100 Fun Facts about Soccer

Dive into the heart of the world’s most beloved sport with our “100 Fun Facts About Soccer.” Whether you’re a seasoned supporter or just getting your feet wet, this list of 100 facts will give you a fresh perspective on the game.

1. Soccer, known as football outside of North America, is the world’s most popular sport.

2. The game as we know it began in England in the 19th century, despite history showing games played with a ball and feet dating back over 2,000 years.

3. FIFA, the sport’s global governing body, was founded in Paris in 1904 and now has 211 member associations.

4. The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious soccer tournament in the world, first held in 1930.

5. Brazil holds the record for the most World Cup wins, with five titles.

6. The fastest goal in professional soccer history was scored just 2.4 seconds after kickoff by Nawaf Al-Abed.

7. The record for the longest soccer match is 108 hours, played in 2016 in the United Kingdom.

8. The highest-scoring soccer game ever was 149-0 in a Madagascar championship match in 2002.

9. Pele, a Brazilian soccer legend, scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, holding the Guinness World Record for most career goals.

10. The largest attendance for a soccer match was 199,854 people during the 1950 World Cup match between Brazil and Uruguay at Maracanã Stadium.

11. The first live coverage of a soccer match was shown on television in 1937. It was a practice game Arsenal played at Highbury stadium.

12. The oldest soccer competition is the FA Cup, which was first played during the 1871-1872 season.

13. The most expensive soccer transfer was Neymar’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for €222 million in 2017.

14. The most goals scored by a single player in a single professional match is 16, achieved by Stephan Stanis in 1942.

15. The first soccer game under modern rules was played at Mortlake, London on 19 December 1863.

Fun Facts about Soccer

16. The first soccer World Cup held outside of Europe and the Americas was in South Korea and Japan in 2002.

17. The oldest professional soccer club in the world is Notts County, established in 1862.

18. The first soccer ball was a human head! Ancient civilizations used heads, skulls, and stitched-up cloth.

19. The term “soccer” is actually British in origin, coming from an abbreviation for Association Football.

20. The first black professional soccer player was Arthur Wharton in the 1880s.

21. The first women’s soccer match under FA’s rule was in 1993.

22. The first soccer player to be knighted was Sir Stanley Matthews, in 1965.

23. The record for the most red cards given in a single match is 36 during a game in Argentina.

24. The most international goals by a male player is 109, scored by Ali Daei of Iran.

25. The most international goals by a female player is 186, scored by Canada’s Christine Sinclair.

26. The first soccer World Cup televised in color was the 1970 tournament in Mexico.

27. The first African country to qualify for a World Cup was Egypt in 1934.

28. The first player to miss a World Cup penalty was Valdemar de Brito of Brazil in 1934.

29. The youngest professional soccer player ever is Mauricio Baldivieso, who played in the Bolivian league at just 12 years old.

30. The oldest professional soccer player was Isaak Hayik, who played as a goalkeeper at 73 years old.

Soccer Facts

31. The most capped international player is Soh Chin Ann from Malaysia, with 195 appearances.

32. The longest goal ever scored was from 100 yards by Asmir Begovic for Stoke City in 2013.

33. The most yellow cards shown in a single game is 42 during a match between Sportivo Ameliano and General Caballero in Paraguay.

34. The first soccer player to score in every minute of a game is Zlatan Ibrahimović.

35. The first soccer club formed outside of Britain was the Oneida Football Club, Boston, USA in 1862.

36. The first soccer game played at night took place in 1878 at Bramall Lane, Sheffield.

37. The first soccer film, “The Great Game,” was released in 1930.

38. The first soccer player to earn a red card in a World Cup was Carlos Caszely of Chile in 1974.

39. The first soccer player to earn over £100 a week was Johnny Haynes in 1961.

40. The first soccer player to be transferred for over £1 million was Giuseppe Savoldi when he moved to Napoli in 1975.

41. The first soccer player to be sold for over £10 million was Jean-Pierre Papin, who transferred to AC Milan in 1992.

42. The first soccer player to be sold for over £100 million was Paul Pogba, when he moved back to Manchester United in 2016.

43. The first soccer player to be involved in a £1 transfer was Trevor Francis, between Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest in 1979.

