Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, other star footballers who have broken records at 2022 World Cup

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has presented many surprises with Morocco’s win against Spain and Portugal apparently the most intriguing of them. Football fans are waiting patiently for more upsets as the global football fiesta continues. However, apart from the upsets, teams and players have been busy breaking and making new records since […]

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has presented many surprises with Morocco’s win against Spain and Portugal apparently the most intriguing of them.

Football fans are waiting patiently for more upsets as the global football fiesta continues.

However, apart from the upsets, teams and players have been busy breaking and making new records since the event started.

Daily Trust has highlighted below some of those new records made by players.

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Cristiano Ronaldo: The first male to score at five World Cups

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player to score at five World Cups with a goal for Portugal against Ghana.

The 37-year-old striker converted a penalty in the 65th minute to give Portugal a 1-0 lead.

He has now scored in every World Cup since his first in 2006 when he converted a penalty against Iran in the group stage.

Ronaldo scored one goal at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, another at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, and four in Russia in 2018.

Ronaldo extended his men’s record tally of international goals to 118.

He also equalled the men’s international world record of 196 selections when he came on as a substitute for Portugal in the second half of their World Cup quarter-final against Morocco.

Ronaldo, who had started a second consecutive match on the bench, equalled the record set by Kuwait international Bader Al-Mutawa.

 

Messi’s many record-breaking performances

Lionel Messi has already written his name in the history books of this year’s edition of the FIFA World Cup.

In Qatar, Messi has already claimed a number of records. When Messi led his team out against Poland in Argentina’s final group game, history was made for his country.

Appearing in his 22nd game at a World Cup, the PSG frontman surpassed the late Diego Maradona for games played for his country in the tournament.

Maradona played 21 times for the nation he captained, but now his record falls to the man who now wears the armband.

And Messi added his 23rd game at a World Cup in the 2-1 win over Australia in the round of 16.

Messi also drew level with Gabriel Batistuta at the top of Argentina’s all-time FIFA World Cup scorers list with a goal against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal on Friday.

Messi scored his 10th goal for Argentina in World Cups when he converted a spot kick in the 73rd minute. The goal gave a 2-0 lead to Argentina.

Batistuta had managed a final tally of 10 goals in World Cups in 12 appearances over the 1994-2002 editions.

This was Messi’s fourth goal in the Qatar World Cup. He scored a goal each against Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Australia. His overall tally with Argentina inched one higher to 95 goals, in his 170th appearance.

Manuel Neuer: Most appearances for a goalkeeper in World Cup history

Bayern Munich goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, broke a FIFA World Cup record during Germany’s Group E game against Costa Rica on Thursday, December 1.

Neuer became the highest-capped goalkeeper in the history of the tournament (19) as he started the game.

Neuer made his World Cup debut back in 2010. His debut came against unexpected circumstances after Rene Adler was injured ahead of the tournament in South Africa.

Then-Schalke 04 goalkeeper, Neuer impressed the world with his spectacular performances between the sticks.

He has been the country’s number-one choice since.

Neuer was crucial as Germany lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy in 2014, winning the Golden Glove that year.

Eight years later, he is now the most-capped goalkeeper in the history of the tournament.

The clash against Costa Rica also marked Manuel Neuer’s 117th appearance for the German national team.

Mbappe: The first player to score nine World Cup goals before turning 24

Having provided the assist for Olivier Giroud’s opener against Poland last Sunday, Mbappe showcased his fantastic finishing by smacking his first into the roof of the net before curling a glorious second into the far corner.

He is now the competition’s top scorer with five and added to the four he netted in France’s triumphant 2018 World Cup campaign. He has already overtaken Argentina’s Diego Maradona, who scored eight, while Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has also reached that tally.

At 23, Mbappe is the youngest player to score nine World Cup goals, breaking the record held by Eusebio, who scored eight for Portugal by the age of 24 and 182 days.

Former Premier League striker Dion Dublin said on BBC One: “He is playing the game as though he is in the park. He is an incredible footballer.”

 

Olivier Giroud: Most goals for France

Olivier Giroud made history last Sunday by taking the title of France’s all-time top goalscorer having found the net against Poland at the World Cup.

The AC Milan striker was level with Thierry Henry coming into France’s fourth match of the tournament and became the outright holder after his goal at the Al Thumama Stadium.

Giroud, 36, scored his first international goal in France’s friendly win over Germany in February 2012, and over the past decade has climbed the rankings, getting his 52nd goal for his country against Poland with a simple, classy finish.

He scored the winner as holders France beat England 2-1 in a tense World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, taking his tally to 53.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea man was part of the French side that won the World Cup in Russia four years ago and was also involved when France finished runners-up in the European Championships in 2016.

In more than a decade with France, he has made 116 appearances, scoring a hat-trick against Paraguay in a friendly in June 2017.

He has also netted 10 braces, including his duo of goals in their 4-1 win over Australia, which took him to a half-century of goals for Les Bleus.

His 50th goal in international play came five years after his 25th goal.

Jamal Musiala: Most dribbles in a match

Germany have now failed to get past the group stage at each of the last two World Cups, having made it past the first round in each of the previous 16 tournaments since 1954.

That was despite the efforts of Jamal Musiala, who completed 12 dribbles against Costa Rica – the most on record for a teenager at the World Cup.

Also, his 24 touches in the opposition box was the highest registered by any player in the tournament’s history.

Musiala, a Nigerian-born attacking midfielder who plays for Bayern Munich, was one of the youngsters listed by Daily Trust to shine at the world cup.

Kane equals Rooney’s England goal-scoring record

Harry Kane became England’s joint all-time leading goal scorer on Saturday, striking for the 53rd time against France in the World Cup quarter-finals to join Wayne Rooney at the top of the charts.

The captain, playing his 80th international, scored England’s only goal early in the second half at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar to pull level with former Manchester United forward Rooney.

The Tottenham forward scored his first senior international goal just seconds into his debut as a Wembley substitute against Lithuania in March 2015.

The 29-year-old was named as Gareth Southgate’s skipper ahead of the 2018 World Cup and led the team to the semi-finals, bagging the Golden Boot with six goals in Russia.

He scored four goals at last year’s European Championship to help England reach their first major final since 1966.