IFFHS STATS - WORLD CUP 2026 QUALIFIERS
Picture : Mikel Oyarzabal has already 10 goal involvements for Spain in 2025 !
Statistics on WC 2026 qualifiers (11-13 October)
Faroe Islands vs Czechia 2-1
*This win became historical and one of two most glorious for Faroe Islands (along with the legendary 1-0 vs Austria at their debut in international scene).
*For the first time in history they won 3 games in a row (also 1-0 vs Gibraltar and 4-0 vs Montenegro).
*Faroe Islands have already 4 wins in this qualifying campaign; twice more than they had in any other edition either for World Cup or Euro.
Their “best” goal difference so far was -11 (in the qualifying for Euro 2024). Their current goal difference: +4.
Estonia vs Italy 1-3
*Italy have scored 13 goals in their first 3 matches under Gennaro Gattuso (including 5-0 vs Estonia and 5-4 vs Israel); 3 goals more than at any other Italy’s coach after similar starting spell in charge.
*Moise Kean became the 4th player to score in 4 consecutive World Cup qualifiers for Italy, after Luigi Riva (1968-1972), Roberto Bettega (1976-1977) and Filippo Inzaghi (2000-2001).
Netherlands vs Finland 4-0
*The Netherlands fielded startin lineup without a player from the Dutch league in 5 games in 2025, as many times as in all their previous history.
Spain vs Georgia 2-0
*Spian remain the only team in the world to have never lost a World Cup qualifier at home: 53 wins and 9 draws in 62 matches.
*Spain have gone 28 consecutive non-friendly matches without defeat.
*Mikel Oyarzabal has already 10 goal involvements for Spain in 2025: the 2nd most in European national teams this year after Erling Haaland (15).
Portugal vs Republic of Ireland 1-0
*Eire's goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher saved a penalty within last year from Kylian Mbappé (November 2024), Bruno Fernandes (September 2025) and now from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lithuania vs Poland 0-2
*Sebastian Szymański has scored directly from corner. This is 2nd “Olympic” goal netted by a Polish player in a World Cup qualifier.
The first was scored by Kazimierz Deyna on 29 October 1977 when Poland drew with Portugal (1-1) to secure qualification for the World Cup.
Bulgaria vs Turkey 1-6
*Only once before in their history, Bulgaria conceded as many goals at home: a 0-6 defeat vs England on 14 October 2019.
Iceland vs France 2-2
*France have now scored 2+ goals in 7 matches in a row, equalling their best run in the XXI century (7-game streak from October 2017 to June 2018 and another 7-game from September 2021 to March 2022).
Libya vs Cape Verde 3-3
*Cape Verdean defender Roberto Lopes has scored has scored the earliest own goal in the history of World Cup Qualifying (just 46 seconds into game)
Seychelles vs Ivory Coast 0-7
*The goals were scored by 7 different Ivorian players. Curiously, in the first match between these teams on 17 November 2023 (9-0 for Ivory Coast), the goals were distributed also by 7 different players: a record of this kind in African zone of World Cup Qualifying.
The world record is 10 different scorers (6 starters and 4 substitutes), for Guatemala in a 10-0 win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 5 June 2021.
South Korea vs Brazil 0-5 (friendly)
*Son Heung-min became the all-time South Korea’s record holder for most appearances (137).
He surpassed Cha Bum-kun and Hong Myung-bo, who each have 136 appearances.