Italy holds the record for the longest time without conceding a goal. Walter Zenga went 517 minutes (against Austria, USA, Czechoslovakia, Uruguay and Ireland) without picking the ball out of his net. Ironically the only goal he did concede (to Claudio Cannigia of Argentina) led to the penalty shoot out that eliminated the hosts in 1990.

The only two teams in World Cup history to retain their title are Italy, in 1934 and 1938, and Brazil, in 1958 and 1962.

Brazil, with 19 consecutive qualifications, are the only nation to have played in every single FIFA World Cup. Brazil also hold the record for consecutive wins — 11 victories in succession between 2002 and 2006.

Mexico suffered an unlucky 13 consecutive losses between 1930 and 1958.

Bulgaria went an amazing 17 consecutive matches without a victory between 1962 and 1994. However, they dumped their losing habit in the World Cup in the USA, reaching the semi-finals with a team inspired by Hristo Stoichkov (who top scored that year with six goals).

Antonio Carbajal of Mexico and Lothar Matthaus of Germany are the only men to have appeared in five World Cup competitions, encompassing 16 years of top-level competitiveness. Matthaus owns the match appearance record, having contested 25 matches between 1982 and 1998

Brazilian right back Cafu has turned out on the winning side 16 times for Brazil, a record. Cafu is also the only man to have actually played in the World Cup final on three separate occasions

Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer in the history of the World Cup with 15 goals for Brazil between 1998 and 2006

Just Fontaine of France holds the record for the most goals scored in a single tournament with 13 in 1958. Sandor Kocsis of Hungary is second with 11 goals in only 5 games in 1954.

Four players have scored three goals in the actual final of the tournament — Geoff Hurst (who remains the only man ever to notch a hat trick in 1966), Vava (1958/62), Pele (1958/70) and Zinedine Zidane (1998/2006).

Jairzinho remains the only man to have scored in every match of a World Cup tournament, including the final. He managed at least one goal in all six matches Brazil played in the 1970 tournament.

Pele holds the record as the youngest ever goal scorer in tournament history. His goal against Wales in 1958 came when he was only 17 years and 239 days old.

Walter Zenga holds the record for the longest consecutive period without conceding a goal, going 517 minutes unbeaten for Italy in 1990.

— Compiled by S. M. Bilal Kamal