina are one game away from becoming just the third team to successfully defend the World Cup, with European champions Spain standing in their way.

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AFP Sport looks at how previous winners fared if they reached the final at the following tournament.

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Italy, 1938

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Italy were the first team in World Cup history to retain their title, beating Hungary 4-2 in the final of the 1938 tournament in France.

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Four years earlier they had edged past Czechoslovakia in the final in Rome.

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The Italians wore black shirts and gave a fascist salute before kick-off in the Paris suburbs.

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On the eve of the final, the Italian players reportedly received a telegram from their leader Benito Mussolini that simply said: “Win or die.”

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“I may have conceded four goals, but I saved their lives,” said Hungarian goalkeeper Antal Szabo.

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Brazil, 1962

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The Brazilians swept Sweden aside 5-2 in the 1958 final — with teenager Pele scoring twice.

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Injury in the group stage four years later ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.

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Garrincha featured in the final even though he had received a red card in the semi-final — Chilean supporters led a petition to allow the exhilarating winger to play.

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Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3-1, with goals from Amarildo, Zito and Vava.

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Argentina, 1990

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Diego Maradona had almost single-handedly inspired Argentina to glory in Mexico in 1986 and he was back with several of his trusted lieutenants for the defence of the crown in Italy.

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The South Americans faced West Germany in both finals but in 1990 they came unstuck.

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An uneventful match was decided by the awarding of a late penalty, which Andreas Brehme tucked away.

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Argentina were reduced to nine men by the final whistle.

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Brazil, 1998

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Mario Zagallo’s team reached the final in France four years after Brazil had triumphed in the United States.

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The South Americans boasted a star-studded line-up including Roberto Carlos, Dunga, Rivaldo and Ronaldo.

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But they were swept aside by an inspired France team.

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Zinedine Zidane scored twice in a comprehensive 3-0 win in front of an ecstatic home crowd at the Stade de France as they lifted the trophy for the first time.

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France, 2022

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France came agonisingly close to retaining the World Cup crown they won in Russia in 2018.

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Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Didier Deschamps’ side twice came from behind to pull level at 3-3 in Doha’s Lusail Stadium.

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But Randal Kolo Muani missed a glorious chance in the final moments and Argentina won on penalties as Lionel Messi finally got his hands on the World Cup.

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