With France winning WC'18, are they the best NT of the last 20 years? Here are my top 6 NTs of the last 20 years. Let me know if you agree or disagree. First, notes: I did not include results from Olympics (which might boost the CONMEBOL teams) France is the only team with two WC victories in the period, but it also is the most inconsistent, with three WC final appearances and two group stage exits in the same period Even though Brazil has not won major titles in the more recent part of this period, they are still one of the most consistently good teams and the only team to never exit a WC earlier than the QFs in the period, which even the consistent Germans cannot say anymore. Arguably, Germany is still the most consistently good team based purely on their record of WC finishes during this time, even with their surprise exit in WC18. Still I put Brazil ahead due to titles. Spain (with France behind) experienced the longest "dynasty" in the period, as they felt unstoppable between '08 - '12, but have not been a major factor outside that period. I put Argentina above Italy, as the latter's WC victory almost seems like an outlier in the period at this point, especially given WC results since then. 1. FRANCE 2x WC Champions (3x finalist) 1x Euro Champions (2x finalist) Total Major Tournament victories: 3 Total Major Tournament final apps: 5 2. SPAIN 1x WC Champions 2x Euro Champions (1x Confed Cup Finalists) Total Major Tournament victories: 3 Total Major Tournament final apps: 4 3. BRAZIL 1x WC Champions (2x finalist) 3x Copa America Champions 3x Confed Cup Champions (4x finalist) Total Major Tournament victories: 7 Total Major Tournament final apps: 9 4. GERMANY 1x WC Champions (2x finalist) 1x Confed Cup Champions (1x Euro Finalists) Total Major Tournament victories: 2 Total Major Tournament final apps: 4 5. ARGENTINA (1x WC Finalists) (4x Copa America Finalists) (1x Confed Cup Finalists) Total Major Tournament victories: 0 Total Major Tournament final apps: 6 6. ITALY 1x WC Champions (2x Euro Finalists) Total Major Tournament victories: 1 Total Major Tournament final apps: 3
Germany with: 1 Neuer 2 Kimmich 3 Lahm 4 Hummels 5 Boateng 6 Khedira 7 Özil 8 Kroos 9 Klose 10 Ballack 11 Müller
That raises another question, which is what was the best team in the period at the height of its powers. I don't think a team has been more dominant than Spain '08 - '12.