Top five nations to never win FIFA World Cup ft. Portugal

Not many major nations have won the World Cup.

Every four years, the FIFA World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world, throwing football enthusiasts into a frenzy. Lionel Messi won his first World Cup after Argentina defeated France on penalties in the most recent World Cup in Qatar.

Many well-known countries have never won the trophy, despite the most popular sporting event only occurring every four years. Here’s a closer look at the national teams that haven’t yet experienced World Cup triumph.

List of nations to never win FIFA World Cup in their history

Rank	Nation	World Cup best performance
5	Sweden	Finalist in 1958
4	Croatia	Finalist in 2018
3	Belgium	Semi-finalist in 2018
2	Portugal	Semi-finalist in 2006
1	Netherlands	Finalist in 974, 1978 and 2010.

5. Sweden

Sweden have experienced several near-misses in the competition; in 1958, they were on the verge of winning the title when they lost the final to Brazil at home. In addition, they placed fourth in 1938.

Then third again, in 1950 and 1994, respectively.

4. Croatia

In the last two World Cup competitions, Croatia have come very close to winning the tournament. After defeating England in the semi-final, they lost 4-2 to France in the 2018 final to finish second. In 2022, they reached the semifinals but lost to the eventual winners, Argentina.

There are worries that Croatia lost a significant opportunity to win their first World Cup. However, there is still optimism because they have a lot of youthful talent emerging.

3. Belgium

Belgium are another country whose golden generation did not win the World Cup. The nation had access to players like Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, Vincent Kompany, and Eden Hazard between 2014 and 2022.

They fell to France in the semi-finals of the 2018 edition. It was their closest to winning the tournament. Many believed that Belgium’s golden generation was finished when the country was eliminated from the 2022 World Cup group stages.

But they now go into the 2026 competition with a lot of optimism.

2. Portugal

Some of the greatest football players in history have worn red, green, and gold for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, and Eusebio are among them. Eusebio was a member of the team that placed third in the 1966 World Cup, which was the nation’s best result.

Portugal have since advanced to the quarterfinals in 2022 and finished fourth in 2006. Ronaldo guided the nation to their first major tournament victory in 2016. They won the 2016 European Championship in France, despite their lack of success at the World Cup.

1. Netherlands

Considering Johan Cruyff’s impact on contemporary football, the Netherlands are among the most esteemed footballing nations. In 1974, Cruyff narrowly lost the World Cup final to West Germany.

The Dutch made it to the final four years later. But they lost 3-1 to Argentina in Buenos Aires after extra time.

In their most recent final, which took place in 2010, the Netherlands lost to Spain in a contentious game in which referee Howard Webb issued 14 yellow cards. Meanwhile, in the 2022 competition, they reached the quarterfinals.

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