44. The first soccer player to be sent off for fouling a mascot was Lee Todd in 1993.

45. The first soccer player to score at four different World Cups was Pelé.

46. The first soccer player to win three FIFA World Player of the Year awards was Ronaldo in 2002.

Fun Facts about Soccer

47. The first soccer player to win five Ballon d’Or awards was Lionel Messi.

48. The first soccer player to win Premier League titles with two clubs was Henning Berg with Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United.

49. The first soccer player to win the Champions League with three different clubs was Clarence Seedorf.

50. The first soccer player to win back-to-back European Championships and a World Cup was Xavi Hernandez with Spain.

51. The first soccer player to reach 1000 professional games was Peter Shilton.

52. The first soccer player to be sold between British clubs for over £100 was Alf Common in 1905.

53. The first soccer player to be sold in a transfer involving a player exchange was Willie Groves in 1893.

54. The first soccer player to be convicted for match-fixing was Billy Meredith in 1905.

55. The first soccer player to be named African Player of the Year was Salif Keita in 1970.

56. The first soccer player to be named Asian Player of the Year was Behtash Fariba in 1994.

57. The first soccer player to be named Oceania Player of the Year was Wynton Rufer in 1989.

58. The first soccer player to be named South American Player of the Year was Diego Maradona in 1979.

59. The first soccer player to be named CONCACAF Player of the Year was Raúl Jiménez in 2019.

60. The first soccer player to be named European Player of the Year was Stanley Matthews in 1956.

61. The first soccer player to be named World Soccer Player of the Year was Pelé in 1982.

62. The first soccer player to be named FIFA World Player of the Year was Lothar Matthäus in 1991.

63. The first soccer player to be named FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year was Mia Hamm in 2001.

64. The first soccer player to be named The Best FIFA Men’s Player was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2016.

65. The first soccer player to be named The Best FIFA Women’s Player was Carli Lloyd in 2016.

66. The first soccer player to be named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year was Lionel Messi in 2011.

Trivia about Soccer

67. The first soccer player to be named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year was Nadine Angerer in 2013.

68. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper was Jean-Marie Pfaff in 1987.

69. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker was Michel Platini in 1988.

70. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Top Division Goal Scorer was Fernando Peyroteo in 1997.

71. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer was Pelé in 1997.

72. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Most Effective Top Division Goal Scorer was Gerd Müller in 1997.

73. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Referee was Pierluigi Collina in 1988.

74. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Club Coach was Arrigo Sacchi in 1991.

75. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best National Coach was Franz Beckenbauer in 1991.

76. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female Referee was Nicole Petignat in 2007.

77. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female Club Coach was Silvia Neid in 2010.

78. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female National Coach was Pia Sundhage in 2012.

79. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Man Player of the Century was Pelé in 1999.

Soccer Fun Facts

80. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Woman Player of the Century was Michelle Akers in 1999.

81. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper of the Century was Lev Yashin in 1999.

82. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Referee of the Century was Pierluigi Collina in 2003.

83. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Club Coach of the Century was Rinus Michels in 1999.

84. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best National Coach of the Century was Rinus Michels in 1999.

85. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female Referee of the Century was Nicole Petignat in 2003.

86. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female Club Coach of the Century was Silvia Neid in 2012.

87. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female National Coach of the Century was Pia Sundhage in 2012.

88. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Man Player of the 21st Century was Lionel Messi in 2020.

89. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Woman Player of the 21st Century was Marta in 2020.

90. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper of the 21st Century was Iker Casillas in 2020.

91. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Referee of the 21st Century was Pierluigi Collina in 2020.

92. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Club Coach of the 21st Century was Pep Guardiola in 2020.

93. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best National Coach of the 21st Century was Joachim Löw in 2020.

94. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female Referee of the 21st Century was Bibiana Steinhaus in 2020.

95. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female Club Coach of the 21st Century was Silvia Neid in 2020.

96. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Female National Coach of the 21st Century was Jill Ellis in 2020.

97. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Man Club of the Century was Real Madrid in 2009.

98. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Woman Club of the Century was 1. FFC Frankfurt in 2012.

99. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Man National Team of the Century was Brazil in 2009.

100. The first soccer player to be named IFFHS World’s Best Woman National Team of the Century was USA in 2012.