Arjen Robben would be delighted to win ugly in the World Cup final on Sunday.
The present Dutch squad is constantly living in the shadow of the much lauded 'Total Football' era of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff which reached two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978 and lost both.
So, having won plaudits but no prizes all those years ago, Robben is quite happy to have the workmanlike tag attached to the present side, and said: "I would much prefer to win a very ugly game than lose a beautiful one."
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 |