Random World Cup Facts

In my opinion "born abroad" is not really the interesting question.
Because there are some completely different "causes" for being born abroad. From the guy which parents were somewhere else at the moment he was born - and he still grew up in the country he's playing for, to the one whose family is from the country he's playing for but he grew up somewhere else - or the opposite: he belongs to an immigrant family and came as a child but really grew up in the country, through the guy who has nothing to do to the country he's playing for - perhaps he came already as an adult player and took the citizenship just in order to play for the national team. And those who were born in a previous colony ... So many different causes, so many different cases.
In some cases the player is a legitimate representative of that culture, im some cases he's a legitimate representative of the soccer culture of that country, and in some cases he's just a legal trick.
Looking at the top of that table we already recognize some major differences.

Regarding the ages ...
... would anyone doubt that CAF players have the lowest average (knowing the procedures some football managers in african countries still use for making their players more valuable to the international market)?

But anyway an interesting statistical page! Thanks.

 

Going into their 5th World Cup finals, Costa Rica have managed to entirely avoid African teams. Even by progressing to Round of 16 in Russia, they would avoid CAF teams.

I wonder if any other team has a similar record of avoiding another confederation (excluding OFC, of course).

 

There will be a spanish speaking country in every group of the Russia WC...

 

Here's an interesting coincidence that the Brazilian press is pointing out from Brazil's last title, in 2002, and now.

2002 WC:
The Netherlands out of the World Cup
Denmark on France's group
Nigeria on Argentina's group
Costa Rica on Brazil's group
Senegal 1st appearance in a WC
= Brazil champion

2018 WC:
The Netherlands out of the World Cup
Denmark on France's group
Nigeria on Argentina's group
Costa Rica on Brazil's group
Senegal back in a WC
= ?

 

Nigeria is always on Argentinas group, that doesnt count

 

@benztown

Eagerly awaiting your customized WC excel sheet

 

Here's an interesting one... 1998 World Cup:
Ireland out of the World Cup
Denmark in France's group
Croatia in Argentina's group
South Korea in Mexico's group
Tunisia in England's group
Morocco back in the World Cup
= France champion?

Could play these all day

 

@Paul Calixte

Can this topic be moved back to FIFA and Tournaments because it is not only about World Cup 2018?

 

For what it's worth, French is an official language in 6 of the qualified countries: France, Belgium, Switzerland, Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal.

That's actually more than for English (only 3 with England, Australia and Nigeria).

 

Go latin romantic languages, let's beat those anglo-saxons!

I think...

 

How many official languages does Switzerland have? I'm surprised English isn't official there. Before England, Australia, and Nigeria; I wonder if a language has ever been official in at least 3 World Cup countries with each country from a different confederation.

 

Why does it possibly matter to you? They are interesting no matter where the items are posted. And if you're not interested in them, you can always make use of this little gadget:

 

There is an obsession with compartmentalization at Big Soccer that is more extreme than at any other website I know.

 

Could someone please move this post to the "Complaints and Observations" forum?
Thank you

 

Now that would be ironic.

 

Although some speak it better than others...
...*runs out of thread before tomatoes get thrown at my politically incorrect joke.*

 

I meant that the language is official in one country in a confederation, but not more than one. If Spanish is official in two or more CONMEBOL countries like Argentina and Uruguay, it doesn't count.

 

No team from Group F has yet won a world cup!

 

Well then. that settles it.
Germany 's not going to repeat.

 

Hence, I used the word yet

 

It did happen twice:

• 2006 - 3 Portuguese-speaking countries from 3 different confederations: Brazil (CONMEBOL), Portugal (UEFA), Angola (CAF).
  
• 1994 - 3 English-speaking countries from 3 different confederations: United States (CONCACAF), Ireland (UEFA), Nigeria (CAF).

In 2010, English was represented by teams coming from 5 different confederations (that's the record): UEFA (England), CONCACAF (United States), CAF (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa), AFC (Australia), OFC (New Zealand).

15 Spanish-speaking countries participated to the World Cup in History. The record was in 2014 with 9 of them participating in a single edition.