World Cup history: 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002, 1998, 1994
Brazil 2014 The team´s new star Neymar was missing after being injured in their quarter-final win over Colombia, but nothing could erase the embarrassment of that day in Belo Horizonte which was Brazil´s worst defeat in 100 years of competitive football. In the final, Germany met Lionel Messi´s Argentina in Rio de Janeiro. The Argentines had overcome the Netherlands on penalties in the last four. A tense, closely-matched final was decided by Mario Goetze´s goal in extra time as the Germans became world champions for the fourth time. South Africa 2010 Six African nations took part but only Ghana survived the group stages, going on to the quarter-finals where they lost to Uruguay on penalties. South Africa started brightly but became the first hosts to be eliminated in the first round. Germany 2006 The World Cup finals returned to Germany after a 32-year absence and were widely acclaimed as a triumph for the host nation, sparking a huge upsurge in national ...