Big Question: Which World Cup Records will Be Broken this Year?

April 7th, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

Records are meant to be broken. World Cup records are no exception. We could see any number of records established in Germany this summer by individuals, teams and coaches. We’ve gone back through the record books and have picked out a few records that could fall this year and a few that are safe.

Top goal scorer: Gerard Muller is the all-time leader with 14 goals, but Ronaldo is close on his heels with 12 goals. Even if he hasn’t had a great year, Ronaldo will still be able to score at least two goals in Germany. This record will be broken.

Number of television viewers: There were more than 28 billion viewers in 2002. There are more people and more televisions this year so this record will be crushed.

Most World Cup titles: Brazil has won five. If they win again it is a new record. It won’t be a miracle if this happens.

Most tournament appearances: Lothar Matthaus, 25. No one can catch him this time. Record is safe.

Youngest Player to score: Pele at the age of 17. This one is also safe unless a team signs that 10-year-old from Turkey in the next few months.

Oldest player to play: Roger Milla was 42 when he played for Cameroon in 1994. There isn’t anyone that old this time, although keep an eye on Mexico’s Claudio Suarez in 2010!

Most goals in one match: Oleg Salenko (RUS) scored 5 vs Cameroon in 1994. It will be tough but Shevchenko might be able to match it when Ukraine plays Saudi Arabia.

Fastest goal in a World Cup match: Turkey’s Hakan Sükür after only 11 seconds against South Korea in 2002. Hard to think this will be beat, but you never know.

Most teams coached: Bora Milutinovic could make it six teams if he ends up with Saudi Arabia or another team. He’s the current record holder with five teams (Mexico 86, Costa Rica 90, United States 94, Nigeria 98 and China 2002).

Most World Cups appeared in: Germany’s Lothar Matthäus with 5. No one will beat it but Saudi Arabia’s keeper Mohamed Al-Deayea will be making his fourth appearence.

What records do you expect to fall this summer?

For a look at the records, Planet World Cup is a good place to visit.

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Luis Carlos

LOL, nice stats.

We will also see goal number 2000 this year. Let’s see who gets it.
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-current-coach-was-the-best-player.html#comments Pedro P

If Portugal would win, Scolari will be coach nr2 to have won twice PLUS he’ll be the only to have won coaching two different countries…

Anyway, it’s easier to get goal 2000… :-) Or a lot of goals in one match…
http://portugal.worldcupblog.org Luis Paulo

Cafu might reach his fourth World Cup final in a roll. Here in Brazil there is always someone mentioning that. I hope he doesn’t. I prefer Cicinho.
Arno

The first title for Serbia&Montenegro!

Thank you.
Euler

To Brazil, from an old post of mine:

World Cup consecutive games without loosing. This record is already ours (13) but we can beat the 58 to 66 Selection if we get the trophy this year rising the undefeated mark to 14.

Top scorer of all times in World Cups can be Ronaldo if he score 3 more goals. German Gerd Müller scored 14 in 70 and 74. Ronaldo has been collecting goals since 98. Fingers crossed!

Cafu and Ronaldo can reach Pele’s record as the only men to win 3 times as a player.

Cafu can present another interesting number. Small one, but big to history. If Brazil wins he gets to be the only national team captain to lift the trophy twice. Dunga almost did it too. He was at that 98 final, but we lost to France.

http://brazil.worldcupblog.org/group-f/crossed-fingers-for-new-records.html
http://clusterchuck.blogspot.com/ chuck

Nice, Euler!

And speaking of Bora…
All of those teams he coached, with the exception of China in 2002, made it in to the 2nd round.

Yes, even tiny Costa Rica made the 2nd Round in 1990. And bringing the USA to Round 2 in 1994 may have been an even bigger feat.
http://www.bensefels.de Bense

The record for never-won-a-championship-even-though-playing-well-and-advancing-to-the-quarter-finals. That goes for Netherlands and Spain :-)
Euler

Bense is absolutely right! Netherlands and Spain are unbeatable in this category!
kapcro

One record will be level of corporate hype and hard sell, not to mention commerials ad nauseum.
http://portugal.worldcupblog.org/group-d/goal-goal-goal.html Goal! Goal! Goal! – FIFA World Cup 2006 – Portugal World Cup Team Blog

[...] If you look back in history, only Eusebio managed to score very often to Portugal. However, Pauleta has already overcome him as Portugal’s all-time goal scorer. So, let’s hope that one more record could be broken this year and Pauleta overcome Eusébio as the top scorer at the World Cup too. After the hat trick against Poland in 2002, he is 6 goals behind. Can he make it? [...]