103 players on 2026 World Cup rosters have either played or currently play in MLS. That is the most ever for the league and the most for any country outside of the top 4 Leagues in Europe.
No team with a foreign coach has ever won the World Cup. Reached the Final: 1958 Sweden - George Raynor (English) 1978 Netherlands - Ernst Happel (Austrian) Lost in Semifinals: 1930 United States - Robert Millar (Scottish) 1934 Austria - Hugo Meisl (Bohemia/Cech) 1938 Sweden - József Nagy (Hungarian) *1950 Sweden - George Raynor (English) 1966 Portugal - Otto Glória (Brazilian) 2002 South Korea - Guus Hiddink (Dutch) 2006 Portugal - Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazilian) 2018 Belgium - Roberto Martínez (Spanish) *1950 had no knockout stages; Sweden advanced to the final group of 4 teams that played round robin for the trophy..
Somebody fact check this but I think this is the first time in history that a group of four has had no previous matches played amongst each other ( No official matches or friendlies. ) Portugal Colombia DR Congo Uzbekistan 1930 had a Group of three with no prior matches played amongst each other. USA Paraguay Belgium
Javier Aguirre just happens to be the first manager to manage in two World Cup opening games. Coincidentally against the same team. Let’s see how long it takes for that to be equalized.
Balogun is the second USA player to score multiple goals. The first was Bert Petanaude also against Paraguay in 1930. That is a 96 year drought. Also Bert had the first WC hat trick.
That is interesting. And what makes it even more incredible is that there were four matched played which I think only happened once before in the 32 team format.
Mexico vs S. Africa has two records. The Azteca becomes the first stadium to host three WC opening games. The match is the first opening game to have three red cards.
Messi, CR7 and 8a become the first players to go to 6 world cups. I don't think Ochoa will play, though.
78 year old Dick Advocaat - currently managing Curacao - becomes the oldest manager in World Cup history. I believe that the game against Germany marked the biggest difference in age between managers since it was against 38 year old Nagelsmann.
Italy has an aversion to weak/unconventional countries hosting the world cup. Switzerland 1954: out in groupstages Sweden 1958: did not qualify Chile 1962: out in groupstages USA 1994: did make the final, but Baggio gate Japan/SKorea 2002: knocked out in round of 16 by South Korea gate South Africa 2010: out in groupstages/last in a weak group Russia 2018: did not qualify Qatar 2022: did not qualify USA/Canada/Mexico: did not qualify
Three current Norway players are the sons of 1994 Norway WC players. Halland, Sorloth and Thorstvedt. This ties the record of the 2002 Sweden squad but it has it's own unique wrinkle in that Norway's three were all teammates on the same team. Two current American players have WC fathers. Reyna and Berhalter The same for France. Thuram and Zidane Netherlands, Portugal and Argentina have one each. Kluiver, Conceicao and Simeone.
Of the 24 first round games, 8 of them involved a 90+ minute goal (9 90+min goals in total). So 1 out of 3 games in the first round involved a 90th+ minute goal. I think it is because gen z lacks discipline. It is good/exciting for the spectator, but it shows a sort of declining professional quality.
Sweden defeated Tunisia 5-1, and today Sweden lost to Netherlands 5-1. I wonder if they are the first team to score at least 5 and allow at least 5 in consecutive games.
Sweden itself already did this, all the way back in 1938. After a first round bye against Austria, they beat Cuba 8-0 in the quarterfinals before losing 1-5 to Hungary in the semifinals.
National teams that scored 5+ goals in a World Cup match then conceded 5+ goals in the next one: 1938: Sweden 8-0 Cuba → Sweden 1-5 Hungary 1954: Austria 5-0 Czechoslovakia → Austria 7-5 Switzerland 1954: Austria 7-5 Switzerland → Austria 1-6 West Germany 1954: Turkey 7-0 South Korea → Turkey 2-7 West Germany 2026: Sweden 5-1 Tunisia → Sweden 1-5 Netherlands