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This article is part of ourGreatest Of All Time series. We will be looking back at previous World Cup tournaments and identifying the GOATs within a number of different categories.

Part one: Greatest goals.
Part two: World Cup exits.
Part three: Best campaigns by winning players.
Part four: Best tournaments by players who never won the trophy.

This time, less than a week after the 2026 clash between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey, we’re looking at the five greatest finals.

1954: West Germany 3-2 Hungary

This came four years after a major surprise in the final game of World Cup 1950, when Uruguay defeated Brazil 2-1 at the newly built Maracana. But that technically wasn’t a final — just the last game of a group stage — and therefore this 1954 result, which became known as the ‘miracle of Bern’, must be considered the greatest shock in a World Cup final. In the group stage, Olympic champions Hungary had beaten (an admittedly second-string) West Germany 8-3, although they’d lost their star man Ferenc Puskas to injury in that game.

Puskas was back here, and prodded home the opener. Zoltan Czibor quickly doubled the lead. Hungary were 2-0 up after eight minutes, and seemingly heading for something equivalent to the 8-3. But then West Germany inside-right Max Morlockgot one back, before Helmut Rahnconverted at a corner to make it 2-2 after 20 minutes. The quality of play, in truth, left much to be desired. But this was unarguably a thriller.

The Miracle of Bern 👟
In 1954, West Germany pulled off one of the biggest upsets in #WorldCup history, with a little help from their boots 🏆👏🇩🇪
Full video 👉 https://t.co/N0cfDcws7R pic.twitter.com/kFDzwTK1Rz

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 26, 2018

Then, strangely, the game went an hour without a goal. Hungary were overwhelmingly the better side. Nandor Hidegkuti and Sandor Kocsis hit the woodwork. West German goalkeeper Toni Turek made some good saves, and when he was beaten, Werner Kohlmeyer was on hand to clear off the line. It seemed a matter of time before Hungary found a winner.

But six minutes from time, West Germany went down the other end and Rahm, the right-winger, cut back onto his left foot and fired home. Hungary piled forward and thought they’d snatched an equaliser, but Puskas’ goal was disallowed due to offside. West Germany had won, after a contest that was frenetic at the beginning and end, sandwiching a period of unbelievable tension.

1966: England 4-2 West Germany (AET)

A great final to round off a relatively unremarkable World Cup, with the hosts coming out on top.

West Germany took an early lead when Helmut Haller capitalised on a rare mistake from England’s dependable left-back Ray Wilson, before Geoff Hurst nodded home, entirely unmarked, from a free kick from his West Ham United team-mate Bobby Moore. Twenty minutes in, 1-1.

⚽️⚽️⚽️🙌@TheGeoffHurst became the first player to score a hat-trick in a #WorldCup Final #OnThisDay in 1966

His goals helped @England to their first (and to date only) senior #WorldCup Trophy 💪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/07U1oibYxT

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 30, 2019

Then, a little like in 1954, there was a long period without a goal. England were the better side, and eventually seemed to have found a winner 10 minutes from time, when Martin Peters popped up to volley home at a corner. West Germany pushed everyone forward in the hope of a second goal, and their unlikely hero was defender Wolfgang Weber, who scored an ugly but decisive equaliser.

But the real fun came in extra time. This produced perhaps the most controversial incident in any World Cup final, when Hurst’s shot hit the bar, struck the line and bounced out. England appealed hopefully, and eventually the goal was given by the ‘Russian linesman’, who was actually from Azerbaijan.

77 – The 1966 World Cup final between England and Germany saw 77 shots attempted; the most in any World Cup game on record. On average, there was a shot every 62 seconds that the ball was in play. Pinball. #OptaWCYears pic.twitter.com/1xHKnkS3I6

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 29, 2020

West Germany went looking for another equaliser as the clock ticked towards the 120-minute mark, prompting England to launch a counter-attack. Another attacker might have looked to keep possession and see out the game, but Hurst was on a hat-trick, and roared downfield before thumping the ball into the top corner. It was the first treble in a World Cup final, and a perfect hat-trick too.

