2026-05-world-cup-x-thread | Company Context

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World Cup 2026 kicks off in 3 weeks. 48 teams. 104 matches. The biggest tournament in history.

We went through 92 years of World Cup data so you don't have to. Here's what the numbers actually show 🧵

Goals per game has nearly halved since the 1950s.

1954: 5.38 goals/game 1990: 2.21 goals/game ← lowest ever 2022: 2.69 goals/game

Modern defences are just that much better. The wide-open tournament of the 1950s is gone.

📊 datahub.io/football/worldcup/v/0

One nation has qualified for every single World Cup since 1930.

Just one.

Brazil. 22 tournaments. 22 qualifications. 5 titles.

No other country is even close — Germany and Italy have each missed at least one.

📊 datahub.io/football/worldcup/v/3

Hosting the World Cup used to be a massive advantage.

6 of the first 17 hosts won it on home soil: Uruguay, Italy, England, West Germany, Argentina, France.

Since 2002? No host has reached the final. South Africa, Brazil, Russia, Qatar all knocked out early.

The home advantage may be gone.

Miroslav Klose scored 16 World Cup goals across 4 tournaments (2002–2014).

That record has stood for 11 years. Ronaldo (Brazil) is 2nd with 15.

Only 2 players in history have scored 14+.

📊 datahub.io/football/worldcup/v/2

All of this data — every match, goal, squad, booking, and referee from 1930 to 2022 — is open and free.

27 tables. 22 tournaments. 3,600+ goals.

📊 datahub.io/football/worldcup

What angle would you explore first?