In pursuit of the existing records, who are the names expected to make history in the World Cup?

The FIFA World Cup is not only a competition for the most coveted trophy, but also a stage where football history is written. Each edition brings new opportunities to break records, while the biggest names in world football move closer to legendary achievements.

Ahead of the next tournament, attention is focused not only on the title contenders, but also on the individuals who could leave their mark in the record books. From experienced coaches to stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappé, the race for history remains wide open.

Coaches and longevity records

The record for the oldest coach in a World Cup belongs to Otto Rehhagel, who led Greece in 2010 at the age of 71. That record could be challenged by coaches approaching similar ages, such as Miroslav Koubek, currently in his mid-70s, and Hugo Broos of South Africa, who is expected to be of similar age during the tournament.

Meanwhile, the record for most matches coached is held by Helmut Schön with 25 games. Didier Deschamps, currently on 19, could move closer to or even break that record if France progresses deep into the competition.

Veterans on the field

In the category of oldest goalscorers in knockout stages, the record is held by Pepe (39 years old). Candidates who could surpass it include Cristiano Ronaldo (41), Luka Modrić (40), and Edin Džeko (40).

The race for goals and victories

Miroslav Klose holds the record for most World Cup goals (16) and most wins (17). Lionel Messi is close in both statistics with 13 goals and 16 wins, while Kylian Mbappé (12 goals) is considered a serious long-term challenger.

Young talents and individual awards

The record for the youngest Ballon d’Or winner at a World Cup belongs to Ronaldo Nazário, who won it in 1998 at age 21. Emerging names such as Lamine Yamal, Désiré Doué, and Nico Paz are seen as potential future contenders, although it remains to be seen whether they will reach that level.

Other records under threat

Denílson leads with 11 appearances as a substitute, while Marcus Rashford (9) is close.

The record for clean sheets is shared by Peter Shilton and Fabien Barthez (10), with Thibaut Courtois (7) in pursuit.

For goals from outside the box, Rivaldo holds the record with 5, while Messi is just one goal away from matching it.

Regarding World Cup appearances, several players share the record with five tournaments, including Messi and Ronaldo, who could extend it further.

Cafu holds the record with three World Cup finals played, while Messi and Mbappé have two each.

Gabriel Batistuta holds the record for scoring hat-tricks in different editions, while players like Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Gonçalo Ramos, and Cristiano Ronaldo each have one hat-trick, putting them within reach of further history.

“KORÇA BOOM”