Today is February 29th, a day that only comes around every four years. Fittingly, we’re taking a look at football records that are just as rare or will likely never be broken again.
The highest score in history: 149-0
In 2002, a league match in Madagascar between AS Adema and SO l'Emyrne ended 149-0. It wasn't a superior team that won: SO l'Emyrne was protesting a referee’s decision from a previous match and intentionally scored one own goal after another. The record has been in the Guinness Book since then, but it is more of a sad curiosity.
31-0 in an international match
The highest score in an official international match dates back to 2001. In a World Cup qualifier, Australia defeated American Samoa 31-0. Striker Archie Thompson scored 13 goals himself, which is also a record for an international match. The game later contributed to the introduction of preliminary rounds in Oceania and Asia so that such imbalances occur less frequently.
The fastest goal in an international match
Belgian player Christian Benteke scored after just about eight seconds in October 2016 during a World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar. At a World Cup finals, Hakan Şükür holds the record: the Turk scored after about eleven seconds in the third-place match of the 2002 World Cup against South Korea.
91 goals in a calendar year
In 2012, Lionel Messi scored a total of 91 goals for FC Barcelona and Argentina. In doing so, he surpassed the decades-old record held by Gerd Müller, who had reached 85 goals in 1972.
Curiosities in brief
- A goal scored directly from kick-off is allowed, but it happens very rarely.
- A throw-in that goes into the opponent's goal without touching anyone does not count. It results in a goal kick.
- A team must have at least seven players on the pitch, otherwise the match will be abandoned.
Three record challenges for your training
Records are motivating, even on a small scale. With these three challenges, you can compete against teammates or friends:
- The Ten Series: Who can get the most out of ten volleys on target? Whoever is tied enters a playoff with three attempts each.
- The Target: Hang a bib in both top corners of the goal. A shot on goal counts as one point, a hit in the marked corner counts as three points.
- The weak foot: Same rules as the Ten Series, but only with your weaker foot. This often leads to the most surprising rankings.
Write down the results, for example on a board in the dressing room. Anyone who sees that a teammate is one point ahead will automatically train with a bit more focus.
And your personal record?
Professional records are exciting, but something else counts for your development: your own progress. A simple test: how many out of ten volleys can you get on target? Write down the result and repeat the test every two weeks. This way, you create your very own personal record that you can improve step by step.
With the VOLLEYCHAMP®, this works particularly well because the ball is at the same height for every attempt. Your results are therefore comparable, and you can see whether your training is effective.
In any case, you have plenty of time to break your record before the next leap day in 2028.
