World Cup and Records

In the World Cups, it is the perfect stage to set a record and give your best so that it endures over time. These are 10 cases of records and situations that are unlikely to be broken during this World Cup.

Just Fontaine – 13 Goals in a Tournament

In the 1958 World Cup, Just Fontaine scored 13 goals, a record that no one has been able to match. Today, the Golden Boot winners usually score only five or six goals. With more organized defenses and a much more tactical football, repeating such a feat seems impossible. It is considered the supreme record of the World Cup.

Ernst Wilimowski – 4 Goals in a defeat

In 1938, the Pole Ernst Wilimowski scored four goals against Brazil, but his team lost 6–5. Scoring four goals in a World Cup is already extraordinary; doing it in a lost match makes it a unique record. In modern football, which is much more defensive, it is almost unthinkable that it will happen again.

Paolo Maldini – 2.216 minutes played

The Italian defender played in four World Cups without missing a single minute, accumulating a total of 2,216 minutes. Nowadays, rotations and shorter careers make achieving such continuity practically unattainable.

Roger Milla – The Most Veteran Scorer

The Cameroonian Roger Milla scored in 1994 at the age of 42 years and 39 days, surpassing his own record from 1990 when he was 38. Although today footballers extend their careers, the physical intensity of the World Cup makes it very difficult to imagine another player scoring at that age.

Essam El Hadary – Eldest player

The Egyptian goalkeeper played in Russia 2018 at 45 years old and even saved a penalty. Goalkeepers usually last longer than field players, but reaching that age in a World Cup remains a rarity. With the increasingly fast pace of football, his record seems untouchable.

Rafael Márquez – Captain in five World Cups

The Mexican led his national team from 2002 to 2018, being captain at 23 and still at 39. To match him, a player would need to be a reference for two decades, something extremely rare in modern football.

Carlos Alberto Parreira – Six World Cups as Coach

The Brazilian managed six World Cups with Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, becoming champion in 1994. The instability of technical positions makes it almost impossible to repeat such a trajectory.

Pelé – The youngest player in a final

At just 17 years old, Pelé scored two goals in the 1958 final against Sweden. Today, coaches usually rely on experienced players for decisive matches, which makes this record one of the safest in history.

Oleg Salenko – Five goals in a match

In 1994, the Russian scored five goals against Cameroon, a feat that no one has repeated. Although Russia was eliminated in the group stage, Salenko took home the Golden Boot. With stronger defenses and modern tactical approaches, it is very unlikely that anyone will score five in a single match again.

Josip Šimunić – Three yellow cards in a single match

During the 2006 World Cup, the Croatian received three yellow cards in the same match due to a refereeing error, as he spoke with an Australian accent. Today, with VAR, this type of mistake is impossible. That's why this curious record will never be repeated

WATCH beIN SPORTS XTRA LIVE FOR FREE ON YOUTUBE