Topic: Football facts that don’t seem real

[B0151?]

Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Naby Keita, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Is our most used line up under Klopp

But only 5 times! (All in the first 3 months of 18/19)

[Red_Mist]

Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Naby Keita, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Is our most used line up under Klopp

But only 5 times! (All in the first 3 months of 18/19)

Mad that Naby’s in there!

[Brain Potter]

Manchester United played a home league game against Arsenal at Anfield in 1971.

[Ray K]

Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Naby Keita, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Is our most used line up under Klopp

But only 5 times! (All in the first 3 months of 18/19)

The classic Man United treble XI - Schmeichel; Neville, Johnsen, Stam, Irwin; Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Cole, Yorke - actually only started one league game together, a game at Highfield Road in February 1999.

[Gods_Left_Boot]

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

There's a few of those pairings of traditionally great teams that have hardly played each other in World Cups:

France and Holland have never faced each other at a World Cup
Italy and Holland only played each other once (1978)
France and Spain only played each other  once (2006)
Argentina and Spain only played each other once (1966)

[Statto Red]

Manchester United played a home league game against Arsenal at Anfield in 1971.

Indeed, they played there second home game that season at Stoke

Owing to crowd trouble at Old Trafford the previous season, the FA ordered Manchester United to play their first two home games in the 1971-72 season at neutral venues.

https://www.11v11.com/matches/manchester-united-v-arsenal-20-august-1971-81190/

Same reason Wales played there home world cup qualifier match against Scotland at Anfield in 77.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

There's a few of those pairings of traditionally great teams that have hardly played each other in World Cups:

France and Holland have never faced each other at a World Cup
Italy and Holland only played each other once (1978)
France and Spain only played each other  once (2006)
Argentina and Spain only played each other once (1966)

I suppose with the way groups are seeded and then paths are mapped out to the final that in many cases you can only play another country if you both make the final of you end up on opposite sides of the draw. Still a bit mad about Germany and Brazil though. What’s the most played World Cup fixture out of interest?

I remember some stat about Italy hardly ever losing a WC qualifier at home one point but that Bergomi stat partly explains it if they went two tournaments in a row without having to play a qualifier. Must have gone the best part of a decade, possibly longer without having to play one (presumably Oct 81 to about Sep 92)?!

[mikeb58]

Great thread....don't know the full facts, but one team got beat 149-0, haha, all of them own goals! They where 'protest' oggies because the ref in charge had previously pissed them off in a important game, so this was their way of getting back at him!

Think it was about 20 years ago.

[Statto Red]

I suppose with the way groups are seeded and then paths are mapped out to the final that in many cases you can only play another country if you both make the final of you end up on opposite sides of the draw. Still a bit mad about Germany and Brazil though. What’s the most played World Cup fixture out of interest?

I remember some stat about Italy hardly ever losing a WC qualifier at home one point but that Bergomi stat partly explains it if they went two tournaments in a row without having to play a qualifier. Must have gone the best part of a decade, possibly longer without having to play one (presumably Oct 89 to about Sep 92)?!

Most common fixture in a world cup finals are

Brazil vs. Sweden 7
Argentina vs. Germany 7
Germany vs. Serbia 7

Argentina vs. England   5
Argentina vs. Italy 5
Argentina vs. Netherlands 5
Belgium vs. Russia 5
Brazil vs. Czech Republic 5
Brazil vs. Italy 5
Brazil vs. Netherlands   5
Brazil vs. Spain   5
England vs. Germany   5
France vs. Italy 5
Germany vs. Italy 5

Argentina vs. Brazil 4
Argentina vs. Nigeria   4
Austria vs. Germany 4
Austria vs. Italy   4
Brazil vs. Chile 4
Brazil vs. England 4
Brazil vs. France 4
Brazil vs. Mexico 4
Brazil vs. Poland 4
Brazil vs. Scotland 4
Brazil vs. Serbia   4
France vs. Germany 4
France vs. Mexico 4
Germany vs. Spain 4
Germany vs. Sweden 4
Germany vs. Switzerland 4
Germany vs. Uruguay   4

[BoRed]

There has been at least one Brazilian player on the pitch in every Champions League final since 2000. The longest such run for any European nation is ten years in a row.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

There has been at least one Brazilian player on the pitch in every Champions League final since 2000. The longest such run for any European nation is ten years in a row.

