Player and Coach
Only 3 men will have won the World Cup as a player and a coach if Didier Deschamps leads France to glory. The former defensive midfielder, who captained his country to the title in 1998, would emulate Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer.
Oldest Player
45 years and five months is what Essam El-Hadary will be when Egypt begin their campaign against Uruguay. If he plays in Russia he will break Faryd Mondragon’s record (43 years and three days) to become the oldest player in World Cup history.
Captain’s Record
6 goals as captain is the World Cup record belonging to Diego Maradona. Argentina skipper Lionel Messi requires three to break his former coach’s milestone.
Highest Scorer
5 Goals in three World Cups is what Thomas Muller is bidding to become the first player to register. The 28-year-old, fellow German Miroslav Klose and Peruvian Teofilo Cubillas are the only men to have scored more than four times in multiple editions of the tournament. Klose, on 16 overall, holds the record for the most World Cup goals, with Muller six shy.
Oldest Coaches
135 years and three months will be the combined age of Oscar Tabarez and Fernando Santos if Uruguay and Portugal meet in the Round of 16 – the oldest combined age for two coaches in a World Cup game. The current record is the 133 years and nine months Greece’s Otto Rehhagel and Nigeria’s Lars Lagerback had between them at South Africa 2010.
