The FIFA World Cup 2022 is barely days away from kicking off. Every four years, the best players from 32 qualified nations come together to compete for the pinnacle of international football.
In its 92-year history, the FIFA World Cup has seen a lot of records set and broken. When legends like Diego Maradona, Pele, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo have competed, record books have undergone changes over and over again.
Team Records#1 Most second-placed finishes – Germany (4)
Four-time FIFA World Cup champions Germany have finished as runners-up four times as well. They finished second-best in 1966, 1982, 1988, and most recently 2002.
#2 Most first-round exits – South Korea and Scotland (8)
South Korea and Scotland have faced the ignominy of first-round elimination a record eight times. The South Koreans exited from the group stage in 1954, consecutively from 1986 to 1998, 2006, 2014, and finally 2018.
The Scots, meanwhile, fell out in the first round in 1954, 1958, and from 1974 to 1998 barring the 1994 edition where they failed to qualify altogether.
#3 Most FIFA World Cup tournaments played – Brazil (22)
Record champions Brazil have played in every single FIFA World Cup, which means the World Cup in Qatar will be their 22nd consecutive edition of the tournament.
#4 Longest reign as the FIFA World Cup champions – Italy (12 years)
Italy were World Champions for 16 years, albeit aided by war delays back then. They won the title in 1934 and successfully defended it in 1938. However, the next two editions were canceled due to World War II. This meant Italy held the trophy and the champions tag until 1950.
Source: https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/fifa-world-cup-2022-interesting-world-cup-records-need-know-qatar
