5 biggest records in the history of world soccer

In soccer, the number of difficult records to be broken is proportional to the greatness of the idols. Among figures like Messi, Pelé, Maradona, and Zidane, several of the biggest records in the history of world soccer have been set. To this day, many professional players come close to renewing these numbers, but they cannot surpass their predecessors.

Whether records like the most goals in a career or the most hat-tricks performed by the same player, there are several numbers that demonstrate the greatness of the athletes. Learn more information below and discover the 5 biggest records in the history of world soccer.

What are the biggest records in the history of world soccer?

1. Most goals scored in a season by the same player

In the case of this record, Lionel Messi scored 91 goals in 69 matches played for Barcelona during the 2012 season. In the same season, he achieved 6 hat-tricks, which occurs when a player scores three goals in a single match.

In the list of records, the second place is shared between the players Gerd Müller and Erwin Helmchen. Although the former scored in the 1972 season, and the latter in the 1929 season, both scored a total of 88 goals for their respective teams.

However, if considering all matches with a score, including friendlies, festive games, and army team matches, the record holder is another. In this case, Pelé is the top scorer, as in the 1959 season he reached a total of 126 goals in 104 matches.

2. Largest audience attendance at a match

Everyone knows that fans are the heart of sports, but in soccer, this is even more present. In the case of this record, the largest number of spectators in a stadium to watch a match was counted.

The record goes to the 1950 World Cup final between Brazil and Uruguay. In total, there were 199,854 spectators filling all available spaces in the arena to watch the contest.

It is worth remembering that at that time, the parameters of security and capacity were not applied as they are today. Therefore, it was very common for fans to fill the stadiums, even if they were squeezed in the stands or standing.

Image: Pexels

3. Most consecutive games without conceding a goal

As they are the last line of defense on the field, goalkeepers have the arduous task of defending unpredictable and even improbable shots. Generally, this task requires rigorous training.

Despite this, having the support of other team members greatly facilitates the goalkeeper’s work. In this context, the record for the most consecutive games without the goalkeeper conceding goals belongs to player Geraldo Pereira, better known as Mazaropi.

According to the records, the former goalkeeper of Vasco da Gama, a Brazilian team from Rio de Janeiro, did not concede goals for more than 20 consecutive games between 1977 and 1978. The numbers show that Mazaropi spent 1,816 minutes defending attacks on goal and protecting the team’s defense.

Read more: 5 apps to watch live soccer and feel like you’re at the stadium

4. Most hat-tricks performed by a player in a career

Certainly, being a good scorer is an important skill for a professional soccer player. However, there are certain feats that are worthy of even more highlight, such as the hat-trick. Scoring three goals in a single match requires precision, strategy, accurate assists, and good physical preparation.

However, there is a player who holds the record for the most hat-tricks performed in his career. This title belongs to the King of Soccer for Brazilian fans, as Pelé managed to score a total of 92 hat-tricks in his 21-year career.

Moreover, in relation to the number of goals scored in a single match, there are records that exceed hat-tricks. In more than 31 matches, Pelé scored four goals, but there are another 6 games in the Brazilian Championship where he scored 5 goals at once.

Image: Pexels

5. Most consecutive appearances in a World Cup

The competitiveness of the World Cup begins even before the opening ceremony, as the qualifying stage is brutal enough to disqualify some teams. During this period, the games are extremely fierce, vying for the chance of the national team to compete for the great trophy.

Brazil and the Brazilian team hold the record for the most consecutive appearances in a World Cup. This means that the team survived the different qualifiers and various qualifying games over the decades.

More specifically, there were 21 consecutive tournaments. In other words, Brazil is the only team in the world that has competed in all editions of the competition.

6. Goal scored from the farthest distance

Scoring long-distance goals seems impossible and is something reserved only for video games. Usually, this type of scoring raises cheers from the crowd and becomes part of history, as they are rare and special feats. Not surprisingly, this is one of the biggest records in soccer.

In the record for goals scored from the farthest distance, the credit goes to the Bosnian goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in 2014. The player achieved the incredible feat of kicking the ball from his own defensive area and making it enter the opponent’s goal.

The records of the match are astonishing, as the ball traveled 91.9 meters and scored a point for his team, Stoke City. Despite the rivals Southampton having won, the record was entered into the Guinness World Records book.

Moreover, this record has an additional aspect, as it was scored in the first 13 seconds of the game. If you have never seen this scene, check out the play at this link.

So, did you like this list of the biggest records of soccer?

With the emergence of a new generation of professional players, the trend is that these older records will be constantly challenged. However, it will require a lot of training and dedication for new sports idols to rise in the history of the modality.