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  4. A handful of records — including the all-time goals scored and appearances made — could be broken at the Qatar World Cup

A handful of records including the all-time goals scored and appearances made — could be broken at the Qatar World Cup

Barnaby Lane   

A handful of records — including the all-time goals scored and appearances made — could be broken at the Qatar World Cup
Argentina forwards Lionel Messi and Joaquin Correa.Getty/Rich Graessle
  • A number of soccer records can be broken or extended at the Qatar World Cup.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo can become the first player ever to score at five World Cups.

Lionel Messi could break the competition's appearance record.

Lionel Messi could break the competition
Lionel Messi.      Getty/Lev Radin

Lionel Messi has played in 19 World Cup games during his career – more than any other active player.

The record for the most World Cup games ever belongs to Germany's Lothar Matthäus with 25.

If Argentina make it the final and Messi plays in each of the seven matches, he would break Matthäus' record.

And also the record for the most knockout phase assists.

Messi's four assists in knockout phase games is a joint World Cup record he holds with Pelé, meaning he needs just one more to overtake the Brazilian legend.

Cristiano Ronaldo could become the first player to score at five World Cups.

Cristiano Ronaldo could become the first player to score at five World Cups.
Cristiano Ronaldo.      Getty/Jose Manuel Alvarez; Getty/Thomas Eisenhuth

Ronaldo is one of only three players in history to have scored at four separate World Cups, having done so in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018.

The other two are Germany greats Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler.

Should Ronaldo, who is facing legal action from Manchester United over his comments about the club in a recent interview with Piers Morgan, find the net in Qatar, he'll become the first player ever to score at five World Cups.

Neymar could surpass Pelé as Brazil's all-time leading scorer.

Neymar could surpass Pelé as Brazil
Pele, Neymar.      Getty/Alessandro Sabattini; Getty/Paolo Aguilar

Neymar currently has 75 goals for Brazil, meaning he needs just three more to surpass Pelé's record of 77, which has stood since 1971.

While Harry Kane could become England's scoring record-holder.

Kane is just three goals from breaking Wayne Rooney's record and becoming England's all-time highest goal scorer.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker has 51 goals in 75 games for the Three Lions. Rooney retired from international soccer in 2018 having scored 53 goals in 120 appearances.

Argentina can break the record for the most international matches without a loss.

Argentina can break the record for the most international matches without a loss.
Argentina is on a red hot run of form.      Getty/Martin Dokoupil

Argentina haven't lost in 35 matches, with its last defeat coming against Brazil in July 2019.

Go without defeat in the group stage in Qatar, and Lionel Scaloni's side will surpass Italy's record of 37 men's international games without loss.

Germany's Thomas Müller can become the World Cup's greatest ever goalscorer.

Germany
Thomas Muller.      Andreas Schaad/AP Images

Germany's Miroslav Klose is the World Cup's all-time top scorer with 16.

The closest active player to his record is Müller, with 10. Score seven times in Qatar and the Bayern Munch forward will surpass his compatriot's record.

While his teammate Manuel Neuer can break the tournament record for the most clean sheets.

England legend Peter Shilton and France's Fabien Barthez own the record for most clean sheets in FIFA World Cup history with 10 apiece.

Germany's Neuer can leapfrog them if he can shut his opponents out in four of his team's matches in Qatar.

 

Not every record up for grabs is desirable, however.

Not every record up for grabs is desirable, however.
Mexico face Poland, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia in Group C in Qatar.      Getty/Pau Barrena

Italy and England currently share the unwanted record for most draws in World Cup history, with 21 each. Italy didn't qualify for Qatar, meaning just one draw with England in the Middle East would give it sole ownership of the record.

Mexico are the current owners of the most World Cup defeats ever with 27. Unless El Tri win the tournament, that tally will only increase.

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