List of all captains to lift FIFA World Cup trophy ft. Lionel Messi
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No player has ever won the FIFA World Cup twice as a captain.
The first edition of the FIFA World Cup was played in 1930 in Uruguay. It was also won by La Celeste after they defeated Argentina in the final. Over almost a century, the sport and the tournament have evolved thoroughly.
Multiple players have solidified themselves as the greatest in the history of the tournament. Meanwhile, another page of glory is still being written in the history books. Brazil stand as the most successful nation in the tournament’s history with five titles, while Germany and Italy have won four titles each.
Germany have played the most finals in the FIFA World Cup, eight (out of which six were as West Germany). Meanwhile, Brazil and Argentina are tied for second place with seven finals in their records.
Miroslav Klose’s record for most goals in the World Cup was broken by Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi in the 2026 edition. Spain‘s goalkeeper Unai Simón also set a couple of new records. Individual performances are required in the game, but the need for the whole team to function as a unit is significantly more important.
One player, who leads the side from the front, takes one of the most crucial roles in the games. Thus, on a similar note, let’s take a look at the complete list of all captains to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy.
Also Read: Top five teams with most FIFA World Cup final appearances
List of all captains to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy
| S. No | Year | Nation | Captain |
| 1. | 1930 | Uruguay | José Nasazzi |
| 2. | 1934 | Italy | Giampiero Combi |
| 3. | 1938 | Italy | Giuseppe Meazza |
| 4. | 1950 | Uruguay | Obdulio Varela |
| 5. | 1954 | West Germany | Fritz Walter |
| 6. | 1958 | Brazil | Hilderaldo Bellini |
| 7. | 1962 | Brazil | Mauro Ramos |
| 8. | 1966 | England | Bobby Moore |
| 9. | 1970 | Brazil | Carlos Alberto Torres |
| 10. | 1974 | West Germany | Franz Beckenbauer |
| 11. | 1978 | Argentina | Daniel Passarella |
| 12. | 1982 | Italy | Dino Zoff |
| 13. | 1986 | Argentina | Diego Maradona |
| 14. | 1990 | West Germany | Lothar Matthäus |
| 15. | 1994 | Brazil | Dunga |
| 16. | 1998 | France | Didier Deschamps |
| 17. | 2002 | Brazil | Cafu |
| 18. | 2006 | Italy | Fabio Cannavaro |
| 19. | 2010 | Spain | Iker Casillas |
| 20. | 2014 | Germany | Philipp Lahm |
| 21. | 2018 | France | Hugo Lloris |
| 22. | 2022 | Argentina | Lionel Messi |
How many players have won the World Cup twice as a captain?
No player has ever lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy twice as a captain.
What are the names of all Italy captains to win the World Cup?
Giampiero Combi, Giuseppe Meazza, Dino Zoff and Fabio Cannavaro.
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