Major achievements in association football by nation

This article contains lists of achievements in major senior-level international association football, futsal and beach soccer tournaments according to first-place, second-place and third-place results obtained by teams representing different nations. The objective is not to create combined medal tables; the focus is on listing the best positions achieved by teams in major international tournaments, ranking the nations according to the most number of podiums accomplished by teams of these nations.

Results
For the making of these lists, results from following major international tournaments were consulted:


 * FIFA: Fédération Internationale de Football Association
 * IOC: International Olympic Committee

Medals earned by athletes from defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are NOT merged with the results achieved by their immediate successor states. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does NOT combine medals of these nations or teams.

The tables are pre-sorted by total number of first-place results, second-place results and third-place results, respectively. When equal ranks are given, nations are listed in alphabetical order.

Men and women
† FIFA affiliates and non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members. ‡ International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and non FIFA affiliates.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Men
† FIFA affiliates and non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members. ‡ International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and non FIFA affiliates.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Men and women
† FIFA affiliates and non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members. ‡ International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and non FIFA affiliates.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Men
† FIFA affiliates and non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members. ‡ International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and non FIFA affiliates.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Women
† FIFA affiliates and non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Beach soccer
† FIFA affiliates and non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

General
Official results
 * Association football
 * Men's Olympic Football Tournament: Archive, Statistics
 * Women's Olympic Football Tournament: Archive, Statistics
 * FIFA World Cup: Archive, Statistics
 * FIFA Women's World Cup: Archive, Statistics
 * FIFA Confederations Cup: Archive, Statistics
 * Futsal
 * FIFA Futsal World Cup: Archive, Statistics
 * Beach soccer
 * FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup: Archive, Statistics