FIFA 2014 is about to dawn on the world at large. And before that first goal is scored, MensXP presents you with must-know facts about the FIFA World Cup.
1. Oliver Kahn is the only goalkeeper in the history of FIFA to have won the Golden Ball trophy.
2. The record number of World Cup career goals is 15 by Brazilian forward Ronaldo.
3. India withdrew from the 1950 World Cup. They did it because of FIFA regulations that players had to wear football boots and would not be allowed to play barefoot.
4. Norman Whiteside was 17 when he played in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, making him the youngest player to play in the world cup.
5. In 1992, 42-year-old Roger Milla became the oldest goal scorer and the oldest player in World Cup history.
6. The largest attendance for a Football match was 199,854. The match was played between Brazil and Uruguay in the World Cup at the Maracana Municipal Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, in July 1950.
7. The fewest number of fans to watch a World Cup Football game was 300 in Uruguay in 1930.
8. Out of 19 world cups, South America and European countries have won 9 and 10 titles respectively. No other continent has produced a world champion.
9. Sir Viv Richards is the only person to have played both World Cup Football and World Cup Cricket. He played football for Antigua in 1974 World cup qualifiers.
10. In 1986, FIFA prohibited shirt swapping because they did not want players to bare their chests on the field.
11. In 1966, the World Cup trophy was stolen and later found by dog days before the tournament began.
12. In his two world cup ventures for Argentina (2006 and 2010), Messi has only scored once (qualifiers not included).
13. Zinedine Zidane has the most cards shown against him - 4 Yellow cards and 2 Red cards.
14. Antonio Carbajal has the record for playing the most number of World Cups. He represented Mexico in 5 world cups in 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962 and 1968.
15. Mexico is the only country to host the football world cup twice.
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