Unique Footballing Records That Will Never Be Broken
Football is a storied sport, with origins that remain a mystery; there are multiple countries claiming to have invented the sport. What we do know is that association football was formed in 1863 in England, and we know it now as The Football Association. Association football came in with fixed laws in place, improving safety, […]
Football is a storied sport, with origins that remain a mystery; there are multiple countries claiming to have invented the sport. What we do know is that association football was formed in 1863 in England, and we know it now as The Football Association. Association football came in with fixed laws in place, improving safety, functionality, and enjoyment for all involved.
With the sport constantly evolving, opportunities arose for fans out there to exploit. The technological advancements in football have allowed for records to be tracked more accurately, as well as providing a platform for fans to put their side hustle ideas, like footballing vlogs, into reality. With the storied history of football, various records date back to the early beginnings of the sport. In this article, we will cover some unique footballing records that we believe can never be broken.
Oldest Footballing Club – Sheffield F.C.
Sheffield F.C. is the oldest organised football team in the world, recognised by FIFA and the FA. The club was founded in October 1857 and remains present to this day. Currently, fans can find Sheffield F.C. playing in non-league, specifically in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division. Originally, Sheffield F.C. played games with its own players as no other football clubs existed at the time.
Hallam F.C. is the second oldest reported footballing club, which happens to be local to Sheffield F.C., who saw both teams compete in the first local derby, a fixture that still happens today. In their history, the greatest achievement from Sheffield F.C. would be the triumph in the FA Amateur Cup, followed by being runners-up in the FA Vase.
Most Red Cards in a Single Fixture – Claypole Vs Victoriano Arenas
A fixture that certainly did not lack entertainment value for the neutral. The game took place in the Argentine fifth division in February 2011. In the fixture, all 22 players on the pitch received red cards, as well as all the substitutes and the coaches of both teams, after a brawl started. The altercation kicked off as a result of a chain of dangerous tackles, as well as many confrontations that had occurred throughout the fixture. The fixture is in the Guinness World Record book for the most red cards in a football match, and we think the record will continue to be held.
Oldest Professional Footballer Ever – Kazuyoshi Miura
Kazuyoshi Miura is the oldest professional footballer ever at the age of 58, and counting! The forward plays for Athletico Suzuka, on loan from Yokohama FC. Currently playing in the fourth tier of Japanese football, Miura remains a professional and the oldest footballer ever. His career began in 1986, which was one year before footballing great Lionel Messi was born! In his long-lasting career, Miura became the first ever East Asian to play in the Serie A with his stint for Genoa. The 90s were arguably Miura’s best era, when he won the Asian Footballer of the Year in 1992 and won the J League MVP Award in 1993.
Most Goals Scored by a Goalkeeper – Rogerio Ceni
Scoring 131 professional footballing goals would be a great accomplishment for any footballer, never mind a goalkeeper. Rogerio Ceni’s career lasted 25 years, during which he found his home in São Paulo after beginning his career for Sinop. During his time in São Paulo, he would become the record-breaking appearance maker, winning 20 major titles with the club. His unique goalscoring record comes from his fantastic free-kick and penalty ability, with only one of his goals coming from open play. He is widely considered one of the greatest Brazilian goalkeepers of all time. His career highlight would be winning the World Cup in 2002. Ceni’s record is a clear outlier in the sport, with the second most goals scored being 67, nearly half of Rogerio Ceni’s record.
Most Goals in a Calendar Year – Lionel Messi
Messi’s tally of 91 goals in 69 official matches in 2012 will go down as one of the greatest footballing records of all time, and we think it’s unlikely anyone will come close to beating the Argentine. Looking at the record on its own is impressive enough, but when it is analysed in different ways, it becomes even more impressive. Diving into the 91 goals scored, Messi scored 13 goals in the UEFA Champions League, 5 goals in the Copa Del Rey, 2 in the 2 Supercopa titles, 12 internationally for Argentina, and then 59 goals in 38 league appearances in the top flight of Spanish football. The record Messi broke was Gerd Müller’s record set in 1972 with 85 goals. To put the record into perspective, the closest to breaking the record since the Argentine set it was Robert Lewandowski with 69 goals in 2021.