World Cup 2014: 30 Interesting Facts From the Tournament
Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport via USA TODAY Sports
Now that the 2014 FIFA World Cup is over, many websites and magazines are coming with different interesting facts about the tournament. After reading an article from UK-based website, The Guardian, The American Pitch decided to share some of the very interesting facts about the World Cup.
The article by The Guardian compiles a lot of very interesting facts that most people really would never think to cover. Enjoy our 30 favorites from the list and make sure to comment below with your favorites.
There were fewer red cards at the 2014 World Cup than any other edition since 1986 (8).
The 2014 World Cup saw a joint-high number of goals scored (171).
Germany scored 18 goals – the last team to score as many in a World Cup tournament were Brazil (also 18) in 2002.
Argentina trailed for just seven minutes in the entire tournament (excluding injury time).
Brazil committed 31 fouls in their quarter-final win over Colombia; the most fouls that they had made in a single World Cup game since
began in 1966.
June 28, 2014; Belo Horizonte, BRAZIL; Brazil player Neymar celebrates after converting a penalty kick against Chile during the round of sixteen match in the 2014 World Cup at Estadio Mineirao. Mandatory Credit: Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport via USA TODAY Sports
All eight group stage winners progressed to the quarter-finals stage for the first time in World Cup history.
One point was England’s lowest-ever return in a World Cup group stage.
Three of the last four teams to win the World Cup have gone out in the following group stage (France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014).
Silvestre Varela’s goal for Portugal v USA was the latest during normal time of a World Cup finals
since 1994 (94min33sec).
Jun 22, 2014; Manaus, Amazonas, BRAZIL; United States goalkeeper Tim Howard (1) shakes the hand of Portugal forward Varela (18), who scored the tying goal, after the final whistle of a 2014 World Cup game at Arena Amazonia. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Three of Holland’s five outright victories in this World Cup tournament were from losing positions in normal time.
Teams from Uefa have won the last three World Cups, the first time a single confederation has won three in a row.
Luke Shaw was the youngest player to play at this World Cup finals, when he played for England v Costa Rica (18 years 348 days).
There were only three direct free-kicks scored at these finals, the fewest since 1986 (3). In 2010 there were five scored, while in 2006 and 2002, nine were scored.
The Algeria goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi created two goalscoring chances; only three of his team-mates managed more in the tournament.
Mario Götze is the youngest scorer of a goal in a World Cup final since Wolfgang Weber in 1966 (22 years, 33 days).
Germany scored two more goals v Brazil than England have in their past two World Cup campaigns combined.
Belgium conceded only three goals in five games at the 2014 World Cup.
Ghana went out in the group stage for the first time ever (in their third World Cup). Now only three teams have never exited in a World Cup opening group stage: Germany, Holland and the Republic of Ireland.
Switzerland’s XherdanShaqiri scored the first entirely left-footed hat-trick at a World Cup (1966-2014).
Jul 2, 2014; London, United Kingdom; A Swiss fan in attendance for the match between Roger Federer (SUI) and Stan Wawrinka (SUI) on day nine of the 2014 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn and Tennis Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
His treble was also the 50th hat-trick in the history of the World Cup.
The England goalkeeper Joe Hart made only one save in two World Cup games.
Neymar scored the 100th goal of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil’s 100th game in World Cup finals history.
Holland progressed to the semi-finals for the third time in their last four World Cups.
Costa Rica’s KeylorNavas saved 21 of the 23 shots on target that he faced at this World Cup (91%).
Jun 29, 2014; Recife, Pernambuco, BRAZIL; Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas (1) makes the winning save during penalty kicks against Greece forward Theofanis Gekas (17) in a World Cup game at Arena Pernambuco. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Thomas Müller has scored 10 goals and provided six assists in just 13 World Cup matches.
Against Brazil in the semi-final, Germany were 5-0 up faster than any other team in World Cup history (29 minutes).
Against Japan Colombia’s substitute goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon became the oldest ever player to feature in a World Cup match, at 43 years and three days.
Tim Cahill has scored in three World Cups for Australia; no other Australian has done so in more than one tournament
England’s Wayne Rooney recorded his first World Cup assist in his team’s opening game v Italy and his first goal in their game v Uruguay.