The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup takes place every four years and includes countries from all over the world. South American football teams are always represented in this tournament and some have even managed to win this competition, such as Brazil and Argentina.
The Albiceleste team is the last world champion as it won the Qatar Cup 2022 after defeating France in the final. Brazil, on the other hand, is the country that has won the most FIFA tournaments with a total of five cup winners.
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Which is the only country in South America to have competed in every FIFA World Cup?
Brazil is the only country South America who took part in all World Cups (22 in total). From the first edition of the competition in 1930 to the most recent in the Middle East, the Canarinha has always been present at the highest sporting event at national team level.
This South American country holds this record not only at the level of the American region, but worldwide. France and Italy, for example, who are always considered candidates to win the FIFA competition, were missing at times.
Brazil is also behind at the Latin American level Argentina, which has competed in the World Cup 18 times. For its part, Uruguay has participated in 20 editions.
Brazil is the only country to have participated in every edition of the FIFA World Cup. Photo: AFP
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Which World Cups did Argentina not take part in and why?
Throughout its history, Argentina did not participate in the 1938, 1950, 1954 and 1970 World Cups. In 1938, the Albiceleste’s absence was due to Argentine clubs deciding not to release their players to the national team. Therefore, in coordination with the AFA, this country did not take part in the competition.
In the 1950 and 1954 editions, the influence of then Argentine President Juan Domingo Perón, rivalries with Brazil and organizational and football problems led to the national team’s absence.
Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Meanwhile, the Argentine team showed a low level of football in the playoffs in the 1970s. This resulted in the country being eliminated for the first time at this point, missing the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Since then, Argentinians have not stopped taking part in the quadrennial editions of the World Cup.