21st World Cup
We’re about to witness the 21st World Cup in history. Russia 2018 is also the first opportunity for Russia to host this event.
21st World Cup
Newcomers
We can all give a warm welcome to Panama and Iceland as this is their first appearance ever at a World Cup. The last team to make their debut was Slovakia in South Africa 2010.
Newcomers
Round Of 16
There’s definitely something to be said about the confidence players get from their fans on home ground. Every World Cup host country has made it past the group stages, with only one exception – South Africa.
Round Of 16
Braziliant
When you imagine a team lifting the trophy at the World Cup, you probably picture Brazil. They have won the most times (5) and they have also qualified for every single competition since the first one in 1930.
Braziliant
Mexican’t
Mexico is a record-holder, but not for any glamorous reasons though. They’ve attended the most World Cups without having ever managed to win the competition.
Mexican’t
Seeing Red
Roses come with thorns, right? Brazil might be the cream of the crop, but that cream didn’t come without getting a record amount of red cards – 11 to be exact. Following them is Argentina with 10 and Uruguay with 9.
Seeing Red
Goals For Glory
The most goals ever scored at a single World Cup tournament is 171, shared between France 1998 and Brazil 2014. The fewest goals of 145 were scored in South Africa in 2010.
Goals For Glory
Making Swiss Cheese
When Austria took on Switzerland at Sweden 1954, neither side expected an incredible 7-5 scoreline. This is the current record for the most goals scored in one World Cup game at the moment.
Making Swiss Cheese
National Pride
Here’s one some teams ought to think about. Each time a team has won the tournament, their coach has shared the same nationality as the country that won. Hmmm…
National Pride
Thinking Inside The Box
Denmark is proud of the 27 goals they’ve scored during the World Cup. We should add that every single one of their goals was scored from inside the box.
Thinking Inside The Box
Back To Back
Brazil holds the record for winning back-to-back World Cups, in 1958 and 1962. No other country has managed to achieve this (yet).
Back To Back
African Pride
Nigeria only qualified for their first World Cup in 1994, but since then they have almost made it to every tournament, except for Germany 2006. They hold the record for the most appearances by an African country.
African Pride
Look Out, Belgium
If you’re a Belgium fan, don’t give up until the 90th minute. Belgium has scored every one of their goals in the last 8 World Cup games after the 70th minute.
Look Out, Belgium
Never Too Old
Egypt’s goalkeeper, Essam El-Hadary, is currently 45 years and 5 months old. If he doesn’t stay on the bench in Russia, he will become the oldest player in the tournament’s history.
Never Too Old
Young Gun
The record for the youngest player at the World Cup is still held by Norman Whiteside. At 17 years, 1 month and 10 days, he played for Northern Ireland in 1982.
Young Gun
Most Goals
Germany’s Miroslav Klose is the player to have scored the most goals over his 24-match, 4-World Cup appearances. His record of 16 took him past the former record holder, Ronaldo from Brazil, who has 15.
Most Goals
Five In One
Oleg Salenko from Russia holds the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup match – 5! You read that right, he scored five goals in one match against Cameroon during the 1994 tournament.
Five In One
Pele, The Wonder
Brazilian football legend, Pele, is the only player in history to have played and won three separate World Cups. They took place in 1968, 1962 and then in 1970.
Pele The Wonder
Taking His Time
The most amount of time played by any player at the World Cup is 2,217 minutes. The record-holder for this is the great Paolo Maldini from Italy.
Taking His Time
A Small Crowd
The first ever World Cup took place in 1930 in Uruguay. Uruguay were not just the hosts, they were the winners too. The competition was far from what it is today – there were only 13 teams and 18 matches then.
A Small Crowd
A Bigger Crowd
The largest attendance at a game during this competition was in Brazil. 199,854 fans made it to the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 16th, 1950, to watch Brazil take on Uruguay.
A Bigger Crowd
Hat Tricks
There’s nothing quite like seeing a player get his hat-trick in a game. Switzerland 1954 saw the most ever at a tournament with 8. The fewest was at Germany 2006 where spectators were let down since they didn’t see any at all.
Hat Tricks
4 And 4
Both Germany and Italy have won the World Cup 4 times, meaning that they sit tied behind Brazil with a record of 5. Since Italy didn’t qualify for Russia 2018, only Germany has the chance to meet Brazil’s record.
4 And 4
Drawing The Line
Italy has broken some interesting records throughout their soccer years. However none is as uneventful as their record for drawing matches with opponents – 21 times.
Drawing The Line
Battle of Nuremberg
The infamous “Battle of Nuremberg” between Portugal and Holland in Germany 2006 will go down in history as the game with the most cards. Four red cards and sixteen yellow cards were dished out during the game.
Battle Of Nuremberg
Penalty Shoot Outs
Argentina has been involved in more penalty shootouts at the World Cup than any other team (5). They have only lost one of them, and that was against Germany in 2006.
Penalty Shoot Outs
World War II
Two World Cups didn’t take place because of the Second World War. Those years were 1942 and 1946. The Olympics didn’t take place during this time for the same reason.
World War II
Just Do It
Just Fontaine from France holds the record for the most goals scored in a single tournament. The Frenchman managed to case 13 goals during the 1958 tournament, and to this day his record makes him the fourth top goal scorer of all time.
Just Do It
Quickie
The fastest goal to ever be scored at the World Cup was completed by Turkish soccer sensation, Hakan Sukur. It took him 11 seconds to send the ball behind South Korea’s keeper in 2002 during the third-place playoffs.
Quickie
Walk Over
The biggest score ever achieved in a World Cup qualifier game was achieved by Australia against American Samoa. The 2001 game ended with an unbelievable 31-0 victory.
Walk Over
