Uruguay is the smallest country by area to have won the FIFA World Cup. It won the inaugural tournament in 1930 and won again in 1950.
Uruguay covers about 176,215 square kilometres, making it smaller than every other men’s World Cup champion. Its first title came on home soil in Montevideo, where Uruguay defeated Argentina 4–2 in the final. In 1950, Uruguay beat Brazil 2–1 in the decisive final-round match at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium.
Croatia is sometimes suggested because it reached the 2018 final despite its modest size, but it has not won the tournament. Portugal and Ghana have also produced famous teams without claiming the men’s World Cup.
Uruguay’s football identity is especially significant because the country also won Olympic football gold in 1924 and 1928, before the World Cup began. Those victories helped establish Uruguay as an early global football power.