Most consistent FIFA World Cup performer?

By World Cup wins

Brazil - 5:
1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002

Germany - 4:
1954, 1974, 1990, 2014

Italy - 4:
1934, 1938, 1982, 2006

Argentina - 2:
1978, 1986

Uruguay - 2:
1930, 1950

England - 1:
1966

France - 1:
1998

Spain - 1:
2010


By reaching the grand final (top 2)

Germany - 8:
Runners-up in 1966, 1982, 1986, 2002 + winning 4 as above

Brazil - 7
Runners-up in 1950, 1998 + winning 5 as above

Italy - 6
Runners-up in 1970 and 1994 + winning 4 as above

Argentina - 5
Runners-up in 1930, 1990, 2014  + winning 2 as above

Netherlands - 3
Runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010

Czechoslovakia - 2
Runners-up in 1934 and 1962

Hungary - 2
Runners-up in 1938 and 1954

France - 2:
Runners-up in 2006

Uruguay - 2 as above

Sweden - 1:
Runners-up in 1958

England - 1 as above

Spain - 1 as above


By reaching the top 4 or semi-finals

(West) Germany - 13
8 Semi-finals: 1934, 1958, 1970, 2006, 2010 + 5 above

Brazil - 11
4 Semi-finals: 1938, 1974, 1978, 2014 + 7 above

Italy - 8
2 Semi-finals: 1978, 1990 + 6 above

Uruguay - 5
3 Semi-finals: 1954, 1970, 2010 + 2 above

Argentina - 5

France - 5
3 Semi-finals: 1958, 1982, 1986 + 2 above

Netherlands - 5
3 Semi-finals: 1998, 2014 + 2

Sweden - 4
3 Semi-finals: 1938, 1950, 1994 + 1 above

Austria - 2
Semi-finals: 1934, 1954

Czechoslovakia - 2

England - 2
Semi-final: 1990

Hungary - 2

Poland - 2
Semi-finals: 1974, 1982

Portugal - 2
Semi-finals: 1966, 2006

Spain - 2
1 Semi-final: 1950 + 1 above

Yugoslavia - 2
Semi-finals: 1930, 1962

Belgium - 1
Semi-final: 1986

Bulgaria - 1
Semi-final: 1994

Chile - 1
Semi-final: 1962

Croatia - 1
Semi-final: 1998

Russia/USSR - 1
Semi-final: 1966

South Korea - 1
Semi-final: 2002

Turkey - 1
Semi-final: 2002

USA - 1
Semi-final: 1930


By reaching the QF or Top 8

It's at this stage that Wikipedia does all the work...

By reaching knockout stage from 1986 onwards

Brazil - 8
1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014

(West) Germany - 8
1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014

Argentina - 7
1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014

Mexico - 7
1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 (Banned in 1990 for fielding overage players in U-20 cup)

England - 6
1986, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 (did not qualify in 1994)

Italy - 6
1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006

Netherlands - 6
1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014

Spain - 6
1986, 1990, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2010

Belgium - 5
1986, 1990, 1994, 2002, 2014

Uruguay - 4
1986, 1990, 2010, 2014

USA - 4
1994, 2002, 2010, 2014

France - 4
1986, 1998, 2006, 2014

Paraguay - 4
1986, 1998, 2002, 2010

Nigeria - 3
1994, 1998, 2014

Chile - 3
1998, 2010, 2014

Denmark - 3
1986, 1998, 2002

Ireland - 3
1990, 1994, 2002

Romania - 3
1990, 1994, 1998

Sweden - 3
1994, 2002, 2006

Switzerland - 3
1994, 2006, 2014

Bulgaria - 2
1986, 1994

Colombia - 2
1990, 2014

Costa Rica - 2
1990, 2014

Ghana - 2
2006, 2010

Japan - 2
2002, 2010

Portugal - 2
2006, 2010

South Korea - 2
2002, 2010

Yugoslavia - 2
1990, 1998

Algeria - 1
2014

Australia - 1
2006

Cameroon - 1
1990

Croatia - 1
1998

Czechoslovakia - 1
1990

Ecuador - 1
2006

Greece - 1
2014

Morroco - 1
1986

Norway - 1
1998

Poland - 1
1986

Russia/USSR - 1
1986

Saudi Arabia - 1
1994

Senegal - 1
2002

Slovakia - 1
2010

Turkey - 1
2002

Ukraine - 1
2006


By appearances at World Cup

Thank you again Wikipedia..

Notes
*1930 and 1950 did not have a quarter final or round of 16 - straight semi-final and top 4 round robin respectively

**1934 and 1938 were automatically Round of 16 tournaments; there was no group-stage

^1954 did not have a Round of 16

#1974, 1978 were weird - no knockout stage but a further group stage

1982 - had semifinals but a round-robin second round


Conclusion

Brazil wins in terms of World Cup wins and appearances.

Amazingly, Brazil have never failed to appear at a World Cup - they have a 100% record of 21 out of 21 (2018 included). It should be noted that this stat is slightly diminished by the fact that the competition was not exactly open or accessible to all countries in its early era.

Germany appears to be the most consistent at reaching the Round of 16 (at least from 1986 onwards, tied with Brazil), the top 8, the semi-finals or top 4 and the grand final.

Andre Lim