Sports

10 Amazing Soccer Facts You Didn’t Know

Did you know that one of the world cups was actually stolen over 50 years ago? Many fun soccer facts exist that help define this great sport as one of the most exciting in the world. You want to stay and learn some more, don’t you?

Below we outline ten of the most exciting football facts in the world for you to impress your friends with. Read through them to know more about the great game and what it means to be a part of a sport that dates back hundreds of years.

1. The FA Cup Formed Over 150 Years Ago

Professional football would not be where it is now without the FA Cup. The football industry revolves around this event that started back in 1871, created by the Football Association (FA). The mandate of the competition was to help organize a way for groups to start competing with one another, and that has continued to this day.

In 2023, the FA Cup started with over 700 teams and has been a huge competition centered only on English football. Though it has inspired many more copycats across the globe.

2. The Fastest Goal Was After Only 2 Seconds

In 2004, Marc Burrows noticed that the goalkeeper of the opposing team was not in place at kickoff. Straight from the halfway line, he made a shot for the goal and got it in, with the referee recording the goal at 2.5 seconds.

While the Football Association considers this a record due to a video existing of this act, it happened in an amateur reserve game. As of 2017, though, there is a contender for a 2.1-second goal from a man named Gavin Stokes from Maryhill. Though, his goal faces challenges due to it being in a junior, non-league game.

3. Most Goals in a Year

The name Lionel Messi has been on many people’s lips for many years, and for good reason. He is a skilled footballer with many goals under his belt. 

As of 2023, he has the record of scoring 91 goals in a single year, 2012, firing him to the top of the Guinness World Record books.

4. Largest Football Crowd at a Game

On July 26, 1950, the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil hosted far more people than had previously arrived at any single football event. With almost 200,000 people there, the mood was ecstatic… until Brazil lost.

Out of the 199,854 attendees, two even committed suicide out of the grief of Brazil losing, and a lot of media refused to print admittances of defeat. It was a turning point in Brazilian football, and the team even changed their uniform soon after as it was seen as “unpatriotic”.

5. Most Successful National Team

Much as they may have had a bad 1950, Brazil is still one of the best football teams out there. They have been the winners in the highest number of world cups since. They gained the lead in:

  • 1958
  • 1962
  • 1970
  • 1994
  • 2002

They also have a range of other titles. These include two Panamerican Championship titles and four Confederation Cups. They even have nine Copa America wins, giving them twenty titles in total.

6. Longest Unbeaten Win Streak

While England likes to tout Arsenal as the team with the longest winning streak in the world, that is not the case. Both Germany and Italy boast teams with longer streaks of wins than them.

The altogether longest streak, though, goes to AC Milan. Between the years 1991 and 1993, they picked up an enormous 58-game streak, putting them head and shoulders above the competition. If anyone wants to beat them now, it will take several years to reach that number.

7. Most Costly Footballer

Some of the most popular trending football stories relate to how much players are either paid or traded for. When it comes to money, everyone wants to know more.

As for the most costly player, that honor goes to a man named Neymar Jr. 

In 2017, Paris Saint-Germain opted to sign this man for €222 million, or £198 million. This was a staggering sum of money for Barcelona to pay, although Paris Saint Germain is no stranger to paying such high fees these days.

In 2018, they did it again, paying €222 million, or £198 million, for a teenager called Kylian Mbappé. Despite the amount of money spent, he only started playing on the professional stage as an adult later that year.

8. Highest Capacity Football Stadium

The multi-purpose stadium “Rungrado 1st of May Stadium” has earned this title by having the capacity to host 114,000 people. The only largest stadium in the world is an Indian stadium, though it hosts cricket instead.

One of the main reasons North Korea has such a large stadium is an effort to present itself as a serious world power following the 1988 Seoul Olympics. As such, it created the stadium to attempt to host world events. While it has hosted Korean events, though, it has never been the host of a world cup.

9. Most Hat-Tricks

Getting three goals in a single game is a prestigious victory. As such, it is not something that happens too often.

Erwin Helmchen is one of these few people. Playing between 1924 and 1951, he holds the record for scoring 141 recorded hat-tricks. In his time playing, he even scored eight goals in two separate games, showing his skill compared to the competition.

10. Fastest Red Card

While most people get a red card during a game, there was one that came before the referee had even called for kick-off.

In 2021, Jean Fernandes was a goalkeeper for Cerro Porteno. As he approached the goal line to start playing, he made a throat-slitting gesture, which he considered innocuous. The referee did not believe it was, though, and gave him a rec card before the first kick was made.

This decision was highly contested due to Brazilian cultural customs, the fact it was before the game, and a few other reasons. In the end, though, the referee raised the red card, and the goalkeeper ended up being expelled from the game.

Afterward, it made the news across the world, especially as the team then lost the game 3-1. 

More Than Only Soccer Facts

The above are only a few of the soccer facts that excite us. There are so many more, and we are happy to share them.

If you are someone who takes joy in learning about the game of soccer, there is much more to find. Our blog has posts on not only sports but many other areas of life. So, check out our other articles today.

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