Football is a sport where winning and living up to expectations aren’t always possible. How often have we seen fantastic teams enter a tournament with really strong teams only to be eliminated very quickly? The most popular sport in the world is routine like this.
And it doesn’t simply occur in club competitions. Is there a “curse of the champion teams” in the World Cup, the biggest football tournament on the planet? This is something really common that is already turning into destiny.
Teams that disappointed in World Cups
Brazilians have previously seen national team greats enter as heavy favourites to win and fall well short of expectations. In this article, we will review the key instances of successful teams that fell short of expectations.
Brazil in 1966
Brazil entered the 1966 World Cup in England with a highly good squad after winning the world title twice (1958 and 1962). Brazil were unable to progress in the group alongside Portugal, Bulgaria, and Hungary, even with Pelé performing at a high level.
Brazil in 1982
Many people believed—and still believe—that Brazil’s 1982 squad was the finest ever put together for a national team. After overcoming Italy, however, relying on talents like Zico, Falco, and Cerezo was not enough to proceed in the tournament’s second round (3-2).
Colombia in 1994
Pele said that Colombia, who defeated Argentina 5-0 in the qualifying round, were the favourites to win the 1994 World Cup. However, the South American nation’s great generation, which included Rincón and Valderrama, were eliminated during the group round.
Argentina in 2002
Even though Argentina enjoyed the finest South American qualifying run in history for the 2002 World Cup, the squad was unable to go beyond the group stage in Japan and South Korea under the leadership of Batistuta and Simeone.
Brazil in 2006
The “magic square” was also possessed by a Brazilian squad in 2006, which included Kaká, Ronaldinho Gacho, Adriano “Imperador,” and Ronaldo “Fenômeno.” But after learning a lesson from Zidane and co., the squad lost 1-0 to France in the quarterfinals.
The Curse of Champion Teams
The most recent Cup winners should take care not to “embarrass themselves” in the next World Cup. That’s because it’s become commonplace for the squad to win the world’s most prestigious competition and then fail to get beyond the group stage four years later.
Keep in mind certain instances of this new international football “curse.”
Italy in 2010
Italy defeated France to win the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The subsequent World Cup, though, left the Europeans wanting. Totti was among the players that coach Marcello Lippi omitted from the team, and the Italians lost in group play (against Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand).
Spain in 2014
Spain had the finest generation in its history and had just won its first World Cup victory in South Africa in 2010. But in group B, “Roja” was unable to progress even with the help of Xavi and Iniesta (which had Holland, Chile and Australia).
Germany in 2018
Germany defeated Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semifinal match, and went on to win the tournament in Brazil. Neuer and Müller, however, did not have the same luck in 2018 as the Germans immediately exited the competition at group stage level (against Sweden, Mexico and South Korea) .
Is France at Risk in 2022?
The French squad continues to build on its 2018 championship roster, which includes players like Mbappé and Pogba, as well as having Benzema as a reinforcement for the 2019 World Cup. However, it’s wise to keep an eye out since the previous three champions failed to go beyond the group stage at the next World Cup.
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