Havent Bayern had at least one player feature in a WC Final every time since something like 1978? Obviously helps that Germany have been in quite a few but still mad 

[Elzars brussels sprouts farts]

Havent Bayern had at least one player feature in a WC Final every time since something like 1978? Obviously helps that Germany have been in quite a few but still mad 

Inter Milan

1982: Beppe Bergomi, Gabriele Oriali, Alessandro Altobelli (Italy)

1986: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)

1990: Andrea Brehme, Jurgen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthaus (West Germany)

1994: Nicola Berti (Italy)

1998: Youri Djorkaeff (France), Ronaldo (Brazil)

2002: Ronaldo (Brazil)

2006: Marco Materazzi (Italy)

2010: Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands)

2014: Rodrigo Palacio (Argentina)

2018: Marcelo Brozovic, Ivan Perisic (Croatia)


Bayern Munich

1982: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Paul Breitner, Wolfgang Dremmler (West Germany)

1986: Lothar Matthaus, Dieter Hoeness, Norbert Eder (West Germany)

1990: Klaus Augenthaler, Jurgen Kohler, Stefan Reuter, Lothar Matthaus (West Germany)

1994: Jorginho Brazil)

1998: Bixente Lizarazu (France)

2002: Oliver Kahn, Carsten Jancker, Thomas Linke, Jens Jeremies (Germany)

2006: Willy Sagnol (France)

2010: Arjen Robben, Mark van Bommel (Netherlands)

2014: Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze (Germany)

2018: Corentin Tolisso (France)

[Jingle wils 21 thrills]

Jermaine Pennant is the only English player to have played in a Champions League final but never be capped for England

[Zee_26]

Jermaine Pennant is the only English player to have played in a Champions League final but never be capped for England

Pennant in the Champions League final brings up a strong memory of his uncle (?) being called for by the stadium announcer  .

[Ratboy3G]

Despite only playing 9 matches for Juventus in 2012/2013 (and scoring 0 goals), Nicklas Bendtner has won the same number of Serie A titles as the Francesco Totti (1).

[Clayton Bigsby]

Nigeria have been to 6 world cups and have faced Argentina 5 times, all in the group stages.

[Statto Red]

Nottingham Forest have won more european cups than they've won league titles

[Santas robbed me shorts]

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has played for 6 clubs (Ajax, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Man Utd) who have all won the European Cup/CL, but he's never won it as a player.

[Naby Lad]

Throughout his entire career in european football, Brazilian Ronaldo never won a Champions League and only won one league title.

[Santas robbed me shorts]

Antonio Nunez is the only Liverpool player to score his only goal for the club in a Cup Final - 2005 League Cup Final.

[Clayton Bigsby]

Throughout his entire career in european football, Brazilian Ronaldo never won a Champions League and only won one league title.

This is an amazing stat. Has won more world cups then he has major titles in Europe

[BarryCrocker]

Since Everton last won at Anfield, Blackpool have risen from the fourth tier to the premier league, won at Anfield, then fallen back to the fourth tier.

[Naby Lad]

This is an amazing stat. Has won more world cups then he has major titles in Europe

Especially when you consider the clubs he was at. PSV, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

He also won a Cup Winners Cup at Barca or does that not really count as a major trophy!

[Naby Lad]

He also won a Cup Winners Cup at Barca or does that not really count as a major trophy!

It doesn't count as a league title or champions league, no 

[Ratboy3G]

Queen of the South are the only football team mentioned in the Bible 😁

[Red Viper]

Queen of the South are the only football team mentioned in the Bible 😁

Corinthians surely?

[Ratboy3G]

Corinthians surely?

Yep, didn't think of them and to be honest it was something I read and didn't give to much thought to as I found it funny.

How about Charlie Adam is younger than Cristiano Ronaldo?

[Naby Lad]

Ashley Cole only won 1 league title at Chelsea.

