Will Jeanes
@willjeanes.bsky.social
Work for The Athletic // Football stats and history ⚽️
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/will-jeanes/
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/will-jeanes/
The draw for the 1974 World Cup was conducted by an 11-year-old West German choirboy called Detlef Lange.
He drew the two Germanys together and the match — which the East won 1-0 — was the only time they ever met.
Here he is during the draw, alongside FIFA's committee members.
He drew the two Germanys together and the match — which the East won 1-0 — was the only time they ever met.
Here he is during the draw, alongside FIFA's committee members.
December 5, 2025 at 4:01 PM
The draw for the 1974 World Cup was conducted by an 11-year-old West German choirboy called Detlef Lange.
He drew the two Germanys together and the match — which the East won 1-0 — was the only time they ever met.
Here he is during the draw, alongside FIFA's committee members.
He drew the two Germanys together and the match — which the East won 1-0 — was the only time they ever met.
Here he is during the draw, alongside FIFA's committee members.
Hungary beat England 6-3 in the 'Match of the Century' on this day in 1953 at Wembley.
It was the first time since 1881 vs Scotland that England had conceded six+ goals in a game and Nándor Hidegkuti's hat-trick remains the last vs England in England.
It was the first time since 1881 vs Scotland that England had conceded six+ goals in a game and Nándor Hidegkuti's hat-trick remains the last vs England in England.
November 25, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Hungary beat England 6-3 in the 'Match of the Century' on this day in 1953 at Wembley.
It was the first time since 1881 vs Scotland that England had conceded six+ goals in a game and Nándor Hidegkuti's hat-trick remains the last vs England in England.
It was the first time since 1881 vs Scotland that England had conceded six+ goals in a game and Nándor Hidegkuti's hat-trick remains the last vs England in England.
Bert Patenaude, who scored the first World Cup hat-trick, was born on this day in 1909 in Massachusetts, USA.
Patenaude scored the hat-trick vs Paraguay in the groups of the 1930 tournament and helped USA reach the semi-finals — their best performance at a men's World Cup.
Patenaude scored the hat-trick vs Paraguay in the groups of the 1930 tournament and helped USA reach the semi-finals — their best performance at a men's World Cup.
November 4, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Bert Patenaude, who scored the first World Cup hat-trick, was born on this day in 1909 in Massachusetts, USA.
Patenaude scored the hat-trick vs Paraguay in the groups of the 1930 tournament and helped USA reach the semi-finals — their best performance at a men's World Cup.
Patenaude scored the hat-trick vs Paraguay in the groups of the 1930 tournament and helped USA reach the semi-finals — their best performance at a men's World Cup.
Gerd Müller, arguably the greatest pure goalscorer of all time, was born on this day in 1945.
He is the last player to have scored two hat-tricks in one World Cup (1970) and only Lionel Messi at Barcelona (672) has scored more goals at a top-level European club than Müller's 566 at Bayern Munich.
He is the last player to have scored two hat-tricks in one World Cup (1970) and only Lionel Messi at Barcelona (672) has scored more goals at a top-level European club than Müller's 566 at Bayern Munich.
November 3, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Gerd Müller, arguably the greatest pure goalscorer of all time, was born on this day in 1945.
He is the last player to have scored two hat-tricks in one World Cup (1970) and only Lionel Messi at Barcelona (672) has scored more goals at a top-level European club than Müller's 566 at Bayern Munich.
He is the last player to have scored two hat-tricks in one World Cup (1970) and only Lionel Messi at Barcelona (672) has scored more goals at a top-level European club than Müller's 566 at Bayern Munich.
Lev Yashin, the greatest goalkeeper in history, was born on this day in 1929.
He played a key part in the Soviet Union winning the inaugural Euros in 1960 and was in four of their World Cup squads.
Yashin also played Ice hockey, as a goalkeeper, winning the Soviet Cup in 1953 with Dynamo Moscow.
He played a key part in the Soviet Union winning the inaugural Euros in 1960 and was in four of their World Cup squads.
Yashin also played Ice hockey, as a goalkeeper, winning the Soviet Cup in 1953 with Dynamo Moscow.
October 22, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Lev Yashin, the greatest goalkeeper in history, was born on this day in 1929.
He played a key part in the Soviet Union winning the inaugural Euros in 1960 and was in four of their World Cup squads.
Yashin also played Ice hockey, as a goalkeeper, winning the Soviet Cup in 1953 with Dynamo Moscow.
