FIFA World Cup 2018: Here are 15 lesser known and unusual facts surrounding the football World Cup

The 2018 bid to host the FIFA World Cup was won by Russia which is to host the most epic season of football. While the teams are gearing up to execute their best of strategies, we take a look at some of the lesser known facts surrounding the football world cup.

1. The players are suggested by their coaches to refrain from partaking in any sexual activities as it may hamper their concentration during the tournament.

1. Since it is a mighty tournament that takes place once every four years, football fans all over the world tune in to witness ace players create history. That being said, nearly 50 per cent of the world’s population watches FIFA.

2. According to reports, the country that hosts the world cup has an increased birth rate. Even if it’s by 10 per cent, it is significant in places with a stagnant population.

3. The most expensive football world cup hosted was by Brazil with a whopping 5 billion dollars.

4. In the 2002 World Cup, Turkey’s Hakan Sukur scored a goal in just 11 seconds. The goal helped the Turks defeat South Korea 3:2 and finish the tournament in 3rd place.

5. Uruguayan defender Jose Batista holds the proud record of the fastest red card in World Cup History. He was sent off just 56 seconds into the match after he committed a high studded slide tackle to the back of the legs of Scottish midfielder Gordon Strachan.

6. India withdrew from the 1950 World Cup. They did it because of FIFA regulations that players had to wear football boots and would not be allowed to play barefoot. However the other side of the story suggests that travelling to Brazil was not easy and that the air fare was the main reason to back out.

1. Norman Whiteside was 17 when he played in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, making him the youngest player to play in the world cup. Whereas in 1992, 42-year-old Roger Milla became the oldest goal scorer and the oldest player in world.

2. The largest attendance for a Football match was 199,854. The match was played between Brazil and Uruguay in the World Cup at the Maracana Municipal Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, in July 1950. However the fewest number of fans to watch a game was 300 in Uruguay in 1930.

3. As per legend Sir Viv Richards is the only person to have played both World Cup Football and World Cup Cricket. He played football for Antigua in 1974 World cup qualifiers.

4. In 1966, the World Cup trophy was stolen and later found by dog days before the tournament began.

5. Mexico holds the record for most defeats in World Cup history, losing 22 matches.

6. The World Cup was not played in 1942 and 1946 because of World War II.

7. A Simpsons episode has been dedicated to the 2014 World Cup.

8. The Russian coach Fabio Capello is the highest paid coach at the 2014 World Cup with an annual income of 11,235,210 dollars. (that’s about 763 times more than the average person in Russia)