World Cup powers of the last 20 years
The six tournaments from 2006 to 2026. Spain's win over Argentina this July made it the only two-time champion of the era — but the deepest, most consistent run belongs to someone else.
Best performing overall
Deep-run points across the six tournaments — champion 8, runner-up 6, third 5, fourth 4.
The finishes matrix — who kept showing up
Every team that reached a final four, and how deep they went each year. A full row of color is consistency; the gold star marks a title. Host nation noted under each year.
Takeaways
Winning the most and performing the best aren't the same thing. Spain owns the era's only pair of titles, yet France tops the deep-run table: two finals won and lost around a 2018 crown, plus a fourth-place finish in 2026 — the top four in four of six World Cups, more than any other nation. Argentina and Germany round out a tier of four powers who defined the period, while the era's other champions (Italy in 2006) and its nearly-men (Netherlands, Croatia) each peaked once or twice without sustaining it. The through-line: a small club of France, Argentina, Germany and Spain has monopolized the closing weekend, but only France turned up almost every single time.