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Football facts that don't sound true (but are)

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  • MillwallFan
    MillwallFan Posts: 3,691
    Bellingham scored on 47. 

    The 47 bus goes to Bellingham. 
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 30,558
    Bellingham scored on 47. 

    The 47 bus goes to Bellingham. 
    You have the cheek to call us trainspotters.
  • DyerConsequences
    DyerConsequences Posts: 3,092
    Only 2 England players have scored in 3 different world cups.

    They were both born in Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, both attended Chingford Secondary School and both played for Ridgeway Rovers.

    David Beckham and Harry Kane.
  • Chris_from_Sidcup
    Chris_from_Sidcup Posts: 37,505
    Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score in 10 consecutive games at major tournaments (World cup/Euros).

    33 shots, 11 on target, 0 goals.
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,681
    So far in the 2026 World Cup Finals, England have yet to score a goal by a player from a club in England.
  • Swindon_Addick
    Swindon_Addick Posts: 2,041
    From Le Monde.

    In 1994 when USA last hosted the World Cup, football was the 67th most favourite sport in the US, just after tractor pulling in 66th place.

    Now it’s in 3rd place - ahead of baseball!


    En 1994, les Etats-Unis organisent le Mondial masculin. Avant le coup d’envoi, seule une petite poignée de locaux ont connaissance de l’événement. Le soccer ne pointe alors qu’à la 67e place des sports préférés des Américains, juste derrière le tractor pulling.

    Malgré la réussite du Mondial et une élimination plutôt honorable du pays hôte en huitièmes de finale par le Brésil, futur vainqueur, le tournoi n’a entraîné aucun boom. L’ascension du football a été « lente mais régulière », retrace Roger Bennett, à l’image de la croissance du championnat, la Major League Soccer. Selon une étude publiée par The Economist en novembre 2025, il est désormais le troisième sport le plus populaire aux Etats-Unis, derrière le football américain et le basket, mais devant le base-ball.
    Yanks don't seem to be interested in sports where they don't normally dominate the world, so the success of football there probably has a lot to do with their women's team becoming dominant in that form of the game, rather than the improvement of their men from also-rans to a genuine second-tier nation.
  • The Red Robin
    The Red Robin Posts: 28,060
    Chizz said:
    So far in the 2026 World Cup Finals, England have yet to score a goal by a player from a club in England.
    Well Rashford is technically back at Utd.
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,681
    Chizz said:
    So far in the 2026 World Cup Finals, England have yet to score a goal by a player from a club in England.
    Well Rashford is technically back at Utd.
    Technically, he's registered to Barcelona until 30 June
  • Danepak
    Danepak Posts: 1,690
    edited June 22
    Egypt has participated in four World Cups. Up until today vs New Zealand, Egypt had never been behind at half-time in any World Cup match.
    Up until today they had never won a World Cup game either.
  • MillwallFan
    MillwallFan Posts: 3,691
    edited June 23
    When Andy Burnham takes over he will be the 10th UK prime minister to take office since Charlton last beat Millwall 😉

    oh, and we would’ve had about 800 Watford managers in that time as well 

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  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 11,546
    When Andy Burnham takes over he will be the 10th UK prime minister to take office since Charlton last beat Millwall 😉

    oh, and we would’ve had about 800 Watford managers 
    I miss the flag button so often 
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,834
    IdleHans said:
    When Andy Burnham takes over he will be the 10th UK prime minister to take office since Charlton last beat Millwall 😉

    oh, and we would’ve had about 800 Watford managers 
    I miss the flag button so often 
    I felt totally torn by it. On one level, it's a great fact. On another, more important level, it's completely sickening.
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 22,233
    Stig said:
    IdleHans said:
    When Andy Burnham takes over he will be the 10th UK prime minister to take office since Charlton last beat Millwall 😉

    oh, and we would’ve had about 800 Watford managers 
    I miss the flag button so often 
    I felt totally torn by it. On one level, it's a great fact. On another, more important level, it's completely sickening.
    I’m surprised it’s only 10
  • North Lower Neil
    North Lower Neil Posts: 23,905
    The England XI tonight has players from 10 different clubs.

    Only Rice and Madueke are club teammates.
  • Swindon_Addick
    Swindon_Addick Posts: 2,041
    The England XI tonight has players from 10 different clubs.

