Fans want to get excited when watching the World Cup. They can be cagey affairs, but sometimes they do deliver on the goals.
Across the 22 World Cup tournaments to date, 2,720 goals have been scored in 964 matches. But the goals have not been evenly spread out.
Even in the modern era, fans can remember quite a few goalless draws, not worth staying up for. And some tournaments in general have been tough to watch. For every tough watch, though, there have been wonderful World Cups.
So, which World Cup was the most exciting? We’ve ranked them all from worst to best in terms of goals per game.
World Cup 1990
- Goals: 115
- Goals per game: 2.21
A lot of fans of a certain age have fond memories of Italia ’90. But on a goals-per-game ratio it was actually the least-exciting World Cup ever. There were 115 goals scored across the 52 matches, and general tactics led to the introduction of the backpass rule two years later. Just over a third of the matches at the tournament (19) saw one goal or fewer scored, including the World Cup final which West Germany won 1-0. England‘s group saw just seven goals scored in the six matches. And eight of the 16 knockout stage matches went to extra-time and/or penalties.
World Cup 2010
- Goals: 145
- Goals per game: 2.27
Another World Cup known for its moments, including Luis Suarez’s handball against Ghana, the 2010 edition wasn’t great for goals. There was another one-goal win the World Cup final, with Spain beating the Netherlands thanks to Andres Iniesta’s strike in extra-time. The average of 2.27 goals per game was helped by the fact that 13 matches saw at least four goals scored, including Portugal‘s 7-0 win over North Korea in the group stage.
World Cup 2006
- Goals: 147
- Goals per game: 2.3
There were a few high-scoring games at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, including the opening match which saw the hosts beat Costa Rica 4-2. There was also a 6-0 win for Argentina in the group stage against Serbia and Montenegro. But things were a lot tighter in the knockout stages, perhaps moreso than most tournaments. Six of the knockout stage games went to extra-time or penalties, including Italy’s win in the final — just the second final to be decided in a penalty shootout. And only six of the 16 matches were decided by more than one goal.
World Cup 2002
- Goals: 161
- Goals per game: 2.52
The 2002 World Cup was a fun one, and a nostalgic one for Europeans in their 30s, who will have had the experience of being allowed to watch football matches while at school. But the nostalgia glasses cannot hide that this was still one of the least-exciting tournaments for goals. Even if there is a jump to just over 2.5 goals per game. Again, there were a few high-scoring games in the group stage, including Germany’s 8-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia. And there were only three goalless draws across the tournament. But, as always, the knockout stages brought the goals-per-game ratio down as teams did their all to not lose. Two knockout ties were decided on penalties, and another three on golden goal.
World Cup 1986
- Goals: 132
- Goals per game: 2.54
This was a tournament remembered mostly for two goals. The first was Diego Maradona’s dubbed Hand of God, scored in Argentina’s quarter-final win over England. The second was from the same game, in which Maradona dribbled through half the England team, a strike voted the Goal of the Century. But overall, it was just a normal World Cup for goals. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t a big win or two, including Soviet Union’s 6-0 victory over Hungary, and Denmark beating Uruguay 6-1.
BOYLE Sports offer: Bet £10 Get £40 in free bets
Not signed up to BOYLE Sports yet? Here's how to claim one of the best bookmaker welcome offers around...
- Sign up to BOYLE Sports using this link.
- Deposit a minimum of £10 (Excluding Skrill/Moneybookers, Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe or prepaid cards).
- Place a minimum bet of £10 or more at odds of EVS (2.0) or greater.
- Receive your £40 in free bets
18+ New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply
World Cup 1974
- Goals: 97
- Goals per game: 2.55
This was the last World Cup to see less than 100 goals scored, though the caveat is that there were only 38 matches played. It was a two-group stage format with only two knockout round fixtures — the final and third-placed play-off. So there was no extra time at the tournament. However, the first group stage brought a lot of draws and not many goals — unless you were Yugoslavia putting nine past Zaire in the joint-biggest World Cup win. This wasn’t a bad tournament, the goals just weren’t shared around enough.
World Cup 2018
- Goals: 169
- Goals per game: 2.64
The 2018 World Cup was a good one in terms of storytelling. Croatia making it to the final, England’s run to the semis, Germany finishing bottom of their group. There were some big scores in the group, and high-scoring matches. Hosts Russia scored five in the opening match, Portugal and Spain played out a thrilling 3-3 draw, England putting six past Panama and Belgium beating Tunisia 5-2. There was even France‘s 4-2 win over Croatia in the final, and just one goalless draw all tournament. Still, the 2018 World Cup ranks in the lower half of tournaments for goals per game, albeit as part of a close group.
