Records

Yet another Mexico Round of 16 elimination has us wondering why El Tri can't ever make it to the quarterfinals. It seems like Mexico is actually facing a curse when it comes to getting past the Round of 16 at the World Cup. But why is it that El Tri is simply unable to surpass the first knockout stage and make its way to the much desired Quinto Partido?

Essam El-Hadary became the oldest player to ever appear in the World Cup. Then he made the best save of the 2018 World Cup. 

Essam El-Hadary, Egypt’s 45-year-old goalkeeper, made his World Cup debut in the Pharaohs’ dead rubber against Saudi Arabia on Monday. Neither team could advance as both had lost their matches against Russia and Uruguay.

After registering somewhat surprising victories over Colombia and Poland on matchday one in Group H, Japan and Senegal played to a thrilling 2-2 draw in Yekaterinburg on Sunday. Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Senegal early in the first half, only for Takashi Inui to equalize 23 minutes later.

19-year-old PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, already the game’s second-most expensive player ever and the winner of the prestigious 2017 Golden Boy award, has become the youngest goalscorer for France at any major international tournament after opening the scoring for Les Bleus against Peru.

Move over Ferenc Puskas, CR7 is No. 2 now. With the Cristiano Ronaldo goal vs Morocco, a powerful header off a corner kick four minutes into the match on Wednesday, the Portuguese star became the second all-time leading goal scorer in the history of men's international soccer. 

Ronaldo and Puskas were tied with 84 goals apiece after the former’s hat trick against Spain on Friday. But Ronaldo didn’t wait long on Wednesday against Morocco to break that tie.

Rafael Márquez set a new World Cup record on Sunday. The legendary Mexico defender became the third player to appear in five World Cups when he came in for Andrés Guardado in the 74th minute for El Tri against Germany. More impressively, by taking the captain’s armband from Guardado, Rafa Márquez became the first player to captain five teams at the World Cup.