Football, also known as soccer in some countries, is a sport that has captured the hearts of millions around the world. It is the most popular sport globally, with over 250 million players in over 200 countries. The sport has a rich history and boasts several interesting facts that are worth knowing. In this article, we will explore 20 facts about football, ranging from the oldest football club in the world to the highest-scoring game in professional football history
- Football, also known as soccer in some countries, is the world’s most popular sport, played by over 250 million players in over 200 countries.
- The first recorded game of football was played in Scotland in 1872 between Scotland and England.
- The World Cup, which takes place every four years, is the biggest football tournament in the world, with over 3.5 billion viewers watching the 2018 edition.
- The highest-scoring game in professional football history took place in Madagascar in 2002, with AS Adema defeating SO l’Emyrne 149-0.
- The fastest goal ever scored in a football match was by Hakan Şükür of Turkey, who scored just 11 seconds into a match against South Korea in the 2002 World Cup.
- The oldest football club in the world is Sheffield FC, which was founded in 1857 in England.
- The most successful football club in history is Real Madrid, which has won 13 European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles and 34 La Liga titles.
- The most expensive football transfer ever was Neymar’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for €222 million in 2017.
- The fastest recorded speed of a football shot is 131 miles per hour, achieved by Ronny Heberson of Brazil’s Sport Club do Recife in 2006.
- England and Scotland met in the first international football game in 1872.
- The official rules of football, known as the Laws of the Game, were first codified in England in 1863.
- The first football match to be broadcast live on television was an English league match between Arsenal and Arsenal reserves in 1937.
- The FIFA World Cup trophy, called the Jules Rimet Trophy, was named after the FIFA president who initiated the tournament in 1930.
- The 1966 World Cup final between England and West Germany was the first and only time that the final has been decided by a golden goal, with England winning 4-2.
- The most goals scored in a single World Cup tournament is 13, a record held jointly by Just Fontaine of France in 1958 and Gerd Muller of West Germany in 1970.
- The first African team to win a World Cup match was Morocco, who defeated Portugal 3-1 in the 1986 tournament.
- The current holders of the FIFA World Cup are France, who won the tournament in 2018.
- The term “soccer” comes from “association football,” the formal name for the sport in England in the 19th century.
- The FIFA Women’s World Cup was first held in 1991 and is held every four years. The United States has won the tournament four times.
- The highest-scoring international football match was between Australia and American Samoa in 2001, with Australia winning 31-0.