Few things can cause a crowd of people to simultaneously and with reckless abandon, launch overpriced, lukewarm beers into the air with no consideration of the consequence. A World Cup goal is one of those rare occasions that can cause such a response. That and a cattle prod in a Wetherspoons.

World Cup Winners 1950

However, at a time when club football is becoming an all-consuming juggernaut of broadcast deals, record transfer fees and elite squads, the international game increasingly feels like it is stepping on its toes. An unwanted accoutrement that survives on past glories alone.

And whilst there are too many dull, lifeless friendlies and qualifying seems like an endless slog wherein Denmark play Ireland fifteen times with each encounter duller than the last, the World Cup remains a rarity in modern football. It is a tournament with so much prestige, history and meaning that merely taking part is still regarded by many as the pinnacle of a footballing career.

Winning the World Cup remains the greatest achievement in football, despite what people may say about the fourth Champions League spot. The list of World Cup winners is truly a pantheon of footballing greats.

But who are the best/worst of the best?

Hansi Flick believes success in the Club World Cup will be “very special” as he closes in on a sixth trophy in just 68 matches as Bayern Munich coach. Bayern comfortably dealt with CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly in their semi-final on Monday, with Robert Lewandowski getting both goals in a 2-0 win. Undefeated in two starts, both on the turf, including Saturday's $100,000 Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., sophomore colt Rock Your World could be headed to dirt to chase.

Women's World Cup Winners

21. Uruguay 1950

Trainer Michael Stidham told the Daily Racing Form that Saturday's G3 Razorback Handicap winner Mystic Guide will head overseas to contest the Dubai World Cup, scheduled for March 27. Bayern Munich vs Tigres Tips and Predictions. (2.05) on Bayern winning in a match that features under 3.5 match goals looks a strong pick for the Club World Cup final.

World Cup Qualifiers Betting Tips

Comparing cross-generational sidesis a thankless task. As with comparing Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona and Pelé, thesheer volume of variables and factors that separate the modern game from football’ssepia-tinged past make comparisons nigh on impossible.

But whilst this Uruguay side areperhaps not amongst the greatest of World Cup winners, their story is certainlyone of the best.

World Cup Winners Usa

Fans might assume that the WorldCup format of today has been the same since 1930. However, the 1950 tournamentin Brazil was unlike any other. Following a first group stage round, the winnerof each group entered a final group stage round, in a round-robin format, withthe most points collected determining the champions.

Going into the de facto final, Brazilwere favourites to an almost ludicrous level. Ali versus a punching bag for thefootballing world. The media had literally dubbed Brazil champions and theatmosphere around Brazil was that of actual World Champions, with the Seleçãoneeding simply to avoid defeat. A World Cup final that echoed a final day relegationscrap.

Uruguay on the other hand, neededto win and having only drawn against Spain and narrowly defeated Sweden in theprevious games, Brazil’s optimism whilst feverish and disrespectful was hardlymisplaced.

So, when a defensively resoluteUruguay, through goals from Schiaffino and Ghiggia, cancelled out Friaça’sopener to win the game and the tournament, Brazil were left stunned.

World Cup Betting Tips

The term Maracanazo has since beenused to describe the match, translated loosely as “The Agony of Maracanã”. So,although this Uruguay side was perhaps not exceptionally talented and certainlybenefited from a truncated format, their quality is often underestimated andto have inspired a word describing one of football’s greatest upsets, surelyplaces their story if not their squad amongst the World Cup’s greats.