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World Cup 1930
Winners
Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers N/A
Notable absentees Of the major European countries, only
Surprises
Golden Boot Guillermo Stábile (
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (3.89 per match);
Format One group of four and three groups of three in the qualifying stage, with the top from each group going into the semi-finals
Number of matches 18
World Cup 1934
Winners
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 32
Notable absentees Holders
Surprises
Golden Boot Oldrich Nejedlý (
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (4.12 per match);
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 17
World Cup 1938
Winners
Teams 15
Teams in qualifiers 37
Notable absentees
Surprises Dutch East Indies (
Golden Boot Leônidas (
Stats A total of 84 goals were scored (4.67 per match);
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 18
World Cup 1950
Winners
Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers 34
Notable absentees France,
Surprises
Golden Boot Ademir (
Stats A total of 88 goals were scored (4.00 per match);
Format Four groups, with the winners of each progressing to a four-team round-robin
final group. Withdrawals meant there were two groups of four, one of three and one of two
Number of matches 22
World Cup History
World Cup 1954
Winners
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 45
Notable absentees
Golden Boot Sándor Kocsis (
Stats A total of 140 goals were scored (5.38 per match);
Format Four groups of four with two seeded and two unseeded teams in each group.
However, the teams played just two matches per group rather than the usual three, with the seeded sides facing unseeded sides
. Where teams ended up tied for the second qualifying position by points, they required a play-off.
The two teams finishing at the top of their group went through to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 26
World Cup 1958
Winners
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 45
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Just Fontaine (France) - 13
Stats A total of 126 goals were scored (3.60 per match);
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 35
World Cup 1962
Winners
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 56
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Garrincha, Vavá (
Flórián Albert (
Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match);
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 32
World Cup 1966
Winners
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 70
Notable absentees None
Surprises
Golden Boot Eusébio (
Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match);
Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals
Number of matches 32
World Cup 1970
Winners
Teams16
Teams in qualifiers 75
Number of matches 32
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Gerd Muller (
World Cup 1974
Winners
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 99
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Grzegorz Lato (
Stats A total of 97 goals were scored (2.55 per match);
Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group going into a second
round of two four-team groups and the winners facing each other in the final
Number of matches 38
World Cup 1978
Winners
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 107
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Mario Kempes (
Stats A total of 102 goals were scored (2.68 per match);
Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group into a second round of two groups of four,
the top side in each progressing into the final
Number of matches 38
World Cup 1982
Winners
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 109
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Paolo Rossi (
Stats A total of 146 goals were scored (2.81 per match);
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the second round,
where they split into four groups of three. The winners of each group advanced to the semi-finals
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1986
November 10, 2009
By John Brewin and Martin Williamson
Winners
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 121
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Gary Lineker (
Stats A total of 132 goals were scored (2.54 per match);
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16,
plus four best third-place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1990
Winners
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 116
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Salvatore Schillaci (
Stats A total of 115 goals were scored (2.21 per match), which was the lowest goals-per-match ratio in World Cup history;
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16,
plus four best third place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1994
Winners
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 147
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Hristo Stoichkov (
Stats A total of 141 goals were scored (2.71 per match);
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best 3rd place finishers
Number of matches 52
World Cup 1998
November 10, 2009
By John Brewin and Martin Williamson
Winners
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 174
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Davor Suker (
Stats A total of 171 goals were scored (2.67 per match);
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2002
Winners
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 199
Notable absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Ronaldo (
Stats A total of 161 goals were scored (2.52 per match);
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
World Cup 2006
Winners
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 198
Notable Absentees
Surprises
Golden Boot Miroslav Klose (
Stats A total of 147 goals were scored (2.30 per match);
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64
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