The greatest soccer nations in the history of the sport, ranked by overall success on the world stage across generations. Rankings take into account World Cup, Confederation, Euro, Copa America, and Olympic finishes, as well as current FIFA ranking, famous countrymen, and national league prowess.
1) 
Brazil
BrazilCurrent FIFA Ranking: 2
Hardware: 5 World Cups (11 semifinal appearances), 4 Confederations Cups, 8 Copa Americas
Top Club League: Brasileirão
Hardware: 5 World Cups (11 semifinal appearances), 4 Confederations Cups, 8 Copa Americas
Top Club League: Brasileirão
Greatest Players: Pelé, Ronaldo, Garrincha, Zico, Jairzinho, Didi, Carlos Alberto, Romário, Rivaldo, Tostao, Gérson, Ronaldinho, Nílton Santos, Roberto Rivelino, Cafu, Vavá, Zizinho, Djalma Santos, Kaká, Leônidas, Falcão, Arthur Friedenreich, Roberto Carlos, Mario Zagallo
2) 
Germany
Current FIFA Ranking: 1
Hardware: 4 World Cups (13 semifinal appearances), 3 Euro Cups, 1 Olympic gold medal (East Germany)
Top Club League: Bundesliga
GermanyCurrent FIFA Ranking: 1
Hardware: 4 World Cups (13 semifinal appearances), 3 Euro Cups, 1 Olympic gold medal (East Germany)
Top Club League: Bundesliga
Greatest Players: Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Matthäus, Gerd Müller, Paul Breitner, Gunter Netzer, Fritz Walter, Sepp Maier, Matthias Sammer, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger,Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Uwe Seeler, Oliver Kahn, Andreas Brehme, Helmut Rahn, Phillip Lahm, Miroslav Klose
3) 
Italy
Current FIFA Ranking: 20
Hardware: 4 World Cups (8 semifinal appearances), 1 Euro Cup, 1 Olympic gold medal
ItalyCurrent FIFA Ranking: 20
Hardware: 4 World Cups (8 semifinal appearances), 1 Euro Cup, 1 Olympic gold medal
Top Club League: Serie A
Greatest Players: Giuseppe Meazza, Giacinto Facchetti, Paolo Maldini, Gianluigi Buffon, Gaetano Scirea, Franco Baresi, Roberto Baggio, Dino Zoff, Paolo Rossi, Gianni Rivera, Fabio Cannavaro, Tarcisio Burgnich, Valentino Mazzola, Sandro Mazzola, Luigi Riva, Alessandro Del Piero, Giuseppe Bergomi
4) 
France
Current FIFA Ranking: 7
Hardware: 2 World Cup (6 semifinal appearances), 2 Confederations Cups, 2 Euro Cups, 1 Olympic gold medal
FranceCurrent FIFA Ranking: 7
Hardware: 2 World Cup (6 semifinal appearances), 2 Confederations Cups, 2 Euro Cups, 1 Olympic gold medal
Top Club League: Ligue 1
Greatest Players: Zinedine Zidane, Michel Platini, Thierry Henry, Just Fontaine, Raymond Kopa, Marcel Desailly, Eric Cantona, Robert Jonquet, Frank Ribery, Lilian Thuram
5) 
Argentina
Current FIFA Ranking: 5
Hardware: 2 World Cups (5 semifinal appearances), 1 Confederations Cup, 14 Copa Americas, 2 Olympic gold medals
ArgentinaCurrent FIFA Ranking: 5
Hardware: 2 World Cups (5 semifinal appearances), 1 Confederations Cup, 14 Copa Americas, 2 Olympic gold medals
Top Club League: Argentine Primera División
Greatest Players: Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Alfredo Di Stéfano (played much of international career for Spain), Mario Kempes, José Manuel Moreno, Adolfo Pedernera, Ángel Labruna, Gabriel Batistuta, Daniel Passarella, Silvio Marzolini, Omar Sívori, Sergio Batista
6) 
Spain
Current FIFA Ranking: 8
Hardware: 1 World Cup (2 semifinal appearances), 3 Euro Cups, 1 Olympic gold medal
SpainCurrent FIFA Ranking: 8
Hardware: 1 World Cup (2 semifinal appearances), 3 Euro Cups, 1 Olympic gold medal
Top Club League: La Liga
Greatest Players: Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Emilio Butragueno, Telmo Zarra, Luis Suárez, Amancio, László Kubala, Francisco Gento, Iker Casillas, Ricardo Zamora, David Villa, Carlos Puyol
7) 
England
Current FIFA Ranking: 13
Hardware: 1 World Cup (3 semifinal appearances), 3 Olympic gold medals
EnglandCurrent FIFA Ranking: 13
Hardware: 1 World Cup (3 semifinal appearances), 3 Olympic gold medals
