As of July 2026, the Netherlands holds the record for the most FIFA World Cup podium finishes without ever winning the tournament. The Dutch national team has finished as runners-up three times: in 1974 (lost to West Germany), 1978 (lost to Argentina), and 2010 (lost to Spain). They also finished fourth in 2014.
Other nations with multiple podium finishes but no World Cup title include Hungary, which finished as runners-up in 1938 and 1954, and Czechoslovakia, which finished as runners-up in 1934 and 1962. Sweden has also reached the podium twice, finishing as runners-up in 1958 and third in 1994.
More recently, Croatia finished as runners-up in 2018 and third in 2022, giving them two podium finishes without a title. The Netherlands, however, remains the only nation with three podium finishes and no World Cup victory.
