Winning the World Cup is the pinnacle of football. It’s a life-changing experience that can put you at ease for eternity (I’d imagine, I’m a 25-year-old Englishman, that’s what I reckon it’s like).

But being the champions of the world doesn’t make you immune to the odd upset here and there. Very few sides have retained the trophy, and there are others who fall flat on their face at the first hurdle.

Here are the World Cup champions who lost on the opening round of the following tournament.

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After ruthlessly and efficiently romping their way to 2014 in typical German fashion, Joachim Low’s side came crashing back down to Earth four years later.

Though the reigning champs had 26 shots, they couldn’t find a way past Guillermo Ochoa, and they were undone by a strike from Hirving ‚Chucky‘ Lozano.

A last-minute win against Sweden followed, but another shock defeat at the hands of South Korea on matchday three saw Germany finish bottom of the group.

Losing the 2010 World Cup final so deep into extra-time hurt the Netherlands dearly, but they got their revenge on Spain in Brazil.

A 27th-minute penalty from Xabi Alonso saw La Roja take the lead and many assumed they would walk to a first group stage win, but Louis van Gaal’s Oranje had other ideas.

An iconic header fro Robin van Persie got the Dutch back into the contest. He and Arjen Robben grabbed braces with Stefan de Vrij scoring the other goal in a 5-1 demolition.

What made France’s toppling on the opening day of the 2002 World Cup was that they fell to tournament debutants in Senegal.

Papa Bouba Diop (or ‚The Wardrobe‘) scored the only goal of the game to set the tone for what was to be a disastrous month for Les Bleus.

Between Argentina’s last two World Cup wins came a surprising loss in to open 1982.

Belgium beat an Albiceleste side consisting of Diego Maradona and Mario Kempes 1-0 at Camp Nou courtesy of an Erwin Vandenbergh goal.

While Argentina would make it out of the first group phase, two defeats from two in the second meant that Spain ’82 is not a fond tournament for them.

Italy won back-to-back World Cups in 1934 and 1938 prior to World War II.

When the tournament returned after a 12-year absence, a much-changed Azzurri were beaten by Sweden 3-2 in Sao Paulo.

There’s also an added footnote here in that Italy’s conquest in 1934 was helped as reigning champions Uruguay did not participate – the only instance where the holders have not entered a finals.

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