Top Club League: Premier League
Greatest Players: Bobby Charlton, Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore, Dixie Dean, Kevin Keegan, Jimmy Greaves, Gordon Banks, Stephen Bloomer, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Tom Finney, Wayne Rooney, Gary Lineker, Geoff Hurst, Paul Gascoigne
8) 
Uruguay
Current FIFA Ranking: 17
Hardware: 2 World Cups (5 semifinal appearances), 15 Copa Americas, 2 Olympic gold medals
UruguayCurrent FIFA Ranking: 17
Hardware: 2 World Cups (5 semifinal appearances), 15 Copa Americas, 2 Olympic gold medals
Top Club League: Primera División Uruguaya
Greatest Players: Obdulio Varela, Juan Alberto Schiaffino, Enzo Francescoli, Jose Andrade, Héctor Scarone, Luis Cubilla, Diego Forlán, José Nasazzi, Roque Máspoli, Luis Suarez, Alcides Ghiggia
9) 
Netherlands
Current FIFA Ranking: 19
Hardware: 1 Euro Cup, 5 World Cup semifinal appearances
Top Club League: Eredivisie
NetherlandsCurrent FIFA Ranking: 19
Hardware: 1 Euro Cup, 5 World Cup semifinal appearances
Top Club League: Eredivisie
Greatest Players: Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Ronald Koeman, Dennis Bergkamp, Johan Neeskens, Ruud Krol, Arie Haan, Frank Rijkaard, Johnny Rep, Arjen Robben, Robin Van Persie, Frank de Boer, Wesley Sneijder
10) 
Portugal
Current FIFA Ranking: 4
Hardware: 2 World Cup semifinal appearances, 2004 Euro Cup runner-up
Top Club League: Primiera Liga
PortugalCurrent FIFA Ranking: 4
Hardware: 2 World Cup semifinal appearances, 2004 Euro Cup runner-up
Top Club League: Primiera Liga
This is a list about title-wins right? How can it then be, that Uruguay is below Spain and England, when they have 1 World Cup more, alot more continental title-wins (15 times Copa America)and also more Olympic Gold medals than for example Spain????? I must ask – is this a list about victories in the last 25 years or is this a list about all titles, how the list is named? Only because Spain and England are bigger names in football today than Uruguay, doesn’t give them the right, to be on a higher position in this list. And how the heck can England even be on this list with only 1 World Cup and no Euro Cup? The time when England was a great nation in football is a long time ago, would be better, when even english-speaking people would have recognized that in the meantime.
They also are counting the leagues they have. That’s why England and Spain are much higher
Brazil
Italy
Germany
Aregentina
France
England
Uragruay
Spain
Portugal
Netherlands
Uruguay. Por favor, respeto acá. Deletree bien este país …. con una “u”.
Gracias!
Real and fair list, when titles count, must be this here:
1) Brazil (most WM titles with 5)
2) Germany (same number of WM titles than Italy but more Euro Titles)
3) Italy
4) Uruguay (2 WM titles but 15 Copas against 14 Copas of Argentina)
5) Argentina (also 2 WM titles like France but 14 Copas against 2 Euros)
6) France
7) Spain (1 WM like England but 3 Euros)
8) England (3 olympic gold medals don’t count much in this sport, sorry)
9) Netherlands (all the time fantastic players, but have not won much)
10) Portugal
This and only THIS is the true list, when counting only things that are important in football (WM-title/Euro-title/Copa-Title). The olympic gold-medals are nice, but everybody knows that often the countries only play with B-teams there and NOT with the best possible team that they could sent there. Therefore olympic gold is not one of the most important awards here in soccer, unlike to most other sports where a gold-medal is the biggest thing ever that you can win in your kind of sport.
Good, Reasonable & More logical conclusion
How about the quality of the leagues they have. I think that might be part of the equation also.
The quality of the leagues they have? So, the local players + the foreign ones?