FIFA World Cup History

 The FIFA World Cup (also called the Football World Cup, the Soccer World Cup, or simply the World Cup) is an international association football competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body.

 During the 19 tournaments that have been held, eight national teams have won the title. Brazil have won the World Cup a record five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament. Italy have won four titles, and Germany are next with three titles. The other former champions are Uruguay, winners of the inaugural tournament, and Argentina, with two titles each. England and France have won a single title each, both at home, while Spain( which is their first advance to final match ever) or the Netherlands will win their first World Cup in South Africa, which is also the first win of a European team outside Europe.

From Uruguay 1930 to Germany 2006, the World Cup has given birth to innumerable legends.If you are a football fan - here's a brush-up of your memory...

World Cup 1930

Winners Uruguay
Teams 13
Teams in qualifiers N/A
Notable absentees Of the major European countries, only France took part
Surprises USA, who finished third
Golden Boot Guillermo Stábile (Argentina) - 8
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (3.89 per match); Argentina (18) scored the most
Format One group of four and three groups of three in the qualifying stage, with the top from each group going into the semi-finals
Number of matches 18

World Cup 1934

Winners Italy
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 32
Notable absentees Holders Uruguay, England
Surprises Egypt
Golden Boot Oldrich Nejedlý (Czechoslovakia) - 5
Stats A total of 70 goals were scored (4.12 per match); Italy (12) scored the most
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 17

World Cup 1938

Winners Italy
Teams 15
Teams in qualifiers 37
Notable absentees Argentina, England, Spain, Uruguay
Surprises Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Cuba
Golden Boot Leônidas (Brazil) - 7
Stats A total of 84 goals were scored (4.67 per match); Hungary (15) scored the most
Format Straight knockout, replays for drawn matches
Number of matches 18

World Cup 1950

Winners Uruguay

Teams 13

Teams in qualifiers 34

Notable absentees France, Germany, Hungary

Surprises Bolivia

Golden Boot Ademir (Brazil) - 9

Stats A total of 88 goals were scored (4.00 per match); Brazil (22) scored the most

Format Four groups, with the winners of each progressing to a four-team round-robin final group. Withdrawals meant there were two groups of four, one of three and one of two

Number of matches 22

World Cup 1954

Winners West Germany

Teams 16

Teams in qualifiers 45

Notable absentees Spain

Surprises Korean Republic

Golden Boot Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) - 11

Stats A total of 140 goals were scored (5.38 per match); Hungary (27) scored the most

Format Four groups of four with two seeded and two unseeded teams in each group. However, the teams played just two matches per group rather than the usual three, with the seeded sides facing unseeded sides. Where teams ended up tied for the second qualifying position by points, they required a play-off. The two teams finishing at the top of their group went through to the quarter-finals

Number of matches 26

World Cup 1958

Winners Brazil

Teams 16

Teams in qualifiers 45

Notable absentees Italy, Uruguay

Surprises Wales, Northern Ireland

Golden Boot Just Fontaine (France) - 13

Stats A total of 126 goals were scored (3.60 per match); France (23) scored the most

Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals

Number of matches 35

World Cup 1962

Winners Brazil

Teams 16

Teams in qualifiers 56

Notable absentees Sweden

Surprises Colombia

Golden Boot Garrincha, Vavá (Brazil), Leonel Sánchez (Chile), Drazan Jerkovic (Yugoslavia) , Flórián Albert (Hungary), Valentin Ivanov (USSR) - 4

Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match); Brazil (14) scored the most

Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals

Number of matches 32

World Cup 1966

Winners England

Teams 16

Teams in qualifiers 70

Notable absentees None

Surprises North Korea

Golden Boot Eusébio (Portugal) - 9

Stats A total of 89 goals were scored (2.78 per match); Portugal (17) scored the most

Format Four groups of four, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals

Number of matches 32

World Cup 1970

Winners Brazil

Teams16

Teams in qualifiers 75

Number of matches 32

Notable absentees Argentina, France, Portugal, Spain

Surprises Morocco, the first African qualifiers since World War II

Golden Boot Gerd Muller (Germany) - 10

World Cup 1974

Winners West Germany

Teams 16

Teams in qualifiers 99

Notable absentees England, France, Hungary, Spain, USSR

Surprises Australia, Haiti and Zaire

Golden Boot Grzegorz Lato (Poland) - 7

Stats A total of 97 goals were scored (2.55 per match); Poland (16) scored the most

Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group going into a second round of two four-team groups and the winners facing each other in the final

Number of matches 38

World Cup 1978

Winners Argentina
Teams 16
Teams in qualifiers 107
Notable absentees England, Czechoslovakia, USSR
Surprises Iran, Tunisia
Golden Boot Mario Kempes (Argentina) - 6
Stats A total of 102 goals were scored (2.68 per match); Argentina and Netherlands (15) scored the most
Format Four groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the top two from each group into a second round of two groups of four, the top side in each progressing into the final
Number of matches 38

World Cup 1982

Winners Italy
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 109
Notable absentees Netherlands, Mexico
Surprises Algeria, Cameroon, Honduras, Kuwait, New Zealand
Golden Boot Paolo Rossi (Italy) - 6
Stats A total of 146 goals were scored (2.81 per match); France (16) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the second round, where they split into four groups of three. The winners of each group advanced to the semi-finals
Number of matches 52

World Cup 1986

Winners Argentina
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 121
Notable absentees Netherlands
Surprises Canada, Iraq
Golden Boot Gary Lineker (England) - 6
Stats A total of 132 goals were scored (2.54 per match); Argentina (14) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best third-place finishers
Number of matches 52

World Cup 1990

Winners West Germany
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 116
Notable absentees Denmark, France, Portugal
Surprises Costa Rica, Republic of Ireland, UAE
Golden Boot Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) - 6
Stats A total of 115 goals were scored (2.21 per match), which was the lowest goals-per-match ratio in World Cup history; West Germany (15) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best third place finishers
Number of matches 52

World Cup 1994

Winners Brazil
Teams 24
Teams in qualifiers 147
Notable absentees England, France
Surprises Greece, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia
Golden Boot Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Oleg Salenko (Russia) - 6
Stats A total of 141 goals were scored (2.71 per match); Sweden (15) scored the most
Format Six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16, plus four best 3rd place finishers
Number of matches 52

World Cup 1998

Winners France
Teams 32
Teams in qualifiers 174
Notable absentees Russia
Surprises Jamaica, Japan, South Africa
Golden Boot Davor Suker (Croatia) - 6
Stats A total of 171 goals were scored (2.67 per match); France (15) scored the most
Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16
Number of matches 64

World Cup 2002

Winners Brazil

Teams 32

Teams in qualifiers 199

Notable absentees Netherlands

Surprises Senegal, South Korea, Turkey

Golden Boot Ronaldo (Brazil) - 8

Stats A total of 161 goals were scored (2.52 per match); Brazil (18) scored the most

Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16

Number of matches 64

World Cup 2006

Winners Italy

Teams 32

Teams in qualifiers 198

Notable Absentees Cameroon, Nigeria

Surprises Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago

Golden Boot Miroslav Klose (Germany) - 5

Stats A total of 147 goals were scored (2.30 per match); Germany (14) scored the most

Format Eight groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to a knockout round of 16

Number of matches 64

World Cup 2010 ???

Best Top 10 World Cup Goals on YouTube

 To celebrate the 2010 World Cup, due to kick off on June 11th in South Africa we’ve scoured YouTube (YouTube) for the very best World Cup goals.Enjoy the golden moments in worl cup history.
1. Diego Maradona (ARG)

Argentina vs England (2-0) 1986

Unquestionably the greatest goal ever scored in a World Cup. It came just minutes after the infamous "Hand of God" goal. Maradona ran from his own half, beating every English player who stood in his way and finished it off past a helpless Peter Shilton. 
2. Saeed Owairan (SAU)

Saudi Arabia vs Belgium (1-0) in 1994

Known as the Maradona of the Arabs, Saeed Owairan received unexpected attention world wide for this phenomenal goal. Just as Maradona in 86, he ran from his own half past Belgians who looked unbalanced in defence and with a little luck Owairan managed to get past them all and score.

3. Carlos Alberto (BRA)

Brazil vs Italy (4-1) in 1970

A cracking shot after fine work by Pelé and Jairzinho settled the scoreline at 4-1 in the final. This goal was the icing on the cake for the Brazilian champions of 1970.

4. Arie Haan (HOL)

Holland vs Italy (2-1) in 1978

This must be the most impressive goal from long range in World Cup history. Arie Haan had scored from 30 yards in the match against West Germany earlier in the tournament, but with this magnificent strike from 40 yards, he sent Holland to the final against Argentina.

