Germany has 5 WC finals (1996, 1974, 1982, 1986, 1990) in 7 WCs, although they only won 2 of the 5
Brazil has 3 WC finals in 4 years with Pele and 3 WC finals in a row from 1994 to 2002.
Italy IMO tends to get overrated. They have 2 serious WCs and 2 clown-show ones in the 1930s before football was even a thing in many European and SA nations.
We don't have matches now for two days so we might go offtopic.
You see, I disagree with you regarding Italy.
But, a lot of it comes from when you were born and which teams dominated when we were aged 8, 10 or 13 and then we start to follow those teams forever.
When I was 8-12, best clubs were Milan with Van Basten, Gullit, Rijkaard and later Barcelona in early 90s.
Those two teams formed my football ideas (190cm tall Gullit, Rijkaard and Van Basten is a reason why I love physique and not Xavi-Iniesta type of players like younger Barca's fans).
Regarding NT football, my first big competition was Euro 1988.
Netherlands and again Van Basten, Gullit, Rijkaard won it. And paired with AC Milan's domination, as a kid I considered them as the best.
Around 1988-1990, before the WC Italy 90, this is how an eternal list of winners looked like:
4 Brazil
3 Italy
2 Germany, Argentina, Uruguay
1 England
Compared to today, this needs to be said:
Spain was an absolute non-factor with zero success on WCs and with wins on Euros in 1964 and a final in 1984.
France was also a non factor. They won Euros in 1984 and that's it.
They didn't even qualify for Euro 1988, Italy 1990, Usa 1994.
So, when I was a kid, France to me was like Ireland today: a random country who never plays on big tournaments at all.
Back then, when I was reading papers, the 4 eternal favorites were: Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Italy.
A level behind them were England and Netherlands and then everyone else.
France, Spain, Portugal were of level as Denmark, Poland, Switzerland today, more or less.
France and Portugal emerged only when Euros were expanded to 16 teams in 1996.
Since then they started to participate all the time.
And since in France 1998, WC was expanded to 32 teams.
In the past when Euros had 8 teams and WC 8 or 24 teams, the world was way different.
In those times, the same teams qualified over and over: Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, England.
There was no France, Portugal, Spain. Croatia didn't exist at all, for example.
Germany was a huge force back then:
1986: WC final lost to Argentina
1990: WC final won against Argentina
1992: Euro finals lost to Denmark
1996: Euros won against Czech republic
So, when I was a kid, Germany was a team of crazy robots who were always winning, coming back. You couldn't beat them.
In those days, Lineker invented that saying: Football is a sport where 22 players play, but Germany always wins in the end.
Also, from English eyes, Germany was killing their hopes every time when they finally managed to reach semis.
1990: semifinal 1:1, Germany wins on pens
1996: England hosts: semifinal 1:1, Germany wins on pens
Apart from Germany, the other ultimate force in late 80s and 90s was Brazil.
A WC win in 1994, a final in 1998, a win in 2002.
So, if you would ask me in a few words who was the best from 1988-2000, it is: Brazil and Germany.
Who was a non factor compared to today: Portugal, Spain. And France till 1998.
Around 2000's Portugal emerged led by Luis Figo. They started to participate more often once when WCs and Euros expanded and they started to play some beautiful football.
France suddenly emerged as a force from 1998 onwards with Zidane, Henry, Trezeguet, Vieira, Deschamps. They have more or less played the same as today, except that Henry was Mbappe. They only had a better CF in Trezeguet who was faster, skillful and more versatile than Giroud. But the style, defending, counters, headers, mental strength was the same.
Brazil disappeared after 2002' and it is the same for 20 years. Their football is not good enough for top spots anymore.
Spain was, no offense to anyone, always meh since 1988 when I started to watch football.
And then they had a golden era from 2008-2012.
But as I have argued a lot of times with fans of this forum over the years: after 2012, revisionism kicked in and Spanish media and fans (especially Barca fans) started to write about the system, how it has always worked, how this system is working and producing talents for 30 years etc.
While for neutrals: Barca was a non factor pre Ronaldinho.
Spain's results since I am following them:
1988: KOd in a group stage
1990: KOd in a round of 16 to a former Yugoslavia (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia etc)
1992: didn't qualify
1994: KOd in 1/4 to Italy
1996: KOd in 1/4 to England on pens (1/4 was the first KO round back then)
1998: KOd in a group stage behind Nigeria and Paraguay (lol)
2000: KOd in 1/4 to France (1/4 was the first KO round back then)
2002: KOd in 1/4 by South Korea
2004: KOd in a group stage
So, when I was in teen years, Spain played on 8 big tournaments and never managed to past 1/4 on any of them.
No offense to anyone, but they were at a level of current Denmark, Switzerland or Poland.
But then, for younger fans born in let's say 1995, 1998, 2000 or 2002, who were 10 or 15 around 2010, they grew up with the idea that Spanish NT is the world's ultimate force.
While, they had one golden generation (which came from Barca's golden generation) and basically the whole Barca played vs Italy, Germany and other teams.
That Barca/Spain had way better chemistry and understanding than random NT teams who had 20 players from 20 different teams and that's it.
After Xavi-Iniesta retired, Spain went back to being mediocre European team who usually gets Kod in a group stage or Round of 16.
Also, it is funny reading today how Portugal is a force.
True, they improved a lot in the last 15-20 years, but they were also a non factor when I was a kid:
1988: didn't qualify
1990: didn't qualify
1992: didn't qualify
1994: didn't qualify
1996: 1/4
1998: didn't qualify
Spain and Portugal were so bad in the 90s that even a new country Croatia had more success in their debut tournaments:
1996: 1/4 KOd by winners Germany
1998: 1/2 KOd by winners France
In the last 10 years, though: Italy turned hot and cold with not qualifying for Wcs in 2018 and 2022 at all, but somehow winning Euros 2021.
So, my personal few comments from watching big tournaments since 1988:
1. Brazil has declined a lot
2. Europe has improved the most. And we went from 2 big teams in Germany and Italy to: France, Germany, Italy, England, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Croatia as contenders for big titles.
3. France was a nobody till 1998 and suddenly they are the most successful NT in the last 25 years
4. Germany is not as forceful as in the days when I was a kid
5. Spain being on top since always with their "system" is a lie created around 2008-2012, similar to: Barca don't buy superstars, we create them. Or La Masia is golden.
When you are on top, your fans and propaganda invent all sorts of lies and exaggerate a lot.
6. Portugal also emerged since 2000, Figo and later CR7
7. some new countries were created, like my home Croatia, who didn't even exist when I started to watch tournaments in 80s
Anyway, imo, a lot about people's views on clubs and NTs is decided on when you were born and who was the best when you were 10 or 13.
When I was 10, Brazil and Germany were 2 forces.
For you born around 2000', Spain is that force.
For kids born in 2010, France and maybe Portugal/Argentina will be those forces.
Yet, for me, I didn't know 2 French or Portuguese players aged 10 because they never played WCs or Euros and their clubs were horrible.
The only famous player from French PSG in 1990s was Brazilian Rai.