He played a key part in the Soviet Union winning the inaugural Euros in 1960 and was in four of their World Cup squads.
Yashin also played Ice hockey, as a goalkeeper, winning the Soviet Cup in 1953 with Dynamo Moscow.
On this day in 1960, Jimmy Greaves scored the first of his record six England hat-tricks in a 9-0 win vs Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier. It was his ninth cap.
Harry Kane is one hat-trick away from equalling Greaves' record total (Gary Lineker also scored five hat-tricks).
Harry Kane is one hat-trick away from equalling Greaves' record total (Gary Lineker also scored five hat-tricks).
October 19, 2025 at 10:03 AM
On this day in 1960, Jimmy Greaves scored the first of his record six England hat-tricks in a 9-0 win vs Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier. It was his ninth cap.
Harry Kane is one hat-trick away from equalling Greaves' record total (Gary Lineker also scored five hat-tricks).
Harry Kane is one hat-trick away from equalling Greaves' record total (Gary Lineker also scored five hat-tricks).
On this day in 1958, Tottenham beat Everton 10-4 in the First Division.
The 14 goals scored is the joint most in an English top-flight match — along with Aston Villa 12-2 Accrington in March 1892.
The picture is of Everton's Jimmy Harris, who scored a hat-trick in defeat.
The 14 goals scored is the joint most in an English top-flight match — along with Aston Villa 12-2 Accrington in March 1892.
The picture is of Everton's Jimmy Harris, who scored a hat-trick in defeat.
October 11, 2025 at 10:50 AM
On this day in 1958, Tottenham beat Everton 10-4 in the First Division.
The 14 goals scored is the joint most in an English top-flight match — along with Aston Villa 12-2 Accrington in March 1892.
The picture is of Everton's Jimmy Harris, who scored a hat-trick in defeat.
The 14 goals scored is the joint most in an English top-flight match — along with Aston Villa 12-2 Accrington in March 1892.
The picture is of Everton's Jimmy Harris, who scored a hat-trick in defeat.
On this day in 1953, Alfredo Di Stéfano made his debut for Real Madrid after a contentious transfer tug of war with Barcelona.
He won the European Cup/Champions League five times with Madrid and scored in all five finals — nobody else has scored in more than three EC/CL finals.
He won the European Cup/Champions League five times with Madrid and scored in all five finals — nobody else has scored in more than three EC/CL finals.
September 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM
On this day in 1953, Alfredo Di Stéfano made his debut for Real Madrid after a contentious transfer tug of war with Barcelona.
He won the European Cup/Champions League five times with Madrid and scored in all five finals — nobody else has scored in more than three EC/CL finals.
He won the European Cup/Champions League five times with Madrid and scored in all five finals — nobody else has scored in more than three EC/CL finals.
On this day in 1892, Derby's Steve Bloomer scored the first of his 314 goals in the English top flight. Only Jimmy Greaves (357) has more.
Bloomer is one of four players to score five goals in a game for England, and the last to do so outside England: v Wales in Cardiff in 1896.
Bloomer is one of four players to score five goals in a game for England, and the last to do so outside England: v Wales in Cardiff in 1896.
September 24, 2025 at 12:21 PM
On this day in 1892, Derby's Steve Bloomer scored the first of his 314 goals in the English top flight. Only Jimmy Greaves (357) has more.
Bloomer is one of four players to score five goals in a game for England, and the last to do so outside England: v Wales in Cardiff in 1896.
Bloomer is one of four players to score five goals in a game for England, and the last to do so outside England: v Wales in Cardiff in 1896.
September 22, 2025 at 9:22 PM
On this day in 1929, Sándor Kocsis was born. He scored 75 goals in 68 games for Hungary — the best goals-per-game average of men with 50+ international goals since WW2.
He scored a hat-trick in consecutive matches at the 1954 World Cup; only Gerd Müller in 1970 has matched this.
He scored a hat-trick in consecutive matches at the 1954 World Cup; only Gerd Müller in 1970 has matched this.
September 21, 2025 at 5:50 PM
On this day in 1929, Sándor Kocsis was born. He scored 75 goals in 68 games for Hungary — the best goals-per-game average of men with 50+ international goals since WW2.
He scored a hat-trick in consecutive matches at the 1954 World Cup; only Gerd Müller in 1970 has matched this.
He scored a hat-trick in consecutive matches at the 1954 World Cup; only Gerd Müller in 1970 has matched this.
On this day in 1958, Chelsea beat Newcastle 6-5 at Stamford Bridge in the First Division.
