Topic: Football facts that don’t seem real

[Jingle wils 21 thrills]

Got this idea from Twitter... add your own 

- David Ginola only scored 13 goals for Spurs
- Juan Mata has been sent off more times (1) than Marcos Rojo for Man Utd
- AS Roma have only won 3 league titles in their history
- No English manager has ever won the Premier League
- Michael Owen has never scored more than 20 goals in a league season
- Ozil has assisted Joel Campbell more times than he’s assisted Aubameyang
- Olivier Giroud has as many France goals as Robert Pires, Franck Ribery, and Nicolas Anelka combined

And an interesting one, our lineup in the CL final in 2019 was the only time that particular lineup had started a game together.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

That last one is incredible given only Matip/Gomez was the real selection dilemma around that time. Was it just unavailability of everyone at the same time that stopped them playing more together?

[sinnermichael]

Mark Hughes once played for his club and his country on the same day.

[keyop]

One of my favourites, and one of the most incident packed games in history -

In 1986 defender Alvin Martin scored a hat-trick for West Ham against 3 different Newcastle goalkeepers in the same match.

The starting keeper was taken off through injury and replaced with a defender, who then got injured and was replaced in goal by none other than...........Peter Beardsley

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/21/alvin-martin-hat-trick-past-three-goalkeepers-west-ham-newcastle-forgotten-story

[bornandbRED]

Harry Kane was on the pitch playing for Leicester when Troy Deeney scored that goal for Watford

[A Complete Flop]

There's a Man United players wife Ryan Gigg's didn't screw.

[gjr1]

Not much of a fact but...

There’s a saying that you need a 20 goals a season goal scorer to win the title

We had 2 in one season and still didn’t win

[Santas robbed me shorts]

Ivo Stas  is the only Aston Villa player who has scored for the club without every actually playing for them.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Ivo Stas  is the only Aston Villa player who has scored for the club without every actually playing for them.

?

More info required

[Statto Red]

Former Tranmere keeper Eric Nixon played in all 4 divisions in one season in season 86/87

 Nixon walked into Manchester City's stadium, Maine Road and asked for a trial. In August 1986 he went on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were then in the Fourth Division, making sixteen league appearances. This was followed by short spells on loan at Bradford City, who were then in the Second Division, in November 1986, and Southampton, who were then in the First Division, in December 1986. The following month he went out on loan again, this time to Carlisle United, who were then in the Third Division, where he made sixteen league appearances.[3]

Nixon's final loan move while at Manchester City came in March 1988, when he was sent to Tranmere Rovers, for whom he made eight league appearances. Tranmere keeper Eric Nixon played in all 4 divisions in one season

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

Read one recently.

Hungary went 4 years unbeaten (32 games) before losing in the World Cup Final in 1954 having been 2-0 up.

[Statto Red]

Harry Kane was on the pitch playing for Leicester when Troy Deeney scored that goal for Watford

Kane was on loan to Leicester at the time.

Michael Oliver the referee from that Watford vs Leicester playoff match, was the same referee from the last match of the league season 2 weeks earlier in league one Brentford vs Doncaster,, Brentford had to win, Doncaster needed a draw at worst for automatic promotion, match 0-0 gone 90 minutes, Brentford awarded a penalty, missed the penalty, Doncaster went up the other end of the pitch & scored a winner, & won the division, Brentford lost in the playoff final.

AFC Bournemouth finished second in league one that season & were promoted to the championship too.

[aw1991]

Read one recently.

Hungary went 4 years unbeaten (32 games) before losing in the World Cup Final in 1954 having been 2-0 up.

A fucking travesty as well, the greatest national side to have never won it imo.

[FiSh77]

?

More info required

He scored an OG playing against them in a UEFA cup game then joined them later that season, got injured in training and never played a game

[sinnermichael]

Giuseppe Bergomi played in four World Cups but did not appear in ANY qualifiers.

[Gods_Left_Boot]

Giuseppe Bergomi played in four World Cups but did not appear in ANY qualifiers.

Yeah, that's a fascinating one. He was called up directly for the World Cup as an 18 year old in 1982, then Italy didn't have to qualify for the 1986 WC (having won the previous one) and in 1990 (as they hosted the tournament). He was then frozen out of the squad by Arrigo Sacchi and retired from international football for 7 years before accepting to be called up for the France 98 World Cup at the last minute because of an injury crisis.

[Sprouts of Spion]

Nice thread.

In 1972 Liverpool played Arsenal at Highbury. A linesman tore knee ligaments and there was no one to replace him until pundit and TV presenter Jimmy Hill volunteered to step in. Untill then, Hill had been a spectator in the stands. He ran the line for the remaining three quarters of the match, which ended 0-0.

[BobPaisley3]

Giuseppe Bergomi played in four World Cups but did not appear in ANY qualifiers.