1974: West Germany 2-1 Netherlands

On paper this seemed like a brilliant World Cup final; two sides that represented the new concept of ‘total football’, a strategy that emphasised the importance of space and suggested that players should be multifaceted and capable of playing anywhere.

As if to demonstrate what it was all about, in the first minute Johan Cruyff collected the ball as the Netherlands’ deepest player, then dribbled all the way into the box before being fouled. Johan Neeskens blasted home the penalty. 1-0 Netherlands.

𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟒: the year of the first-ever penalty awarded in a #FIFAWorldCup final. 🥅#OTD

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 7, 2023

West Germany’s equaliser also came from a penalty. Wim Jansen dived into a challenge on Bernd Holzenbein, who was more than happy to go to ground. Paul Breitner converted. 1-1.

There was little doubt that the Netherlands were the neutrals’ favourites — but, like in 1954, West Germany spoilt the party. The winner came from an absolutely classic Gerd Muller strike, a shot on the turn shortly before half-time.

Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff were the big stars in the 1974 final (AFP via Getty Images)

The Dutch had 45 minutes to get back into the game, but discovered that while they were better pure footballers, the Germans had a dogged resilience that you need to win World Cups.

1986: Argentina 3-2 West Germany

At this point, it’s worth recognising that while West Germany are not generally considered the most entertaining football side, they have been involved in several of the best World Cup finals.

As usual, here they were cast in the role of spoilers and they used Lothar Matthaus in a man-marking role on Diego Maradona. Argentina’s best player was quiet; but then, so was West Germany’s.

As in every game he played in 1986, Diego Maradona had to deal with some rough treatment in the final (AFP via Getty Images)

Argentina had other options, though. And they were helped by the poor performance of German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher, who looked clueless when coming for a corner headed in by Jose Luis Brown, then was slow off his line when Jorge Valdano finished a one-on-one. 2-0 Argentina.

But never write off the Germans. They scored two goals from corners, both after a good delivery from Andreas Brehme and a flick-on. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored the first, then his strike partner Rudi Voller scored the second. Like in 1954, West Germany had come from two goals behind to turn a foregone conclusion into a thriller.

But Argentina were the rightful winners, and scored their winner after Maradona finally found some space with five minutes remaining, and half-volleyed a lovely ball in behind for the magnificent Jorge Burruchaga to finish, and spark wild celebrations from the majority of fans at the Azteca.

Flashback to the 1986 #FIFAWorldCup Final ⏮️

Jorge Burruchaga wins it for Argentina 🏆 pic.twitter.com/r3pk8BILEK

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022

2022: Argentina 3-3 France (Argentina won on penalties)

The final often hailed as the best ever was really only a thrilling contest for the final 40 minutes or so. For long periods, it felt like France simply hadn’t turned up. Angel Di Maria, a surprise starter after fitness problems, was electric down the left flank, winning the penalty for Lionel Messi to open the scoring, then crashing home the second himself. And then, for 45 minutes, nothing happened. France didn’t lay a glove on Argentina.

But after Didier Deschamps made four substitutions, including three new attackers, the only France forward who remained on the pitch from the start suddenly found space. Out of nothing, Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in two minutes. From 2-0 after 79 minutes to 2-2 after 81 minutes. Argentina, who had retreated in the hope of seeing out their lead, suddenly had to come out and play in extra time.

Was Argentina vs France the best #FIFAWorldCup final ever?! 🤯🏆

🎥 Watch all the action from Qatar 2022 in full now!

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 14, 2023

Sure enough, they did. Messi rounded off a move to give Argentina a 3-2 lead, and then just as they seemed to be seeing out the game, France won a second penalty and Mbappe completed the second hat-trick in a World Cup final, after Hurst in 1966.

Emiliano Martinez’s save from Randal Kolo Muani was a key moment in the 2022 final (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

There was more drama to come, with Emiliano Martinez producing a stunning save from Randal Kolo Muani to take the game into a penalty shootout — the Argentina goalkeeper’s speciality. Argentina won, Messi lifted the trophy, and a good World Cup was proclaimed as a great World Cup on the strength of 40 minutes at the end.