Whether or not you’re a believer in the long-list of statistics now churned out at every top soccer match, we have them.
Traditionalist often brush off stats as, ‘numbers without meaning’ but this World Cup saw the advent of plenty of mind-blowing stats that helped analyze the games and the entire tournament.
[ RELATED: Story of the 2014 WC ]
Below we have compiled a plethora of statistical picking from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Take a browse through and see what you think. We also have compiled a list of notable records broken at the World Cup.
As the German domination shows, the stats never lie. Plus a few U.S. players got in on the act. Nice!
| Top 10 goals | PST’s best XI | Story of the WC | Top 10 moments | Grades |
RECORDS AT 2014 WORLD CUP
Most goals in a World Cup: 171 total goals equaled the 1998 World Cup as the highest scoring in history
Most goals by any player in World Cup: Miroslav Klose became the top scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals
Foreign soil: Germany became the first European team to win the WC in either North, South or Central America
Most CONCACAF teams into knockout rounds: For the first time since the new format in 1986, three CONCACAF teams made the last 16
Group winners prevail: All eight group winners won their last 16 matches for the first time in history
Impact off the bench: More goals scored by substitutes than in any other World Cup (32)
Howard’s heroics: Tim Howard made more saves, 15, than any ‘keeper at the World Cup in recorded history vs. Belgium
Oldest player ever: Goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon, Colombia became the oldest player at a World Cup aged 43 years, three days
Three-peat: Nine players scored in a third World Cup, Klose in his fourth - Tim Cahill, Cristiano Ronaldo, Clint Dempsey, Miroslav Klose, Asamoah Gyan, Rafael Marquez, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, David Villa.
STATS FROM THE 2014 WORLD CUP
Top goalscorer: James Rodriguez, six
Most clean sheets: Manuel Neuer, Germany. Sergio Romero, Argentina. Jasper Cillessen, Netherlands. - Four
Late collapse: Argentina only trailed for seven minutes the entire tournament, that came in the final
Attendance: 3,429,873 (53,592 per match)
Fastest goal: Clint Dempsey, USA - 0:29 seconds (fifth fastest in history)
Youngest player to score: Julian Green, USA - 19 years and 25 days old
Youngest player: Luke Shaw, England - 18 years, 348 days
Oldest player: Faryd Mondragon, Colombia - 43 years, three days
Number of penalties: 13
Red cards: 8, the fewest number since 1986
Least goals conceded: Costa Rica, 2
Most goals conceded: Brazil, 14
Most goals scored: Germany, 18
Average goals per game: 2.7 (2.3 in 2010)
Average passes per team: 396 (353 in 2010)
Average passes per game: 1039
Average playing time per game: 57.6 minutes (54 minutes in 2010)
Most passes by a team: 4157 (Germany)
Player with highest pass completion: Philipp Lahm, Germany - 86.3 percent, 562 passes completed
Longest distance covered: Thomas Muller, Germany (83,957 meters)
Most goals in a match: Brazil 1-7 Germany (Eight)
Most attempts on goal in a match: Belgium vs. USA (52 shots)
Most cards in a match: Costa Rica vs. Greece (7 yellows, 1 red card)
Most passes completed in a match: Germany vs. Argentina (1501 passes)
Team who allowed the most shots: USA - 67, tournament average - 44.8
Team who had the most attempts: Brazil -111, tournament average - 52.6