50 Fun Facts About 2018 FIFA World Cup

Which defending champions went out in the opening round of the 2018 World Cup, their earliest exit since 1938?

Germany finished bottom of its group after losing two of its three matches. It was the third World Cup in a row in which the holders fell at the first hurdle.

What kind of animal was Zabivaka, the goggle-wearing official mascot of the 2018 World Cup?

A wolf won the public vote with 53%, beating a tiger and a cat. The designer said the orange goggles were sports glasses, because Zabivaka runs so fast that he needs eye protection.

Which protest group claimed the pitch invasion by four people dressed as police during the 2018 World Cup final?

Pussy Riot said the stunt, early in the second half, was a protest against wrongful arrests. All four intruders were sentenced to 15 days in jail.

Which item of clothing worn by England manager Gareth Southgate saw sales jump during the 2018 World Cup?

A waistcoat was Southgate's touchline trademark, and Marks & Spencer reported a 35% rise in sales. Fans wore them for the semi-final on what was dubbed Waistcoat Wednesday.

Which 19-year-old became only the second teenager, after Pelé, to score in a World Cup final in 2018?

Kylian Mbappé struck low from 25 yards midway through the second half. He was named the tournament's best young player, and Pelé congratulated him on social media.

Where had the official match ball been before it was carried into the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony?

It had been on a space station, sent up to the International Space Station crew in March 2018 and brought back to Earth in early June. The ball was a Telstar 18, named after the 1970 World Cup ball.

Which Hollywood actor performed Live It Up, the official song of the 2018 World Cup, before the final?

Will Smith performed it with Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi at the closing ceremony in Moscow. The track was produced by Diplo.

Which team reached the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup ahead of Senegal only because of fewer yellow cards?

Japan and Senegal finished their group with identical records, so the fair play rule broke a World Cup tie for the first time. Senegal had collected two more bookings.

The 2018 World Cup produced twelve of what, doubling the previous tournament record of six set in 1998?

Own goals had never been so frequent at one tournament. One of the twelve came in the final in Moscow, the first ever scored in a World Cup final.

Which British singer gave the middle finger on camera while performing at the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony?

Robbie Williams made the gesture during his encore, and the American broadcaster Fox apologised for showing it live. He later said he regretted it.

By what score did France beat Croatia in the 2018 World Cup final, the first since 2002 settled without extra time?

France won 4–2 in Moscow, the highest-scoring final since 1966. Croatia had been taken to extra time in all three of its earlier knockout matches.

Which striker won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup with six goals, all scored before the quarter-finals?

Harry Kane was the first England player to take the award since 1986. He scored twice against Tunisia in his first match, the winner arriving in stoppage time.

Which midfielder won the Golden Ball as best player of the 2018 World Cup despite losing the final?

Luka Modrić captained Croatia to its first World Cup final, in only its fifth appearance at the tournament. He said that, despite the defeat, the team had achieved something big.

Which World Cup debutant drew 1–1 with Argentina in 2018 after its goalkeeper saved a Lionel Messi penalty?

Iceland was then the smallest nation by population to have reached a World Cup. Goalkeeper Hannes Halldórsson dived to his right to keep out Messi's kick.

Which country missed the 2018 World Cup after losing a play-off to Sweden, its first absence since 1958?

Italy lost the two-legged tie 1–0 on aggregate. It left the four-time champions out of the tournament for the first time in 60 years.

Which officiating aid, run from a single hub in Moscow, made its World Cup debut at the 2018 tournament?

Video assistant referees sat in one control room in Moscow, in radio contact with the referee on the pitch. A record number of penalties were awarded at the tournament.

Which player, at 33, became the oldest man to score a World Cup hat-trick, in a 3–3 draw in 2018?

Cristiano Ronaldo completed it with a late free kick into the top corner. The previous oldest scorer of a World Cup hat-trick was Rob Rensenbrink of the Netherlands, aged 30 in 1978.

Which coach in 2018 became the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager?

Didier Deschamps had captained France to the title in 1998. Only Brazil's Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer had done the double before him.

Which venue, the largest at the 2018 World Cup, hosted both the opening match and the final?

Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow staged seven matches in all. For the tournament its running track was removed and its artificial pitch was replaced with natural grass.

Which country, chosen at the same 2010 vote that gave Russia the 2018 World Cup, hosted the next tournament?

Qatar staged its World Cup in November and December 2022 to avoid the summer heat. It was the first played outside the traditional months of May, June and July.

England won a World Cup penalty shoot-out for the first time in 2018, beating which team in the last 16?

Colombia had forced extra time with a stoppage-time header from Yerry Mina. England had lost all three of its previous World Cup shoot-outs.

Which country sacked its coach a day before the 2018 World Cup began because he had agreed to join Real Madrid?

Spain dismissed Julen Lopetegui on 13 June and put Fernando Hierro in charge. The move to Real Madrid had been announced only the day before, with the squad already in Russia.

Which team scored twice in stoppage time to beat the defending champions 2–0 at the 2018 World Cup?

South Korea rolled its second goal into an empty net, after the opposing goalkeeper had gone upfield to join the attack and lost the ball.

Which team beat England twice at the 2018 World Cup, in the group stage and again in the third-place match?

Belgium won 1–0 in the group and 2–0 in Saint Petersburg to finish third, at the time the country's best result at a World Cup.

Which FIFA president announced in December 2010 that Russia would host the 2018 World Cup?

Sepp Blatter read out the result in Zürich after two rounds of voting. England, bidding for a second home tournament, had gone out in the first round.

