11 June 2026
The World Cup champions' curse: holders who flopped
Winning the World Cup is hard. Defending it has proven almost impossible — a string of holders have gone out at the very first hurdle.
| Year | Holders out in groups |
|---|---|
| 1966 | Brazil |
| 2002 | France |
| 2010 | Italy |
| 2014 | Spain |
| 2018 | Germany |
France in 2002 didn't even score a goal defending their title. It's why holders Argentina being among the 2026 favourites is no guarantee of anything.
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