It is the last English top-flight game in which a team has scored five+ goals and lost.
Chelsea's Jimmy Greaves (pictured) scored two of his record 357 English top-flight goals that day.
It is the last English top-flight game in which a team has scored five+ goals and lost.
Chelsea's Jimmy Greaves (pictured) scored two of his record 357 English top-flight goals that day.
September 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
On this day in 1958, Chelsea beat Newcastle 6-5 at Stamford Bridge in the First Division.
It is the last English top-flight game in which a team has scored five+ goals and lost.
Chelsea's Jimmy Greaves (pictured) scored two of his record 357 English top-flight goals that day.
It is the last English top-flight game in which a team has scored five+ goals and lost.
Chelsea's Jimmy Greaves (pictured) scored two of his record 357 English top-flight goals that day.
On this day in 1955, Péter Palotás scored the first hat-trick in the European Cup/Champions League — for Vörös Lobogó vs Anderlecht.
Palotás had played for Hungary at the 1954 World Cup, scoring twice in the 9-0 win vs South Korea — the joint-biggest in the tournament's history.
Palotás had played for Hungary at the 1954 World Cup, scoring twice in the 9-0 win vs South Korea — the joint-biggest in the tournament's history.
September 7, 2025 at 7:08 PM
On this day in 1955, Péter Palotás scored the first hat-trick in the European Cup/Champions League — for Vörös Lobogó vs Anderlecht.
Palotás had played for Hungary at the 1954 World Cup, scoring twice in the 9-0 win vs South Korea — the joint-biggest in the tournament's history.
Palotás had played for Hungary at the 1954 World Cup, scoring twice in the 9-0 win vs South Korea — the joint-biggest in the tournament's history.
Delighted to have rediscovered this superb piece of royal/cricketing trivia:
August 8, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Delighted to have rediscovered this superb piece of royal/cricketing trivia:
The three relegated clubs picked up a combined total of just 59 points in the Premier League this season — replacing the previous lowest mark which was set... last season:
May 25, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The three relegated clubs picked up a combined total of just 59 points in the Premier League this season — replacing the previous lowest mark which was set... last season:
Bruno Fernandes joined Manchester United more than five and a half years after Luke Shaw:
April 1, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Bruno Fernandes joined Manchester United more than five and a half years after Luke Shaw:
Cristiano Ronaldo scored more goals in the Champions League than his old club Manchester United did during his time at Real Madrid (this and much more is in the piece linked in the below post).
February 5, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Cristiano Ronaldo scored more goals in the Champions League than his old club Manchester United did during his time at Real Madrid (this and much more is in the piece linked in the below post).
This was a The Mirror front page concerning United's decision not to play in the 1999-00 FA Cup (they were the holders).
January 5, 2025 at 12:59 PM
This was a The Mirror front page concerning United's decision not to play in the 1999-00 FA Cup (they were the holders).
#OTD 25 years ago the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship began in Brazil. It was the first Club World Cup and eight teams competed. Manchester United withdrew from the FA Cup to play in it and faced Ange Postecoglou's South Melbourne at the Maracanã in the groups. Brazilian side Corinthians won.
January 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM
#OTD 25 years ago the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship began in Brazil. It was the first Club World Cup and eight teams competed. Manchester United withdrew from the FA Cup to play in it and faced Ange Postecoglou's South Melbourne at the Maracanã in the groups. Brazilian side Corinthians won.
#OTD in 1980 the World Champions' Gold Cup started. Held in Montevideo to mark 50 years since the first World Cup, the six previous world champions were invited to play — with the Netherlands replacing England (who decided not to compete). Uruguay beat Brazil in the final.
December 30, 2024 at 8:52 AM
#OTD in 1980 the World Champions' Gold Cup started. Held in Montevideo to mark 50 years since the first World Cup, the six previous world champions were invited to play — with the Netherlands replacing England (who decided not to compete). Uruguay beat Brazil in the final.
#OTD in 1911, the Norwegian quintet of Roald Amundsen, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel, Oscar Wisting and Olav Bjaaland became the first humans to reach the Geographic South Pole. The below picture was taken by Bjaaland.
December 14, 2024 at 9:42 AM
#OTD in 1911, the Norwegian quintet of Roald Amundsen, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel, Oscar Wisting and Olav Bjaaland became the first humans to reach the Geographic South Pole. The below picture was taken by Bjaaland.
Robert Lewandowski joins the 💯 club
November 26, 2024 at 8:52 PM
Robert Lewandowski joins the 💯 club