Which England football anthem returned to number one in the UK during the team's 2018 World Cup run?

Three Lions was written for Euro 96, which England hosted, with music by Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds and words by the comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner.

In which host city did Russia's 2018 World Cup run end with a quarter-final shoot-out defeat to Croatia?

Sochi's Fisht Olympic Stadium had staged the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics. It was then refitted for football in time for the World Cup.

The Fan ID issued to ticket-holders at the 2018 World Cup let foreign supporters enter Russia without what?

An entry visa was waived for anyone holding the photo pass. It also gave free rides on public transport and on trains between the host cities.

Which France forward was named man of the match in the 2018 World Cup final after scoring a penalty?

Antoine Griezmann ended the tournament with four goals and two assists. That earned him the Silver Boot, and he also took the Bronze Ball as its third-best player.

Which goalkeeper, who denied Neymar with a late fingertip save, won the Golden Glove at the 2018 World Cup?

Thibaut Courtois was a Chelsea player at the time, and his save preserved a 2–1 quarter-final win over Brazil. A few weeks later he joined Real Madrid on a six-year contract.

Which goalkeeper lifted the 2018 World Cup as France captain despite gifting Croatia a goal in the final?

Hugo Lloris tried to dribble around a Croatia striker, who poked the loose ball into the unguarded net. France were 4–1 up at the time and held on to win.

Which debutant nation celebrated its first World Cup goal in 2018 while losing 6–1 to England?

Panama's goal was a half-volley by defender Felipe Baloy from a free kick. The match was also England's biggest win at a major tournament.

Which South American team returned to the World Cup in 2018 after an absence of 36 years?

Peru went out in the group stage but beat Australia 2–0 in its last match. That was the team's first World Cup win since 1978.

At 45, Essam El Hadary became the oldest player to appear at a World Cup in 2018, keeping goal for which country?

Egypt gave him his World Cup debut in its final group match, against Saudi Arabia. He saved a penalty in the first half but was beaten by a second one before the break.

Which Croatia striker scored at both ends in the 2018 World Cup final, something never done in a final before?

Mario Mandžukić headed a France free kick into his own net, then pounced on a goalkeeping error to score for Croatia. He had also hit the winner against England in the semi-final.

Which France World Cup winner was an assistant coach for the opposition in France's 2018 semi-final?

Thierry Henry had been an assistant to Roberto Martínez since 2016. He watched his home nation win the semi-final 1–0.

Which England defender scored from a free kick five minutes into the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia?

Kieran Trippier's early goal was not enough. Croatia equalised in the 68th minute and won 2–1 in extra time to reach its first final.

Which former England striker turned television presenter conducted the 2018 World Cup draw at the Kremlin?

Gary Lineker hosted the draw with the Russian sports journalist Maria Komandnaya. Former players including Diego Maradona, Cafu and Gordon Banks helped to pull out the teams.

Which France defender's half-volley against Argentina was voted the best goal of the 2018 World Cup?

Benjamin Pavard struck from outside the penalty area to make it 2–2 in a last-16 match that France went on to win 4–3. He was playing for Stuttgart at the time.

What were teams allowed in extra time for the first time at a World Cup in the 2018 knockout rounds?

A fourth substitution became available once a knockout match went past 90 minutes, on top of the usual three. The extra change could only be made during extra time.

Which Mexico veteran in 2018 became the first player to captain a team at five World Cups?

Rafael Márquez wore the armband against Brazil in the last 16 and came off at half-time. It was the final appearance of his professional career.

Which goalkeeper saved three penalties against Croatia in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup yet still lost?

Kasper Schmeichel stopped one kick in extra time and two in the shoot-out for Denmark. The goalkeeper at the other end saved three in the shoot-out, so Croatia went through.

In which host city were three former champions, Argentina and Brazil among them, knocked out of the 2018 World Cup?

Kazan staged six matches in all. France's 4–3 win over Argentina and Brazil's quarter-final defeat were both played there.

Which Russia player made two shoot-out saves to knock the 2010 champions out of the 2018 World Cup?

Igor Akinfeev kept out the final kick with his leg, and Russia scored all of its own penalties. He was named man of the match.

Which host city's stadium was given temporary stands outside its walls to reach capacity for the 2018 World Cup?

Yekaterinburg's Central Stadium needed 12,000 temporary seats to meet FIFA's minimum of 35,000. Building them outside the walls also protected the stadium's historic facade.

Which Croatia striker was sent home from the 2018 World Cup after refusing to come on as a substitute?

Nikola Kalinić cited back pain when asked to go on against Nigeria, and Croatia played the rest of the tournament with 22 players. He later declined a runners-up medal.

Which Russia winger in 2018 became the first substitute to score in a World Cup opening match?

Denis Cheryshev came on for the injured Alan Dzagoev after 24 minutes and scored twice in a 5–0 win. The first of them was also his first goal for Russia.

Which centre-back headed the only goal of France's 2018 World Cup semi-final from a corner kick?

Samuel Umtiti rose at the near post in the 51st minute in Saint Petersburg. The 1–0 win sent France to its third World Cup final.

Which Argentine referee took charge of both the opening match and the final of the 2018 World Cup?

Néstor Pitana was only the second referee to handle both games at one World Cup. The final was his fifth match of the tournament.

Which company made the Telstar 18, the official match ball of the 2018 World Cup in Russia?

Adidas first supplied the World Cup ball in 1970, when the original Telstar became the first World Cup ball with black-and-white panels. The 2018 version had a chip that buyers could read with a smartphone.