World Cup 1998
- Goals: 171
- Goals per game: 2.67
This was the first World Cup to include 32 teams, upping the amount of games played to 64. So, there were more goals than in previous tournaments. But, still, there weren’t enough to see France ’98 flying high up the list. Despite all the stars on show. There were a pair of 5-0 wins in the group stage for the Netherlands and Argentina, while Spain also beat Bulgaria 6-1 — it wasn’t without its good matches. And there were a few high-scoring matches in the knockout stages, including a final won 3-0 by France. There were also just a few too many 1-0 wins across the tournament, bringing the whole thing down slightly.
World Cup 2014
- Goals: 171
- Goals per game: 2.67
The 2014 World Cup had the same amount of goals and games as France ’98 did, so these are level. Obviously, the standout match and memory of the tournament was Germany’s 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in the semi-finals. But there were 16 other games to have at least four goals scored. The problem was the knockout stages. Four matches went to penalties, and four finished 1-0, including the World Cup final. Two of those goals ending in penalties finished goalless, too.
World Cup 1978
- Goals: 102
- Goals per game: 2.68
To break 100 goals despite only having 38 matches is impressive. But it’s still only enough to place World Cup 1978 in the middle of the table. This was another tournament with two group stages, and Mexico were the team to watch for the wrong reasons, conceding 12 goals in their three matches. That included a 6-0 rout at the hands of West Germany. But West Germany drew their other two group games 0-0. So swings and roundabouts. Peru following in Mexico’s footsteps in the second group stage, conceding 10 goals including a 6-0 defeat. But the high-scoring games were spread out, and only two knockout stage matches seems to hurt World Cups.
World Cup 2022
- Goals: 172
- Goals per game: 2.69
The 2022 World Cup is the tournament with the most goals, since the competition increased to 32 teams. But it was only one more goal than 1998 and 2014. Minds will immediately go to the final, a 3-3 draw between Argentina and France that the former won on penalties. But there were also a few big wins spread throughout the tournament, in the knockout and group stages. There were also 34 games with less than three goals scored, though, including seven goalless draws.
World Cup 1994
- Goals: 141
- Goals per game: 2.71
This was the first World Cup to implement the backpass rule, a much-needed change for football. And it clearly did the trick. There were an extra 26 goals scored across the 52 matches, seeing a rise from 2.21 to 2.71 per game. The group stages brought more goals too thanks to some interesting matchups. Group B alone saw 27 goals scored, with four of the six games having at least three goals. But, to counter Group B was Group E, and its 10 goals. And the final went to penalties too, following a goalless draw. Still, it was an improvement.
World Cup 1962
- Goals: 89
- Goals per game: 2.78
The 1962 World Cup only had 32 games with 16 nations involved. But it wasn’t shy on the goals — and other action. The highlight of the group stage in terms of goals was a 4-4 draw between the Soviet Union and Colombia, with the latter also losing 5-0 to Yugoslavia. Hungary were another team to watch, the nation of the moment, topping their group thanks in part to a 6-1 win over Bulgaria. Things didn’t really quieten down in the knockout stages, either, with five of the eight matches seeing at least three goals scored. Brazil won the final with a 3-1 victory over Czechoslovakia.
World Cup 1966
- Goals: 89
- Goals per game: 2.78
The 1966 World Cup followed the previous tournament, with 89 goals scored across 32 games. West Germany and Portugal were the teams to watch in the group stage, with a certain Eusebio shining for the latter. West Germany had the biggest win of the tournament, beating Switzerland 5-0 in their opener. Portugal then took the highest-scoring game, beating North Korea 5-3 in the quarter-finals. The final was high-scoring too, as England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra-time. Of course, one of those goals likely shouldn’t have stood.
BetMGM sign-up offer: Get £40 in bonuses when you bet £10
Not signed up to BetMGM yet? Here's how eligible readers* can take advantage of their welcome offer:
- Open an account at BetMGM using this link.
- Select the Sports Welcome Offer.
- Get the offer from the ‘My Offers’ page.
- Deposit and place a £10 bet at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater.
- When it settles, unlock £40 in bonuses
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware.org
World Cup 1982
- Goals: 146
- Goals per game: 2.81
The 1982 World Cup was significant for a few things. It was the last to feature two group stages and the first to hold a penalty shootout. There was also the Disgrace of Gijon. If it weren’t for that game, this World Cup could have been even higher, but West Germany stopped after scoring one against Austria knowing both were set to qualify for the next round. It was a World Cup that also included a 10-1 win for Hungary over El Salvador, the joint-biggest victory in the tournament’s history. The knockout stages were full of goals too, including a 3-3 draw and Italy’s 3-1 win in the final.
