THE BEAUTIFUL GAME – FUN FACTS 2

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME – FUN FACTS 2

 

The beautiful game blog is a follow on from our addition earlier in the week. We still have a few more great facts we’d like to share with you. Football facts are fun and great to pass on down the pub when having a little pre-match banter with the boys. They also give you an insight into the amazing triumphs some of our football hero’s accomplished when playing. In our remaining facts we have World Cup records, goal keepers scoring and an unbelievable winning record for Dundee United.

 

THE YOUNGEST EVER WORLD CUP WINNER

Pele is now known and loved by fans all over the world. But back in 1958 he was a little know Brazilian teenager embarking on his International career. The World Cup was set in Sweden and although Pele was travelling with the squad he was in fact injured. Pele’s injury kept him out of the first 2 games of the tournament. At the age 17 years 235 days Pele became the youngest ever player in a World Cup, debuting against the then USSR.

The records didn’t stop there. In the quarter final against Wales Pele’s goal (the only goal of the match) not only took Brazil through to the final but made him the youngest player to score in a World Cup. Pele went on to do one better in the Semi scoring a hat-trick against France becoming the youngest player to do so in a World Cup.

Brazil with the help of this young super star claimed the World Cup that year. Unbelievable to think a player at 17 could dominate on the world stage like that in his first tournament. This crowned his accomplishment as the youngest player to ever win a World Cup.

 

Dundee United 4 – 0 Barcelona

This fact is an absolute shocker. The player makers and masters of European football Barcelona have fell to the sword against Dundee on 4 occasions. This losing streak gives Dundee a 100% winning record against the Spanish giants in official meetings by the sides.

In recent history we have to look to the 2013 Champions League semifinal. Bayern Munich the most dominant side in Germany and a major force in Europe crushed Barcelona over 2 legs. We have to go back to 1987 in a European tie against Dundee United to witness the last time the side lost both legs in Europe. As all Dundee fans will assure you the only time by a British side.

We must go back another 20 years again from 1987 to the clubs previous encounter. The tournament in question was the Inter-Cities Fairs cup. Over two legs Dundee came away with a 2-0 home win and a very impressive 2-1 away win in Spain.

 

GET YOUR FOOT BEHIND IT SON

Those who follow the beautiful game know how rare it is to see a goal keeper score a goal. In the past we have seen Peter Schmeichel sprinting up the field to bang in a header from a last minute corner. Though on this rare occasion in 2013 Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic actually score from his own box. Stoke City hosted Southampton on a windy afternoon at the Britannia Stadium. Seconds after the game kicked off the ball was played back to Begovic who launched it up field. Caught by a nasty gust of wind the ball flew all the way to the opposition box awkwardly bouncing over the keepers head and securing the goal for Stoke City.

In a show of great sportsmanship and goalkeeper etiquette Begovic refrained from celebrating. He later went on record saying “It’s a long ball that got caught in the wind and took a wicked bounce. It’s not nice to be on the receiving end of those things as a goal keeper.” Although surely unintentional the goal took Begovic into the record books with a distance of 91.9 meters. Becoming the longest goal scored in football.