ABOUT THE GAME
- Soccer players run an average of 9.6 km during every game.
- The very first game of basketball was played with a soccer ball.
- A soccer ball is around 71 cm in circumference. More than 80% of the world's soccer balls are produced in Pakistan.
- On traditional soccer balls, there are 32 panels, meant to depict each country of Europe.
- More than 200 countries enter qualifications for the World Cup.
- The World Cup trophy is made of 18 carat gold.
- Until the year 1882, there were no crossbars on the goals, which meant that any ball that went in between the two side posts at any height was considered a goal.
- Soccer balls are not perfectly round, as many believe. They are in fact slightly oval-shaped.