The worst World Cup teams ever

2022 hosts were one of the worst-ever World Cup teams
2022 hosts were one of the worst-ever World Cup teams / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/GettyImages
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The World Cup is a month-long celebration of the best of the best, titans of football battling it out on the game's biggest stage, a festival and feast for the eyes.

Not always, though.

Fans of every generation will be able to cast their minds back and remember at least one dud - a country that comes to the party in the greatest of spirits but is soon asked to make its way home.

There have been quite a few of those to grace the World Cup stage over the years. Here, 90min looks at some of the very worst to grace the competition over its illustrious history.


12. France - 2010

Florent Malouda, Franck Ribery
France crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in embarrassing fashion / Streeter Lecka/GettyImages

France's dismal 2010 World Cup campaign completed an utterly bizarre 12-year cycle in the competition.

Winners in 1998, Les Bleus crashed out at the group stages in 2002 before reaching the final again in 2006. This time round, though, under the management of Raymond Domenech, things went pretty damn badly.

Held by Uruguay and then beaten by Mexico - a game that saw Nicolas Anelka tell Domenech at half-time: "Go f**k yourself, you son of a w**re" - France tamely exited the competition by losing to minnow hosts South Africa. Pretty embarrassing stuff all in all.