World Cup 1970
- Goals: 95
- Goals per game: 2.97
The 1970 World Cup group stage was an interesting one. It was full of goals, with the exception of Group 2, which had two goalless draws, two 1-0 wins and two games with two goals in. Fun. But to counter that, West Germany beat Bulgaria 5-2 in Group 4, while Brazil, Soviet Union and Mexico all won matches by scoring four goals. Brazil continued to score a lot in the knockout stages, putting four past Peru and Italy in the final. Italy themselves had scored four against Mexico and West Germany en route to the final. An excellent tournament for goals.
World Cup 1958
- Goals: 126
- Goals per game: 3.6
We’re taking a big jump here in goals per games. Defending clearly wasn’t a thing in the earlier World Cups, with the 16 teams scoring 126 goals across 35 matches. Group 2 was the place for all the action, with 31 goals scored across the six matches. France’s win over Paraguay was the highlight match, a 7-3 victory for Les Bleus, with Just Fontaine scoring three of his record 13 goals in that game. The latter knockout stages were full of goals too. Brazil beat France 5-2 to reach the final, then beating Sweden by the same scoreline to win the World Cup. Even the third-placed play-off brought goals, with France beating West Germany 6-3.
World Cup 1930
- Goals: 70
- Goals per game: 3.89
We all remember the 1930 World Cup fondly. Who could get France beating Mexico 4-1 in the opening game. The first ever World Cup will have been a good one for fans to watch at the time, particularly the first group, which saw 22 goals scored. Mexico were the team to watch, again for the wrong reasons, conceding 13 goals while scoring four as they finished bottom of their group. The knockout stages were fanatastic too, with at least six goals in all three matches. Uruguay and Argentina booked their spots in the final with 6-1 wins, and the former become the first-ever world champions with a 4-2 victory.
Stakemate Offer: Bet £10, get £20 in free bets
How to claim:
- Go to Stakemate using this link.
- Download the app and create your account
- Place your first bet of £10 or more (minimum odds of 2/1)
- Once settled, receive 4 x £5 free bets - minimum 3 selections and 2/1 odds on each bet.
#AD 18+ New Customers Only. Place any £10 bet to qualify, min 2.0 (1/1) odds. Qualifying bet must settle, excluding cash outs. Bonus credited with 24hrs of settlement. 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets min 3 selections and 3.0 odds. Returns exclude free bet stake. Expiry applies. Full T&Cs apply.
World Cup 1950
- Goals: 88
- Goals per game: 4.0
The first World Cup after a long break, pressure would have been on for players to provide some much-needed entertainment for fans. And they delivered, with the 1950 World Cup averaging four goals per game. There were just 13 teams involved and one group included only one match. Fortunately that was still worth watching, with Uruguay beating Bolivia 8-0 to book their spot in the final round. There were goals there too. A round-robin group stage decided the winner, with Uruguay edging ahead of Brazil thanks to their win in the last game — dubbed the unofficial World Cup final. But Brazil had scored 14 goals in that group, winning 7-1 and 6-1 before losing to Uruguay.
World Cup 1934
- Goals: 70
- Goals per game: 4.12
There were just 17 games played at the 1934 World Cup but they saw 70 goals scored, at an average of 4.12 per match. There was no group stage, with a straight knockout format, but that only meant more action. Hosts Italy beat the United States 7-1 in the first game, but there were other high-scoring matches including Germany’s 5-2 win over Belgium, and Hungary beating Egypt 4-2. It definitely was a case of less is more, with fewer games meaning a decreased opportunity for low-scoring affairs. There were still a few games with two or fewer goals, but they were rare. Interestingly, though, they did all involve Italy who had clearly used up most of their goals in the opening game.
World Cup 1938
- Goals: 84
- Goals per game: 4.67
Four years later, there were 14 more goals scored with only one more match being played. Again it was a straight knockout format, eventually won by Italy. But they were a bit more reserved en route to the title, aside from a 4-2 win over Hungary. Hungary had been big scorers, beating Dutch East Indies 6-0 and Sweden 5-1. The highlight match for those watch would have been Brazil’s 6-5 win over Poland in the first round, with was the highest-scoring match in World Cup history at the time.
World Cup 1954
- Goals: 140
- Goals per game: 5.38
The 1954 World Cup stands alone, by some distance, as the best tournament for goals. Austria’s 7-5 win over Switzerland is the highest-scoring game in men’s World Cup history, beating Brazil’s victory against Poland from 1938. It also had Hungary’s 8-3 win against West Germany, which makes the top five. Hungary were at their best during the tournament, adding a 9-0 win over South Korea — the joint-biggest World Cup margin of victory. Overall, there were 140 goals across 26 games, with 18 seeing at least five goals scored. The World Cup final was one of those too, as West Germany lifted the trophy by beating Hungary 3-2. We’ll probably never have another tournament like this.
Read more: