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World Cup

World Cup Overview

Vinicius Junior Real Madrid 2026-27

‘Five good games & worth 200m!’ - Are Vini & Co ‘superstars’?

Ex-Brazil international Anderson has told GOAL why the likes of Vinicius Junior may have earned “superstar” status prematurely, with any player that has “five good games” suddenly worth “200 million” in modern football. The former Manchester United midfielder continues to use Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the blueprint for what success really looks like.

Lamine Yamal Spain 2026

‘He talks, then he does’ - Why there is ‘no one’ like Yamal

Lamine Yamal is “different”, fellow Golden Boy award winner Anderson has told GOAL, with there “no one” close to the Barcelona wonderkid when it comes to the hottest prospects in world football. The Spain international winger, who now has a World Cup win on his ever-expanding roll of honour, is considered to be a serious contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

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World Cup, fixtures & results

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Standings

PosTeamPWDLFA+/-PTSForm
1FC Barcelone crestFC Barcelone77003172421
W
W
W
W
W
2Atlético Madrid crestAtlético Madrid7511167916
W
W
W
L
W
3Bétis Séville crestBétis Séville751197216
D
W
W
W
L
4Real Madrid crestReal Madrid75021881015
L
W
W
L
W
5FC Séville crestFC Séville7412109113
L
W
W
D
L
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Frequently asked questions

Brazil have won the World Cup five times, more than any other country. They first lifted the trophy in 1958, before successfully defending their title four years later. They then made it three in 1970, while also emerging victorious in 1994 and 2002 to show what they're made of.

The most recent edition of the World Cup, which took place in Qatar in 2022, featured 32 teams. However, from the upcoming edition in 2026, as many as 48 teams will be contesting for the ultimate prize in international football. The number of teams that will be featuring has almost quadrupled since the inaugural edition in 1930, which hosted 13 teams.

Lionel Messi holds the record of making the most appearances in World Cups, having represented Argentina 26 times across five editions.

Germany's Miroslav Klose tops the all-time goalscoring charts in World Cups, having scored an incredible 16 goals in 24 games across four consecutive editions from 2002 to 2014.

Egyptian legend Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to have ever featured in a World Cup game. The goalkeeper was 45 years and 161 days old when he participated in Egypt's 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia at the 2018 World Cup.

Former Manchester United man Norman Whiteside is the youngest player ever to play a World Cup game. The midfielder was just 17 years and 41 days old when he featured for Northern Ireland in a game against Yugoslavia at the 1982 World Cup.

Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Gerd Muller, Roberto Baggio, Ronaldo, Romario, Eusebio, Johan Cruyff, David Villa, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo among others are some of the biggest legends in footballing history who have graced the pitch during World Cups.

The likes of Didier Deschamps, Franz Beckenbauer, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Vicente del Bosque, Vittorio Pozzo, Louis van Gaal, Sven-Goran Eriksson, and Ivica Osim are some of the most accomplished individuals to have managed at the World Cup finals.