5. Pelé (BRA)

Brazil vs Sweden (3-1) in 1958

A wonderful display by Pelé when juggling the ball past a Swedish defender and then volleying it home from close range. And the boy was only 17!

6.  Roberto Baggio (ITA)

Italy vs Czechoslovakia (2-0) in 1990

A marvellous run by a young Roberto Baggio after receiving the ball on the half way line, nothing could stop him from scoring.

7. Dennis Bergkamp (HOL)

Holland vs Argentina (2-1) in 1998

Arguably the greatest goal of the last World Cup. Bergkamp controlled de Boer's 50 yard pass with ease before finishing off in style.

8.Archie Gemmill (SCO)

Scotland vs Holland (3-1) in 1978

A goal to remember from the little Scotsman. Dribbling his way into the penalty area from the side, before lifting the ball like a master over the goalkeeper.

9.     Manuel Negrete (MEX)

Mexico vs Bulgaria (1-0) in 1986

This was truly a magnificent goal. An acrobatic and well executed volley from outside the penalty area which would have made it into any "Greatest Goals" ranking. 

10. Ronaldo,(BRA)

 Brazil vs Germany, 2002

Notching up a record-breaking 15 goals in World Cup play, Ronaldo is an especially dangerous man in the six-yard box as his first goal against Germany in the 2002 final shows. But it’s his second goal in this clip, a melter from a little further out, that warrants inclusion in this list.

Phenomenal Wonders Of The Natural World

The classical natural wonders are huge and hard to miss – vast canyons, giant mountains and the like. Many of the most fantastic natural phenomena, however, are also least easy to spot. Some are incredibly rare while others are located in hard-to-reach parts of the planet. From moving rocks to mammatus clouds and red tides to fire rainbows, here are seven of the most spectacular phenomenal wonders of the natural world.
 Halo (optical phenomenon)   

 

A halo also known as a nimbus, icebow or Gloriole) is an optical phenomenon produced by ice crystals creating colored or white arcs and spots in the sky. Many are near the sun or moon but others are elsewhere and even in the opposite part of the sky. They can also form around artificial lights in very cold weather when ice crystals called diamond dust are floating in the nearby air.

Sailing Stones

The mysterious moving stones of the packed-mud desert of Death Valley have been a center of scientific controversy for decades.Rocks weighing up to hundreds of pounds have been known to move up to hundreds of yards at a time. Some scientists have proposed that a combination of strong winds and surface ice account for these movements. However, this theory does not explain evidence of different rocks starting side by side and moving at different rates and in disparate directions. Moreover, the physics calculations do not fully support this theory as wind speeds of hundreds of miles per hour would be needed to move some of the stones.

Aurora polar lights

 Auroras, also known as northern and southern (polar) lights or aurorae are natural light displays in the sky, usually observed at night, particularly in the polar regions. They typically occur in the ionosphere.  Aurorae occur deeper inside the polar regions, but these are infrequent occurrences, and these are often invisible to the naked eye.

Raining fish

Columnar Basalt

When a thick lava flow cools, it contracts vertically but cracks perpendicular to its directional flow with remarkable geometric regularity in most cases forming a regular grid of remarkable hexagonal extrusions that almost appear to be made by man. One of the most famous such examples is the Giant's Causeway on the coast of Ireland (shown above), though the largest and most widely recognized would be Devil's Tower in Wyoming. Basalt also forms different but equally fascinating ways when eruptions are exposed to air or water.

Blue Holes

Blue holes are giant and sudden drops in underwater elevation that get their name from the dark and foreboding blue tone they exhibit when viewed from above in relationship to surrounding waters. They can be hundreds of feet deep

and while divers are able to explore some of them they are largely devoid of oxygen that would support sea life due to poor water circulation - leaving them eerily empty. Some blue holes, however, contain ancient fossil remains that have been discovered, preserved in their depths.

Red Tides

Red tides are also known as algal blooms sudden influxes of massive amounts of colored single-cell algae that can convert entire areas of an ocean or beach into a blood red color. While some of these can be relatively harmless, others can be harbingers of deadly toxins that cause the deaths of fish, birds and marine mammals. In some cases, even humans have been harmed by red tides

though no human exposure are known to have been fatal. While they can be fatal, the constituent phytoplankton in ride tides are not harmful in small numbers.

