NUMBERS GAME

A brief history of football’s biggest tournament as told through some amazing facts and figures

2,217

The overall number of minutes played in the finals by Italian legend Paulo Maldini – the current record. Brazil’s Cafu, inset, played in the most finals (94, 98 and 02). 45

3

Egypt’s goalkeeper and captain Essam El-Hadary will become the World Cup’s oldest ever player if he plays in Russia, beating the record that’s currently held by Colombia’s Faryd Mondragon, who played a match at the age of 43.

5

Lothar Matthäus, below played in five World Cups (1982-1998) for Germany. Only Antonio Carbajal (Mexico, 19501966) can match his tally.

56before

That’s the number of seconds Jose Batista was on the pitch he was sent off for a lunge at Scotland’s Gordon Strachan - the fastest World Cup sending off.

17

Brazil great Pele is the tournament’s youngest ever goalscorer. He struck against Wales in 1958, aged 17 years and 239 days.