The 2022 FIFA World Cup has ended with Argentina ending a 34-year wait for the most prized football trophy after defeating France in a nail-biting encounter on Sunday, thesportsbay.com reports.
The match however threw up some stats as provided by the organisers, FIFA.
- There have been 172 goals in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – more than any other FIFA World Cup final competition. The previous highest total of 171 came in 1998 and 2014.
- The FIFA World Cup final has now been contested between a South American team and a European team on 11 occasions, with South America winning eight times.
- This is the eighth FIFA World Cup final to go to extra-time and fourth in the last five editions.
- This is the third FIFA World Cup final to go to a penalty shootout following Brazil v. Italy in 1994 and Italy v. France in 2006.
- Argentina are the first South American team to win the FIFA World Cup since Brazil in 2002.
- That is Argentina’s seventh penalty shootout in FIFA World Cup history and their sixth victory – both more than any other team.
- Argentina’s first goal in this game was their 150th in FIFA World Cup history becoming just the third team to reach that milestone after Brazil and Germany.
- Argentina’s total of 15 goals at Qatar 2022 is their highest since 1978 (15). Their all-time highest is 18 which came in 1930.
- Argentina have lost only one of their last 43 international matches (W29 D13).
- Argentina scored the first goal in each of their seven matches at Qatar 2022.
- Argentina become just the second team to win the FIFA World Cup after losing their opening game (1-2 v Saudi Arabia) following Spain in 2010 (0-1 v Switzerland).
- Lionel Scaloni has become the youngest coach to win the FIFA World Cup at the age of 44 years and 216 days since compatriot César Menotti won in 1978 at the age of 39 years and 232 days.
- Argentina’s Lionel Messi has become the all-time record appearance maker in FIFA World Cup history with 26.
- Lionel Messi has tied Just Fontaine on 13 goals in FIFA World Cup history behind Miroslav Klose (16), Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Müller (14).
- Lionel Messi’s total of seven goals is the most by an Argentinian player in a FWC since Guillermo Stábile (8) in the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930.
- Lionel Messi has become the second oldest goalscorer in a FIFA World Cup final at the age of 35 years and 177 days and Ángel Di María has become the third oldest at the age of 34 years and 307 days behind Sweden’s Nils Liedholm ( 35 years and 264 days) in 1958.
- Lionel Messi has become the oldest player to score two goals in a FIFA World Cup final at the age of 35 years and 177 days.
- Lionel Messi has become the first player to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup.
- France’s total of 16 goals at Qatar 2022 is their highest total since they also scored 16 in 1982 – their highest is 23 in 1958.
- France have only failed to score in one of their last 16 FIFA World Cup knockout stage matches.
- France are unbeaten in their last 11 FIFA World Cup matches against South American nations (W6 D5).
- Kylian Mbappé is only the second player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup final after Geoff Hurst in 1966 for England.
- Kylian Mbappé is the second French player to finish as top goalscorer in a FIFA World Cup final competition after Just Fontaine in 1958.
- Kylian Mbappé has become the fifth and youngest player (23 years and 363 days) to score in two FIFA World Cup final matches after Vavá (1958, 1962), Pelé (1958, 1970), Paul Breitner (1974, 1982), and Zinedine Zidane (1998, 2006).
- France’s Olivier Giroud is the third oldest outfield player to play in a FIFA World Cup final at the age of 36 years and 79 days following Sweden’s Gunnar Gren (37 years and 241 days) in 1958 and Brazil’s Nilton Santos (37 years and 32 days) in 1962.
- France’s Hugo Lloris has become the first goalkeeper to make 20 FIFA World Cup appearances.
- Eduardo Camavinga has become the fifth youngest player in FIFA World Cup history to play in a final at the age of 20 years and 38 days.
