Football Facts That Sound Fake but Are Actually True | OneFootball

Football is full of unbelievable moments, wild stories, and records that sound too outrageous to be real. From bizarre incidents on the pitch to extraordinary feats of athleticism, the beautiful game never fails to surprise us. Some of these stories are so incredible that they seem like urban legends, but they are, in fact, entirely true.

A Match Ended 149-0 Without a Single Goal Being Scored

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In 2002, Madagascar’s Stade Olympique de L’Emyrne (SOE) protested unfair refereeing by intentionally scoring 149 own goals against themselves. They did this to highlight corruption in the league.

Kazuyoshi Miura Is Still Playing Professional Football at Over 56 Years Old

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Known as “King Kazu,” the Japanese forward made his professional debut in 1986 and is still active, playing for Oliveirense in the Portuguese league.

India Withdrew from the FIFA World Cup Because They Couldn’t Play Barefoot

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In 1950, the Indian national team qualified for the World Cup but pulled out because FIFA’s regulations required players to wear boots, which went against their preference for playing barefoot.

A Goalkeeper Scored 131 Goals in His Career

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Rogério Ceni, a Brazilian goalkeeper, holds the record for scoring the most goals by a keeper, thanks to his extraordinary free-kick and penalty-taking skills.

Ryan Giggs Played His Entire Premier League Career Without Ever Being Sent Off

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The Manchester United legend played over 900 games for the club and was never shown a red card, a rarity for such a long career!

The World’s Largest Football Stadium Isn’t in Europe or South America

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The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, has a capacity of 114,000, making it the largest football-specific stadium in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo Jumped Higher Than an Average NBA Player to Score a Header

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In 2019, Ronaldo’s header for Juventus against Sampdoria saw him leap 2.56 meters (8.39 feet) off the ground, an astonishing athletic feat.

A Referee Once Scored a Goal in a Professional Match

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In a 1986 game in the Netherlands, referee Pieter Vink accidentally deflected a shot into the net. The goal stood as per the rules.

There’s a Country That Has Never Won a Match Despite Playing International Football for 20 Years

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San Marino has one of the worst international records, with only one win since they began playing in 1990.

The Fastest Red Card in Football Was Just 2 Seconds Into the Game

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Lee Todd, of Cross Farm Park Celtic in England, was sent off for swearing immediately after the referee blew the whistle! Earning the fastest red card in history!