Landon Donovan has more World Cup goals than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo…combined. Next?
In 1990, four players, Biyek and Massing of Cameroons, Bezsonov of the Soviet Union and Sbanadjokovich of Yugoslavia were sent off for fouls on Claudio Cannegia.
The star of the 1962 game between England and Brazil was a dog.
I just heard this on ESPN: Brazil hasn’t lost a competitive home game (in Brazil) since 1975. This includes 57 matches.
ETA: This isn’t strictly a World Cup fact, but I thought it was interesting since this one will be in Brazil.
From 1994 to 2002, the Brazilians played more World Cup finals than they scored World Cup final goals, 3 to 2.
Until 1990, no team, winner or runner up failed to score in a World Cup final. After 1990, the first time both did was in 2006.
Franz Beckenbaur won a World Cup as captain/player and coach 1974 and 1990.
Rudi Voeller lost finals as a player and coach., in 1986 and 2002. He did win one in 1990.
I’m pretty good with World Cup history but this is one I didn’t find out about until recently. In 1938 the Germans - after “annexing” Austria - incorporated many Austrian players into their team. Matthias Sindelar (“The Paper Man”), one of the best players of his era, refused to join the German team (citing age) and was mysteriously found dead shortly after stating this. The German team - Austrian stars and all - were eliminated in the first round (after a replay) by Switzerland’s team making 1938, I believe, the earliest a German team has ever exited a World Cup.