World Cup Trivia

[Ramseth]

Less than 2 months to World Cup 2010, let's share some trivia.

- Only 1 country played in all World Cups - Brazil

- 2 countries defended successive World Cups successfully - Italy 1934/1938 - Brazil 1958/1962

- 2 countries reached 3 successive Grand Finals - Germany (1982/1986/1990), Brazil (1994/1998/2002)

- 7 countries won World Cups - Brazil (5), Italy (4), Germany (3), Uruguay (2), Argentina (2), England (1), France (1)

- 2 World Cup-winning countries won it outside their continent - Brazil (Sweden 1958, Mexico 1970, USA 1994, Korea/Japan 2002), Argentina (Mexico 1986)

- 4 countries have hosted World Cups twice - Mexico (1970, 1986), Italy (1934, 1990), France (1938, 1998), Germany (1974, 2006)

- Only 1 player scored a hat-trick (3 goals) in a single Grand Final - Geoff Hurst (England 1966)

- 3 players scored in 2 separate Grand Finals - Pele (Brazil 1958, 1970), Paul Breitner (Germany 1974, 1982), Zinedine Zidane (France 1998, 2006)

- 3 players won World Cup and Golden Shoe (topscorer) concurrently - Mario Kempes (Argentina 1978), Paolo Rossi (Italy 1982), Ronaldo (Brazil 2002)

 

[Ramseth]

Clashes between World Cup winners (both sides at least won World Cup once at the time of the matches)

Chile 1962
Germany 0 Italy 0

England 1966
Germany 4 Uruguay 0

Mexico 1970
Italy 0 Uruguay 0
Brazil 1 England 0
Germany 3 England 2
Italy 4 Germany 3
Brazil 3 Uruguay 1
Germany 1 Uruguay 0
Brazil 4 Italy 1

Argentina 1978
Italy 0 Germany 0
Brazil 2 Italy 1

Spain 1982
Italy 2 Argentina 1
Brazil 3 Argentina 1
Italy 3 Brazil 2
Germany 0 England 0
Italy 3 Germany 1

Mexico 1986
Germany 1 Uruguay 1
Argentina 1 Italy 1
Argentina 1 Uruguay 0
Argentina 2 England 1
Argentina 3 Germany 2

Italy 1990
Italy 2 Uruguay 0
Argentina 1 Brazil 0
Argentina 1 Italy 1 (Argentina won 4:3 penalty shoot-out)
Germany 1 England 1 (Germany won 4:3 penalty shoot-out)
Italy 2 England 1
Germany 1 Argentina 0

USA 1994
Brazil 0 Italy 0 (Brazil won 3:2 penalty shoot-out)

France 1998
Argentina 2 England 2 (Argentina won 4:3 penalty shoot-out)

Korea/Japan 2002
France 0 Uruguay 0
England 1 Argentina 0
Brazil 2 England 1
Brazil 2 Germany 0

Germany 2006
Germany 1 Argentina 1 (Germany won 4:2 penalty shoot-out)
France 1 Brazil 0
Italy 2 Germany 0
Italy 1 France 1 (Italy won 5:3 penalty shoot-out)

 

[Baimi]

The most goals scored in a World Cup Final
Just Fontaine ~ 13 goals
Now 6 goals score can win them Golden Boot.

 

[Baimi]

The most caps player in World Cup Final
Lothar MATTHAEUS played in 5 World Cup Final
From 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998
In all he played in 25 games.
This record is tough to beat.
Can equal the record of 5 final
but not the number of games.
3 games in 1st stage
1 game in Q final
1 game in S final
1 game in Final
Total 6 games play all the way to the Final.
That's means to say Germany always go all
the way at least to the S-Final from 1982 to 1998.
Also, he must be featured in every game, no suspension, no injury.

 

[Ramseth]

The most goals scored in a World Cup Final
Just Fontaine ~ 13 goals
Now 6 goals score can win them Golden Boot.

All World Cup Grand Finals from 1930 to 1986 ended up with both sides scoring. 1990 (Germany 1 Argentina 0) was the first that one side failed to score. 1994 (Brazil 0 Italy 0 (penalty shoot-out)) was the first that both sides failed to score. The trend continued with 1998 (France 3 Brazil 0) and 2002 (Brazil 2 Germany 0) and finally returned to both sides scoring again in 2006 (Italy 1 France 1) but still required a penalty shoot-out.

