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The Football World Cup (official name: FIFA World Cup) is the most important competition in international football (soccer). Organised by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's governing body, the World Cup finals tournament is the most widely-viewed and followed sporting event in the world, more so than even the Olympic Games. The finals tournament is held every four years, but the World Cup competition itself takes place over a two-year period. Over 160 national teams compete in regional qualifying tournaments for a place in the finals. The finals tournament now involves 32 national teams (increased from 24 in 1998) competing over a 4-week period in a previously nominated host nation. A recent innovation has allowed more than one country to act as joint hosts. The next football World Cup will be held in Germany in 2006.
HistoryThe World Cup was not the first international football competition. Amateur football became a part of the official Olympic programme for the first time in 1908 (See: Football at the 1908 Summer Olympics). In Turin in 1909, in what is sometimes described as The First World Cup, Sir Thomas Lipton organised a football tournament to contest the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy. Italy, Germany and Switzerland sent their most prestigious professional club sides to the competition but The Football Association of England refused to be associated with it and declined the offer to send a team. Not wishing to have Britain unrepresented in the competition, Lipton invited West Auckland FC, an amateur side from the north-east of England and mostly made up of coal miners, to take part. West Auckland won the tournament and returned to Italy in 1911 to defend their title. In the second competition West Auckland beat Juventus 6-1 in the final and were awarded the trophy outright. The first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay and ran from July 13- 30, 1930. It was organised mainly by Jules Rimet, the FIFA president at the time. Thirteen nations took part - six from South America, five from Europe and two from North America. Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in front of crowd of 93,000 in Montevideo to become the first nation to win the trophy. In 1970, Brazil's third victory in the tournament entitled them to keep the Jules Rimet trophy. A new trophy was then designed. Argentina, Germany (both times as West Germany), and Brazil have all won the second trophy twice. However, the current trophy will not be retired until the name plaque has been entirely filled with the names of winning nations. This will not happen until 2038. Brazil, by a clear margin, is the most successful World Cup team overall, having won the tournament five times in total and finished as runners-up twice. Germany, three-time winners (as West Germany) and four-time runners-up (three times as West Germany), are next, while Italy have also won three trophies. Argentina and Uruguay are both two-time World Champions, although Uruguay's two successes came rather a long time ago, in the early years of the tournament. The next World Cup finals will be held in Germany, in 2006. As indicated below, the 2010 finals will be held in South Africa. The 2014 finals, which FIFA has earmarked for South America, is expected to be held in Brazil [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/2858989.stm) as CONMEBOL has already backed it as their choice. Football World Cup tournaments
World Cup winners ranking
World Cup AwardsAt the end of each World Cup final tournament, several awards are attributed to the players and teams which have distinguished from the rest, in different aspects of the game. There are currently five awards:
adidas Golden Shoe - Top GoalscorersThe adidas Golden Shoe is awarded to the top goalscorer of the World Cup final tournament. The award was introduced at the 1982 World Cup for the first time.
adidas Golden BallThe adidas Golden Ball is an award attributed to the most outstanding player of the World Cup final tournament. FIFA announces a shortlist of ten nominees which is then voted by media representatives. The most voted player is elected to win the adidas Golden Ball, the second most voted player wins the adidas Silver Ball and the third most voted player wins the adidas Bronze Ball. Its awarding is shrouded by allegations of being influenced by diplomacy: the three awards have always been won by players from three different nations.
Yashin AwardThe Yashin Award is attributed to the best goalkeeper of the World Cup final tournament. The award is named in honour of the late and legendary Russian goalkeeper, Lev Yashin.
FIFA Fair Play AwardThe FIFA Fair Play Award is given to the team with the best record of fair play during the World Cup final tournament. Only teams that qualified for the second round are considered.
Most Entertaining TeamThe Most Entertaining Team award is attributed to the team that has entertained the public the most, during the World Cup final tournament. It is always decided through public participation in a poll.
Overall Top Goalscorers14 Goals 13 Goals 12 Goals 11 Goals 10 Goals 9 Goals
8 Goals
Fastest Goals
See also
External Links
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