Thanks to the brilliant data insights team at Opta, we look back on the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the very best facts from the tournament.
Group Stage
South Africa’s Yaya Sithole was the first player to be sent off in the opening match of a FIFA World Cup since Marco Etcheverry for Bolivia against Germany in 1994. With Themba Zwane and César Montes also seeing red, it was the fifth World Cup match to see 3+ red cards, and first since Netherlands vs Portugal in 2006.
At 17 years and 240 days, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora became the youngest-ever player to represent a host nation at an edition of the FIFA World Cup (sixth-youngest debutant overall).
Mikel Oyarzabal was the first player Opta has on record since 1966 to play the first 30 minutes of a World Cup match without touching the ball once.
Against Senegal, Harry Kane became just the second England player to score at three separate World Cup tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026), along with David Beckham (1998, 2002, 2006).
Vinícius Júnior became the fifth Brazilian player to score in all three group stage matches of a single FIFA World Cup tournament, following in the footsteps of Jairzinho (1970), Romário (1994), and both Ronaldo and Rivaldo (2002).
Ismail Saibari (Morocco) became the first African player to score in each of his side’s three group stage matches at a single FIFA World Cup tournament.
Ousmane Dembélé’s hat-trick just 32 minutes into France’s game against Norway is the second earliest a player has scored a World Cup hat-trick in a match, behind Erich Probst in 1954 for Austria against Czechoslovakia (24 minutes).
Cape Verde (W0 D3 L0) became the first debutant to go unbeaten in their three group-stage matches at the World Cup since Senegal in 2002 (W1 D2 L0).
Against Jordan, Lionel Messi became the first player to score in seven consecutive appearances at the World Cup, eventually extending that run to nine games in the knockout stages.
Knockout Stage
South Africa’s Ronwen Williams made 77 successful passes against Canada, the most on record (since 1966) by a goalkeeper in a match at the World Cup.
Gabriel Martinelli’s winner for Brazil against Japan (95:00) is the latest winning goal in normal time of the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup on record (since 1966).
Against Paraguay, Germany lost their very first penalty shootout at the World Cup (fifth shootout), and just their second at a major tournament (World Cup/Euros), also losing to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship final.
In their last-32 tie against Ivory Coast, Norway became the first ever country to make 10+ changes to their starting XI in consecutive World Cup matches within a single edition.
At 17 years, 259 days old, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora became the second youngest player to start a knockout match at the FIFA World Cup behind only Pelé in 1958 (17 years and 239 days in first knockout appearance).
Belgium trailed Senegal 2-0 as late as the 85th minute, the latest into a FIFA World Cup game in normal time a team has trailed by 2+ goals and avoided defeat.
Youri Tielemans’ winning penalty for Belgium against Senegal was the latest goal ever scored in World Cup history (124:44).
Senegal became the first African team to score 10 goals in a single edition of the World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a goal in the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. His strike against Croatia was his 31st shot outside the group stage at the tournament.
Portugal vs Croatia was the first match in World Cup history to feature three different players who have appeared in more than 20 matches. It was Cristiano Ronaldo’s 26th World Cup appearance while it was number 23 for Luka Modric and 21 for Ivan Perisic.
Paraguay didn’t pick up a single card in their 1-0 defeat to France, the first time they’d not received any in a World Cup match since 1998 against Nigeria.
Morocco became the first African nation ever to reach the quarter-finals of two World Cup tournaments (2022 and 2026).
Neymar became only the second Brazil player to score at four different FIFA World Cup tournaments (2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026) after Pelé.
Spain became the first team in World Cup history to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive matches.
Ferran Torres was just the second substitute to score the winning goal in a FIFA World Cup final, after Germany’s Mario Götze in 2014, which also came against Argentina.
Lionel Messi became just the second ever player to play in three men’s FIFA World Cup finals (also 2014 and 2022), after Brazil’s Cafu (1994, 1998, 2002). At 39 years and 25 days, he was also the second oldest ever World Cup finalist after Italy’s Dino Zoff in 1982 (40y 133d).
At 19 years and six days, Lamine Yamal became the third-youngest player to play in a FIFA World Cup final, after Pelé in 1958 (17y 249d) and Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982 (18y 201d). With Pau Cubarsí also starting (19y 178d), Spain were the first side to feature two teenagers in a single World Cup final.
Argentina finished as runners up at the FIFA World Cup for the fourth time (also 1930, 1990 and 2014), the joint-most of any side, along with Germany.
Spain have won the FIFA World Cup for the second time after 2010, meaning that seven of the eight winners of the tournament have now won it at least twice – England are the only nation with a solitary victory.
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The 64 Best Opta Facts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Opta Analyst.
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