There had been only 2 penalty shoot-outs in Grand Finals, incidentally both involving Italy. Italy lost one (against Brazil) and won one (against France). Also incidentally, Italy had reached 6 Grand Finals; they won every time except for the 2 times they met Brazil.

The first World Cup penalty shoot-out occured in 1982 Semi-Final Germany v. France. Germany won. Germany has the best penalty shoot-out record in World Cup history. Won every shoot-out (1982 v. France, 1990 v. England, 2006 v. Argentina). England has the worst record. Lost every shoot-out (1990 v. Germany, 1998 v. Argentina, 2006 v. Portugal).

 

[po2wq]

jairzinho ...

became ze oni player 2 score in evry round including ze final ...
​

 

[Ramseth]

Undefeated but failed to win World Cup

Scotland 1974 - Knocked out by Brazil on group goal difference
Brazil 1978 - Knocked out by Argentina on group goal difference
Cameron 1982 - Knocked out by Italy on group goal difference
England 1982 - Knocked out by Germany on group point difference
Brazil 1986 - Knocked out by France on penalty shoot-out
Italy 1990 - Knocked out by Argentina on penalty shoot-out
Italy 1998 - Knocked out by France on penalty shoot-out

(Note: Penalty shoot-out is not considered a defeat, it's just a decider in case of a draw even after extra-time.)

 

[Ramseth]

Undefeated but failed to win World Cup

Scotland 1974 - Knocked out by Brazil on group goal difference
Brazil 1978 - Knocked out by Argentina on group goal difference
Cameron 1982 - Knocked out by Italy on group goal difference
England 1982 - Knocked out by Germany on group point difference
Brazil 1986 - Knocked out by France on penalty shoot-out
Italy 1990 - Knocked out by Argentina on penalty shoot-out
Italy 1998 - Knocked out by France on penalty shoot-out
England 2006 - Knocked out by Portugal on penalty shoot-out
Argentina 2006 - Knocked out by Germany on penalty shoot-out

(Note: Penalty shoot-out is not considered a defeat, it's just a decider in case of a draw even after extra-time.)

 

[Baimi]

Quickest goal in World Cup history.
Turkey’s Hakan Sukur scored against S. Korea
in 2002 @11 seconds

 

[oli9]

Trivia -

Spore has NEVER made it to any World Cups. This despite having lofty ambition & outrageous aspirations to qualify for the 2010 Edition. Almost had me fooled there.

 

[Ramseth]

Trivia -

Spore has NEVER made it to any World Cups. This despite having lofty ambition & outrageous aspirations to qualify for the 2010 Edition. Almost had me fooled there.

Trivia quiz. Someone born in Singapore had played in World Cup before. Who?

 

[khunking]

Terry Butcher

Trivia quiz. Someone born in Singapore had played in World Cup before. Who?

 

[Ramseth]

Terry Butcher

Clap clap clap!!!

 

[jw5]

What are your favourite world cup memories?
In 1982, my favourite memories were Paolo Rossi scoring a hat-trick to help Italy beat a star studded Brazil 3-2 in a shock result. Brazil had stars like Zico, Socrates, Falcao in their team and it was sad to see them knocked out, but Italy deserved to win.
Another memory in 1982 was seeing Bryan Robson score a goal in the opening seconds against France.

 

[po2wq]

What are your favourite world cup memories? ...

1986 final ... free-spirited spontaniety triumphed over mechanical robots ...

 

[balajii]

The most caps player in World Cup Final
Lothar MATTHAEUS played in 5 World Cup Final
From 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998
In all he played in 25 games.
This record is tough to beat.
Can equal the record of 5 final
but not the number of games.
3 games in 1st stage
1 game in Q final
1 game in S final
1 game in Final
Total 6 games play all the way to the Final.
That's means to say Germany always go all
the way at least to the S-Final from 1982 to 1998.
Also, he must be featured in every game, no suspension, no injury.

baimi,

u missed 1 game. there is a last 16 game after the group stages. total 7 games including the final (or 3/4th playoff).

