The FIFA World Cup 2026 is now less than a week away, and football fans across the globe are counting down to the return of the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet.
As the world prepares for another month of drama, passion and thrilling moments, attention is once again turning back to the historic moments that have happened throughout the competition’s history.
While most fans know the most iconic moments and statistics – from Brazil’s record five victories to Miroslav Klose holding the all-time goal record – the World Cup is filled with other incredible statistics that rarely get the spotlight.
In this article, Bet9ja uncover 20 of these lesser-known World Cup statistics that you have probably never heard of before.
The 1994 World Cup produced the only goalless final in history
Brazil and Italy played out a 0-0 draw in the 1994 final before Brazil eventually won on penalties – also marking the first World Cup final to be decided on penalties.
A player once scored five goals in a single World Cup match
Russia’s Oleg Salenko netted five times against Cameroon in 1994.
Just Fontaine scored 13 goals in one World Cup – and then never played in another
The French forward scored 13 goals at the 1958 tournament, which remains the most goals scored in a single edition.
Roger Milla is the oldest outfield player to score at a World Cup
Milla was 42 years and 39 days old when he netted against Russia for Cameroon in 1994.
Italy won the 2006 World Cup while conceding just two goals
Even more remarkably, one was an own-goal and one was a penalty, meaning no team scored from open play against the eventual World Cup winners.
Zinedine Zidane is one of only two players to be sent off twice at World Cups
Zidane saw red in 1998 and again in the infamous 2006 final, with Cameroon’s Rigobert Song the only other player to receive red at two World Cups.
The first goalkeeper ever sent off at a World Cup was Gianluca Pagliuca
Pagliuca was sent off for Italy against Norway in 1994 for handling the ball outside the penalty area.
Cafu played in three consecutive World Cup finals
Cafu appeared in the final in 1994, 1998 and 2002.
Brazil are the only nation to appear in every World Cup
From 1930 until 2026, Brazil are the only team to have never failed to qualify.
Only two players have scored hat-tricks in World Cup finals – with only one winning the match
Geoff Hurst’s 1966 final hat-trick stood alone until Kylian Mbappe scored three goals in the 2022 final, although the Englishman remains the only World Cup final hat-trick scorer to win the tournament.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to score in five different World Cups
Ronaldo has scored at the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Pele is the only player to win three World Cups
The Brazilian legend lifted the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
The Rose Bowl hosted the highest-attended World Cup final ever
A crowd of 94,194 watched Brazil beat Italy in the 1994 final.
The World Cup has produced over 2,700 goals
Across the first 22 World Cups (1930-2022), FIFA records show that 2,720 goals have been scored in 964 games.
Helmut Schon has the most World Cup appearances as a manager
Schon made 25 appearances at the World Cup as manager.
Schon also boasts the most World Cup victories as manager
Schon also boasts the most wins as manager at the World Cup, with 16 victories.
Franco Baresi has the full World Cup medal set
After Italy finished runners-up in 1994, Baresi became one of the few players in history to own bronze, silver and gold World Cup medals.
Otto Rehhagel is the oldest manager in World Cup history
Rehhagel was 71 when he managed Greece against Argentina in 2010, although several coaches are set to break this record in 2026.
Ronaldo is the youngest adidas Golden Ball winner
‘O Fenomeno’ was just 21 when his three assists and four goals at the 1998 World Cup saw him win the Golden Ball.
Denilson has the most substitute appearances at the World Cup
Denilson made 12 appearances at the World Cup, 11 of which were from the bench.