    Only Rice and Madueke are club teammates.
    If I understood the 5 live commentators right, this was the first time there have been 10 clubs among the 11 starters for England at a major tournament since 1962.
  • Swindon_Addick
    Swindon_Addick Posts: 2,041
    A World Cup one: the first time a World Cup winning team included a player from a club outside their own country was 1974 (Netzer winning with West Germany while playing for Real Madrid). It's still the case that none of Italy's WC winning teams has ever included a player based outside Italy.
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 7,440
    A World Cup one: the first time a World Cup winning team included a player from a club outside their own country was 1974 (Netzer winning with West Germany while playing for Real Madrid). It's still the case that none of Italy's WC winning teams has ever included a player based outside Italy.
    It is possible that the winner of the 2026 World Cup will have no players from the squad of 25 that play in the countries domestic league.
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 30,558
    A World Cup one: the first time a World Cup winning team included a player from a club outside their own country was 1974 (Netzer winning with West Germany while playing for Real Madrid). It's still the case that none of Italy's WC winning teams has ever included a player based outside Italy.
    It is possible that the winner of the 2026 World Cup will have no players from the squad of 25 that play in the countries domestic league.
    It’s also possible that a team could win it, without a single player being born  that country.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,834
    A World Cup one: the first time a World Cup winning team included a player from a club outside their own country was 1974 (Netzer winning with West Germany while playing for Real Madrid). It's still the case that none of Italy's WC winning teams has ever included a player based outside Italy.
    I wonder if this insular approach might have contributed to their failing to qualify for the last three tournaments?
  • North Lower Neil
    North Lower Neil Posts: 23,905
    There's a Portugal u21 international who has just signed for Leverkusen whose middle name is 'Bastardo'.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afonso_Moreira

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  • iaitch
    iaitch Posts: 10,696
    We've had plenty of bastardos over the years.
  • Chris_from_Sidcup
    Chris_from_Sidcup Posts: 37,505
    A World Cup one: the first time a World Cup winning team included a player from a club outside their own country was 1974 (Netzer winning with West Germany while playing for Real Madrid). It's still the case that none of Italy's WC winning teams has ever included a player based outside Italy.
    It is possible that the winner of the 2026 World Cup will have no players from the squad of 25 that play in the countries domestic league.
    It’s also possible that a team could win it, without a single player being born  that country.
    Who?
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 30,558
    edited June 29
    A World Cup one: the first time a World Cup winning team included a player from a club outside their own country was 1974 (Netzer winning with West Germany while playing for Real Madrid). It's still the case that none of Italy's WC winning teams has ever included a player based outside Italy.
    It is possible that the winner of the 2026 World Cup will have no players from the squad of 25 that play in the countries domestic league.
    It’s also possible that a team could win it, without a single player being born  that country.
    Who?
    Morocco 🇲🇦, they finished a game due the group stages, where none of them were actually born in the country.
  • Swindon_Addick
    Swindon_Addick Posts: 2,041
    A World Cup one: the first time a World Cup winning team included a player from a club outside their own country was 1974 (Netzer winning with West Germany while playing for Real Madrid). It's still the case that none of Italy's WC winning teams has ever included a player based outside Italy.
    It is possible that the winner of the 2026 World Cup will have no players from the squad of 25 that play in the countries domestic league.
    We've already had one where the country's domestic league didn't have the largest representation in the squad (Argentina last time, more Serie A players than domestic).
  • follett
    follett Posts: 1,264
    Canada v South Africa was the third ever World Cup knockout match not involving a European or South American team
  • Danepak
    Danepak Posts: 1,690
    Denmark has never scored a World Cup goal from outside the box (they've scored a total of 31 goals and participated in 6 World Cups).
  • Danepak
    Danepak Posts: 1,690
    follett said:
    Canada v South Africa was the third ever World Cup knockout match not involving a European or South American team
    I asked AI what the two previous matches were:

    2002: USA 2–0 Mexico (CONCACAF vs CONCACAF) 2010: USA 1–2 Ghana (CONCACAF vs CAF)
  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 2,238
    As part of his new fitness regime, Steve Evans swims 2.5km per day.
    Thought he may have had the fat jabs, but is all down to diet and hard work.
    Fair play to him.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,834
    Germany lost on penalties.
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 29,379
    Stig said:
    Germany lost on penalties.
    Shut the thread. These crazy "facts" are getting sillier and sillier!
    ;-)