Little Known World Cup Fun Facts

Which Country Played In A World Cup With Two Teams?

Any team can participate in the World Cup if they pass the qualifying rounds or if they host the tournament. In 1974 West Germany hosted the World Cup, but East Germany also qualified for the event, for the first and only time in its brief history. The two German teams were drawn in the same group, and the East German team travelled to West Germany to face the other German team. In a surprise upset, East Germany beat the hosts in the group stage, and finished the group stage one point ahead of their fellow Germans. This did not stop West Germany as they still advanced and managed to go all the way, winning their second World Cup title.

When Have the Hosts Won the World Cup?

The hosts have won the World Cup 6 times, out of a total of 21 tournaments so far. Uruguay hosted the initial World Cup in 1930 and won the competition, beating Argentina 4-2 in the finals. Italy hosted the following World Cup in 1934 and won that competition. England hosted the World Cup in 1966 and won their first, and to date, only World Cup. West Germany hosted and won the World Cup in 1974, Argentina hosted the following World Cup in 1978 and won. Most recently, France hosted the World Cup and won in 1998. It is also worth mentioning that Sweden hosted the World Cup in 1958 and came in second place, and Chile hosted the following World Cup in 1962 and finished in third place.

Has the World Cup Always Followed the Same Structure?

Over the years, the competition expanded, and following the World Cup in 2026, there will be another expansion from having 32 finalists to 48. The competition was always held with the same format of a group stage followed by a knockout round, except for the three tournaments between 1974 and 1982. In these years, there were two group stages, followed by the finals and a playoff round for third place. This format was dropped after the 1982 World Cup and never used again.

Which Players Have Scored the Most Goals in One Tournament?

Surprisingly, the two players who have scored the most goals in one tournament only played in that single tournament. Sandor Kocsis was part of a golden generation of Hungarian players who reached the finals but lost to West Germany. Kocsis scored a whopping 11 goals in the tournament, and together with his teammates the Hungarian team scored 27 goals in 5 games, averaging 5.4 goals per game. The team unfortunately were never able to reach their potential because there was a revolution in the country two years later and most of the players left.

In the following edition of the World Cup in 1958, the top goalscorer was a French striker called Just Fontaine. He also only appeared in one World Cup where he managed to score a whopping 13 goals and help France achieve third place. The Frenchman had to retire less than 4 years later due to a recurring injury, and he never played in the World Cup again.

Which Trends Started In the World Cup?

1986 is a famous date for Argentinian fans, because they won their second World Cup title. In this competition, Argentinian captain Diego Maradona produced his finest but also most controversial goals. The World Cup was held in Mexico, for a second time in the history of the competition, and it was during this World Cup that the Mexican wave was popularised. The wave remains popular amongst football crowds and there are games where the spectators in the crowd still perform the move.

What Is the Record Attendance at the World Cup?

The 1986 World Cup also holds the record for the highest attendance in a final. The final was held in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and was played between Argentina and West Germany. A total of 114,600 people turned up to watch the game as Argentina beat West Germany in a game that had plenty of drama and a last minute twist. World Cup matches are usually packed with supporters, with huge numbers of fans trying to buy tickets to see the best players from around the world compete. The record highest average attendance is 68,991, from the 1994 World Cup that was held in the United States. The 1934 World Cup was held in Italy and holds the record for the lowest average attendance, at 23,235. This is still a relatively high number, especially considering it was only the second World Cup to be held in history. The record for the lowest attendance of a single match was set in 1930, when 300 supporters turned up to watch Romania vs Peru.

Conclusion

The World Cup has been running since 1930, and over the years the excitement around the tournament has never waned. The upcoming World Cup is set to be a historical event. It will be the first World Cup to be held in an Arab country and also it will be the last tournament to feature 32 teams.