He actually won more at Arsenal. Two.

[Nitramdorf]

I always found it hard to believe Alan Hansen only has 26 Scottish caps, it should be over a hundred.

[Paisley79]

Jermaine Pennant is the only English player to have played in a Champions League final but never be capped for England

That's purely down to semantics though. He may be the only one since it was re-branded as the Champions League in 1992, but if you take in to account the European Cup, he's definitely not the only one.

[Paisley79]

Wanderers, who won the first FA Cup Final in 1872, reached TWO finals having only won 1 previous round.

In the first year of the competition 1871-72:
1st round - given a walk-over as their opponents, Harrow Chequers, withdrew
2nd round - beat Clapham Rovers 1-0
Quarter-final - drew with Crystal Palace (not that one) 0-0 and both teams advanced to semi-final at discretion of FA!!
Semi-final -  drew 0-0 with Queens Park who then couldn't afford to travel for the replay, giving Wanderers a walk-over to the final

The cup was originally intended as a 'challenge' cup where teams fought it out to play the previous years winners in the final ('winner stays on' kind of concept!). The holders could also choose the venue! So, as winners in 1872, Wanderers were automatically in the 1873 final. Today's trophy is STILL engraved with the words 'The Football Association Challenge Cup' although the 1872-73 season was the only time the compeition actually followed this format.

[Red Cactii]

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has played for 6 clubs (Ajax, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Man Utd) who have all won the European Cup/CL, but he's never won it as a player.

Beat me to it! Was going to state that he won 12 straight league titles (albeit two were Calciopoli’d) without winning a UCL. Have a guess where his league winning streak ended 

[aw1991]

Didier Drogba signed his first professional contract at 21.

[J_Kopite]

Jermaine Pennant is the only English player to have played in a Champions League final but never be capped for England

I was about to tell you that you were wrong ready to cite Ryan Bertrand, but not only has he been capped 26 times, he actually went to Euro 2016. Shows how much attention I pay to England!

[Paisley79]

This is just plain weird! As reported in the Blackburn Standard, 25 November 1893: "On Friday evening Andrew Hannah, captain of the Liverpool Football Club, entered the den of forest bred lions and lionesses in Wombwell's Royal Menagerie. The daring act was to decide a wager, and Messrs Wombwell, upon Hannah completing his daring enterprise, handed to him the wager deposited to with them, and also presented him with a gold medal, value £5."

[Statto Red]

Wanderers, who won the first FA Cup Final in 1872, reached TWO finals having only won 1 previous round.

In the first year of the competition 1871-72:
1st round - given a walk-over as their opponents, Harrow Chequers, withdrew
2nd round - beat Clapham Rovers 1-0
Quarter-final - drew with Crystal Palace (not that one) 0-0 and both teams advanced to semi-final at discretion of FA!!
Semi-final -  drew 0-0 with Queens Park who then couldn't afford to travel for the replay, giving Wanderers a walk-over to the final

The cup was originally intended as a 'challenge' cup where teams fought it out to play the previous years winners in the final ('winner stays on' kind of concept!). The holders could also choose the venue! So, as winners in 1872, Wanderers were automatically in the 1873 final. Today's trophy is STILL engraved with the words 'The Football Association Challenge Cup' although the 1872-73 season was the only time the compeition actually followed this format.

Quite a few Scottish clubs have played in the FA Cup & Scottish Cup in the same season, Rangers, Hibs, Queens Park, Partick Thistle, & former clubs Cowlairs, Third Lanark, & Renton, Renton beat holders Blackburn Rovers

 Season 1886-87 Rangers were due to play Everton in the FA Cup but Rangers got a walkover win, so very Everton.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

Yeah but Blackburn went through after Renton failed a doping test.

[DangerScouse]

Pennant in the Champions League final brings up a strong memory of his uncle (?) being called for by the stadium announcer  .

haha . .  funnily enough i was outside the stadium trying to pick up tickets with him!!!

[Jingle wils 21 thrills]

Gary Cahill
James Milner
Phil Bardsley
Scott Carson
Fernandinho

Are all the same age.