Five records that could be broken at Qatar 2022 World Cup

Five records that could be broken at Qatar 2022 World Cup

Five records that could be broken at Qatar 2022 World Cup

The 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup is upon us and like many other tournaments, there will be records up for grabs.

The 2022 Mundial is set to be a historic one despite all the controversy surrounding the host nation. Outside the planning which sees the tournament being held within just one city to become the most compact in history, a number of players and teams also have the opportunities to create, match and break records.

Here are five records which could be broken at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Most red cards in World Cup history 

Brazil holds the record for the most red cards in World Cup history and this is simply because they are the only team to have played in all 21 editions to date.

Having qualified as one of the first teams for the 2022 edition, they could well be extending their record of 11 red cards at the World Cup.

Uruguay are next on the log with nine red cards, and they also could match Brazil’s tally if they see two of their players sent off in the tournament.

Most losses at the World Cup

Mexico’s El Tri hold this unfortunate record, with their 27 losses combined in all the World Cup games they have played making others look like super teams.

This record becomes even more worrisome when you consider that, of all the teams who have not won the World Cup, they have played the most matches (57 matches). It is a testament to their doggedness on the international stage but at the same time, they will be hoping to break this duck and finally win a World Cup this year.

In reality, they are more than likely to extend this record

Most World Cup matches by a single player

Lionel Messi is most likely playing his last Mundial – his fifth, to enter an exclusive list – and could also match the record set by German legend Lothar Matthaus as the player with the most World Cup appearances.

Matthaus played 26 World Cup games for Germany (then West Germany) before retiring, winning a couple of titles along the way. Messi is currently on 19 games and if he goes all the way to the final like in 2014, he will match the record.

He would also break Diego Maradona’s appearance record of 21 for Argentina at the tournament when he hits 22 games, which he will after the three group stage games barring an injury.

That would be one impressive way to bow out of the international stage for the seven-time Ballon d'or winner.

Only player to score in five World Cups

There is one record for Messi’s eternal rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, to bag for himself at the 2022 World Cup as well.

The Portuguese superstar, like Messi, will be making his fifth appearance at the Mundial. Though it is a small list, there are others who have played in five tournaments. However, none has managed to score in five World Cups, not even Messi.

Ronaldo, the man with the most international goals in football history, could grab this solo record for himself if he scores in the next Mundial.

Four consecutive capitulations by defending champions

The past three tournaments have seen the world champions bow out of the group stages. Didier Deschamps and France will be hoping to break that cycle and scale through the group stages as they defend against the world in Qatar come November 18.

Italy at South Africa 2010, Spain at Brazil 2014, and Germany at Russia 2018 were the capitulations. France could add to it and extend the record, or break the cycle in Qatar.

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