November 8, 2024

FIFA World Cup stats: Kylian Mbappe 5, Olivier Giroud 51, Saudi Arabia 2

Saudi Arabia #SaudiArabia

It was a memorable day of the World Cup with Saudi Arabia pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament by beating Argentina 2-1 on Tuesday. Defending champions France began their campaign on a winning note, overcoming Australia 4-1. Mexico’s match against Poland and Denmark vs. Tunisia ended goalless.

By the numbers has the best stats from the four World Cup matches played on Tuesday:

Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia 1

Saudi Arabia became the first Asian team and fifth non-European nation to score multiple goals in a World Cup game against Argentina.

They also scored multiple goals in a match for the first time since October 2021 — a 3-2 win over China.

40

Before Tuesday, Argentina were unbeaten in their last 40 World Cup matches when scoring first. This was their first loss in a FIFA World Cup match in which they have led at halftime since the 1930 final (4-2 vs. Uruguay).

36

Saudi Arabia snapped Argentina’s 36-game unbeaten streak (started in July 2019). Argentina were one unbeaten game shy of tying the longest in men’s national team history (2018-21 Italy).

5

Lionel Messi becomes the fifth player in history to score at four FIFA World Cups after Cristiano Ronaldo, Miroslav Klose, Pelé and Uwe Seeler.

0.14

Saudi Arabia’s Expected Goals (xG) was 0.14. This was the fewest in a World Cup game (since 1966) by a team that scored multiple goals.

Denmark vs. Tunisia 5

Denmark are now unbeaten in five games against CAF (African) teams at the World Cup.

0-0

There was only one 0-0 draw in the 2018 World Cup which was the fewest in any World Cup. Denmark were also involved in that one against France.

Mexico vs. Poland 0

Robert Lewandowski has the most goals by a UEFA player to have never scored in the World Cup.

3

Poland are the first team to fail to convert three consecutive World Cup penalties since data have been collected from 1966 (excluding shootouts).

4

Guillermo Ochoa kept his fourth clean sheet in the World Cups, most by a Mexican goalkeeper. He overtook Pablo Larios who had 3 in 1986.

France vs. Australia 1

Adrien Rabiot became the first France player to both score and assist a goal on his World Cup debut since Christophe Dugarry against South Africa in June 1998.

5

Kylian Mbappé scored his fifth career World Cup goal on Tuesday. The only players with more World Cup goals before turning 24 are Pelé (7), Mario Kempes (6) and James Rodríguez (6).

4

France became the first country to score four goals in consecutive World Cup games since Germany did so in 2010. It’s the first time that France have done this in their World Cup history.

36

Olivier Giroud became the oldest goalscorer for France in their World Cup history, a distinction previously held by Zinedine Zidane.

51

Giroud also scored his 51st goal for France on Tuesday. He’s now level with Thierry Henry as France’s topscorer

(Stats courtesy: ESPN Stats and Information Group)

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