During the self-isolation, quarantine and subsequent boredom amid the coronavirus pandemic, fans shared some of the most mind-blowing stats in football.
@NaifFCB got the discussion flowing on Twitter by asking folks to share footballing facts that sound “extremely fake” but are in fact legitimate.
A whole host of mad facts about many different players and teams surfaced and so here are ten of the very best.
1. Philipp Lahm avoided fouls for over a year.
The Bayern Munich and Germany legend was a master in reading the game and went 13 months without giving away a foul between September 2015 and October 2015 in the Bundesliga. Silly.
2. Jose Mourinho didn’t win the Manager of the Month award in two of his three Premier League title wins.
The Portuguese manager didn’t pick up the coveted gong despite leading his side to victory. He has won the award three times in his career, twice in his debut, title-winning 2004/05 campaign and once in 2006/2007.
3. Neymar won the La Liga player of the month award before Lionel Messi did
Interestingly the Brazilian beat his teammate to the gong after it was introduced in 2013. Neymar won it in 2013, with Messi winning it in January 2016 and going on to collect it a further six times.
4. Manchester United have NEVER lost a Premier League game at Old Trafford after leading at half-time
If Manchester United are winning at half-time at home in the Premier League, there’s next to no chance of them losing.
— . (@WocyOggg) April 23, 2020
5. Theo Walcott has more Champions League goals than a plethora of legends
The former Arsenal man has notched 15 times in Europe’s premier competition, which is more than the likes of Ronaldo Nazario, Zinedine Zidane, Miroslav Klose, David Villa, Alexis Sanchez and Eden Hazard.
6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored in every minute
The pair of footballing legends are the only two players in history to have scored a goal in every single minute (1-90) of a game.
7. Zlatan has played for six teams to have won the European Cup/Champions League but hasn’t won it himself.
Sticking with the Swede, Ibrahimovic has played for AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester United, Ajax and Malmo – all European Cup winners – but he has failed to win it himself and likely never will.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has played for six clubs that have won the Champions League, but he has never actually won the trophy himself
— Mr. Anag (@_abba_1) April 23, 2020
8. Spain won the World Cup scoring just eight goals
There was a period where La Roja dominated international football and won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa under Vicente del Bosque. However, you might be surprised to learn they only scored eight goals on their way to victory.
Spain won a WHOLE WORLD CUP scoring 8 GOALS the whole TOURNAMENT.
— Domez Predos✍️ (@Domez99) April 23, 2020
9. Gary Lineker never received a yellow card in his career
The England legend’s perfect disciplinary record means he has had more shits on the pitch than he has had cards in his decorated career.
Gary lineker had no yellow card in his entire career
— FREESTYLES 📷 (@Offensive_99) April 23, 2020
Gary lineker had no yellow card in his entire career
— FREESTYLES 📷 (@Offensive_99) April 23, 2020
10. Steve Bruce once scored 19 goals from centre-back in a season
The Newcastle boss captained Manchester United back in the day but was the club’s top scorer in 1990/91, notching 13 goals in the league.
11. Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale and Kevin Davies are the only three players to have scored, assisted and put through their own net in same game.
It’s not exactly a stat to shout about but all three men have completed the unwanted hat-trick in a game and are the only ones to do so.
Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale and Kevin Davies are the only players to score, assist and score an own goal in a single Premier League game.
— Mr. Anag (@_abba_1) April 23, 2020
12. Kingsley Coman has won the league in every year he’s been a professional
Three different clubs, seven consecutive league titles. The Frenchman won back-to-back titles with PSG after making his debut in the 2012/13 season, lifted the 2014/15 Scudetto with Juventus and then four Bundesliga titles on the trot with Bayern Munich.
If football does resume, he will be good value to add another to the collection – with Bayern four points clear at the top.
13. Stefan Schwarz had a bizarre “Space clause” in his Sunderland contract
There’s release clauses and there’s this. The Swede returned to English football by joining Sunderland from Valencia in a £4 million move. Remarkably, one of the details of the deal stated that if he were to travel into space his contract would become invalid.
Stefan Schwarz had a clause in his contact when he signed for Sunderland in 1999 that stated that if he ever went to space then his contract would instantly be terminated
— Squidward 🖤🐘🤍💜 (@CallumDunn80) April 23, 2020
14. Jose Mourinho went nine years out without losing a home game
He may have lost some of his magic in recent years but in his pomp, Mourinho went nine years and 150 games without tasting defeat on home soil.
Incredibly, the Portuguese manager took charge of four different clubs in this period.
15. Real Madrid beat their own reserve side in the 1980 Copa Del Rey final
Los Blancos have won the Copa Del Rey on 19 occasions but their 1980 triumph is infamous because their opponents in their final were Real Madrid Castilla, who they beat 6-1 a
t the Bernabeu.
In 1980 Real Madrid played against Real Madrid Castilla in the Copa Del Rey final.
— Vedant MK (@vkandaa) April 23, 2020
Featured Image Credit: PA