In a blind attempt to discover who the greatest World Cup side ever is, The Set Pieces has created a match simulator based on in-depth research of all the previous tournament-winning sides (and a trio of wildcards).
It’s as scientific as we can get without investing in a time machine and highlights what it is that helps get a team over the line when it comes to a World Cup.
It’s group stage time as we run down what our simulator says were the reasons to whittle us down from 24 nations to 16. Tell us where it got it right (and wrong) @thesetpieces on X.
(Psst.. If you like this, then you’ll love How to Win the World Cup: Secrets and Insights from International Football’s Top Managers, which is published by Bloomsbury, and updated for the 2026 tournament)
Group A: Brazil’s Brilliance Survives German Efficiency
There was a pleasingly old-school feel to Group A. Brazil 1970 arrived with the aura of football royalty and largely lived up to it, brushing aside Italy 1934-38 and edging England 1966 before sharing a fascinating draw with West Germany 1990. The Germans, meanwhile, did what German teams tend to do in tournaments: quietly collect points and emerge near the top.
England never quite found enough attacking threat to complement Alf Ramsey’s structure, while Vittorio Pozzo’s double world champions discovered that football has evolved quite a bit since Mussolini was in charge.
Results
Brazil 1970 2-1 England 1966
West Germany 1990 1-0 Italy 1934-38
Brazil 1970 2-2 West Germany 1990
England 1966 1-1 Italy 1934-38
Brazil 1970 3-1 Italy 1934-38
West Germany 1990 2-0 England 1966
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Brazil 1970 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| West Germany 1990 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 7 |
| England 1966 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| Italy 1934-38 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 1 |
Group B: Germany Win the Battle of the Brazils
This was supposed to be a group about Brazil. Instead, Germany 2014 arrived and reminded everyone why they are one of the most complete World Cup winners of all. Joachim Löw’s side topped the group unbeaten, navigating three very different challenges with minimal fuss.
The real drama came from the civil war between Brazil 1958 and Brazil 1982. The romantics wanted Sócrates and Zico to prevail. The simulation preferred Pelé and actual World Cup-winning experience. As ever, tournament football proved a little less sentimental than the rest of us.
Uruguay 1950 fought gamely but couldn’t summon a second Maracanazo.
Results
Germany 2014 2-1 Brazil 1958
Uruguay 1950 1-1 Brazil 1982
Germany 2014 2-2 Brazil 1982
Brazil 1958 2-0 Uruguay 1950
Brazil 1958 2-1 Brazil 1982
Germany 2014 3-1 Uruguay 1950
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Germany 2014 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| Brazil 1958 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| Brazil 1982 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| Uruguay 1950 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 1 |
Group C: Cruyff Goes Home Early
Every tournament needs a group of death and Group C certainly delivered.
Spain 2010 and Argentina 1986 emerged unbeaten, but neither had an easy time of it. Spain controlled matches in familiar fashion, while Diego Maradona’s Argentina retained their knack for turning chaos into victory.
The biggest casualty was Netherlands 1974. Johan Cruyff’s revolutionaries were widely tipped to progress but lost all three matches. Football history is littered with beautiful losers. This simulation remained stubbornly faithful to that tradition.
Italy 2006 were competitive throughout, but one win wasn’t enough.
Results
Spain 2010 1-0 Netherlands 1974
Argentina 1986 2-1 Italy 2006
Spain 2010 1-1 Argentina 1986
Italy 2006 1-0 Netherlands 1974
Spain 2010 2-0 Italy 2006
Argentina 1986 3-1 Netherlands 1974
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Spain 2010 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| Argentina 1986 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| Italy 2006 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| Netherlands 1974 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 0 |
Group D: Beauty Optional
If Group C was football as art, Group D was more of a grind.
Italy 1982 edged top spot unbeaten, squeezing every available drop from Enzo Bearzot’s tournament know-how. Brazil 2002 followed them through, powered by enough attacking talent to compensate for almost anything.
Brazil 1994 did enough to remain alive as one of the best third-placed teams, while West Germany 1954 discovered that being one of the greatest underdog stories ever told is not quite the same thing as being one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
Nobody dazzled. Everybody suffered. Bearzot’s Italy loved every minute.
Results
Italy 1982 1-1 Brazil 2002
Brazil 1994 2-0 West Germany 1954
Italy 1982 2-1 Brazil 1994
Brazil 2002 3-1 West Germany 1954
Italy 1982 1-0 West Germany 1954
Brazil 2002 2-2 Brazil 1994
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Italy 1982 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 7 |
| Brazil 2002 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 5 |
| Brazil 1994 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| West Germany 1954 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 0 |
Group E: The Pragmatists Defeat the Dreamers
Hungary 1954 entered the tournament carrying the hopes of every football romantic. Unfortunately, they also entered a group featuring France 1998 and West Germany 1974.
The result was predictable. Both winners progressed unbeaten, with France topping the group on goal difference after a controlled campaign that rarely looked in danger of spiralling beyond their grasp.
Hungary produced moments of brilliance but not enough points. Argentina 1978 never quite escaped the shadows of stronger rivals.
The lesson felt familiar: innovation changes football, but organisation tends to win tournaments.
Results
France 1998 1-0 Hungary 1954
West Germany 1974 2-1 Argentina 1978
France 1998 1-1 West Germany 1974
Hungary 1954 2-2 Argentina 1978
France 1998 2-0 Argentina 1978
West Germany 1974 3-1 Hungary 1954
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| France 1998 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| West Germany 1974 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| Hungary 1954 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 1 |
| Argentina 1978 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 1 |
Group F: Messi’s Men March On
The final group brought together the first winners, the latest winners and two teams who arrived expecting to go deep.
Argentina 2022 emerged unbeaten, carrying the same mixture of resilience, adaptability and emotional momentum that took them to glory in Qatar. France 2018 joined them in the knockout rounds after navigating a potentially awkward group with minimal fuss.
Brazil 1962 performed admirably and were rewarded with a best third-place berth, while Uruguay 1930 found themselves on the wrong side of a century’s worth of tactical evolution.
The founders had made their point. The modern era had the last word.
Results
Argentina 2022 2-2 France 2018
Brazil 1962 2-0 Uruguay 1930
Argentina 2022 2-1 Brazil 1962
France 2018 3-0 Uruguay 1930
Argentina 2022 1-0 Uruguay 1930
France 2018 1-1 Brazil 1962
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Argentina 2022 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 7 |
| France 2018 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +3 | 5 |
| Brazil 1962 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Uruguay 1930 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 0 |
Stay tuned for the World Cup of World Cup Winners knockouts episode, only on The Set Pieces.