Ice Circles

While many see these apparently perfect ice circles as worthy of conspiracy theorizing, scientists generally accept that they are formed by eddies in the water that spin a sizable piece of ice in a circular motion. As a result of this rotation other pieces of ice and flotsam wear relatively evenly at the edges of the ice until it slowly forms into an essentially ideal circle. Ice circles have been seen with diameters of over 500 feet and can also at times be found in clusters and groups of different sizes as shown above.

Mammatus Clouds

True to their ominous appearance, mammatus clouds are often harbingers of a coming storm or other extreme weather system. Typically composed primarily of ice, they can extend for hundreds of miles in each direction and individual formations can remain visibly static for ten to fifteen minutes at a time. While they may appear foreboding they are merely the messengers appearing around, before or even after severe weather.

Fire Rainbows

A circumhorizontal fire rainbow arc occurs at a rare confluence of right time and right place for the sun and certain clouds. Crystals within the clouds refract light into the various visible waves of the spectrum but only if they are arrayed correctly relative to the ground below. Due to the rarity with which all of these events happen in conjunction with one another, there are relatively few remarkable photos of this phenomena.

Sinkholes

Sinkholes are one of the world's scariest natural phenomena. Over time, water erodes the soil under the planet's surface until in some cases, quite suddenly,

the land above gives way and collapses into the earth. Many sinkholes occur naturally while others are the result of human intervention. Displacing groundwater can open cavities while broken pipes can erode otherwise stable subterranean sediments. Urban sinkholes, up to hundreds of feet deep have formed and consumed parts of city blocks, sidewalks and even entire buildings.

Penitentes

Named after peak-hooded New Mexican monks (lower right above), penitentes are dazzling naturally-forming ice blades that stick up at sharp angles toward the sun. Rarely found except at high altitudes, they can grow up taller than a human and form in vast fields. As ice melts in particular patterns, 'valleys' formed by initial melts leave 'mountains' in their wake. Strangely, these formations ultimately slow the melting process as the peaks cast shadows on the deeper surfaces below and allow for winds to blow over the peaks, cooling them.

Lenticular Clouds

Ever wonder the truth about UFOs? Avoided by traditional pilots but loved by sailplane aviators, lenticular clouds are masses of cloud with strong internal uplift that can drive a motorless flyer to high elevations. Their shape is quite often mistaken for a mysterious flying object or the artificial cover for one. Generally, lenticular clouds are formed as wind speeds up while moving around a large land object such as a mountain.

Light Pillars

Light pillars appear as eerily upright luminous columns in the sky, beacons cast into the air above without an apparent source.these are visible when light reflects just right off of ice crystals from either the sun (as in the two top images above) or from artificial ground sources such as street or park lights. Despite their appearance as near-solid columns of light,the effect is entirely created by our own relative viewpoint.

Sundogs

Like light pillars, sundogs are the product of light passing through crystals. The particular shape and orientation of the crystals can have a drastic visual impact for the viewer, producing a longer tail and changing the range of colors one sees. The relative height of the sun in the sky shifts the distance the sundogs appear to be on either side of the sun. Varying climactic conditions on other planets in our solar system produce halos with up to four sundogs from those planets' perspectives. Sundogs have been speculated about and discussed since ancient times and written records describing the various attributes of our sun date back the Egyptians and Greeks.

Fire Whirls

Fire whirls (also known as fire devils or tornadoes) appear in or around raging fires when the right combination of climactic conditions is present. Fire whirls can be spawned by other natural events such as earthquakes and thunderstorms, and can be incredibly dangerous, in some cases spinning well out of the zone of a fire itself to cause devastation and death in a radius not even reached by heat or flame. Fire whirls have been known to be nearly a mile high,have wind speeds of over 100 miles per hour

and to last for 20 or more minutes.

Orange Moons

This last phenomena is something most people have seen before beautiful orange moon hanging low in the sky. But what causes this phenomena and, for that matter, does the moon have a color at all? When the moon appears lower on the horizon, rays of light bouncing off it have to pass through a great deal more of our atmosphere which slowly strips away everything but yellows, oranges and reds. The bottommost image above is true to the hues of the moon. but has enhanced colors to more clearly show the differences in shade

that illustrate the mixed topography and mineralogy that tell the story of the moon's surface. Looking at the colors in combination with the craters one can start to trace the history of impacts and consequent material movements across the face of our mysterious moon.