As the World Cup approaches, Mexico prepares to face off against South Africa once more in the tournament’s opening match, echoing their encounter from the 2010 World Cup. Matt Reilly raises an interesting point: is this the first time that the opening game features the same teams from a previous World Cup?
During the first match of South Africa’s World Cup in 2010, the two teams played to a 1-1 draw. Siphiwe Tshabalala scored a remarkable opening goal for South Africa, but Rafael Márquez responded with an equalizer in the dying moments. This time, the match will unfold at the historic Azteca Stadium on Thursday.
This scenario isn’t entirely unique; Mexico has experienced a similar situation before. In fact, past World Cups often kicked off with multiple matches occurring simultaneously. For instance, during the inaugural tournament in Italy in 1934, all 16 participating nations took the field at the same hour on May 27 at 4 PM CET.
The last instance of simultaneous opening matches took place in Chile in 1962, a setup that allowed for potential repeated encounters. Between 1950 and 1962, Brazil clashed with Mexico three times across four tournaments.
In 1950, the World Cup held in Brazil featured a standalone opening match. However, in both 1954 and 1962, it was part of a series of four matches. Brazil triumphed in each of these encounters, with their 1962 victory showcasing a legendary goal from Pelé.
- 1950: Brazil 4-0 Mexico (Goals: Ademir 2, Jair, Baltazar)
- 1954: Brazil 5-0 Mexico (Goals: Baltazar, Didi, Pinga 2, Julinho)
- 1962: Brazil 2-0 Mexico (Goals: Zagallo, Pelé)
In the 2014 tournament, Mexico found themselves in the same group as Brazil, which raised the possibility of their match serving as the opening game. Instead, Brazil began their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Croatia and later played Mexico to a scoreless draw.
In contrast, the Women’s World Cup, which began in 1991, has had only one opening match, and there have been no repeat encounters in that format.
In an unexpected development, Peter Chamberlain notes that this year marks the first time no Real Madrid players have been included in Spain’s World Cup squad. Despite there being 10 Real Madrid players participating in the tournament, none will wear the Spain jersey. The previous low occurred in 1950 when Luis Molowny was the only Madrid player, competing against Uruguay.
Interestingly, the Spanish women’s team did not feature Real Madrid players during the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, as the women’s squad was only formed in 2014. However, by 2023, they have eight players on the roster, including Olga Carmona, who scored the winning goal in the final.
Former Everton Managers at the World Cup
Mike Hulse brings attention to the presence of three former Everton managers at this year’s World Cup: Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil), Roberto Martínez (Portugal), and Ronald Koeman (Netherlands). However, this does not set a record for the tournament.
Matthew Williams points out that four Chelsea managers will also be leading teams in the tournament hosted in the United States, which includes:
- Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil)
- Mauricio Pochettino (USA)
- Graham Potter (Sweden)
- Thomas Tuchel (England)
Additionally, Scotland features a former Chelsea assistant coach, Steve Clarke.
Historical Knowledge and Trivia
Paul Wilson raises a query about Tommy Smith’s recent selection for New Zealand’s World Cup squad, especially considering he played for Braintree Town last season, a team in the fifth-tier National League. He wonders if any player from such a low division has ever been chosen for a World Cup or continental championship.
This topic surfaced four years ago when a notable example included a player from the seventh tier. Back then, we discussed the 2006 World Cup, particularly the squads of Togo and Trinidad and Tobago. Leigh Cartwright mentioned, “In 2006, they included Dennis Lawrence, who played at fourth-tier Wrexham, and Evans Wise, who was in Germany’s fifth tier with Waldhof Mannheim.”
Further insights reveal that during the same tournament, three Togolese players were affiliated with clubs in the lower tiers of French football. Chai in Atalanta added that Affo Erassa was with AS Moulins (tier three), Alaixys Romao played for Louhans-Cuiseaux (tier three), and Richmond Forson was with amateur club Vendée Poiré sur Vie in Régional 1 (tier seven).
Lastly, Florian Camphausen shared an anecdote about a player who narrowly missed selection. “Sherif Touré Coubageat, from a German seventh-tier club, did see some action for Togo in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations but was not chosen for the World Cup.”
Can You Assist with These Queries?
Kári Tulinius inquires about German football legend Thomas Hässler, who won the World Cup in 1990 and the European Championship in 1996, noting that his club achievements are rather modest with only an Intertoto Cup trophy from his time at Karlsruher SC. He questions whether anyone has surpassed Hässler’s international accolades by two or more.
Brendon O’Mahony highlights Gary Lineker’s remarkable World Cup performance, pointing out that he scored six of England’s seven goals in the 1986 tournament. He asks if any player has managed to achieve a higher percentage of their nation’s goals in a World Cup while excluding teams that were eliminated in the group stage or those that scored three goals or fewer.
Stuart McLagan raises a query regarding Scotland’s 2026 squad, which features no more than three players from a single club, as Findlay Curtis was on loan at Kilmarnock but remains a Rangers player. He wonders if this represents the lowest number of players from one club in any World Cup squad. He also notes that with only Celtic, Bournemouth, and Hearts providing more than one player, the 21 different clubs represented could set a record. Additionally, he recalls the unusual case of El Salvador’s squad in the 1982 World Cup, which included only 20 players instead of the allowed 22 due to budget constraints, questioning if this remains the most recent instance of an under-strength squad.
