Brasil 2014: A World Cup to remember

It’s certainly been a World Cup to remember. From drama and disappointment to goals and glory, Brasil 2014 will live long in the memory of soccer fans. Here are some of the facts and figures behind a very special World Cup:

Goals

The tournament produced an amazing scoring feast that saw all the thirty countries strike the net 171 times, the same margin that was scored in France 1998 World Cup.

James Rodriguez became the first player to score in his first five career World Cup appearances since Peru’s Teofilo Cubillas (across the 1970 and 1978 tournaments).

There were more goals scored by substitutes in this World Cup than in any previous edition: Thirty two goals scored by substitutes.

As much as 13.3 percent of shots have been scored at these finals; a higher proportion than in any other World Cup tournament since records began in 1966.

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 only World Cup to see more own goals than this tournament (5) was the 1998 finals (6).

Tim Cahill has scored in three World Cups for Australia; no other Australian has done so in more than one tournament.

Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan (6) overtook Cameroon’s Roger Milla (5) as all-time top scoring African player at a World Cup.

Algeria became the first African team to score four goals in a World Cup game when they defeated South Korea 4-2.

Keisuke Honda became the first Japanese player to score at two separate World Cups.

Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri scored the first entirely left-footed hat-trick at a World Cup (1966-2014). His treble was also the 50th hat-trick in the history of the World Cup.

Clint Dempsey’s goal (29 seconds) vs Ghana for the USA was the fifth fastest in World Cup history.

Goalkeepers

Switzerland’s Diego Benaglio was the only goalkeeper to register a shot at the 2014 tournament, thanks to a late effort vs Argentina.

Algeria goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi created two goal scoring chances for the Foxes; only three of his team-mates managed more in the tournament.

Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas saved 21 of the 23 shots on target that he faced at this World Cup (91%).

Tim Howard made 15 saves in the USA’s round of 16 defeat to Belgium – no goalkeeper has ever made as many saves in a single World Cup game (1966-2014).

Progress

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).

Italy were exited at the group stage in their last two World Cups. The last time they managed this was in the 1960s (1962 and 1966).

All eight group stage winners progressed to the quarter finals stage for the first time in World Cup history.

Honduras have now played nine games without a win at the World Cup (D3 L6). They have played more matches at the World Cup without winning than any other side (New Zealand, El Salvador and Bolivia – all six).

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, Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland.

Nigeria have lost all three of their World Cup second round ties (0-2 v France in 2014, 1-4 v Denmark in 1998 and 1-2 v Italy in 1994).

The Netherlands progressed to the semi-finals for the third time in their last four World Cups.

Argentina have progressed from all four of their World Cup semi-finals.

Costa Rica knocked out Italy, England, Greece and beat Uruguay, four sides placed in the top 12 positions of the FIFA Rankings (Uruguay – 7th, Italy – 9th, England – 10th, Greece – 12th).

Regions

European countries have won the last three World Cup editions, the first time a single confederation has won three in a row.

Only six European nations made it to the last 16; a joint-World cup low since the Round of 16 was introduced in 1986.

This was the first time that three sides from the CONCACAF region made it out of the group stages and into the last 16 (since the format began in 1986).

Germany glory

Germany have reached the World Cup final for the 8th time; more often than any other side in the history of the competition.

Germany have scored 18 goals in these finals – the last team to score as many in a World Cup tournament was Brazil (also 18) in 2002.

Miroslav Klose became the top scoring player in World Cup history with his strike against Brazil in the semi-finals (16 goals).

Germany are the first European team to win the World Cup in the Americas.

Germany’s 7-1 win was the biggest margin of victory ever seen in a World Cup semi-final and they were the first team to score this many goals in the semi-finals.

Against Brazil in the semi-final, Germany were 5-0 up faster than any other team in World Cup history (29 minutes).

By losing 4-0 to Germany, Portugal conceded four goals in a World Cup for the first time in their history.

Thomas Muller has scored 10 goals and provided six assists in just 13 World Cup matches.

Mario Götze is the first substitute to score a winning goal in the World Cup final.

Mario Götze is the youngest scorer of a goal in a World Cup final since Wolfgang Weber in 1966 (22 years, 33 days).

Sami Khedira is the 10th player to win the European Cup/Champions League & World Cup in the same season.

With their destruction of Brazil, Germany became the top scoring nation in World Cup history (223), overtaking Brazil in the process. Germany ended the tournament with 224 goals, three ahead of Brazil.

Anthony Nlebem