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  The 1958 World Cup is inseparable from Brazil, as it was at this tournament that marked the rise of the Samba. The South American giant truly began their dominance and were crowned by the emergence of their greatest legend, Pelé, on Swedish soil. Beyond everything related to the Seleção, this edition of the World Cup was the first to adopt a standardized tournament format that remains in use to this day. Group winners and runners-up progressed to the knockout stage from a round-robin group phase, in which each team faced every other side in the group.  Sweden 1958 was also one of the editions in which Indonesia had a genuine chance of qualifying.   At the time, Egypt and Sudan, who were supposed to face Indonesia in the playoff round, withdrew in protest against Israel, their prospective opponent. The Southeast Asian side eventually followed suit after FIFA rejected its proposal to play Israel at a neutral venue. 1958 World Cup Fun Facts   Sweden 1958 produce...

  Mario Zagallo was the first figure to win the World Cup both as a player and as a head coach, all while keeping jogo bonito firmly under his command. Zagallo’s name is inseparable from Brazil’s commitment to beautiful football. His role as the custodian of jogo bonito spanned several eras with the Seleção: as a player at the 1958 and 1962 World Cups; as head coach in 1970, 1974 and 1998; asassistant manager from 1991 to 1994 ; as caretaker in 2002; and finally as technical assistant from 2003 to 2006. Across these various positions, his presence helped ensure that Brazil consistently delivered an attractive, expressive style of play. It was a remarkable, long-term dedication to the national team. World Cup Records   The former left winger was first appointed head coach of the Seleção in 1967 while still managing Botafogo. During his initial spell, which lasted until 1968, Zagallo held dual roles at club and international level. He later returned to lead Brazil at the ...

The 1954 World Cup was the first to be staged in Europe after the Second World War. This edition is synonymous with the ‘Miracle of Bern’ in the final and an unprecedented flood of goals. Unsurprisingly, Switzerland 1954 still holds the record for the highest goals-per-game average in World Cup history, with a remarkable 5.38 goals per match. Switzerland were appointed hosts unopposed at the FIFA Congress in 1946. The decision made sense: the country housed FIFA’s headquarters and 1954 marked the organisation’s 50th anniversary. This tournament also saw West Germany and Japan permitted to participate for the first time. Several nations, including East Germany, Poland, Argentina and Taiwan, withdrew or declined to take part in the qualification process. Facts and Figures of the 1954 World Cup   Switzerland 1954 featured a number of unique quirks that set it apart from other editions. Here are some of the standout facts from the first post-war World Cup in Europe: * Seeded tea...

  Three goalkeepers in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 have been statistically in the lead and deserve to be considered the UCL's best shot-stoppers this season. UCL 2025/26 have just completed their league phase, and the playoff round draw result has been revealed. A few unexpected results in the last games cost Napoli , Real Madrid and even the reigning champions, PSG , the chance to qualify directly for the knockout stage. Even Il Partenopei failed to secure one spot in the playoff round due to their loss to Chelsea at their home turf. In some of the last games in the league phase, some goalkeepers stole the spotlight to help their team’s campaign to stay alive in the competition this season. The likes of Newcastle’s Nick Pope and Bodoe/Glimt’s Nikita Haikin were some of them. Their heroic saves contributed to their team’s success in going through to the next stage. Here are the top three best goalkeepers in the UCL this season, who are leading on the competition’s st...

 The 1950 World Cup was the first to be held after the end of the Second World War. This edition was remembered above all for a catastrophe that left an indelible scar on the host nation: the Maracanazo . This fourth edition of the tournament was originally scheduled for 1949. With the world still reeling from a war that had devastated much of Europe, it came as little surprise that FIFA swiftly approved Brazil’s bid to host when it was submitted in 1946. Brazil were the reigning Copa América champions, South America had been far less affected by the war, and FIFA also felt the need to pay their due to CONMEBOL after staging two consecutive World Cup s in Europe. At the same time, many European nations were still focused on post-war reconstruction rather than organising or competing in major sporting events. Facts and Figures Brazil 1950 featured several quirks that set it apart from other editions. Here are some notable facts from the first World Cup after the war: * A n...

  Legendary manager Helmut Schön remains the high profile one with the highest number of wins in World Cup history. When discussing World Cup records, Helmut Schön’s name is impossible to ignore. He is the man who holds the record for the most victories in the history of football’s greatest tournament. Appointed as West Germany head coach starting at the 1966 World Cup , Schön collected a remarkable 16 wins with Die Mannschaft. The Dresden-born tactician also holds the record for the most matches coached at the World Cup, overseeing a total of 25 games between the 1966 and 1978 editions. World Cup Record With such an outstanding win record, it is little surprise that Germany emerged as one of the most formidable sides from the late 1960s through the 1970s. Schön, who previously served as Sepp Herberger’s assistant at the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, began his own World Cup journey in emphatic fashion by thrashing Switzerland 5–0 in West Germany’s opening match at England 1966. ...

  The 1938 FIFA World Cup was held in a Europe standing on the edge of catastrophe. Hosted by France, the tournament took place just a year before the outbreak of the Second World War, and the growing political tension across the continent was impossible to ignore. Fascism was on the rise, international relations were deteriorating, and football — once again — found itself entangled with global politics. France was chosen as host over Argentina, a decision that angered South American nations. As a result, Uruguay once again refused to participate, while Argentina also stayed away in protest. Italy, meanwhile, arrived as defending champions under Benito Mussolini’ s regime, with the dictator eager to see his national team retain the trophy as proof of fascist superiority. Key Notes from the 1938 World Cup France became the first country to host the World Cup without qualifying automatically — hosts still had to take part in the knockout draw. The reigning champio...