Tag: sports

When the ball completely crosses the touch line (sideline), whether on the ground or in the air, a throw-in is awarded to the team that did NOT touch the ball last. The opponent player who last touched the ball before it went out gives possession to the other team. This is the only restart method where players use their hands to put the ball back in play.

According to football laws, a match cannot start if either team has fewer than 7 players. While a full team has 11 players, the minimum required to begin play is 7. If injuries or red cards reduce a team below 7 players during a match, the game is abandoned.

The hosting nation has won the FIFA World Cup 6 times: Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), Argentina (1978), France (1998), Germany (2006 as hosts, though winning as West Germany in earlier tournaments), and Russia never won but counts as host. The most commonly cited answer is 6 genuine hosting nation victories.

Brazil is the correct answer - they won the World Cup in 1958 (Sweden), 1970 (Mexico), 1994 (USA), and 2002 (Japan/South Korea), but never when hosting it (lost in 1950 final as hosts). Italy won as hosts in 1934, Argentina won as hosts in 1978, and Germany won as hosts in 1974 (West Germany) and 2006.

The maximum number of times a single country has hosted the World Cup is 2 times: Mexico (1970, 1986), Italy (1934, 1990), France (1938, 1998), Brazil (will be 2 in 2034 after 1950), and Germany (1974, 2006). No country has hosted more than 2 times.

Brazil won the Jules Rimet Trophy permanently after their 3rd World Cup title in 1970, but the trophy was stolen in 1983 while on display in Rio de Janeiro and was never recovered. The trophy was awarded to Brazil after their 1970 victory, not 1982 or 1984.

Silvio Gazzaniga was an Italian designer who created the current FIFA World Cup Trophy in 1971, replacing the Jules Rimet Trophy. The trophy is made of 18-carat gold and depicts two human figures holding up the Earth.