Diego Maradona (Argentina)
However Argentina perform, Diego Maradona will be a major story at this World Cup. The tournament is synonymous with the pint-sized Argentinean and he returns as manager of the national team. Appointed in 2008, presumably on his reputation alone because he had no managerial experience, the former No 10 has already caused quite a storm. Argentina had a terrible qualification process and made it to South Africa by the skin of their teeth. Along the way, Maradona made bizarre team selections, marginalised Lionel Messi, saw the team equal their worst result in history and fell out with star player Juan Roman Riquelme (who's now retired as a result). When Argentina secured qualification, Maradona celebrated as though he was still a player, performing a forward dive on to his oversized belly. When he spoke to the media after the match, he told them to "suck it and keep on sucking it," in response to heavy criticism and was banned from all football activity for two months. But now he's back and he promises to be one of the stars of the show in 2010.
Years | Winners | Runner-up | Third place |
2006 | Italy | France | Germany |
2002 | Brazil | Germany | Turkey |
1998 | France | Brazil | Croatia |
1994 | Brazil | Italy | Sweden |
1990 | Germany | Argentina | Italy |
1986 | Argentina | Germany | France |
1982 | Italy | Germany | Poland |
1978 | Argentina | Holland | Brazil |
1974 | Germany | Holland | Poland |
1970 | Brazil | Italy | Germany |
1966 | England | Germany | Portugal |
1962 | Brazil | Czech | Chile |
1958 | Brazil | Sweden | France |
1954 | Germany | Hungary | Austria |
1950 | Uruguay | Brazil | Sweden |
1938 | Italy | Hungary | Brazil |
1934 | Italy | Czech | Germany |
1930 | Uruguay | Argentina | America |