 

[Ramseth]

What are your favourite world cup memories?
In 1982, my favourite memories were Paolo Rossi scoring a hat-trick to help Italy beat a star studded Brazil 3-2 in a shock result. Brazil had stars like Zico, Socrates, Falcao in their team and it was sad to see them knocked out, but Italy deserved to win.

I agree. That has to be the best game of all-time in World Cup history.

Cabrini crossed from penalty box left corner to 6-yard right corner; pinpoint cross met by pinpoint Rossi header.

Zico and Falcao one-twoed towards penalty-box right. 3 Italian defenders retreating back with Socrates running in. Zico placed in a pass through all 3 defenders to reach Socrates who then ran deep into 6-yard and shot at a steep angle. The finish was too good even for Zoff.

Between Brazilian penalty box and midfield circle, Cerezo tried to pass the ball to Junior but was intercepted by Rossi coming in like lightning. Rossi took a ball just a sprint pace forward and thunderbolted it into goal before any Brazilian defender could recover into position.

Falcao received the ball from Junior and poached forward through centrefield outside penalty box. Cerezo ran down his right taking 2 Italian defenders scrambling with him away from Falcao. Excellent decoy, and Falcao's shot finished the move in style with an excellent shot.

Conti took a right corner. Brazilian defenders and Italian attackers scrambled for the ball, which ended just outside the penalty box centre with Tardelli, who shot, but the ball blocked inside 6-yard with a mix of players still camped down there. Before any tussle could start, Rossi reacted with a lightning turn and clinical finishing. Italy 3 Brazil 2.

 

[jw5]

My favourite memory of world cup 1986 was of Maradona running past about 5 English players, before slotting the ball past Peter Shilton into the goal.
The amazing thing was that he celebrated the goal as happily as he celebrated the "hand of god" goal in the same game. To him, a goal was a goal.

My favourite memory of world cup 1990 was David Platt scoring the winning goal against Belgium in extra time, a magnificent volley which he executed in mid air from a free kick from, I think it was Gazza. It was both poetry and precision in motion.
No wonder that Platt sometimes seems to sound a little scornful when he is the co commentator on Champions League matches, especially when big players miss big chances. "Been there done that", he must be thinking.

 

[Ramseth]

My favourite memory of world cup 1986 was of Maradona running past about 5 English players, before slotting the ball past Peter Shilton into the goal.
The amazing thing was that he celebrated the goal as happily as he celebrated the "hand of god" goal in the same game. To him, a goal was a goal.

Diego Maradona did that to England three times. Twice in a 1980 friendly. The first run ended with the final finishing just inches wide. The second run ended with Kenny Sansom tripping him over in the box. A penalty which Daniel Pasarella converted. At 2:1 in favour of England, Kevin Keegan started a multi-passing offensive move and completed the move at the mid box with a thunderbolt goal to kill off the game.

Johan Cruyff of Holland in 1974 did that to Germany too. Famously, straight from kickoff at the final, he dribbled through the half the German who had no choice left but to trip him down when he entered the penalty box with ball. The penalty was converted by Johan Neeskens, but too bad that that Dutch still ended up on the losing side ultimately 1:2.

My favourite memory of world cup 1990 was David Platt scoring the winning goal against Belgium in extra time, a magnificent volley which he executed in mid air from a free kick from, I think it was Gazza. It was both poetry and precision in motion.
No wonder that Platt sometimes seems to sound a little scornful when he is the co commentator on Champions League matches, especially when big players miss big chances. "Been there done that", he must be thinking.

Yes, it was Paul Gascoigne and David Platt. Personally, I rate that the best goal ever in World Cup, on top of Maradona, Owen, even Pele.

 

[Baimi]

baimi,

u missed 1 game. there is a last 16 game after the group stages. total 7 games including the final (or 3/4th playoff).

Thanks for update.
So who can beat the records of 5 final and number of games play?
If Rooney started at 18 he has to play until 38,
for a striker the career path is the shortest,
after 30 years old i think only cameo role.
Goalkeeper has the longest,many can play until 40
follow by defender and mid fielder.