10 Football Facts You Wouldn't Believe Were True | OneFootball

Football can provide the best imaginable feeling, or break our hearts all in the space of 90 minutes.

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This is what keeps us all coming back for more, based on the usual circumstances that typically take place in the likes of the Premier League or Champions League with close offside calls, penalty decisions, potential fouls and dramatic late goals.

However, football also has the potential to throw a curve ball so unusual, that it leaves players, coaches and supporters all scratching their heads.

We searched far and wide to find some of the most bizarre, fascinating, and in some cases, record-breaking facts that you never believed to be true, using substantiated reporting to maintain accuracy.

These all serve as a testament to the unpredictability and charm of football. As the sport continues to evolve and grow, who knows what other incredible facts will be added to this list in the future?

That being said, join GIVEMESPORT as we look at some of the most unbelievable facts about football.

1 The Longest Football Game Ever Recorded

BLACKBURN, ENGLAND - AUGUST 28: Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, tells the referee to check his watch during the FA Barclays Premiership match between Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United at Ewood Park on August 28, 2004 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Gary M. Prior/Getty Images)

Were you aware that football's longest-recorded match has been untouched for over 70 years? As competitive matches go, Stockport County against Doncaster Rovers in 1946 holds this title with a game duration of three hours and 23 minutes, which equals 203 minutes.

How is it possible that a football match can go on for that long? Well, this was a Division Three North Cup match, as it was known during the post-war period, which was before penalty shootouts were rolled out internationally across the game.

Because of this, and the fact that the match had finished 2-2 at Edgeley Park after 90 minutes, the decision was made by the officials, next goal wins.

We've heard this saying on the playground before, but never in a professional match. However, this was commonplace during this era and was known as a 'play to win' rule, where teams would keep playing until there was a goal that would ultimately decide a victor. The match went on for so long that fans would leave the stadium, return to their homes to eat and return to watch the game.

Before floodlights were invented, the game went on for so long that darkness set in, which meant the referee had to call the game off. Quoted by Goal, there was a cartoon that emerged which featured the following sentence: "With leaden feet County and Doncaster were interned at Edgeley Park with [referee] Mr Baker of Crewe a stern jailer."

Doncaster won a coin toss to host the replay and beat Stockport 4-0.

2 The Coin-Toss Win

If you want unpredictability in the game of football, then the semi-final of the 1968 European Championships between Italy and the Soviet Union can provide it to you by the bucket load.

The game ended 0-0 after extra time and, at that time, penalty shootouts were not permitted to take place and scheduling a replay was not feasible due to time constraints. Bizarrely, the referee came up with an idea and resorted to an unusual method to determine the winner - a coin toss.

Italy won the toss and secured their place in the final, where they ultimately defeated Yugoslavia to clinch the championship title. This unexpected twist serves as a reminder of the excitement and appeal of football, which thrives on its unpredictability.

Can you imagine if this happened in the modern game? How would you react if your team lost out to such a rule?

3 The No-Referee Game

The presence of a referee is integral to a football match.

They ensure that the rules are followed and maintain order on the pitch. However, there was a match in 2006 in Argentina where this was not the case. In an unusual turn of events, the referee was sent off for arguing with the players and subsequently left the pitch in protest. Instead of abandoning the match, the players decided to continue the game, self-regulating and observing the rules themselves. Miraculously, the game proceeded without any major incidents or disputes, proving that sportsmanship and fair play are still inherent aspects of the beautiful game.

Quite an unbelievable set of circumstances. Have you heard of anything like this happening in a football match before?

4 The Bizarre Own Goal Record

Own goals are generally considered unfortunate events in football.

However, Stefan Postma, a Dutch goalkeeper, took this unfortunate situation to an extreme. He has the unique distinction of scoring an own goal from the furthest distance ever in professional football - 82 yards (approximately 75 meters). In a 2007 match playing for ADO Den Haag, Postma attempted to clear the ball into the opponent’s half. But a strong gust of wind intervened, and the ball was swept back towards his goal and ended up in his own net. Despite the embarrassing situation, this bizarre incident etched his name into football history.

It's probably not the way he wanted to be remembered though.

5 The Fastest Red Card

A red card usually indicates a serious breach of rules and is the ultimate punishment during a match. The fastest red card in professional football history was issued without play even resuming following a substitution. So technically, the record time for a sending-off is 0 seconds.

Keith Gillespie came off the bench for Sheffield United during a Premier League game against Reading, which was a heated encounter from the first whistle. But almost immediately, Gillespie got into an altercation with Shane Long and struck out at him, in full view of the linesman who pointed it out to the referee.

The man in the middle was left with no choice but to give Gillespie his marching orders, making this the quickest dismissal of all time.

6 The Game with the Most Goals

While football matches can sometimes be low-scoring, the highest-scoring game ever was a unique spectacle.

This happened in Madagascar in 2002, in a match between AS Adema and SO l'Emyrne. The game ended with an unbelievable scoreline of 149-0. However, it wasn't a display of incredible attacking prowess; rather, it was a protest. According to a report from The Guardian at the time, SO l'Emyrne intentionally scored 149 own goals in protest against perceived partial refereeing in a previous match.

This remarkable event remains the highest-scoring football match ever, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the sport.

7 The One-Club Man

In the modern era of football, where transfers are frequent, spending an entire career at a single club is rare.

But Paolo Maldini, the legendary AC Milan defender, defies this trend. He spent his entire professional career, which spanned an incredible 25 seasons from 1985 to 2009, at AC Milan. Maldini, the epitome of loyalty and consistency, played more than 900 matches for the club, winning numerous trophies along the way.

His record is admired and respected by fans and players alike, as it encapsulates the true spirit of loyalty in football.

8 The Strangest Football Injury

Injuries are a common part of football, but some are stranger than others.

Former Spanish goalkeeper, Santiago Canizares, experienced one of the most bizarre injuries in football history. In 2002, as reported by BBC Sport at the time, Canizares was preparing to represent Spain in the FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, he accidentally dropped a bottle of aftershave on his foot, resulting in a severed tendon in his toe.

This peculiar accident ruled him out of the tournament, making it one of the strangest reasons a player has missed a major football event.

9 The Oldest Professional Football Club

Football, being a sport rich in history, boasts of clubs with long-standing traditions.

Sheffield FC in England holds the title of the oldest professional football club in the world. Formed in 1857, Sheffield FC predates the formation of modern rules of the game. It has been officially recognized by both FIFA and The Football Association.

The club's existence for over 160 years serves as a testament to the long-standing tradition and legacy of football, reminding us of how the beautiful game has evolved over the centuries.

10 The Golden Goal Rule’s Maiden Moment

The "Golden Goal" rule, introduced as a means to provide a more exciting conclusion to matches that went into extra time, has its own fascinating history.

The first-ever "Golden Goal" in the history of major international football was scored by Germany’s Oliver Bierhoff in the Euro 1996 final against the Czech Republic. Bierhoff's goal in the 95th minute sealed Germany's victory, making it a landmark event in football history.