Never heard that one before. Brilliant.

[Drinks Sangria]

James Milner made his debut as part of a Leeds squad that had 5 players actively playing pro football in the 1980s.

As far as eyebrow raising duos go - Shaun Wright Phillips played up front with George Weah for Manchester City on one occasion.

[Luvva bevvy on Chrimbo day]

One of my favourites, and one of the most incident packed games in history -

In 1986 defender Alvin Martin scored a hat-trick for West Ham against 3 different Newcastle goalkeepers in the same match.

The starting keeper was taken off through injury and replaced with a defender, who then got injured and was replaced in goal by none other than...........Peter Beardsley

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/21/alvin-martin-hat-trick-past-three-goalkeepers-west-ham-newcastle-forgotten-story

Not sure what’s most surprising about that fact, whether it was past 3 different keepers or the fact Alvin Martin scored a hatrick. Can’t imagine he got many

[Luvva bevvy on Chrimbo day]

Not exactly unknown, but Bert Trautmann played the last 15 minutes of the 1956 FA Cup final with a broken neck after a collision.

[Drinks Sangria]

Rio Ave once had Jan Oblak and Ederson in their squad at the same time.

Brian Deane scored 7 times in 18 appearances for Benfica.

[PaulF]

Manchester United have completed 90 minutes of football without being awarded a penalty.

[The Christmas Tree Angel]

Manchester United have completed 90 minutes of football without being awarded a penalty.

Nah not having that.

[slaphead]

Iago Aspas took more corners than he had shots at goals playing for us

[exiledintheUSA]

James Milner made his debut as part of a Leeds squad that had 5 players actively playing pro football in the 1980s.

Along the same lines:  Nigel Winterburn turns 58 this year, he played in the game that James Milner made his debut.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

One that always gets me - Fernando Torres played more matches for Chelsea than he did for Liverpool.

Van Nistelrooy only won one Premier League.

Gareth Bale didn’t win a match playing for Spurs until his 25th attempt.

[Statto Red]

Brazil have only played Germany/West Germany twice in world cups, first meeting the final in 2002, then the infamous semi final in 2014.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

Brazil have only played Germany/West Germany twice in world cups, first meeting the final in 2002, then the infamous semi final in 2014.

That’s pretty crazy given they must be the two most successful sides and probably played the most matches between them.

[FiSh77]

Not exactly unknown, but Bert Trautmann played the last 15 minutes of the 1956 FA Cup final with a broken neck after a collision.

Sure there was someone else who broke a bone in a cup final, can't remember who it was and doubt anyone on here will know as apparently the fella didn't like to mention it

[slaphead]

Sure there was someone else who broke a bone in a cup final, can't remember who it was and doubt anyone on here will know as apparently the fella didn't like to mention it

Wasn't that one of our lads in the 60's or 70's ?  Sure I heard that mentioned before, can't recall who though

[Something Worse]

Wasn't that one of our lads in the 60's or 70's ?  Sure I heard that mentioned before, can't recall who though

Maybe, but that's not who he's referring to haha

[classycarra]

Wasn't that one of our lads in the 60's or 70's ?  Sure I heard that mentioned before, can't recall who though

Think you're thinking of Gerry Byrne, who broke his collarbone three minutes into the 65 FA Cup Final

The other one is heavily sarcastic, because the guy (former chairman) is a knobhead

[Statto Red]

That’s pretty crazy given they must be the two most successful sides and probably played the most matches between them.

It is, by contrast Germany/West Germany have played Argentina 7 times at the world cup including 3 finals, Argentina have only won 1 match against Germany/West Germany at a world cup finals, the final in 86.

[Something Worse]

Didi had a broken foot in Istanbul too, FWIW

[slaphead]

Think you're thinking of Gerry Byrne, who broke his collarbone three minutes into the 65 FA Cup Final

The other one is heavily sarcastic, because the guy (former chairman) is a knobhead

That's him. Ah right I see, the irony was lost on me there 

[LallanaInPyjamas]

One that always gets me - Fernando Torres played more matches for Chelsea than he did for Liverpool.

Completely believable.

One of the maddest ones is that Balotelli's one and only assist in his Premier League career was for the Agueroooo moment.

[Naby Lad]

Steve Bruce once scored 19 goals in a single season for Man Utd.

Fernando Hierro was Spain’s all time leading goalscorer when he retired.

[disgraced figgy pudding]

Re: the end of the OP, I'm pretty sure the starting 11 in Istanbul also never played together before and certainly never after

[B0151?]

One that always gets me - Fernando Torres played more matches for Chelsea than he did for Liverpool.

Van Nistelrooy only won one Premier League.

Gareth Bale didn’t win a match playing for Spurs until his 25th attempt.

That first one for me is always crazy

But I remember the Bale curse well