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More World Cup Facts

Brazil's Pele is the only player to win three World Cups - 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Paolo Rossi was the top scorer at the 1982 World Cup in Spain with six goals. Rossi's goals helped lead Italy to its third World Cup title.

July 31 was declared a national holiday in Uruguay, after they won the inaugural World Cup in 1930.

On June 6, 2009, Japan became the first country to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. On November 19, 2009, Uruguay became the last of the 32 teams to qualify.

The quickest World Cup red card went to Uruguay's Jose Batista who was red carded a mere 56 seconds into a first-round match against Scotland in the 1986 World Cup.

The referees' yellow card record goes to Valentin Ivanov, who brandished 16 yellow cards in a second round match between Portugal and the Netherlands at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Portugal's Eusebio was the top scorer at the 1966 World Cup in England with nine goals.

More World Cup Facts & Trivia

Mexico lost a record nine straight games at the World Cup (1930, 1950-58).

North Korea took a shocking 3-0 lead after only 22 minutes against Portugal in the quarter-finals of the 1966 World Cup. Somehow, the Portuguese managed to storm back and win the game 5-3.

No African, Central American, North American, Caribbean or Asian team has ever won the World Cup. European teams have won it eight times and South American teams have won it nine times.

The first African country to ever qualify for the World Cup was Egypt in 1934.

Poland's Ernst Willimowski was the first player in World Cup history to score four goals in a single game. It happened during a match against Brazil in the 1938 World Cup. Poland lost the match 6-5.

The oldest referee in a World Cup game, was George Reader of England, who was 53 when he officiated in a Brazil vs. Uruguay match in 1950.

Six players, including Brazil's Garrincha, finished tied (4 goals each) as the tournament top scorers at the 1962 World Cup in Chile.